Falling in love with the Marais

I've officially made it through my first week of school, and with it I've learnt a few things a long the way. I have many thoughts on the French education system, especially compared to the one I know so well. Unfortunately I haven't figured out how to jot them down in a smart and intelligent way yet (like I can ever do that!)

As for my classes, they are difficult but interesting. What really makes me excited is the real world application of them. Never before has someone given me such a concrete link between politics and religion, history and the future and so on. Science-Po is a political sciences school, but because of it so many new doors are being opened for me. I'm still an ethics and religious studies student, but all of a sudden my degree means something. Religion and democracy might not mix, but society does need to find a balance in order to function, and to survive.

In my off days of learning about the world, I have been exploring my neighborhood. The Marais is a wonderful and bustling part of Paris, filled with restaurants and bars and kitchy stores. It is not the wonderous gay haven that I imagined, but it does come pretty close. A friend asked me when he knew if he was in the Marias, and I replied quite truthfully that it's when you start seeing posters of half dressed men. I've been trying to remember where and what stores I've come across here, but I keep getting wonderfully lost and not being able to find my way back at all. For once in my life that is actually a good thing- oh the places I've found! I really do want to share with you, my lovely readers, all the places I've seen, but stupid me NEVER brings a camera. On top of that, the one day I did set out to take photos, I didn't come across anything exciting. Here are a few of the "regular" locations however...

This is where I live. It has a clock, and a dragon and a man fighting said dragon. Every few days a tourist asks me what it means, or what the plaque says. Perhaps one day I should actually google it?

stealth photo! This is my regular coffee shop. Ah sweet sweet caffine...

I almost tripped over a homeless man to get this photo, you're welcome.

One of my regular bakery stores, although this one is mostly just sweets and giant cookie type things

Space Hair, my favorite thing on Rue Rambuteau. It's totally purple, and sparky and very very gay. I've never been in, but I'm determined to get my hair cut there at some point.

The Ballet store! Okay so this might not be the Marais anymore, but they always have beautiful things in the window.

Chez Mar... I can't remember, Marianna maybe? Pretty building though, and very yummy mediteranian food

I origionally left my house because I was hungry for falafels (please note, I am ALWAYS hungry for falafels) but the line up was really long today.

This was the poster I was referring to

A side view of Pompidou. This is where Mario and I live...