Paris

Paris was quite a trip.  Leaving the airport was a bit confusing due to the subway/metro system being quite extensive.  There is one main metro line leaving degaull airport and another line within degaull airport.  i made my way quite easily out of the airport but I could see how someone could be confused.  The people were extremely helpful (I think having a big backpack on and a smile helps) and directed me very professionally and efficiently.  I made my way through the metro system in route to my tour of the louvre.  I didn't really grasp this concept of lines or what I was looking for and thought I had jumped on the correct train but quickly found out I was headed back to the airport...    There were tunnels everywhere opening up to other lines and subway entrances.  People walked super fast, but made it look normal.  I thought I was walking fast by all normal standards but people were pushing past me- I mean everyone even old ladies.  Paris people walk fast in the metro, at 7 am - perhaps for work. 

I'd like to say again that not many people spoke English, it was quite surprising - though each public place had at least one person who could.  The airport staff all spoke excellent English but the everyday people were lost.  I asked about 5 people "louvre?"  "Loover?" "Loove?"  "Museum?" "Lurve?" In the metro And they were really working with me but couldn't figure out what I meant.  I then thought well if I get near the Eiffel tower at least I can take a taxi to the louvre...  So I switched my name game to Eiffel Tower.  "Eiffel?"  "Tower?"  "Big pointy thing(with hand signals)". Nope no luck.  I gave up local assistance and decided to rough it- couldn't believe they didn't get my hand signals.   Eventually I found louvre on the list of stops and pointed at it just to hear how the locals said it because I was obviously doing something wrong -  they said it exactly how I said it and from that point on everyone I talked to knew what I was saying, weird.  By pointing I figured out the louvre on that line was not the museum, confusing again - I had to take the line 1 I was talking about earlier to go to another louvre stop.  

Near the transfer point at chatlet a girl sat next to me and I asked if she spoke English.  she replied yes and I had my first conversation with a local- (she was actually from bogota) and she said she would walk me to the next line as she was going that way.  (Very nice of her)

I really gained an appreciation for the people of Paris, a different kind of nice.

I had two omlettes one each day- they were really good - I almost never get omlettes so I wondered why I had two in Paris in two days, perhaps Paris likes omlettes?.  The people were all very nice.  I only had a 10 euro bill and was in a hurry so I left a 10 euro tip rather than be a foreigner that just ran out like a jerk.  The waiter said oh no way that is way too much (this is downtown Paris by the way).  He wouldn't accept and couldn't believe it...  I heard him telling his coworkers about it kind of in disbelief of his good luck as I was leaving...  This was kind of a significant "tell" or insight to how tipping works in Paris.  Similar with dubai tips are not like America where the waiter complains about a crappy tip to the point where it actually ruins their day. 

I had a 930 meeting I was right on time for.  I couldn't find the tour guide anywhere; she or he was supposed to be holding a sign...  I couldn't tell if the tour group I passed on the way in was my group or not.  There were groups everywhere...  I didn't know if 930 meeting time and 945 start time meant I was late as I showed up at 931.  To combat this usually I show up ten minutes early but I am on vacation and didn't want to stress about a few minutes - I ended up getting more stress but I quickly resolved the stress and just cleared my thoughts, reset and followed logical steps.  I found a contact number and tried calling from wifi but could not get a connection.  I then asked a few people if they had a working cell phone and the third person I asked said there was a tour guide over there pointing at a lady, it was my tour guide.  There was some kind of assembly taking place and the tour was pushed back indefinitely.  We ended up starting around an hour late and the tour lasted until around 1.  The louvre was quite extensive and during the tour I befriended a nice Australian (who ended up teaching me about the housing market in America) and her mother on a trip together back to where her mom was from.  The louvre was really big, afterwards I was arts'd out and left for notre dame.   The walks through Paris were really nice- again I had lucked out everyone told me how crappy the weather was the days before I arrived but it was blue skies - not too hot not too cold - perfect weather for site seeing in a tshirt.

After notre dame I was pretty tired and decided to head to the hostel.  Contemplating a bus or taxi I kind of walked like Forrest Gump and just kept walking...  Lots to see.  The main thing I really wanted to see was when the buildings would end (there were 6-7 story huge buildings fronting the streets...  I am convinced this is Paris ...  They were everywhere and I never saw an end). I walked probably 5-10 miles and eventually arrived at my hostel "Oops! Hostel".  I checked in and got to my fourth floor room after a 20 minute wait in the lobby for "lockout cleaning time."  I had noticed a kind of creepy dirty looking guy in the lobby who had left a sort of a mess...  Guess who my Roomate was.  I was really kind of sad at my luck but decided to make the most of it and be polite.  He turned out to have a wealth of knowledge and make pretty good conversation - though we were definitely two different people we got along pretty well.  I didn't get any sleep though and wished I did...  

As the night was quickly passing I decided to skip the Eiffel Tower - I caught a metro for dinner and had a beer at an Irish pub.  I sat in a corner at a good cafe called cafe oz and made friends with the bartender.  The night was flying by and I met people from all over (again).  Lots of singers and musicians few people from Norway and a lot of French people.  

I took a cab back to the hostel to see a girl passed out at the keyboard of the public computers (lol).  After some face booking (there were many computers) I went upstairs and passed out.  

The next morning I woke up and took off for breakfast on my way to the airport.  I felt like I had a good understanding of the metro as I was leaving - it's extremely affordable - 2 euros gets you anywhere in Paris, one way. 

Leaving Paris I just have a soft spot in my heart for the people of Paris that I met.  A different kind of happy and kindness.  Thank you for a lovely time in Paris - especially the waiter at the restaurant for my second omlette.  He said "this is Paris on a plate, you will love."  And I did