Finally, it's break. The next two weeks are to be spent abroad. Well, more abroad. Tomorrow morning, my man and I go to Bremen. We'll be there long enough to head downtown for a drink , then back to the airport to fly to Dublin. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a couchsurfing host, so we're staying in a hostel. We're right in the Temple Bar area, so we don't have to worry much about getting around. We're there for three days and then off to Malta for a week. If you're not familiar with it, Malta is a beautiful Mediterranean island south of Italy that has an architectural history dating back to the Neolithic. It looks incredible. Seriously, go google it right now. I found us a great hotel deal in Mellieha. A room with a balcony looking over the beach. I read some mixed online reviews of the hotel, but even the people that said they wouldn't go back mentioned that the view was amazing. The island is pretty small, so we'll be renting a scooter in order to get around. I need beach time. Especially considering the shitty hand we've been dealt regarding the weather in Paris. I hope it's warm when we get back.

This was presentation week for me for both Paul and Suzanne's class. For Paul, we read about Les Invalides and Napoleon's tomb. Admittedly, I've become more and more fascinated with Napoleon since I arrived in Paris. He is one of many characters that seems to be constantly evoked in la vie quotidienne. Hugo, Voltaire, Molière...these names have been consistently referred to during my stay, as if these characters continuously reinforce French identity.
Both the Church and the tomb are, like all French monuments, impressive. I especially like the peristyle. Nice one, Visconti.