Paris, France

July 4^th – 6^th.

I got to Paris at a decent hour, giving me enough time to make it to my hostel (mind you I was staying in a Korean hostel – it was the cheapest and they gave you breakfast and dinner.. PERFECT FREE FOOD!!) At the airport I made sure to get a map and asked the information desk tons of questions. I was not about to ask a mean French person how to get anywhere. I was terrified of them! I got on the train and was headed towards the hostel (or so I hoped). I had to transfer trains once but I managed. I got to the end of the line, walked up the stairs and was immediately lost. So I stood there for a second waiting and looking around. I was hoping it would just click which way I had to go. I re-read the directions like 12 times. I started to walk and a guy came up to me (he was on the same underground train as me I am pretty sure). He asked if I needed help. I showed him the name of a couple of streets, which were written on my paper. He looked at them and then he started making hand gestures. I sort of got what he was saying.. so off I went trying to figure it out. I was like well I am just going to walk in this direction and hope and pray I find it! I acted like I knew right where I was going. I passed by a group of a bunch of hoodlums, but I wasn’t scared. I learned that confidence is necessary when traveling alone. I never acted lost (even when I had no clue where I was or what was going on). I just walked and pretended. It was all starting to come together. The directions made sense and I was coming to the correct roads. I was going to find it! I finally got there and I rang the bell for them to let me in. A cute little Korean came to let me in. I got checked in and she gave me a room. It was on the first floor with 3 other people, who I didn’t know. I got a tour and then I asked where I could get food. It was almost 10 o’clock and I was starving. She explained where the nearest grocery store was but that it closed in 20 minutes.

I was on a mission. I needed food and NOW. I practically ran to the store. I got there and they were starting to close up. All I wanted was some soymilk and cereal. That is all oh and maybe some fruit (apples and bananas). I found the cereal, no problem. It was the soymilk that was hard. So I headed for the milk that was on the shelf. That was usually where the soymilk was kept. However it seemed to me (in my little – I mean no knowledge of French) that it was all real milk. I couldn’t have that. The store lights kept going off and they might have made an announcement. I was determined to find it. So I tried to ask this nice lady who was shopping. She had no idea what I was trying to say. So her boyfriend (who knows maybe it was her brother) came over and he understood what I wanted. He just didn’t know where it was. He tried to ask a worker and he didn’t know either (at least that is what I caught – almost all of this was going on in French – I was just reading body language and the listening to some broken English). Finally as they were practically kicking us out, another worker knew right where it was. He took me to a cooler – lifted the curtain and there it was the oh so glorious milk that would not make me keel over. I was so thankful and joyous, I could have kissed the man. I said merci like 20 times, checked out and walked back to the hostel. I had a massive bowl of cereal and was happy. Life was good.

The next day my plan was to hit up all the major museums (since it was my only full day in Paris). I started walking around, I first hit up the Notre Dame Cathedral. Then I was on to the Louvre. When I got there I noticed that it was closed. What? I thought they were all closed on Mondays, not on Tuesdays. Turns out all the major museums are closed on Tuesdays. I tried like 3 different ones. ALL were closed. I was so disappointed but I just went to what I could. I would pull out my map and say ok. Here is where I am going next and start walking. I made it to the Arch de Triumph and the Eiffel Tower. I walked and walked and walked and walked some more. I never took the bus or trains or anything. I had my Camelbak backpack on (actually the knock-off brand from walmart but whatever) full of water and some snacks, and I was off and on a mission. I was bound and determined to see all of Paris in a day and a half. I got back that evening in time for the free Korean dinner. I was pretty good (I now know I can probably survive in Korea and not starve! Haha). After dinner I started talking to some Americans who were also staying at the hostel and we decided we needed to see the Eiffel tower at night. So a small group of us headed to the train. I immediately started booking it and one of the guys were with started making fun of my fast pace. I said lets go we’ve got things to see. He was like.. ‘ok you are one of those crazy tourists’ and I said I guess I am. Although their pace was much slower I forced myself to calm down and just take it in. We finally made it to the tower. I was so pretty at night! It was all lit up and the sun was just setting so the sky was a pretty dark blue color. Every hour, on the hour it twinkles. It is spectacular. A few of the people decided to go up it. I didn’t want to pay to go up it so me and 2 others decided to go look at it from a distance. We crossed the street, walked up some steps (they were steps of some museum I think) and just looked and watched. I took a billion pictures. We waited for it to twinkle again and then we headed back to wait for the others. I don’t exactly remember if we found them or not. We might have headed back on our own because we were sick of waiting.

The next day I got up early because I had to see the Louvre and the Pompidou all before 2 when my train left for Germany. If that kid thought I walked fast the night before he hadn’t seen anything. I had to take my suitcase with me.. so I was speed walking with all my belongings around Paris. I took the train to the Louvre stop and stood in line. I was lucky and had a pass, which allowed me to skip most of the line. But I still had to go through security. I checked my suitcase and then headed for the Mona Lisa – yes I was that tourist but only because I had to be. I had no time! The Louvre is sooooo freaking massive. I had no idea where anything was. There were like 3 different wings all filled with different types of art. I didn’t even know where the Mona Lisa was, but then I realized I bet if I follow this massive clump of people – they will lead me to her. I was right. They also had signs posted everywhere leading people to her. I don’t understand why that is the only piece of art people know – but it is. I finally made it and there she was a small painting behind thick pieces of glass on the far wall. There were at least 100 people in that small room all looking. I made my way to the front of the room so I could see her. I looked for a couple of minutes. Yup that was the oh so famous Mona Lisa. Took a couple of pictures and then turned around and probably took more pictures of the crowd then of her. They were way more interesting (at least to me). Different races, cultures all with their point and shoot or DSLR cameras taking pictures of the Mona Lisa. I honestly wonder how many photographs have been taken of her. Actually I bet it would make me sick! After wards I took a peak around the rest of the museum (actually only like one other small section) but it was all I had time for. I tried to enjoy but I was so rushed and scared to miss my train and I couldn’t really enjoy.

I decided to move on and make it to the Pompidou (the modern art museum). It is one where the insides are on the outside… so like the staircases are all on the outsides so when you ride the escalator you can see out and people can see you. It is an interesting building almost looks like a mouse cage with tones of tunnels and weird things going on. Haha Anyway I check my bag there as well and started running around the different floors. I immediately wished I had more time there. I LOVED it. The art there was spectacular and was super modern. I didn’t really think I like modern art all that much – but I like the art in that museum. I made it to most of the floors and finally decided I had to leave so I could be sure and make it to the train on time. I got directions from one of the workers (because they are required to know English and be helpful and not hate on me for not knowing their so awesome French language – or so they think haha). I made it to the train station on time, found my train. Phew I had done it. I had pretty much seen Paris in a day and a half. Good work me!