HiBAiSHi

Before I begin I have to mention that Ray missed his Eurostar train. He forgot his passport and didn’t realize until we arrived at King’s Cross. So there’s a blurry photo of Platform 9 3/4 because I was holding both bags without anything to do for 40 minutes. But he got on the next train. That wasn’t even that bad – on the way back from Paris he left his Eurostar ticket in our hotel room and had to buy another ticket. His parents promptly lectured him to get better at planning ahead. And eat vegetables. He stopped eating with us and just eats a ham sandwich and pasta with sausages every night.

Joining me this trip were Steph, Julie, and Eric from WashU who go to SOAS and King’s College. Can you believe there’s a School of Oriental and Asian Studies? Yeah, me neither. I was recommended to go to Le Refuge des Fondues right on the bottom of Montmartre for dinner the first night. I’ve never had fondue before, and I’m not sure if I was supposed to eat those “appetizers” before the cheese arrived. We should also have asked for a pot of the meaty stuff. Too bad. I liked that they gave us Kir Cassis (although the sugar was the best part) and served us wine in a baby bottle. It was cute.

Ended up rushing to the Eiffel Tower – but ended up being about five minutes late and we weren’t allowed on top. We saw plenty of drunk Americans walking around to compensate. The Metro was on strike that week so it was confusing getting around, but at least the first day we didn’t have to pay for anything.

The next morning we woke up early and went to eat breakfast near the Louvre at a fairly cheap place. Except fairly cheap is very expensive in Paris when you want to sit down. Our French was so poor, despite the fact that Julie took years of it, that they just didn’t serve Eric his omelette. We asked the waitress several times, but she just nodded and said it was coming. Then we asked for our check and it wasn’t on there. How rude. Despite the fact that meals were expensive, I think I ate better in Paris than I had on any vacation (except I also spent a lot more money) – but the pastries are ridiculous there. Every little shop you’re tempted to buy something.

We walked to Ile de la Cite and saw Notre Dame. Ray and Eric decided it was okay to donate about a euro to take a five euro candle that you were supposed to leave in the church and light as a prayer? Or something, I really have no idea how Christianity works. It’s not like they’re stealing from God. It was raining that morning so we rushed to the Musee D’Orsay. It’s a former train station renovated with all the impressionist crap they kicked out of the Louvre. Ray met up with his friend Olivia from high school who was studying in Paris and we walked around. I didn’t know that you could take photos in Museums like that. Really cool place though.

Walked through the Tulleries and after pronouncing it har-DEEN for so long, I completely forgot that the French actually use their “j” properly. Strolled down the Champs Elysees and noticed a sizable group of asian tourists in front of the Arc de Triomphe. There were about eight peace signs in their collective hands. My one regret is not trying to jump into that photo. Afterwards, we strolled into the huge Louis Vuitton store and watched as more asian tourists would sit there and drop down hundrd euro bills like it was some sort of drug deal. Scary sight.

We unfortunately had to pay for the Metro at this point, and rode to the Louvre because it was free for students Friday night. I tried to reenact a photo of me sleeping with my mom carrying me in the Louvre, so I forced Ray to pick me up on one arm. Twice. By the way this really has to be the most ridiculous museum in the world.

Woke up early to climb up Montmartre – not after engaging in a mini black friday with a bunch of poor Parisians in the area, basically because Steph had to buy a new pair of shoes because well, she brings one pair of small slip on flats that really don’t hold up well in the rain.

The girls really wanted Long Champ bags so we went to the store. I was considering getting something, I mean – it’s a Parisian brand, and I was in Paris (meaning an incredible gift) – but honestly, they are notable because they make a bag out of parachute material. I guess they expand, but you can’t put anything in it when it’s small, so what’s the point. I specifically asked this question and the person really did not have a good answer.

Julie left to meet her friend, so we went to meet up with Olivia again and went to the Latin quarter. This was really confusing because I thought this was something like a latin-american/spanish quarter, not just something that had to do with the Sorbonne. wow. So confusing. I guess it has to do with the French Quarter in NOLA? I don’t know. I was so confused. We met up with some of Olivia’s friends in Paris as we rescued Kate from a creepy French guy with black leather serial killer gloves.

We concluded the trip with a trip up to the Eiffel Tower despite the best efforts of the Parisian students to get us to go clubbing some 30 minutes outside of the city. I suppose you don’t really get to go to the Eiffel Tower that much. Unless you’re Julie. It’s her fifth time in Paris.