Well, survived my first full week of school. 4 hours a day in a language I'm struggling to understand is tough, but it's getting better. Not really too confident in it, but it is sinking in a bit. Maybe it's just that a lesson everyday is a bit too fast paced for me, but I think it'll work out.
As a treat to ourselves for surviving the first week, Lucy and I went for lunch in a Japanese restaurant not far from school. On the way there we passed the Jardin De Luxenbourg where the were holding a photo exhibition on the railings outside.

Some quite vivid and varied photos, which were really interesting to see.

Then we passed the Panthéon, but didn't stop to check the inside, as we had lunch to attend to!


After lunch we decided to walk home via the east side of the Latin Quarter. We've never really been through that area, so thought we should check it out.
First we came across the Mouffetard market area. Had a real French feel too it and didn't feel like it was in the middle of a city, if that makes any sense? Maybe it was just a bit quieter than some other areas?


This building has hundreds of tiny lights in the side of it. I guess they didn't really show up in this photo, but I think we'll be going back there sometime soon to check out the market and what it all looks like at night.


Then we walked through the Jardin Du Plantes. The gardens is surrounded by buildings like this...



which are all various museums to natural history and geology. The gardens are full of loads of rare plants and the like, but obviously February isn't the best time to see them.


After that we wandered passed the Institut du Monde Arabe. We didn't go inside, but I just wanted to see the wall they have outside, which is full of these photo-sensitive cells which control the amount of light that passed into the building. Impressive stuff (even though some of them don't work so well).



Finally, we passed the Pavilion de L'Arsenal, which I've been wanting to visit for a while. It's dedicated to the architecture and urban history of Paris, and previews upcoming potential designs, like new metro stations and the planned tram line through the 13th and 14th arrondissements . They have a 40m sq model of Paris, but I didn't manage to get a picutre of it, although I did sneak a picture of a smaller model they have.


They also have these small areas where you can choose from 120 videos about the work of different architects, but the area was closed off while they install a new exhibit, so I'll definitely go back.