After spending a night in a quality hotel in Calais-see photo…we validated our rail passes, got 5 croissants for 5 euro, and hopped on a train to Paris… which turned out to be a few different trains…and a few pieces of borrowed baguette from a youth hostel in Boulogne (which also provided free internet, always a plus)…and finally, Paris.
Ali met us at the Vivier underground station, took us back to her dorm where we dropped off our bags, and off we went! We left her place and started out tour around 3:00. We were finished by 7:30. Yeah. We saw almost all of Paris in 4.5 hours. All the important stuff anyway…L’Arc de Triumph, Champs-Élysées, Napoleon’s Dome D'or, the Louvre’s pyramids, Pompidou, Notre Dame, Kabobs (which were big gyros with
French fries on top that you rolled up altogether and slammed into you mouth because they were amazing), the building with the most statues on it, metro to the Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge, Montmartre, & Sacre Coeur. Wow. It helped have a tour guide who knew where to lead us. It was awesome-lots of walking-but awesome. And the kabobs were huge and intense and filling and real good.Ali was great at telling us what everything was. and its importance to french history...even with the drizzly rain.
After being touristy, we headed to a bridge near the louvre with Ali to meet her whole group of foreign exchange people. They were having a picnic, so we got to snag a couple free cookies and some cantalope. Then, we jumped back on the metro to head to the austerlitz train station. And there we stayed.
Until 12:54pm.
The following day.
When we finally got a train to Lyon. And we’ve pretty much been walking around since we got here. Went to a beautiful park this morning and took a long nap in the warm sun. Figured out some train tickets and stuff yesterday, but we’re going to go try to do more in a little while. We’re at the library right now, charging my computer because it’s illegal to charge it at the mall, but there’s not internet here…so I’m Word-ing this until I can post it later.
Maybe after we go buy that chocolate éclair we saw in that store earlier.
Mmmmmm French pastries.
It looks like Serbia is going to be the hardest leg of the trip (big surprise), but hopefully one of the most rewarding as well. We have a lovely friend Mina, a U of I TheaHistGrad, and her family waiting for us. In a recent email Mina wrote, “MY GRANDMOTHER IS GETTING READY…MEAT EATERS.” we cannot wait. Especially since we’ve been living off of baguettes and the occasional apple for the past few days. Give me beef.
But I can’t really say that, because we just ate at a fairly disappointing “Mexican” restaurant here in the mall. Mind you, this is one of two, maybe three, Mexican places we’ve seen the entire time we’ve been overseas. While we were with Vicky, she said Mexican food just doesn’t really exist over here. And, after having lunch at Suelta Verde, I’d have to agree. But it was still exciting.
Guacamole.
Next: to Bourg en Bresse this evening to couch surf with our friend-to-be Lena. The thought of showering brings a tear to mine eye.
Soap.
5 comments:
Bonjour! Ils sont des "pommes frites", les pas "French fries".
I had Mexican food and Japanese food in Dublin last summer. The Japanese food was better. I think "Indian" food is the English/Irish version of our Mexican food.
Glad to hear the trip's going well--see you in July!
You're SO right about the Mexican food thing. I remember when I was in London, and my whole class and my teachers were just craving Mexican. So I scoured my, like "Cheap Eats in London" travel guide and miraculously found a mexican restaurant, which was actually well above par and had happy hour. Home, sweet home.
We did the same thing with TGI Fridays. When we were missing "the states." That's a little easier to come by in London.
Did you guys notice those restaurants when you were there that were just called "ANGUS BEEF?" I always thought that was funny.
kevin reader you have so much facial hair!
Just got your web address and caught up on your antics. What an adventure. So glad you get to take this trip of a lifetime.
Enjoy.
julie
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