Part Four: Paris, Update One!

Hello all. I'm sitting next to a window with a view of the Eiffel tower. There are wine glasses and crumbs of bread left on the table. Someone is playing the violin one floor away. That's right; I'm in Paris! I arrived here on Thursday evening and it has been going really well so far! It is just so exciting for me to be going to all these new places. This marks my fourth major European city in, believe it or not, just over three weeks. I can't believe how fast it has gone already.

So, Paris. Leaving Berlin and getting here was not as easy as I would have liked to be. I flew out of Berlin's Schonefeld airport which is just about the most miserable airport I've ever been in. Getting through security and everything was pretty easy and then came the wait. I am holding stronger than ever to my belief that they just wanna lock you in there two hours early. Problem with the Berlin airport: there isn't even anywhere good to try and spend money! I was hoping for a bookstore because I just finished up my book, but alas, the only one they had sold novels along the lines of Twilight and some cheap, sappy romance novels. Oh well. I'll have to find a book in Paris. Shakespeare & Co. here I come.

Anyway, I waited a while... then some more... then the flight was delayed. So I waited again and they finally put the little number up on the screen, though they did not announce it which was slightly annoying. I found my way to the gate, well close to the gate, where I was met by a huge line. I entertained myself by reading the unmentionable text messages the guy in front of me was typing and by listening to a little girl who was singing, as far as a I can tell, "Oh Christmas Tree" and "The Alphabet Song" in Italian, Much to the dismay of her older brother who shushed her many times. She was not discouraged though and put her hand right up in his face, made some grunting noise, and continued to sing her heart out.

Things were going well until I gave my ticket and was waiting in the little room that they hold you in before boarding. I had just gotten in and the airline woman announced that she would be opening the doors for the pre-boarding and handicapped people. Something about this did not agree with one particular customer and he shouted something, though it was in a language I did not understand. I can only assume that this was the last in a long string of things he had done because the airline woman quickly shouted at him, "Sir, you can't just stay here if you like!" to which he yelled something else, and soon enough the woman was going off on him. "Sir, your luggage is being removed from the plane. Come over here and give me your boarding pass!" (Strange grunt from the man) "Sir! Your boarding pass." (Another strange grunt). He finally went over, started yelling, and put his hands on the woman which was his biggest mistake. She called the security and two guys showed up. Unfortunately, I had to leave this little debacle to get on the plane (FINALLY), I did see a disgruntled airline worker pulling a bag from beneath the plane and flopping it onto the hood of the car. The passenger was not seen on the plane. Guess his delay was even longer. I don't think there were anymore flights to Paris that day. Woops.

So that was something. But atleast I was on the plane. I managed to get myself a window seat and a young French couple sat down next to me and proceeded to kiss and make out the whole plane ride which was, well, I dunno. Weird? I guess that is the best way to describe how I felt sitting next to them. Plane ride was short. Getting my luggage was easy. The only complicated factor was that I arrived on the day of a transit strike. My bad. All the trains into the city were shut down and just as I got there the woman at the information booth decided to join the strike herself. She yelled at everyone in line, closed her window, and put out some maps and flyers. I tried to ask her for help which elicited a curt response that did not really give me any helpful directions or anything.

Alas, I assumed what I have found is the most helpful state in this situation. I grab a map. Put on my most puzzled look. And wander back and forth. There are two possible outcomes to this: 1. I will figure it out on my own after consulting the map for a bit. 2. Someone will spot me, notice I look lost, and offer help. Hooray for number two! I think maybe it is a thing with Germans (recall the lady at the bus stop from Berlin Day One) because this very nice German lady who had been on the plane came and asked if I knew how to get into the city. I responded that I had no idea and she pointed me in the direction of a bus. The bus was 6.30 euros! Clearly, they had marked it up because of the strike; there were printed out signs taped on it with the very high price. I got on this very crowded bus and headed into Paris.

I'm not sure where it dropped us off but I wandered a bit with the German woman, her brother (who assumed the role of the leader of the group. "Just follow my brother," she said, "he knows."), and some of their friends until we found a metro stop. Because of the strike, they had taped the gate open and I got on for free. A slight consolation after my very expensive bus ride. I boarded my train, got off at a transfer stop where I bid farewell to my German friends, and took one more train until I arrived at my destination.

In Paris, I am staying with my friend Hannah, from Trinity, and her roommate Rebecca (also from Trinity but I did not really know her until I got here). They are both studying here. Somehow, they managed to get this awesome apartment. It is huge (two bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room, and a kitchen) but by far the best part is that from the windows of the kitchen, the bathroom, and the living room, you have a view of the Eiffel tower which stands about a block away. It is pretty incredible. So many thanks to them for letting me stay here. It has a courtyard entrance, a fun crazy little elevator, and the view from the rooms on the backside is into another courtyard. Not bad, I say, not bad.

After I arrived, we hung out here a bit, got caught up and then went out. Nothing too special, just a bar with a bunch of other Trin kids in it, though it was nice to see some more familiar faces. We navigated our way home and I got caught up on some sleep. Hannah and Rebecca had early classes so I slept in. I woke up at 10:30 to the cleaning lady. I must say, at first I didn't quite believe she was a cleaning lady. She was dressed in quite fashionalbe clothes, she was tall, and she was quite beautiful. But, once she started scrubbing the bathroom I had to be sure she was, indeed, a cleaning lady. I think the funniest part of her being here was when she assumed possibly the most cliche French image I have seen. Picture this: a tall, stylish, beautiful French woman, standing in an open window (it is sort of like a balcony but not really, but the window is tall enough to stand in), with her foot up on the window sill, smoking a cigarette with the Eiffel tower behind her. I had to laugh to myself a bit and then give myself a reality check and try and believe I am actually here.

So, I set out for my first exploration. The weather yesterday was beautiful. Though a bit chilly in the wind or shade, the endless sunshine really made up for it. I walked along the Seine for a while just admiring the city. It is really beautiful. Then I walked to the Jardin du Luxembourg which was so nice. It is a really beautiful park and there were tons of people sitting out just reading or hanging out. Much more life than the parks in Berlin; probably due to the weather. I would love to go spend some more time there. I wandered the streets after that. I had a really fun time looking in the windows of all the bakeries, chocolate shops, and butcher's shops. It is so nice to see those things. I've become to used to only seeing bakeries with the sign "Panera" above them or butcher's shops that say "Stop & Shop" on the outside. I got myself a delicious ham and cheese crepe to eat as I wandered. Sorry other countries so far but this one little crepe was better than most of the food here. Eventually, I made my way back to Hannah's apartment, walking in the shadow of the Eiffel tower, still sort of in awe of where I was. We spent a lot of time in the aparment which was nice. Drinking wine, eating cheese and bread, it all felt very French to me. Atleast as far as I can tell.

Today we have bigger plans! I think we are going to go to some museums and then, if all goes as planned, Hannah and I will be out to dinner with the parents Manevitz. I am not sure how this was orchestrated, but my friend Alex's parents are in Paris right now and apparently they have offered to take us out to dinner. Sounds great to me! Thanks Alex! That should be fun, and then we will probably find some fun place to go out afterwards. Hopefully not so expensive, though that seems sort of tough here. Then tomorrow it is markets! I love markets. Maybe I can get some good food and cook dinner in the apartment. Mmm, that would be fun. We shall see. It is all very exciting right now!

So, wow, two updates in two days! Don't forget to read them both! Or none at all, whichever you prefer. I am very excited for the rest of my time here. Should be super fun.

Hope everything is going along just fine out there.