Friday-Sunday February 6-9, 2009: PARIS

This was our first big holiday! It was really exciting, especially after coming off of a rough Thursday. Getting up at 3 am wasn’t that bad, I thought I would have been tired, but I was actually wide awake. It must have been the excitement. I have now lost faith in the London’s taxi cab services; they kept misplacing our bookings and giving us different numbers. After many calls, we finally ended up with four taxis, when we only needed two. Oh well, at least we got where we needed. It was their fault anyway. St. Pancreas/Kings Cross Station was so cool. It looked like a mini airport. Yes, this is where Harry Potter gets on his train to Hogwarts, except we were in the Eurostar terminal. It was so much easier dealing with the train than the airport. You can quickly get through baggage and passport control. I slept pretty much the whole way to Paris; I missed the Chunnel and everything. It was different hearing a language other than English. French is not really that pretty of a language, it is kind of throaty and flemy, not very pleasant. We arrived in Paris at like 9 am. It was so gorgeous out. The weather was lovely and the sky's were clear. It was so much nicer than London. You could tell we were in continental Europe. Paris is an amazingly beautiful city. The architercture is gorgoues, though really only in the touristy parts. Other than that, it is kind of run- down, and the nicest. There are also so many beggers. They are everywhere and are of every possible kind of person. I have never been so assaulted in my life with beggers. This then raises the question of why there are not many in London. I have never been appoarched in London, but in paris is was all the time. Especially in the Metros, attractions, and train stations. It was very frustrating. Our first stop in Paris was a café. The man (I feel as if France is a very chauvinistic society) who waited on us was so rude. He was not nice at all. I understand we are Americans, but we are ordering from your restaurant, be helpful. Though, the coffee was fantastic. We walked all the way to Notre Dame and ate lunch. Once again, this weird person kept approaching us and touching me. I was really offended actually. What gives random people the right to be touchy feely. I don’t know you, give me some personal space. Once again, Europe, especially France, disregards personal space. I think it is a culture thing, but I am appreciating Britain and there need for privacy. Norte Dame was amazing. It was so large, and the gargoyles were sweet. We kept trying to reenact scenes from the Hunch back of Norte Dame. The inside was gorgeous too. The stain glass windows were fantastic. After hanging out there for a while we went walking on the river and canals. It was amazing. Everything seemed so preserved, you could tell us where in the tourist section. We walked all the way over to the Eiffel tower. Attractions and sights are very spread out in Paris, it is kind of annoying. We were lucky enough to have a good day, because if not it would be hell to walk. The metros are pretty easy and cheap, but they are very dirty and disgusting. The Tube is much more hygienic I feel. We saw people spit and pick their noses on the metro. Danielle and I even saw a bum sleeping with a blanket and then get off and pee in the corner. Then again, as we were coming home on the tube we saw two men peeing on side and one even gave us the finger. Anyway, definitely if you are going to Paris, you need a metro pass. The Eiffel Tower was amazing. I mean straight up amazing. It is something everyone should try to see. It was so large and gorgeous, just like it is in the movies. Though, there is nothing really around the area like are in London. We just wanted tourist shops. Haha. The river just set the scene too. All I could think about in Paris was Madeline. After venturing around we decided to go to our hostel. The immediate impression of the area was not so good, but as we walked a block or two we came upon the channel and a really trendy and modern hotel, which was our hostel. It had a bar and a coffee shop. It was great. They had tvs everywhere and restaurant. Overall it was a great environment. It was a little pricier, but in the end it was worth it. The rooms were nice and big, we bought a lock so we could lock up our stuff. We had another roommate and we didn’t find out that he was he, until that night. I was a little creeped out, because he was traveling alone and he was in his late 20’s to early 30’s. His name was Mark, and he was in-between jobs, damn I should have given his Nicole’s email address. Haha. I had to sleep in the bunk underneath him, and I was not too happy about that, but in the end it was ok. That night we ate at the hostel, and then took the metro to the Louvre. It was free after 6, which was an amazing deal. The Louvre was stunning. The building intertwined with modern triangle was great. We of course saw the Mona Lisa, which in all honest was ok. It is not that big and really from my perspective not that great. There are so many other paintings that I find more fascinating. Why should this one painting be so famous? The only reason it gets so much press, is because it is commercialized. Da Vinci has done so many other great works. I thought that the architecture of the building was much more amazing the work itself. The moldings and the murals on the ceilings were spectacular. I wish we could have seen Napoleon the III apartments, but the museum is so large, we couldn’t find it. Danielle and I decided that between the French and British, they must own all the Egyptian artifacts. It is nice in London, because most museums are free, where in Paris everything is expensive. You can definitely do London cheaply if you wanted too. We were then going to take a boat tour on the seine but by the time we got there it was too late. Besides, we pretty much walked the whole boat tour anyway. We got some amazing photos of the Eifel tower at night. The tower at night, is probably one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in my life. It was breathtaking, especially when it sparkled for five minutes. Once again, all I could think about was Anastasia. Oh all the great movies set in France. Also, I decided I want my future husband to do all the cliché Paris things, even though it is kind of disgustingly romantic. At the tower we got some French pastries. I had a waffle with chocolate sauce. It was so good. Yum, I want one right now. The night took forever though, because Madison, only brought one pair of shoes, and after literally walking 10 miles with our bags that day, she got horrible blisters and could not even walk. How ridiculous. Has she never traveled before? Come on, you do not bring crappy black flats to tour Paris or any place in. By the end of the night, everyone’s feet were killing them and they were exhausted. The problem was that they were not in very good shape and they were stupid boots. Walking shoes people. Also Danielle and I are the only ones every prepared. The other girls brought nothing. It is so frustrating. But Danielle and I just mesh so well together. I love it. It makes me happy, that I have someone to connect with. We went to bed earlier that night, but I was all excited because at the hostel bar they were playing the Minnesota Wild hockey game. Finally some hockey, it was great, and it was a Minnesota team, how lucky is that! The next day Danielle and I got up early of course (we are the only morning people, and according to everyone else a 10:30 start to the day is way to early). For breakfast the hostel provided cereal and baguettes, with jelly and chocolate sauce. They need to work on refrigeration in France, because like warmer milk. It wasn’t bad though, I just prefer ice cold milk. The day was very cold. It snowed the whole day which was different; it made the sights even more special I think. We saw a gorgeous church, but were really harassed by people trying to get money. They kept trying to put bracelets on us. I just ignored them. The church was so inspiring. The nuns were singing in latin and it is was beautiful. It was just like the Sound of Music. We then went to the Catacombs, which was super cheap and not very busy. We went down tons of spiral stair case steps into the caves. It was so creepy. I was kind of sacred or a cave in and what not. Damn irrational fears. Though, it was so cool. There were so many bones. It was eerier and chilly, yet pleasant. It is something that I can’t even describe. What we were experiencing is something that most only watch on the discovery channel. The tunnels just went on and on. It seemed never ending. After this all the girls went back to nap, except Danielle and I. We wanted to go and take cute pictures with our umbrellas at the Eifel Tower and go souvenir shopping. So we did! I don’t understand why they wanted to waste their time in France with napping. I wanted to see the sights and just be out in Paris. Anyway, we took cute pictures and found a cute street by Norte Dam where we found great deals. This was the Paris we were looking for. Though, we had to return (we didn’t want too at all) so we could go and get dinner. They were still sleeping when we got back, so we just chilled and watched some rugby. Rugby is a very interesting sport; the men all wear short shorts. It is intense and really fun. I would like to watch some at the U sometime. Also, we are going to try and go to a Cricket match and a rugby game in London. It will be great. After failing at finding a restaurant by our place (restaurants in France do not start serving until after 8, which is very different in London, where they usually stop at 7) we ate at the Hostel again. Danielle, Madison, and I ordered off the regular menu and the other girls ate at a dinner thing. This is where the night took a turn for the worst. The place was really busy, because of the rugby match, but we found a spot. Dinner was excellent. The other girls never came back to us, because they found boys and where talking to them. They never invited us over, and would quick pop over to buy another drink and be like “there is no room.” They were being so rude. We hung out for like three hours and ended up watching football. Becks was on, gosh he is so hot. They never invited us over and basically ignored us, so we went back up stairs and went to bed. Emily and Bridget came up for awhile and we vented. I was feeling better, but then at 2 in the morning they all came back drunk and were so noisy. I don’t usually wake up, but I did. They were yelling at talking about how they hooked up with these boys. Kirsten and Liz literally did. What whores Pardon my French. You do not go up to random boys hostels and have sex with them. Disgusting. The only reason they did not want us over there is because they wanted to find the boys. They are so annoying, I really can’t stand them anymore, it is so frustrating. I gave them their chances and they blew them all. I have never been around girls like this. The next day, they decided to be cheapskate. They knew Madison couldn’t walk, so we took the metro, it was only 1.60. It was worth it. I don’t understand them, especially Bridgett. Going on about they don’t want to spend any money, but then they go and drop tons on alcohol. I would rather be spending it on nicer meals or presents. They are such hypocrites. You can’t just go to a place and sit down without buying things. But they will do that and make others pay. Studying abroad really opens your eyes to people, and makes you appreciate your friends. Over this entire trip, made me realize that I cannot stand most of the girls in large doses. Also, that I really do not like them that much. I shouldn’t be negative, but I gave them chances. I was nice, but there is no need for me to get pushed around by them. I am going to stand my ground. Overall, Paris was gorgeous, though, I love London. I personally think it is so much better. The transportation is a thousand times easier. The streets and air is much cleaner in London, also the people are friendlier. I also don’t understand how they can eat so much bread all the time. I always used to think it was just stereotypical that they ate bread, but they seriously eat it all the time. I am carbed out for just being for a weekend. Also, the French smell. It is horrible. Oh my gosh, I can almost vomit thinking about it. Yucky. I just love London. Going away for a weekend, makes me appreciate London and all it has to offer. The people are nice, it is clean, and I think more affordable. I love it here.