I left last Thursday after last minute buying my train ticket the day before. Getting there was no problem, neither was finding Rebeccas appartment. The problem on the first day was that Rebecca wasnt at her apartment and my cell phone didn't have any money on it. We also didn't make a plan. So I waited infront of her appt for some time before asking someone if I could use their phone. The guy was really nice, he worked at a hotel bar on the corner. He let me use his friends iphone to get intouch with Rebecca. While I was waiting I befriended two Australian Grandma's who had so much plastic surgery done that they could barely move their mouths; needless to say I missed half of their answer when I asked what all I should see in Paris. They had been doing a Paris trip to the same location/hotel for the past 12 years. Rebeccas street was full of energy from sun up to sun down. The first night I just went to dinner with her and her 3 french guy friends. They are also all studying Political Science and will all be in the States next year going a semester abroad. One of them works at the one and only Abercrombie that just opened in Paris. The first day they made 50,000 euros an hour.. for 10 hours.. THAT RIDICULOUS! we passed by.. it is an old Parisian building with golden gates and a red carpet. Kind of funny considering it's a store that we avoid at home. The next day Kiki came.. she arrived at the apartment around 7:30. We got breakfast then headed out sightseeing. Luckily I have an EU visa.. so I got into all museums.etc for free.. we visited the Louvre, Champs Elysee, The arc, and just kind of bummed around. Rebecca is in the process of moving out and packing up to head back to Kentucky. So are her newly made American friends who have accompanied her this whole trip. Watching Rebecca go through the process of leaving Europe made me realize that I, too, will be there in a few weeks. Weird. Kiki and I went to go check into our hotel... which happened to be fairly far from Rebecca and in a really sketch neighborhood. The shades were pulled down at the hotel so we thought it was closed.........worst case scenario considering where we were haha. Turns out.. they were open and we successfully got into our room. We settled in and headed out to check out the neighborhood and grab some dinner. Kiki had survived her first day in Europe- without even sleeping on teh flight.. so seh was a bit tired. We hit up a grocery store to buy wine and apples... after that we got some sushi adn headed back to our room. The next morning we headed back to Rebeccas to go see Notre Dame. It was really pretty.. but after that we ended up taking the train to Versailles. THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE. it was ridiculous. What was even more ridiculous were the other americans on the train to Versailles. Three women(older and married) on vacation in Paris from Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas. They were making small talk these other guys (younger) who were happily helping them find their to Versailles with the train.. this is how their conversation went..
BIGTEXAS: so where are you all from?
GUYS: Mexico City
BIG TEXAS: OH.. so you know a lot about burritos, tacos and tortillas..
GUYS:uh.. I guess(??)
BIGTEXAS:............I can't believe we followed guys from Mexico City here...
BIG TEXTAS(talking to me,kiki and rebecca): Excuse me, but where are you all from?
US: Kentucky
BIGTEXAS: ohhh okay.. are you all going to Versailles?
US: Yes...
BIGTEXAS: oh great.. do you know where youre going?
US:yes..
BIGTEXAS: how?
US: my friend speaks french and studies here...
BIGTEXAS: OOOOH.. I feel better now..
.It was mortifying.
Any way, Versailles was interesting.. an old wealthy paris town..
later on rebecca was meeting with some friends to say goodbye so Kiki and I decided to go bum around and look at shops until we met for dinner. Kiki and I ended up grabbing a drink to just take a break and hang out.. we ended up in a gay bar.. and guess what? They had a KENTUCKY LICENSE PLATE... we had to get a picture hahah
My last night in Paris ended up with felafels and the Eiffel Tower. I had heard on my first night the horror stories of the Paris Metro.. adn not ot take it.. alone.. or at night..
I wasn't feeling at ease in Paris any way.. but this pretty much peaked when I had to be at the main train station at 8:00 am...
I was so paranoid and nervous about taking the metro and making a few stops at 6:00 am teh next morning that I couldnt eat or concentrate.. I thought I was going ot be sick...
Paris is pretty but I could never live there.. I don't really identify with the people and culture as much as I do the German... Paris is a big city.. but Ive been to big cities all over the world..
I felt more at home in China, Thailand and Africa then I did in France- a developed country..............
I am glad to be home : )
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