Bonjour de Paris! (Hello from Paris!) This is my first time ever in Paris--my travel mate Bianca and I are drinking in every moment! We flew in from Basel Switzerland this morning, and we're already pooped from just one afternoon!
First things first, I'm staying with my Swiss family for a couple of weeks, just in case you're wondering what in the world I'm doing flitting around Europe like this. I decided on this trip I wanted to take a day or two and go up to Paris. I'd never been before, and I've had this marvelous dream all my life of going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Scratch that one off the bucket list!
Anyway, I've been staying with the Steinhauers the last few days. Dan and Margrit Steinhauer got up with me this, and fixed me breakfast, made sandwiches for Bianca and me to have for lunch, dropped me off at the train station, and helped me find Bianca so I'd get on the correct train car. These people are amazing--hospitality got its reputation from these folks!
So, Bianca and I took the train to the bus, the bus to the airport, an Air France plane from Basel to Paris, a shuttle to the train terminal in the airport, a train from the Paris airport (CDG), switched trains, and walked to the hotel--whew! We had minimal (but some) difficulty getting the right train ticket to the city center, but we made it! It sounds a lot more complicated than it was. ;) Added bonus of taking the train in Paris: performers. We had an accordion player and a singer get on and perform for tips at different times on our train ride!
Bianca and I checked into our hotel and squeezed into THE tiniest elevator I've ever experienced in my life! It was about two feet wide and maybe 4-5 feet deep. It was hysterical fitting ourselves in it! I'm glad we packed LIGHT! Our room is adorable. We have a private room AND bathroom, which is WAY more than I can boast about some of the places I've stayed! And the best part is we're a 10 minute walk from La Tour Eiffel--the Eiffel Tower! So guess where we went first...
All we had to do was look up and we could easily find out way to the Tower. I was so excited, I could hardly stand it! While we waited in line for tickets, I looked at the Eiffel Tower app I put on my phone before my trip (yes, I certainly did!), and I read some of the facts aloud for Bianca and me, and whomever else around us may have wanted--or not wanted--to listen. We got our tickets (best 14 Euro I've spent EVER), and made our way up! Unfortunately, you can't walk all the way up, but they have really hefty elevators that take you up on a diagonal instead of vertical. We got up to the first stop off and took pictures all the way around. Even just being 57 storeys up was a thrill! But there was more to see!
So up, up, up and away we flew (in the safe confines of the elevator), to the tippy tippy top of one of the most famous, most visited attractions in the entire world. The view was stunning! We could see the Louvre, the Arc de Triumph, Notre Dame, the Champs Elysee, the Seine River, everything. I can't wait to explore it all tomorrow! Bianca and I decided to splurge for ourselves and feel very important, so we ordered hot drinks and looked out on the River Seine like Parisians in the movies! She got a cappuccino, and I got a chocolat chaud (sho-co-la shu, for those of us who don't speak a lick-a French!), which is simply the most lovely hot chocolate you could every imagine. =)
After our stint with Mr. Eiffel, We walked down the Champs de Mars, then decided to find something else closeby before the evening got too dark. Meeting with zero success--although we met a lovely Frenchman who showed us how to move the map down so I could see it with my short self--we went to the grocery store and got some food for tonight and in the morning. I love going to the grocery wherever I am in the world!
Armed with enough food to get us through till lunch tomorrow, we started back to the hotel. As we talked and walked down the street, we both stopped dead in our tracks and gasped!
Because THAT is what we saw! It truly took my breath away. I honestly think nothing is pretty on a gray day, which is exactly what today was. Everything kind of looked dead and wet and, well, sad. But I was determined to make the most of it. And then seeing this as we rounded a corner made the whole trip magical! I don't usually use that word to describe things, but that's the only word I could think of as Bianca and I both gaped at the sight!
And after that we got lost. Yes, lost in Paris. Another of my favorite pastimes when traveling--getting lost the first day! Oh well. We found our way! I even had time to upload photos, blog, Skype with my parents and my mom's school kids, and eat my yummy French in-room supper. It was a good day, that's for sure! And now I'm pooped. Also for sure!
Bonne nuit! (Good night!) Au revoir! (Goodbye!)
