stuffed.

Literally. I've finally managed to catch a cold, and I can't breathe through my nose. I guess the weather finally got to me. Last Friday, I decided to go to Saint Chapelle and walk around the area off of Metro exit St. Michel. The funny tickle in my throat grew into a horrible sore throat in a matter of hours and by the end of the afternoon, I found myself wanting to curl up into a little ball in bed.

This weekend, I endured a tourist marathon, hitting up the Louvre, d'Orsay, and Versailles. I am now spending this last day in Paris indoors, cleaning the apartment before I head off to Florence tomorrow. I think I've seen just about everything I wanted to see in Paris.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Pisa and then to Florence for a few days before I head back home to San Francisco. I can't wait to go back to normal toilets and hot showers with great water pressure.

You know, say what they may about America, but I think it truly is the best country. I am not in any means the person walking around with the American flag pinned onto my shirt, but I honestly believe that no other country really offers as much opportunity and growth as the U.S. And oh the little things...go such a long way. The toilets, the showers, the toilet paper, the markets where produce doesn't cost a fortune - they all make such a huge difference.

I can't even begin to tell my many stories of getting screwed over during my visit here. On a daily basis, Parisians will overlook me, ignore me, prefer a French person over me, refuse to help me, etc. My sister will be so bothered by it, she'll lull over for a little while. I get over it only because I know I won't have to put up with it for much longer. I've definitely encountered discrimination at home in various situations. Still, nothing amounts as the crap I've had to deal with every single day in Paris, doing ordinary things. If I lived here, I can easily see myself getting frustrated and disgruntled.

Three weeks was just enough time to be a tourist, live like a Parisian, and move on. I'm excited to go to Italy. It is, so far, my favorite vacation destination.