switzerland!

hello all! it's been awhile since i posted but it's been go go go since we left oxford. paris was the most wonderful city ever. we first got to our hotel, opened the windows and we were all hanging out, shouting out to the world that the eiffel tower was to the left. it was pretty funny. we went up the sacre coure the first night to get a feel for the art district and sat in on mass there. they have a great view of the city. the second day we had a bus tour, saw the louvre and the mona lisa and crown jewels and many many tourists. we ended at notre dame which is an amazing cathedral. from there a bunch of us hit up hard rock cafe, which is my favorite. then we went out walking and that night had a great bike tour by fat tire bike tours, which is a bunch of awesomely cool, twenty something americans who just happen to be giving bike tours as their job. we had these old granny like bikes, bright yellow vests and bells. my bike's name was aussie, aussie, aussie, oy, oy, oy! which i thought was fitting...i think of the australian swimmers when ever i hear that! we had some fantastic ice cream, went all over town and through traffic on our bikes and ended with a boat ride and wine while traveling down the seine. the next day myself and 2 friends hit up the monet museum which was the best art museum i think i have ever seen. just fantastic. then we walked around town, saw napoleon's humongous above ground grave and then sat at the very top of the eiffel tower for a really long time watching the sun go down over the city of paris and all the lights come on. we were even on it when it sparkeled at the top of the hour! then we walked down it part way taking crazy pictures. i pretended to slide down on my stomach. it's a great picture. then we went back to the hotel for a little while and then we got wine, went up to sacre coure and just watched the city for a long time. then we walked the red light district coming back, passing the moulin rouge. morning came too soon and we left at 8 and now i'm in switzerland! completely different from france. it's lovely. we went to what i would like to call a switzerland how-down and watched people try their hand at the alphorn, yodeling and traditional dancing. we laughed all night. then we had a great night dancing at a club and today, we have a tour at noon, and right now we are just exploring the whole town of lucern. we're hoping to go up a mountain this afternoon, but it depends on the weather, or basically the clouds. tomorrow it's florence, italy! i'm excited for italy and hopefully some warm weather! i'll try and keep in touch. take care!