Monday May 26
Our flight went smoothly, we are starting to get the hang of it now. But after we got off the flight, we were really confused, yet again another language that we didn't understand. We didn't know what to do next. We talked to the help desk for a good 15 minutes trying to figure out the best way to get to our hotel. We figured that it was metro, because they strongly urged us not to get a taxi.
Metro. I have learned to dislike you already. We couldn't find out how to buy tickets, where to buy tickets, how to get on the metro, where we need to be on the metro, and so on so forth. Struggle bussing! We found our Texan friend, whom we met before the flight, and she had to go on the first metro with us. Thank goodness because we needed all the help we could get. We met a nice frenchman too that helped. He took us to our second platform. This was so stressful, but he helped. Once we got off is where we really fell apart. We had no idea where we were going. Nothing was in english. We must have looked extremely disheveled because someone came up to us to help. She was sorta helpful. We really needed someone to take us directly to the metro. After 20 minutes of searching we found the right one. We were standing right by the doors along with about 50 other people. I was about ready to scream, cry, and cut all of the people around me. It was really rough.
We finally make it to our final destination, except we had no stinking idea where our hotel was. We tried looking at maps but to no avail. Nothing. We then found a guy that was loading a truck. He helped us. It was past two fires and on the left. We made it to our hotel! Not too sketchy either.
Next on the list, food! We went to the restaurant next door even though we couldn't read anything on the menu. We sat down and they brought us a menu on a large board. The owner couldn't speak English. She had another worker who was younger come help us. We all got hamburgers because that was the only thing we could really recognize. These were like ground beef. You could see the individual grounds. They had eggs on them, but they were really good. And they should have been because they were $20 in USD. As we were leaving, an old man started taking to us. He told us a lot about his life. He grew up in France and has a home in Canada. He showed us a picture of his house in Canada several times, it was blurry, but he was really proud of it. He told us he was a Free Mason and that his lodge was near by. He also talked to us about politics. He said that he would have voted for Romney. Ha! Then he told us to thank our grandparents for him because America helped France after WWII. So, thanks Grandmas and Grandpas
After that lovely dinner and conversation, we headed need door, back to our room to sleep for the night.
Tuesday May 27
We set our alarm for 7:20, and we didn't want to get up for that. It was really hard because we were so tired. But we knew we had to because we needed to get to our bus tour. I put on a short sleeved shirt and had my rain jacket because it was supposed to be 66.
We had a what we thought was a free breakfast at our hotel that was a buffet style with croissants, cereal, toast, and other things. I had a nutella croissant. YUM!
We asked the guy at the desk how to get to where we wanted. It took him a good 20 minutes to tell us exactly where we were to be going. It should have been a 5 minute walk to the metro station, then get on the metro, then exit the metro for another 5 minute walk to our destination. Sounds easy, right? Wrong!! We were so stinking lost. We asked for help 2 times to find the station. Once at the station, we had to buy tickets. To be cost conscientious we bought the 10 pack. Or attempted to at least. We walked up to the machine prepared. Everything was in french. It took us a while to find the english setting. Then once we plugged everything in, it wouldn't accept our cards. We had to go up to the window and ask the lady to help us buy our tickets.
Once that was done, we made it onto our M3 route. We made it to the other side safely, only to be confused on how to get out. Literally we walked all over the metro trying to find out how to reach land. It was hard. We had to ask for help then too. On land, I had the map and thought I knew where we needed to go. We went the opposite way of what I thought after asking some people who didn't even speak English. When we figured out that was the wrong way, by yet again asking another person, we turned around.
Around 10ish we finally make it to our bus. We walk in to exchange our vouchers for tickets. They send us to our bus. We hand the driver the vouchers and she can't do anything with them. The machine is broken down. Awesome. We are really ticked at this point. It takes about 30 min before we can even get on the bus and take off. We start the tour. Our first stop was the Louvre. Just to make sour crappy day better, the Louvre is closed on tuesdays. Really Tuesdays?!? We then notice that we have been stopped at this stop for a while, more than a while, like 20 minutes. We go down to investigate to find another couple yelling at the driver telling him to get on the road. Apparently the machines were broken down so they couldn't sell more tickets. The bus was full, so I don't know why he was even trying to sell more tickets. Whatever. After about another 10 minutes we get on the road.
Not impressed with the tour or Paris quite yet
Finally actually seeing Paris, but we are not pleased at this point. We wanted to start the tour at 9:30 and it has been an hour and a half since then. Notre Dame was the first place we decided to stop at. We took several pictures and then headed inside. It was free, so why not. It was really pretty. Stained glass and sculptures everywhere.
Back to the bus we went. We listened for a while and then we saw it, the reason we came to Paris--the eiffel tower! He kept teasing us by literally driving around the entire lot that the tower sits on. Just let us off the stinking bus!
Finally we were set free and we could approach the monument. It was huge. I just had to go up. We went for the line to go up. The line was really long. It took 30 minutes before we could even buy our tickets. Then we had to go through security. Once through security we had to wait until we could go up the elevator that was sideways. Woohoo! This took us to the second floor. We took some pictures then entered the line for the Summit. This line took even longer. Almost 45 minutes. And it was freezing. I was so cold in my thin rain jacket. Not cool robert frost.
We reach the elevator for the summit and I am so excited. This takes you straight up to the top. We reach an inclosed area near the top, then you could climb a few additional stairs to get to the very top. Of course I did that. Amazing. We were so high up. I took lots of pictures. It was really fun, but also really cold.
We had to wait in line yet again to take the elevator down to the second floor. Once at the second floor, I was fed up of waiting in lines, so we walked the rest of the way down. Yes, it took a while, but it was faster than the elevator. At the bottom we walked to both sides and took pictures and got souvenirs.
Back boarding the bus to finish the tour. We finished and then headed to find food. It took us a while to find a place that was cheap enough to eat at. We find a pizzeria and stop there. I had some excellent ravioli. After dinner, we had to have dessert. I wanted a real french dessert. It took a long time and a lot of walking before we found one. I got an carmel eclair. I couldn't eat it on the street because we were heading to the metro. I stuffed it in my purse and we were on the move. We are finally getting the hang of the metro now. We easily move about back to our hotel.
Wednesday May 28
Our last day in Paris. We planned to get up at 7:00 to make it to the Louvre a little before it opened. Like all of our plans in Paris, this didn't work out like we expected.
7:30- Lindsey calls my name and asks if I heard the alarm go off. Nope I had my ear plugs in because it was really noisy. It was 7:30. Awesome. We hurried up and got around and try to pack. We then head downstairs for breakfast.
This is when our nice hotel guy told us that breakfast cost 12 euros. Really?!? We got that yesterday morning and no one told us! Sweet. We left because we didn't want to pay that again.
We reached the metro. We are basically pros now. We get on and off were we need to. We are even able to walk to the louvre from the metro without getting lost. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves. That was until we rounded the corner and saw the longest line we have seen yet in Paris out of the Louvre. Imagine Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster line, but for art.
We got there at 9:05 and it opened at 9:00. After several minutes pass, we realize that the line isn't moving. I see a sign located near us. I hop out of line to see what it said. It said expect delays of opening. Sweet. After another half hour I see a security guard. I approach her and ask her when it would open because we were on a tight schedule. She said that where we were at in line should get in by 10:30. An hour wait. We decide that it would be fine to wait.
This must happen a lot because they have a sign for it
At 10:15 the doors finally open 1.25 hours after they said they would open. The crowd cheered. We moved a lot in the line. We were finally on the last rope to go in and the line stops again. To top it all off it is raining. We are all so thrilled, but we wait some more. The fast pass lane are the only people actually going in. I'm ticked! Finally at 11:00 we got in. We bought our tickets grabbed a map and headed out on our quest.
Trying to keep dry
We wated I hit some of the most famous works. I was plowing through the crowd trying to get to the Mona Lisa. We finally found it. In a small room suffounded by hundreds of people. I got my pictures and ten we tied some other corridors. We found some interesting works, but since we spent 2 hours outside in line, we only spent 1 inside looking. It was a very fast trip filled with lots of rude people.
The Mona Lisa in all of her glory
We left at 12 and made our way to the metro. We have the metro almost mastered now. It takes us no time at all. We look for some lunch and stumble upon this little sandwich shop. It was kinda like subway. We put our order in at a computer and then they made it. I got pasta. It was good.
Once back in our hotel. I asked for the key to our room. The lady at the desk was rude and told us that our room had been cleaned. I don't care if it was cleaned we needed to get our stuff. We were eventually let up but we couldn't touch anything. Stupid. We packed the rest of our things and headed down to the lobby. There we waited for the taxi and paid for the hotel. I think we got ripped off because she didn't understand what I was saying.
Our taxi arrived. It was an Asian Frenchman. We couldn't understand him and he couldn't understand us. Lovely.
I really can't say that I am going to miss you Paris. Bring on London! Ta and Cheers!
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