Paris, Day 2

Paris, Day 2

So we wake up with the Aussie roommates, you know it is going to be an adventure.
Got ready, went downstairs ate some bread and cheese. Yes, for breakfast. That's all we ever ate. Bread and cheese bread and cheese. Then got with the Aussies and got in a cab to head to the Eiffel Tower.  P.S. in Paris you cannot hail a cab like in NY. You must walk to the cab station. Oh, and they are not yellow. They are black Mercedes. We get to the tower. There were so many people there it was crazy. We walked around and down the way a bit so we could get a  picture of the whole place and us in it. It was so surreal to see it in person.

 

From there we got in another cab and went to the catacombs. The line was 3+ hours. No one wanted to wait so they went and ate at McDonalds and took advantage of their wifi. Next up we headed in another cab to Notre Dame. 

The church was beautiful. We were able to go inside and walk around and just gawk at the architecture and beauty. Thank goodness for the small man who was selling water for 1 euro, we needed it. The Aussies then went to sleep and K and I went to walk around Paris. We stopped at a Macaroon shop of course and enjoyed some delicious pastries. I mean delicious. Like who stick of butter delicious. 

We  had lunch at a little cafe over looking the beautiful canals and bridges. We had crepes and french fries of course.

Then we began our walk back to our hostel.

Went back to the hotel to rest.

Then got hungry. 

Yelp.

Ended up at this cute place, but we were confused. Found a guy who spoke English and he said we had to pay in Groins. You put your Euros in a machine and out come the Groins. No joke. And what did we buy with our funny money? Why cheese of course. 

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Paris, Day 1

Paris, Day 1

Walk to currency exchange. Wait 30 minutes because the man in front of you has issues with his bank. Tell the lady you want to exchange $200 US. She gives you $300 Euro and a $20 transaction fee... don't know how that happen.

Walk to information, ask how to get to hostel. Super fast explanation. Confused. Walk around airport. Can't figure out how to get downstairs. Buy train tickets. Get on thus train. Realize that a duffel bag was a really stupid idea. Wheels. Always wheels. Ride the train to Gud De Nord or something like that. Get off train. Can't figure out how to get up out of the stations. Realize that Kayla's huge bag with wheels does not work well on stairs. 

Nice man offers to help you carry bag. Then tries to put you in a taxi. No thank you. Walk around on the streets of PARIS! Find your hostel. Head downstairs. Put luggage into lockers since check in isn't until 2pm. Walk the streets of PARIS! It is lightly drizzling. Stop in Cafe and hang out. Walk to a huge church! Let me google that for ya. It is Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica and often simply Sacré-Cœur

It is beautiful! See merry go round at the bottom and ride it. Big mistake. Those things go in circles. Nasty. Offer to take a picture of two guys. Then somehow you end up in the picture with them. Multiple pictures with them. Interesting. African man then grabs your hand and starts tying a bracelet around your finger. Um, what is happening?! Look at sister. Sister looks at you. Um, okay. Scam. Hold onto money. Hold onto wallet and phone. Get out of there. Hike to top of hill. Overlook Paris. Gorgeous. So breath taking.

Enter church. Beautiful. Find toilet. Pee. Pink toilet paper. Smile. Smile again. Head back to Hostel- St. Christophers. Check in. It is huge and really nice! 2 bunk beds, privacy dividers, usb hubs, bathroom. Awesome. Lock up luggage in cage under bed and head out again.
Walk down street. Weird man you met in locker room comes up and asks you what's up, where are you going? Follow me, he says. I will show you a park. Um, okay.

Follow man holding bag of laundry and wearing pink purse through park. The man calls himself Bastain. Speaks broken English. He walks us through Paris. We follow. He says be back and comes back without the laundry. Then we walk around some more. Find a macaroon shop. Macaroon obsession begins. Speculoos macaroon. SAY WHAT! $8 eruo later and 2 Macaroons. Smile in pure ecstasy. Macaroon=heaven. Bastain walks us back to our hostel and K buys him a drink. I head upstairs. Open room. 2 men in the bunks. One word: Aussies. Leave room, go back to bar, tell Kayla it is very important that she comes back upstairs. Type under table: Aussie. Goodby Bastain. I knew she would be excited. Head back to room. Meet new roommates. They are on a 3 month travel adventure. Lay down, talk, post to Facebook, text peeps. Sleep. Oh sleep. How I have missed you.
Wake up. Someone grabs my foot. Turn around and the Aussie, in his chonies, is in my bed saying "Aussie cuddles." Um, hello. Good morning and no thank you. I mean I am all about Aussies but I just had a great weekend with a guy so no thank you Aussie man. Kick Aussie out and send to bed above me. Where K lies. ;) hehe.

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Paris, France

Paris

8:15 am Monday morning.
   "What did you do over break?" Nonchalantly replies... "Went to Paris." Gasp.

Yup. It's true I spent Spring Break in Paris, France. Once of in a lifetime opportunity? I would say yes. Incredible? Yes. Unforgettable? Heck, yes.

How, why, tell me more!

So Kayla gets buddy passes through a sweet hook up. I knew I had Spring Break coming in April and so we brainstormed a little. Sunday we booked flights to London. Well $1600 was a bit steep, there was a $300 landing tax each. Monday we were booked for Paris. I got a text with confirmation and a credit card bill ;) Next came hostel reservations. Yes, you read that right, hostel, oh, coed. Yes, Kayla is adventurous.

Sunday morning. 3:30am April 20

Kayla arrives to her LA apartment and I hop in the shower. 3:50 realize you are in matching outfits. No time to change.

We need to be at the airport at 4:30am. 4am we leave the apartment. 4:10 am we drive down a one way street backwards with no headlights on. 4:15 am we are lost on the freeway and more one way streets. 4:30 am we pull into the Wally World to find out that it's $16 to park, not the expected $5 but when your international flight leaves at 6am you don't fight over $11. Run to the bus. Run to the terminal. Check bag. Wait.
Buy $100 upgrade to first class. Yes, FIRST CLASS. Get breakfast on the plane. There is something about plane food that I find so cute. Cute. It is all little. I love little things.

2pm. Arrive in Charlotte- say with a southern accent. 4pm upgrade again and fly FIRST CLASS to Paris! FIRST CLASS, in an upgraded plane with what they call pod seats. View picture. Be jealous. I was like a little kid on Christmas morning. It was quite embarrassing how excited I was. Seriously though. 5 course meal, a menu, noise canceling headphones, lay flat seat, your own goody bag with socks, phone chargers, hot towels, private bathrooms, current movies... dude. It. Rocked. I was sad, SAD that the plane was only 7.5 hours. Sad. Who the heck gets sad that their 7 hour plane ride is too short. Me. You would too if you flew first class. I'm jealous of the rich.

7.5 amazing hours later with a stomach full of hot nuts, striped ravioli, Ben and Jerry's- YES Ben and Jerry's.. on a plane, we arrive in Paris.

Exit plane. Go in creepy moving walkway pod to luggage claim. Use 15 minutes of free wifi to upload amazing first class pictures.

Luggage claimed. Now what? Figure out how to get to thus mentioned hostel.

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