There is no other way I can describe my evening last night besides a bit random. After work I headed to Beaubourg to see the Centre Pompidou, but when I came up the stairs from the metro station, I noticed there was a ton of shopping still open! I only have a couple days left so it is crunch time for any shopping I am going to do! I bought some clothes and such for me as well as the necessary souvenirs and gifts. My suit case I fear is going to be quite snug on the return flight. Every time I would say that this is the last store, the next one would look so enticing. Beaubourg and Les Halles was packed with shops, restaurants, and people. By the time I finally made it to the Centre Pompidou there was a sign on the door saying "ferme" - closed. Whoops. If I am going to be completely honest though, it may have just been that entrance via escalator that was closed; I walked around the whole building and couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get inside.

Le Centre Pompidou is probably the strangest building I have ever seen. To me, the tubes on the side that enclose the escalators make it look like a hamster cage. It is extremely modern compared to the other buildings around it, and the front side (this picture is of the back) has giant blue, green, and red pipes running up to the top. The building was designed in the 70s and houses a modern art museum that is supposed to be fantastic (again, whoops I missed it) and a public library. The giant area in the back is another place for the Parisians to chill. These people love to chill! Everyone was just eating, smoking, chatting, making out, playing guitars…

I kept walking and stumbled upon a huge fountain that no other word seems to explain except for "trippy". There was a mix between colorful spinning figurines that resembled the Blue Meanies on Yellow Submarine, some skeletons, and then also black cast iron sculptures of random shapes. Quite weird and very not-paris...or maybe it is, who knows. After consulting my paris bible guidebook I found out that this fountain is called the Fontaine de la Place Igor Stravinsky and it was built in the 80s and has sixteen different aqua sculptures. Very strange, but know one else really seemed to think so.
I kept walking on the hunt for dinner. I stumbled upon this beautiful garden that was absolutely stunning, except all around me were people that I would normally describe as "sketch". I held my purse a little tighter and walked a little faster since the sun was setting and I honestly had no idea where I was. Seems like an interesting choice for gangs and prostitutes to hang out, but it really was beautiful!!!

Ready for dinner, I followed the signs to Hotel de Ville because I knew there was a metro stop called that and it could probably be close. I pulled up a seat at a great cafe and watched the sun set over this gorgeous square in front of Hotel de Ville (the city hall). The square was full of skate boarders and roller bladers, but I read later that this square and building actually date back to 1357 and was once the site for many public hangings, important french declarations by famous leaders, and ceremonies.

I got back to the Scalia's house around 10:30 and was ready to take a shower and relax. I can't believe I only have two days left!