Of A Long Book: Fireman's Ball, Bastille Day and a Reading Party

This past week was a marathon. Workshops and writing filled in every single moment, and when I wasn't doing that, I was enjoying time with friends.

I went to the Fireman's ball last Saturday night, and what a ball it was. When we got there it was still light out and we had plenty of room to dance crazily and get drinks without a line. They only served Heineken around the dance floor, but behind the DJ and makeshift stage was a champagne bar where we spent most of the night. It got very crowded toward the end of the night, and my friend got pick pocketed at some point...One word to the wise when traveling in Paris: hold on to your purse/wallet. I really hate to generalize and say that about the entire city, but it's a real downer when you think you're at a safe party and then some jackhole steals your phone, money and cards.

Other than that aspect, I had a great time partying it up with my "mates." I highly recommend attending one if you're in Paris during the summer.

Sunday was Bastille Day, and as we were nursing our hangovers with cheeseburgers and fries, a group of us decided to go down to the Seine and watch the fireworks from an undisclosed location. We originally were going to go to Champ de Mars, the park near the Eiffel Tower, but it was far and we just wanted to some wine already. Even though a tree and a bridge blocked our view of the fireworks, they were still impressive. I had so much fun hanging out, talking, eating a dinner of cheese, olives and fruit and watching the river from the quai.

This weekend, I'm looking forward to taking in some touristy sites like Musee d'Orsay and watching the Tour de France end its month-long endeavor up by the Arc de Triomphe tomorrow. Have a good weekend!!