Paris!

OK. I have no idea how I'm going to keep this short! I went into Paris today with my new friend, Yosune. She's from Madrid and is a friend of a friend of my family's. She's going to school for a semester in Paris so had some errands to run before classes start--ya know, it'd be good if she has a place to live. We drove to the train station and took one into the 8th, I think. Yosune headed up to the 17th, where her University is, and I found a Starbucks because it was early.

I walked down Malesherbes, then found the Parc Monceau to sit and drink my coffee and read some Kerouac. After a few chapters, I found a lovely toilet. Then I walked pretty haphazardly and found myself near the Arc de Triomphe. I sat in awe for a bit, ate a sndwich I had packed for lunch, walked under the Arc, decided not to wait in line for a ticket or get caught up figuring out what the ticket was good for, and came out on the other side on Champs Elysees. I bought a post card and walked past many fancy shopping stores to FDR near some palaces or whatever, which I need to go back and explore.

I met up with Yosune again, and we took the metro up to the 19th, I think, where her French classes will be. We got lost but eventually found her academy, and she made sure her registration was all settled while I read an article in French about Darfur. Next, we took the metro to the Latin district in the 5th, I think, where Yosune will most likely be living for the next four months. I really liked this area--I'm not sure why. There was something in the air.

Then we walked way too much more towards the Notre-Dame to meet Amay (a fellow au pair who knows my family) and her friend, Nicole, from Germany (another au pair). On the way, I saw the Mosque that I think was in Paris Je T'aime, and I saw the column at the Place de la Bastille peaking up across the Seine, which was in Les Chansons D'amour. When we caught up with Amay and Nicole, we tried to find the Jewish district but ended up at an enclosed garden. Yosune and I sat at a fountain while Nicole and Amay tried to watch a street fashion show that happened to be going on soon after we got there. Then, it was time to find Ashley.

We walked through the old Palace, where I could see into part of the Louvre, and I had a moment. When we walked out to the court where the pyramid is, the lighting was so ridiculous in the late evening that I took too many pictures. This is where everything in Paris lines up, and after spending a few minutes there in symmetrical sunsetting splendor, I was ready for the Tower! Another au pair (who used to work where Amay does now) named Ashley joined us, we found a market, bought some wine, and I was sung to by a rather toothless bum. He was cool.

A group of au pairs, and friends of friends and the like, met under the Eiffel Tower at 8. Well, some met at 5ish and started drinking, and we got there closer to 9. I met some crazy and interesting folks, who I'm sure I'll have to find on the facebook. I wasn't too excited about seeing the tower, but it was just so bizarre to be sitting under the Eiffel Tower! Right? It's pretty cool--the tower and I may grow to love each other even more. Overall, I was swept away by Paris. Part of the city felt like NYC but... happy. I have to work on putting this into words. All I can say is that I really, really loved it. Gosh, it was such a perfect day!

Yosune and I drank a nice bottle of red wine while chatting with the group and then stumbled somehow back to the train towards my family's house. I like the metro in Paris--maybe it was because I had Yosune to help out, but I found it easier to get around Paris than Boston. It's just bigger and greener with more statues and stuff. I used a weekend day pass, so I swiped it at each metro and at the train to the suburbs and would have on the bus if we took a bus. I can't believe I visited so many arrondissements in one day! I'm glad I did--I have a pretty good concept now of where things are and how to get around. I will definitely be spending plenty of weekend time in Paris!

Why am I still awake?! Bonnuit!