Pessimistic in Paris

Two weeks later and I am back at it...

Apologies to those of you that have been waiting with anticipation from my latest travel adventures– as I know you all are– but I have been surprisingly busy with school work and catching up on some rest due to my latest illness these past few weeks. 

Picking up from the last blog post, a lot has happened. After Sam left I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend, Anthony, come visit me for a long weekend. The four days flew by, but we were able to hit all the major sites and had some incredible weather...probably the warmest it has been since I have been here. To celebrate a belated valentines day, we went to covent garden to see the Broadway production of The Lion King and on the last day of our trip we took a Rock and Roll tour around the city. It was so good to see him and made me feel so much more at home. I wish he could be here with me every day. 

Me and Anthony in front of the London Eye 

Anth steppin' out of a telephone booth!

By Big Ben 

Anthony walking on Abbey Road

Finally made it !!!

Thankfully Anthony left just in time, because I ended up getting sick as soon as I sent him off on the airplane. Knowing that I was leaving for Paris in four days, I decided to go to the walk-in clinic to see what was wrong with me. I had high expectations for the health care here in London, because I had always thought universal health care was a good thing...but I was mistaken. 

I went to the clinic at 10:30 a.m. and they said they couldn't get me an appointment until 2:00 pm– not a big deal, to me it was another opportunity to go shopping. When I got back at 2 I had to wait another 15 to 20 minutes before my name showed up on an electronic sign indicating:"Miss. Kathryn Cutinello to room 8." I got to the room and the Nurse Practitioner was dressed in high heels and a nice skirt. She wore no lab coat and no stethoscope around her neck. I was in there for maybe 2 minutes before she sent me out with a prescription. There was no waisting her time. I was not impressed with the health care, to say the least. I was furious! Those two minutes cost me 50 pounds!

I won't go into the details of what I had (and am still recovering from) but it was horrible! I believe it was some type of virus that turned into a bacterial infection in my mouth. Not fun, and very painful. My entire trip to Paris was ruined because I felt so horrible and looked so horrible...and nobody wants to be walking around Paris looking ugly and sick! But Maddy, Colleen, Katie and I still had a great time. Thank goodness it was not my first time there, or else I really would have been devastated. I took a ton of pictures from the trip, but tried to keep myself out of them for the sake of my dignity: 

Le tour eiffel 

Katie, Collen, and Maddy infront of the Eiffel Tower

My dad leaving me little reminders of himself...even in Paris!

le louvre

The Mona Lisa

My Mother's favorite!

greatest shopping in the world!

the Arc de Triumph

Same restaurant I ate at four years ago with my cousin Jackie and my mom!

The Eiffel Tower at night

 Click "play" to watch the Eiffel Tower Sparkle (sorry it's sideways):

Le chateau Versaille 

Moulin Rouge- great movie. 

Maddy, Me and Collen infront of le Sacre Coeur 

My delicious "petit dejeuner." A few minutes after I took this picture a 13 year old gypsy stole my croissant right out of the bucket! I was appalled.