Je t'aime, Paris!

Yeaaaaaa so the Sherlock Holmes museum was like $20. Whatever, we needed the relaxing time. At 8 pm on Saturday we boarded the train to Paris. I felt good because they were running everyone through an airport-like security system. Made me feel a little better. 

Did I mention we left from Kings Cross station? Yea, I'm referencing Harry Potter. 

The line to see Platform 9 and 3/4 was this long 

So I took a picture of some random muggle. 

She would so be a Hufflepuff. Change your scarf girl. 

Anyway, the train was really nice! We went under the English Channel but we didn't even realize it because it was so dark. I can tell I'm going to enjoy traveling this way the rest of the trip. 

We arrived at Paris Gare du Nord at 11:15 pm (changed time zones again, now 6 hours ahead for the rest of the trip). Figuring out metro tickets in French was a challenge, and thank god I looked up a map of where the hostel was beforehand because we were a little lost. 

My first impression of Paris wasn't great. It smelled like pee like.... Everywhere. In the metro station, on the street, and right outside the hostel. And it was almost as dirty as London. And a little sketchy. So I just wanted to go to bed, mostly because my back was killing me. (This pack is HEAVY after like 3 hours, lemme tell ya.)

We got to the hostel and couldn't pay because it was too late so we had to leave our passports with the receptionist. I asked him if they would be safe and he told me to relax and not be such an American. ....ok mister you travel to a foreign country for the first time and I'll take your passport and let's see how you do. 

Everything was dark when we arrived but I had to use the bathroom. The toilet itself is down the hall in its own room and the sink and shower are in the same room as the beds. I'm trying to follow good ole Rick Steve's advice here and accept European culture but come on!!! That means I have to touch like... A lot of stuff with dirty hands. Also no soap by the sink so I guess I'm buying more body wash soon. 

The beds are nice and the hostel could not be in a better spot. Biggest complaint - no wifi. But who needs wifi in Paris right??? (Me... For this blog.)

So yesterday we got up nice and early to pay and get our passports back. This place has the best breakfast of all the hostels so far. Bread, a croissant, two different cereals to choose from, real orange juice (not fanta), yogurt, and tea or coffee. So we had a bite and set out to find a free walking tour. We are trying to do this our first day in every city. 

We found one through a company called Culture Fish. It was pretty good. In 3 hours we got Paris history, saw most of the big sites, and got a basic idea of the culture and layout of the city. Here come some pictures! 

Notre Dame

I know all the Disney fans out there will recognize these flying buttresses and the faces at the end. 

So beautiful. And it only took like 200 years to make!

The building where Marie Antoinette was kept prisoner before her execution. Her supposed last words were "let them eat cake", which is famous despite being false. Her actual last words were, "sorry sir I didn't mean to do that" after stepping on the executioner's foot. 

Hotel de ville- city hall where the mayor lives and lots of events happen. Paris now has its first openly gay mayor who has been elected twice. :)

A narrow Parisian street. 

Charlemagne. 

The Seine. It's actually a really clean, beautiful river. Much better than the Thames. 

One of the many bridges across the Seine. These locks apparently appear in many cities and were a tradition started by Chinese travelers. If you write or engrave your name on a lock, lock it on the bridge, and throw the key in the Seine, your love is supposed to last forever. Problem- the locks weigh down the bridge and are regularly removed to keep the bridge structurally sound. Guess those people get divorced. 

The famous Louvre. 

One of two arches built by Napoleon to celebrate war triumphs. This is the smaller. 

The square where Marie Antoinette was executed. This was the end of the tour. We got sandwiches (baguettes) for lunch which are cheap and way better here than in London. Then we obviously had to walk to see this. 

Le tour Eiffel. 

That's me :)

There are potable water fountains everywhere so you can fill up your bottle. 

And lounge chairs around the pools for anyone to relax. So nice. 

After this we considered doing the Louvre but we were tired and needed to figure out some train stuff for our next travel day. So we found a Starbucks and I got a fruit salad so we could sit and use their wifi. We then got some cheap dinner- a panini for Jeremy and cheap, bad pizza for me, and went back to the hostel to shower. 

Then the sun went down and these were my room's two windows and their views.

Gorgeous. 

After showers we had some energy, so we took a walk around Paris at night. 

And then, naturally, we had to get some wine. 

Sorry it's so dark. 

Wine on the Seine. The best wine of my life too. 

He got a little bit of sun yesterday on our 7 hour walk and tour. 

We walked around and watched some street performers and saw Notre Dame at night. 

We splurged and got some ice cream and then called it a night. 

Today we are going to the Louvre- splurging big time on the €12 each to get in. It's messed up that you can get in for free if you're between 18 and 25 AND from the EU. Damn!

So we've been in line an hour and have at least one more. I'm excited to see the Mona Lisa though! I know she's tiny but it will be awesome. I'll let you all know about that whenever I have wifi next! Borrowing the Louvre's now....

Paris- so far amazing despite the constant pee smell. I'm glad my first impression was wrong. 

<3