Beware- this is a long post. Prepare yourself- but it is worth it.
[Jenna, Felicia, Caitlin, Me, Brooke] = Paris crew :)
Pikey= gypsey= crappy= shitty
Everyone talks about the weather
Chube= Tube
Paris : 3, Me : 0
In class this morning, we discussed After the Dance, the National Theatre backstage tour, and Macbeth. We also have to turn in a project to receive a grade for the courses. The option I chose was to get 10 postcards from memorable places for me and write something on the back-- like a memory, event, story, explanation... that I will read in the future to remember the whole experience. I also want to make a scrapbook but I know it will take me awhile to make it which won't be in time to grade for the project. So, I'll just do it on my own! :) After class, Brooke, Felicia and I went to Anglo American which is the center that planned our trip and flat and such -- to get the camera package my Dad sent overnight. Can you say best Dad ever??! I told him not to so he could save the money and buy me a new camera when I get back; but he did it anyways... :) I LOVE YOU DADDY! Bookbag = check! Camera = check! Passport and important items= check! Now off to St. Pancras to ride the chunnel to PARIS!!!!!!!! Is this real? Pinch me. The travel from tube to the Eurostar Chunnel was a piece of cake!!! No confusing signs, straight shot, no hold up... Wait ... I spoke too soon. 15 minutes into the ride on the chunnel, we come to a complete stop. The guy overhead says there are technical difficulties. 45 minutes later- we take off again. I only know this because we arrived 45 minutes past our time we were supposed to. I was actually sleeping during that time :) The chunnel doesn't feel any different from a regular train ride- but it is amazing (besides my ear popping every 5 minutes!). So we left at 15:00 (3:00 pm) and got in Paris at 18:15 (6:15 pm). Bonjour Paris!! Actually since it's after 4:00 pm-- Bon soir Paris!!
Crazy experience #1:
E= Euros
From Gare de Nord we got to Republique by Metro (notice they call it Metro and not the Tube). We do not have a map yet so Brooke (the only one of us that speaks French/ Frenglish) We arrive at our hotel... I should probably start by explaining the night before going to Paris before I get into this whole ordeal.
The night before Paris:
Brooke looked at the hotel reservation and it said we had 2 private twin beds. We thought we booked 2 private twin bedrooms!! This cost E170. We started freaking out that we only had 2 beds for 5 people.
~Up until a couple of hours before our train ride (tomorrow) Jenna decided last minute she wanted to come with us!! She said she was regretting not booking the chunnel ticket and ended up flying to Paris the same time we were taking the chunnel. And it was the same price! PERFECT! I'm so glad she came!
Anyways, So 5 people in a 2 bed room. So, I called the hotel hoping to clear everything up. The guy thankfully spoke English- with a French accent of course; told us he had one room for 3 people we could book for 2 nights. He wanted me to send him an email saying what the situation was and to confirm the reservation. After I hung up the phone with him I called Felicia and told her what happened and it would be an extra E200. m We thought fitting 5 people in one room would be rough but it would only be for sleeping, 2 nights, we could all spoon haha, and it would save A LOT of money. We would pay E35 each! Thus, by poor decision, we did not email the hotel guy to reserve the 3 person room.
Back to Paris:
While Brooke and I checked into the hotel; Caitlin and Felicia (Jenna is not here yet) went to the bank. Then Brooke and I went up to our room via 2 person (TINYYYYYY) elevator. We open the door and by surprise there is a good amount of room meaning the floor could fit 1 person and there are 2 twin beds. Then I see the bathroom, and the shower is 1ft x 1ft . Not joking. But I remind myself it is only for 2 nights! AND I AM IN PARIS!!!! How could I complain?!
We drop of our stuff and head back downstairs. Felicia and Caitlin are sitting on the couches waiting for us- actually just waiting to go up to the room and drop off their luggage- yes sneakily. I ask the hotel guy if we can have visitors. He says "They cannot come up to the bedroom because there is a max of 2 people for the room." (legally) I was like... umm what? So they have to stay in the reception area??????? He said "yes."
Heart races.
Panic mode kicks in.
So I go tell Felicia and Caitlin we basically have to get another hotel room. That seems easy. We go ask if they have any for tonight- he says they are full= complet. UGH. Also, he remembers talking to me on the phone last night- Damnit. Caught us. The U.S. is not this strict on visitors! I've definitely done this before.
We walk close by the hotel and got to the nearest hotel and ask if they have any 3 person rooms. Nope- full. He was extremely nice and called to 10 nearby hotels and asked if they had any rooms... ANY!
One hotel had a room for 2 people and another room for 1 person; but only for tonight... And another hotel had a room for Friday (tomorrow). We get directions -we get lost. There are so many hotels in the area therefore we just went into each one and asked if they had any room for tonight. Reminder: It is 7:30 pm and this goes on for 2.5 hours. Wandering everywhere... went into at least 15 hotels. Not that nice of an area either- sketchy-ish. We cannot be picky though- or else we will be sleeping on the streets!!! But you have to realize that Paris isn't very big. It definitely is smaller than London. We could walk from the Voltaire to Champs Elysees. ~20 minutes?
One hotel had a quad room for E130 for one night but there were 2 hotels right next to it so we say "ummm well we will be back." WRONG DECISION. Those 2 hotels were full!
We go back literally 2 minutes later to the quad room hotel and he states "No more- the room is taken."
I confusingly say "haha, you are joking."
He looks at me and say "Um no, they got that fast. You should have reserved it while you were here- you had your chance..."
CRAPPPPPP!!!!!
We have been walking around for 2 hours with NO luck.
So I pray for help. I am in Paris- the most beautiful, lovable place and I am about to not have a place to sleep.
I break down.
I feel the mind racing, heart pumping, stomach knotting... Panicking
I cannot hide it.
I was fine before, but not anymore.
Not after 15 hotels later and no place to sleep.
A place of unknown, creepy people telling me to go back to my country on the streets- I have no escape, no place to get away, or to stay.
This does not feel like Paris, the place of love I have dreamed about.
I feel stupid, useless, frustrated, tired, scared, sad, etc... on and on.
So, I sit down at the hotel that we have one room booked. We try to figure out what to do next. I wanted to try and figure everything out myself or with the girls but I tried... and failed. I have no computer, barely any international minutes on my phone (since my phone is based in the UK- Paris is international minutes). The whole time I was searching for a hotel the past 2 hours, I wanted to call my Dad and let him fix it but seriously that would not have helped. What was he going to do? Call the hotels that I was in walking distance from? Then all my minutes on my phone would be gone... (which happened later). Ever since I finished my freshmen year of college I swayed away from running to my Dad to fix things for me; I've learned so much from him and had to learn to do things myself. I am an extremely independent person but sometimes when things get too tough it is just easier to let someone else deal with it and fix it if necessary. Sometimes, it IS necessary. In this case, it is. I have no option- my life, health, safety is on the line.
So, I call my Dad -- and I am proud to say I am a Daddy's girl... :)
When my Dad answers, I can't even form a word. I am crying and speechless. I almost hand the phone to one of the other girls- but I force myself to say "I am okay."
Then I ask him if he can give me the number for that hotel he sent me a couple days before I left saying it was a really nice one and close to some hot spots (but it was not in our budget).
My dad saves the night!
The hotel has a 3 person room for E250. Quite expensive.
All together:
E250 (Hotel Elysees Ceramic- 3 person- 1 room-1 night)
E176 (Voltaire hotel- 2 person-1 room- 2 nights)
E95 (Voltaire hotel- 3 person- 1 room- 1 night)
= E515/ 5= 104 per person
Originally, we expected to pay E88 per person then E55 with another hotel then E35 with Jenna~ and now E104. Not terrible, especially for a beautiful hotel for 1 night and not sleeping on the streets.
I am just so thankful we got a place to stay. I cannot express my appreciation.
So, I say YES! I want the room! We are coming! An hour later-- 30 minutes on the metro, the Hotel Elysees ceramic is right by the Arc de Triomphe. Say whaaat?!!! PERFECT.
All 5 of us are together even though 3 of us are staying at this hotel and the other 2 are staying in Voltaire. I ask the guy if we can have visitors (just because I want everyone to come up to the room and chill for a bit). Guess what he says....
YES! I was SO happy! 4 Floors up the gorgeous hotel; we walk into our room and it is fabulous. I'm livin the dream. A balcony??? A balcony that I can see the Arc de Triomphe from?? Stoppppp. I am in love with Paris all over again. E250 is totally worth it. Not only a bed, but being in a good part of the city, seeing a famous monument, BREAKFAST!! I LOVE PARIS :)
After this insane fiasco, we all decide that we HAVE to go out on the town- not necessarily go crazy (because we want to get up early to go to all the attractions since we're only here for 2 days) but just walk around ! Therefore, we go take beautiful pictures of the Arc and the city! Then, we see the Eiffel Tower all lit up at night and it looks to be only about 2 miles away. We walk to it at 12:30 am. We arrive at the bridge and oh my- it is breathtaking. Now this is what I'm talking about Paris. You have re-proved yourself :) Merci!!
We go picture happy~ how can you not! It is the Eiffel Tower! AH! Surreal! Am I in Paris?! looking at the Eiffel Tower ?! This does not seem real, at all. We all decide since we are seeing it tonight that we will go see it tomorrow during the day and go to the tip top! WOOO!
We turn around to walk back, then~ we see the brightness shining from behind us. We turn back around towards the Eiffel and it is twinkling in our eyes. The light show is on! It is 1 am! AMAZING. SPECTACULAR. INDESCRIBABLE. This is heaven. Pure heaven. Paris, je t'aime.
Although it would not be real life to go see the Eiffel Tower twinkle every night if I lived here ;) so we start to walk back ~ then we hear some "hoppin" music coming from this huge building.
We see a large crowd of peole and the word REPUBLICA in white, bright color shining at night. We walk past a non-working fountain with small groups of people talking and drinking. Then we head up the stairs to the real party. I have no idea what is going on but I see people dancing and a bar. Possibly a closed party? There are security men and everyone looks completely GONE... like wasted, pissed, loaded... We walk in to this unknown crazy territory that seems unreal to me- we must stick out like a sore thumb. This girl was dancing like a cat- clawing at the air. So odd. Everyone seemed to be high on some kind of drugs- no joke. I want to leave- get me out of here! It feels so unsafe. While all the other girls are loving the craziness... but we leave. On the way out, we saw a guy passed out in a chair. That's normal. (sarcasm) Then we walk past someone selling drugs... get me off this street. Totally creeping me out. We keep walking and finally get back to the Arc! The Arc is dead center of this circle round-about road with no lanes and no cross walks. We sporadically run across the road when there is a break in cars. That was a close one! These drivers are mad! ARC DE TRIOMPHE!!!!!! SO HUGE.
Oh no..... here come 2 policemen. Did we do something wrong? Are we getting in trouble? What did we do??? Jay- walk? Are we not supposed to be here? Are we going to get arrested?
He comes up to us and asks where we are from. We reply the U.S. He says we cannot be on this "island" right now- only during the day and you have to take an underground tunnel to it. Also, we see there is a memorial fire going on in the center. I wonder what it is for. He says very nicely "Please go back to the other side as quick and safely as possible." PHEUW!
Strike 1 Paris.
Since it's past 1 am (metro closes) we try to have all 5 of us sleep together in the Hotel Elysees (the E25o one). Even though there is a room in Voltaire - we want to be together! All of us walk into the hotel and say Bon Soir! We pile into the elevator, smoothly, and Wah la!! Success!!! I LOVE this hotel :)
Three of us sleep horizontal across 2 beds and the other 2 girls sleep in one twin bed. Perfecto! Although the hassle we went through, everything has worked out wonderfully. I could not have been more pleased at this moment :) Sleep awaits me.
Bon Huit Paris!
Friday 6/11
We got a wake up call at 7:30 am... I didn't wake up until 8 am though. We all got ready- 2 girls went downstairs to get breakfast and they told us that no one asked for our room # so the others can go too! Did I say I love this hotel or what?! :) Jenna and I go down; I got this fruit sauce (like apple sauce) and grapefruit. I take a banana and apple to go. We got a basket of baguettes and croissants - since they are going to throw them away anyways.... we stuff those in our purses for later and to give to Brooke. Brooke went to go meet her friend at McDonalds! Her friend is in Paris for a week with 2 family members.
Then we go to the Arc de Triomphe~ well we aren't on the island of it yet. We are standing on the other side taking photos (pictures are better when you're farther away). An older foreign lady comes up to us and asks "Do you speak English?" -- in perfect English. She holds up a paper that says something about a 20 month old child. I did not want to read it nor did I want to give her money. So we said we didn't have any money and turned around. But she stood there and did not go away. So, I fidgeted and scooted away but she followed asking for money. I said I did not have any- then walked further away. 5 minutes later... another lady comes up to us and does the same thing. She points to the orange Jenna is holding but we walk away. I think they are lying. There are SO many of them around that area (and later I learn there are many of the same stories- and similar looking women in the whole city). I wonder what its all about because it is quite annoying but it is also really sad.
I googled it:
Beware of young women hanging around Notre Dame and the Arc Triomphe asking, “Do you speak English?” Nine times out of ten, they already know you speak English because they have been watching you. They then show you a card asking for money because they’re Bosnian refugees. They work in groups and they are well dressed. They also circle around you when they question of, will you give them anything, is addressed to you. We did come across older women that also had signs in English asking for money. They also claimed to be Bosnian refugees.
I don't know how I feel about the whole thing but I truly don't have any money for myself yet for anyone else. I give what I can but when someone bothers me for money- I refuse. I will give when I want and can NOT when I am pressured to.
Additionally, it saddens me to see men with puppies that are "asleep" and they are asking for money. I have seen so many in London and now in Paris. Are they drugging the dogs? I REALLYYYY hope not... but I think they are. Everytime I see one of them , the dog is asleep and I think the dog is just used as a prop to show that they are both "hungry" when I really think the money is being used for drugs or something. SO SAD :( it makes me sick.
We find the underground tunnel to the Arc and it is FREE! You can purchase a ticket to go to the top but I didn't feel that was necessary. It is beee-u-tiful!
Arc de Triomphe- is a monument in Paris that stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, also known as the Place de l'Étoile. Officially, it is the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, as a smaller Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel exists nearby. It is located at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. The triumphal arch honours those who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. On the inside and the top of the arc there are all of the names of generals and wars fought. Underneath is the tomb of the unknown soldier from World War I.
(~ this must be what we saw the first night burning in memorial for the unknown soldier) The arch was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to commemorate his victories, but he was ousted before the arch was completed. In fact, it wasn't completed until 1836 during the reign of Louis-Philippe.
The Arc de Triomphe is engraved with names of generals who commanded French troops during Napoleon's regime.
Afterwards, we walk to the Eiffel Tower!!!!!!
What's up with all the guys (French African Americans?) selling Eiffel Tower key chains and souvenirs, on little 1 x 1 square blankets? They are EVERYWHERE! And they are soooo annoying! The key is to NOT look ! I actually ended up caving in and intending to buy 1 stand up tower but we bartered and I ended up getting 2 standing ones and 3 key chains! haha woopsies!
The only reason why I got them was because I was scared I wouldn't be able to get anything for anyone with lack of time. So, I got them just in case~ if you get one from me, be glad you got something from me (haha!) and I know it is cheesy and cheap but at least I thought of you during my 2 and 1/2 day visit! bahaha.
E
Yes, this is a long blog post-- so make time. It is worth it
To the TOP of the
Eiffel!!!
700 Steps to the 2nd
level= E8.50
(student)
Elevator from 2nd level to the Top= E5
or Elevator the whole way= E16.50
I wanted to take the stairs anyways to get the whole experience :) My feet are already in pain. But we made it to the 1st level which is a GORGEOUS view!!!
2nd level!
So great because you can see everything without it being little dots.
The Jardin!
To the elevator to get to the top!!
This is spectacular. I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD. haha :) I love it.
From the Eiffel, we walked ALL THE WAY to the Notre Dame.*** Half way there? my feet were in the MOST pain I have ever felt in my life. Designer flips flops= mistake. We've already walked from Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel to 1/2 way to Notre Dame. Let me remind you the Eiffel is far away from all the other attractions... my feet hurt. and Caitlin's feet are also killing her. We are in mutual pain. Jenna, Felicia, and Brooke are wearing rainbow flip flops and they are loving life. I was jealous and could not deal with it any longer. I kept looking for shoe stores while walking but there were none along the water!! So we wander down a side street and we see these wonderful, comfortable looking sandals in the window~ of a pharmacy. I don't care what brand they are. I need shoes. ANYTHING is better than the flip flops I am wearing.
-- After trying on 4 different sizes of the sandals- I settle on the 38's and go up to the register to buy them. The clerk says "107 pounds please." My eyes goes wide open while I ask "for these Dr. Scholls shoes?! " hahahaha whaattt?! I refuse to pay 107 pounds for pharmacy sandals. I am in pain but my money is NOT being put towards these sandals in PARIS. No way! Caitlin and I were going to get the same sandals but we both walk out of the store with NO shoes... but Caitlin gets out of the store and says "Whatever guys, I'm getting them. I can't deal with this pain." Wow, she is crazy! :D At least she will not be in any more pain!
--Two doors down in a souvenir shop, I walk in and see "Paris flip flops" (really cheap) and say I want those. I will get anything! Just not any that cost ~100 euros!!!! They were 15 euros which is way too expensive for these stupid, cheap flip flops... but I am desperate. (& I end up leaving them in the hotel room on purpose in Paris)
I walk into Notre Dame and smell this familiar scent of a church or place of worship. I remember this smell from somewhere. It is not a pleasant smell though. This place is heavenly~ so spiritual.
[side of Notre Dame= gargoyles!!!- fight off the bad spirits!]
The back of Notre Dame is marvelous too! Rose gardens, fountains, benches...
Next, is The Louvre Museum!! It makes me think of The Love...
But the Louvre is sooooo large. You walk inside and it is a big square with the building surrounding you then you walking further to the left and it just keeps going!!! With fountains, and more fountains and a mini- Arch.
[The Louvre]
It was really cool just hanging out by the fountains before we went into the Museum.
[being creepy with Mona in the background]
[Hey Mona!!!]
The Museum is free for people under 26 yrs old!! wooooo!! I saw the Mona Lisa! It is a lot smaller than I thought it would be...
From the Louvre we walked to Champs Elysees (the famous street) full of all the shopping you could ever imagine. 3/4 of them I cannot get anything in because they are too expensive. It is so much fun to just be there though... There are crowds and crowds of people and I love looking at all the fashion everyone is wearing. Did I mention the BEAUTIFUL men? They are all gorgeous. Even the women. All the ladies wear stilettos, if not stilettos then pretty flats/sandals. Their fashion is very different from the States but I love it!!!
The Champs Elysees leads right into the Arc de Triompe ! So we go there and pick up our luggage from the nice hotel, then metro it to our other hotel in Voltaire.
Dinner & Wine at Pizza Pino- DELICIOUS.
Then we all pass out hard after our 8-10 mile walk today.
Saturday 6/12 ~
We were going to go to the Palace of Versailles but it was going to cost minimum 35 euros with the train trip there and back then the ticket to get into Versailles.
Versailles is where Marie Antoinette lived. The site began as Louis XIII’s hunting lodge before his son Louis XIV transformed and expanded it, moving the court and government of France to Versailles. The Hall of Mirrors, the King’s Grand Apartments, the Museum of the History of France.
[delicious macaroons! I got a chocolate one :) Mmmmm- they are made out of coconut flour so I can eat them!]
We ended up not going and instead walked from Voltaire to the Champs Elysees road. Actually we wandered down other roads for awhile looking for the Longchamp store. No such luck for 4 hours... literally we walked down many little streets connecting to the Champs Elysees looking for this bag store. All the girls (except me) wanted to get a Longchamp. They just don't interest me for some reason. EVERYONE has them and they are just nylon bags with a leather handle. They are good for school books or an overnight bag. But I'd rather spend my money somewhere else :) Just my opinion. So we spent the day walking around the whole area. It was really nice to not really have plans but just explore :) We did a lot of shoe shopping because I wanted to get shoes from Parisssss but I was unsuccessful.
I was definitely ready to go back home - "London" . When we got back to Kings Cross in London it felt so good to be there. I needed a break from London because I was getting a little bored and Paris was that perfect break. Being back to a familiar place felt so good... even though it would feel better to be home (my actual home). But that is only 1 week away.
I know this is probably terrible to say but I CANNOT wait to go home. I know when I go home that I will want to go right back to London 3 days later... I've always wanted to go abroad and travel and never thought I would really WANT to go home. I don't even know what I miss except the people. I just love the comfort. London has been go-go-go everyday and it'll be nice to just chill. I absolutely love London and everywhere else I've been but I'm getting kind of tired of it. I've done everything in London I set out to do... with the money I have at least. I'm sure if I had an unlimited amount of money I could do more but that is not the case.
Paris trip = check! SO MUCH FUN ~ and a great experience :)
[this lady had 1 shoe/heel on and a Ipod boom box in her hand and she was with this Rich-looking guy and another lady. There was a photographer following them taking pictures... it was really funny! I wish that was my life!! haha!]
[My mama's name!! :)]
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