Joy

These last couple of days have seemed so surreal.

     Yesterday, the new couchsurfer came to Alix's and she's from New Hampshire. She had met a guy from LA in the hostel so we arranged to meet up and surprised him with a picnic in La Place de Concorde and sat in the lounge chairs in the sun. We then got a bottle of wine (me a smoothie since I don't like wine) and went to Luxembourg Gardens just south of the city centre.

     Just what we talked about in the gardens has made me realized how much I've grown over these last couple of weeks, obviously as a new traveler and as a person in general. An experience today really tested my limits of patience, but I'll get to that later.

Vino in Luxembourg Gardens

     In the park we just drank wine/smoothies and told stories of travels and life philosophies. It really gets me excited about future travels and being able to meet more people. I remember before I left the states I hadn't been excited about going. I distinctly remember using the phrase, "I'd rather not go see everything than go see everything alone. I want someone to share those experiences with." The thing is, everything that I have experienced, I have with other travelers or my hosts. Meeting other solo backpackers and just sitting in the grass by the Eiffel Tower or in the chairs in front of the Louvre is just priceless moments. In the last year alone, I've never felt some of the feelings I have felt over these last couple of days. I'm so glad that I finally made the decision to just get up and get out of Iowa, as nervous as it made me be at the time. It has been the best decision of my life. I've really overcome my fear of traveling alone and as much fun as it would be to travel with other people, being alone gives you the freedom to not have to worry about holding someone up or losing them or fighting (or getting yelled at for taking too many pictures). I've grown to see how dependent I was on friends and family back in America. Here, if I get sad or lost, I don't have a cell phone to call and get directions and in Paris, the majority of people don't even speak my language. It's hard to find help for anything and be trusting of anyone. I've really had to suck it up sometimes and push myself to continue putting myself out there and trying this new style of life.

     These new friendships seem everlasting. I'm still in contact with the people from London (even though it's only been a week) but we're already arranging dates to meet up again. I don't think that I could imagine my life without being able to stay in contact with people that have come to be almost like family to me.

     Well, after the gardens, Jill, Alix and I went to the Louvre while Joey went back to his hostel. I felt that I really had a good bonding experience getting lost in the Louvre and discovering new works of art. Alix even eavesdropped on a French man talking about the history of the Raft of Medusa and she translated the story for us. It was an entire art history lesson in itself. It really told the story behind the painting and it was such a vivid story, basically making that 10' x 15' painting come alive.

Postcard Perfect

     After the Louvre, we met back up with Joey and went and snuck into the gardens outside of the Sacre Cour. At midnight we got to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle again from the top of Montmarte overlooking the city. That was one of those moments I could have stayed in forever. The panoramic view of the city of Paris unfolded before me was probably the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It's definitely a place I would love to come back to. We came back to the apartment after than and watched Amelie, well, I fell asleep, but what I saw of it was really good and I'm looking forward to finishing it.

     Today, we kind of got up late (I was the first one up, which is rare!!). We made quiche and went on another picnic to the Eiffel Tower because the MegaJump was going to happen today. An inline skater, Taig Khris was jumping basically the height of the first story of the tower down a 30 meter ramp. Apparently it was breaking the world record of an inline skate jump. We got to watch that and it was pretty amazing, I know I would I have gone splat at the bottom.

Taig Khris's jump

     After the jump, we wandered around the city and then split up. I went back to the Louvre and sat in the apple store checking my email. I was laughing at what someone was saying and the guy next to me passed me a note and smiled and walked away. I was confused and opened it up and was pretty sure it was some sort of French love letter. I eventually left the apple store and he approached me (out of nowhere!) and started chatting away in some quick French. I gave him an awkward smile and said, "Uhhh, sorry, I don't speak French." And he's like, "WOAH! You're not French?" I told him I was American and he said (here's the kicker..) "If I would have known you were American, I wouldn't have written you." So, me, being slightly offended (Americans suck in general but not every single one does), says to him, "What's wrong with me being an American?" And he proceeds to talk about the culture differences, etc. I guess it's a compliment because he said I dressed French and not like an American. I brought the note back for Alix to translate and this is what it said:

Hello,
I think that you have an amazing smile and I would really like to get to know you. My name is Adel.


And then he signed it and listed all of his contact information.
The creepy thing is that he looked over 40. Ick.

     We were to meet up for sushi tonight but the metro workers decided tonight would be a good time to go on strike so they stopped the metro and made us all get on a bus. The bus was then trapped in an intersection because of an accident and the driver wouldn't let anyone off. Eventually, he opened the doors but not until people started yelling and trying to force open the emergency exit. We were only in standstill mode for 45 minutes (which normally would drive me crazy). I think that my patience level has increased and I can accept much more now that I used to be able to. I ended up getting off and walking the mile and a half back to Alix's in the rain, but walking in the rain isn't a bad thing (unless you catch a cold) it gives you time to think about things.

     Tomorrow is my last day in Paris. As with London, I'm sad to leave but incredibly excited to start some new adventures! It's 1:00am so I'm going to finally get to bed. It's been a long week.