Walk Around Hotel de Ville to the Louvre

Today, my Aunt & I went to the Hotel de Ville (City Hall), which like everything here was a gorgeous historic building. Around the area there were many shops, but pretty much I just window shopped, nothing (yet) has caught my eye. A little later, my Aunt & I got some dessert at a place called Angelina's, thats just say it was a twist on creme brulee, a twist we both did not favor, all I can say is do not mess with the classics. Ha 

France is truly, amazing so filled with history and beauty. The buildings I could just stare at forever, and with the wonderful crisp cool weather makes it jut perfect for a long walk.

hotel de ville

building behind "City Hall"

hotel de ville

the whole view of hotel de ville

view of the scenery 

the amazing, enormous, incredible, Musee du Louvre  

front of Musee

the famous Louvre Pyramids 

A beautiful day in Paris

Fall in Paris

Today was my second day in Paris, and it was a lovely fall day. The weather is about 60 degrees which is defiantly different from the 80+ degrees + huminty I just left in Lebanon. It is still crazy to think that I am no longer in Lebanon, I feel like it all happened so fast. 

But, I am back in the Western world, and it feels great. haha. The internet at my aunts is super duper fast,  constant electricty and hot water and most awesomest thing no-honking. haha 

So today my cousins and I walked around the Champs- Elysees in the gorgeous weather with beautiful a  scenery. 

Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais

Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais

<3 seeing the leaves change

near Place de le Concorde

see the guy in the center, he is yelling at me not to take a picture of the US Embassy. ooops

<3 fall

the Obelisk/Place de le Concorde

A  little History for you,  the Place de le Concorde was where they set up the Guillotine during the French Revolution , where over 1100 people died, including the King Louis XVI & Queen Marie-Antoinette. Yeah like right around where I am standing, kinda crazy. 

Champs- Elysees

Last Day in Lebanon

It truly boggles my mind that it has already been over three months since I got on a plane and left everything and everyone I ever knew to have an adventure. An adventure, that I know now, will indeed last a life time. Now, as I reflect on my trip I cannot believe how quickly it snuck up on me, it was like when I finally got completely settled in, I am leaving. 

I have been able to experience so many things I always dreamed of, it was always hard for me having such a big family but never being able to experience the love and joy that comes with it. No matter what happens, I am glad I made this life changing decision because I was able to feel connected to my roots, something I have never felt before. But, what I also learned was that I was always connected to my family, it was just me who did not feel it. Even though I do not come every year, I am still thought about, asked about, and loved. Family is family no matter how many miles away you are, or how many times you are able to see them throughout the years. I was not able to say good bye to some of the people I wished to, but it gives me more reason to come back.

Now, I have about 12 hours left until I leave, and my mind is going a mile a minute. But it is time for a new adventure. I will be in Paris for two weeks, and then back to the real world.  Where I have to start to my life all over again, and that will be its own adventure in itself. 

"Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane,

Don't know when I'll be back again,
Oh Babe I hate to go."

Today is my Birthday

So today is my 24th Birthday, kind of crazy to think of that, because I always remembered when I was younger meeting people that were 24 and thinking "wow, there an adult who have there life in order." 

I feel like that age snuck up on me, and now that I do not have my life all planned out.. I am like...uhhh, help! But I know, I know, do not get ahead of myself, things will work out.  It is just a little daunting at times. Also, this is the first, but sadly, of many Birthdays without my immediate family and friends. :( But,  I am not depressed it was just an observation of growing older.

But Moving on.. so today I went to the beach with my aunt, for one last time in Beirut. The one thing I love about that beach, is, of course, the water. The Mediterranean Sea, just seems so alive (and saltier comparing to Atlantic) when you swim underwater you can see all different types of fish with amazing beautiful colors.
Today when I was doing some laps, I was soon engulfed with a school of Pelagic fish, it was pretty cool. And I do not know if it is the pressure of the water or the salt but in the Mediterranean you cannot swim down to the sea floor, I wanted to get closer to the rocks, but when you try it is like there is this huge invisible wall that wont let you down and pushes you back up. ha 

Tonight, after much back and forth, (which was my doing) I am going out to dinner with my uncle Jamil and Aunt Wajiha. 

P.S.  Helpful Note: When traveling always re-check/re-print your itinerary, do not relay on the one you printed out home,for me 3months ago, because your Airline can CANCEL your returning flight without calling or emailing. It happened to me. So as of now, instead of coming home on the 25th at 2:30pm on a straight flight from Paris to Miami, I will be getting home on the 26th at 2:00am from Paris to ATL, to Miami. So FML. However, I have two weeks to sort it out, bc I do not want to take that adjusted flight plan. I want a direct flight to FL and an upgraded ticket/.. hahaha. Let's see what happens, does not hurt to ask.

i am really going to miss this view, being able to see the mountains in the heart of the city

at dinner, we meet some people from London, they joined us at our table. And it was a fun night filled with drinks and good conservations

yummy chocolate mousse cake 

<3 the Naamani Family :)

Another Wedding :)

Last night, my Teta, her friend and I went to Wedding of a family friend.

the tables settings

1st Course: a Rose Smoked Salmon with Shrimp and Avocado over Toast and a Side Salad

2nd Course:  Chicken in a Sherry Creme Sauce over Filo Dough Topped with Asparagus

one of many live Bands

3rd Course: Petit Steaks Topped with a Pepper Sauce and Scalloped Potatoes with Mushrooms

 I just did not understand why this man used a Megaphone instead of a Mic

4th Course: Fruit Tart, Puff Pastry, Chocolate & Ice Cream

me & teta <3

 entrance way

5 more days in Lebanon.....wow.

I want to punch the internet in the face

So I want to vent a little about the internet here, and how much issue I have been having. So I bought a USB plug for the internet when I came, the unit was used and an old model that is covered in wires, and in the past month I have had to sent it out to get fixed twice. The internet is not reliable sometimes it "fast" and same time I feel I am pack in the dial up days. Pictures to upload like 10 take over an hour and just eat up my awesome 512mb of internet. Oh, and not to mention internet is pretty expensive as well, no bueno.  And sometime the company does maintenance online at night, and I cannot connect. It just can get a little annoying. I miss my wifi, I miss my iphone. I know I am winning, but just this once I need to vent.

Last Time in Bhamdoun

This weekend was sadly the last visit to Bhamdoun, and it was freezing about 58 degrees. My Floridan body was not having it. haha But definitely a nice change from the heat in Beirut. 

So this weekend was filled with goodbyes, goodbyes to my Tante Nada <3, and to the lovely mountains of Bhamdoun. It is insane to think I will be leaving in 9 days. 

These are same scenery pictures I took over the weekend, truly a gorgeous place, a gorgeous country <3