I really didn't sleep well that night and finally around 4am I got up to do more wedding research (I know getting our location settled is going to be the most important focus right now because we only have 5-6 months to plan this thing! I don't know if it was all those thoughts swirling or just the anxiety of the plane (I hate flying), but I couldn't sleep.
It was easy to get going at 6 am and finish packing to be ready to leave for the airport at 7am. We stopped at a coffee shop, which we weren't sure we would find not only being a Sunday, but also a holiday. We did though, because the Italians love their brioche (pastries) and cappuccinos. It was our last breakfast, and it was so fresh it hadn't even been set out yet. That was a nice final breakfast.
The air was super thick with a combination of fog and smoke. Everything smelled of forest fire because of all the bonfires from the night before. We really couldn't see far off the road and the sunrise was a glowing red. We made it in plenty of time and after having a non-cooperating ticket machine, we final printed out our boarding passes. The lady at the beginning of the baggage check -in line had us put my carry on suitcase in their metal structure they use to check the size. My suitcase wouldn't fit because it was too fat.
We were bummed, but even more disappointed when we got to the counter and she said it was 70 euros to check the bag. Then, we found out it would go all the way through to LA, and we couldn't get it in Paris to take to the hotel, since we had an overnight stay there. A little frustrated, I quickly grabbed items I had to have with me and we transferred them to Chris' backpack and took some of his stuff out and put in my suitcase. Somehow, it ended up making my bag smaller and so Chris put in in the metal contraption again and showed the lady it would fit. She then had to check the poundage because we are only allowed eleven pounds of carry-on. Well, both of us at that point were well under 11lbs (or was it kg?...probably). She relented and let us take the suitcase on. I was so relieved. 70 euros is really like $100. That's an expensive bag.
We were able to get through security and to our plane in about fifteen minutes before they boarded. The flight was only two hours to Paris. Before we left the airport we made sure our other luggage would go through to LA (and we have yet to see if it's there...I hope so!). After walking quite aways in the airport, we found where the hotel shuttle picked us up. We waited for several minutes - probably close to a half hour - to get the bus. It took us to our hotel just outside the airport. After checking in we headed back to wait for the shuttle to take us to the airport again to catch the RER into Paris.
I remember the RER from before (I had spent a day in Paris years ago between my trip from Rome to London on my month long backpacking trip through Europe when I was 26), and it was not easy to navigate for me. This time seemed a bit easier, but that was probably because there was really only one train to take and only two directions from which to choose and the person at the hotel had clearly told us which. We bought day passes and took the train in.
Paris is certainly a melting pot of people. It reminded us a bit of LA in it's make-up of people and areas of where different groups of people live. The difference was that most of the black people were actually recently from Africa and still had heavy accents. There were many people who looked like they were South or Southwest Asia.
We got off at Chatelet and had a very hard time navigating getting out of the metro. It seemed to go on forever and then we found there was a mall underground but above the station. We kept following the signs that said sortie, but it still took us forever! We were hungry so when we finally got out, we saw a crepe place and tried it. My last experience with a crepe in Paris was at the train station (I had run out of time, so I bought it there) and it was dry and not so good. I love crepes, so I was hoping for a better experience. This was a cute little cafe and we were on the enclosed sidewalk part of it.
A man not so interested in his job or serving us took our order. We split a savory crepe of eggs, mushrooms, and cheese and a sweet crepe of banana and nutella. My first bite of my savory crepe told me I had struck out again. The crepe tasted overcooked. We kept eating, and at least the crepe looked nice and the egg and cheese were very good. I think maybe it was made with a whole grain as well. The sweet crepe though was good. That at least redeemed the experience.
We set out walking to the Louvre. We decided to use our Trip Advisor suggested itinerary of "City of Light at Night". After all it was by this time already almost four. We walked down the streets and Chris commented on how the buildings looked different than Italy. He liked these better so far because it felt a little more modern to him (this is where we differ - he likes new and modern, I like historical and old...although I'm happy with new modeled after historic, so we can find a happy medium there).
It was fun seeing the famous Art Nouveau (I hope I have that right?) metro signs. We passed a station of electric bikes for rental all lined up and locked up on machines you just enter money and they release for you to take. What a good idea.
We entered the area of the Louvre, which I hadn't made it to before. It was so impressive and massive. We were definitely in awe. I love the French style of buildings too, more actually than in Italy. We then passed through the entryway to see the famed pyramid entrance and Chris loved that. We took pictures and then got in line to pay admission. I really wanted to see my favorite piece of art, which I have never seen in person - Nike, the Winged Goddess from the Hellenistic period of Greek sculpture. She is so graceful and beautiful. Chris wanted to see the Mona Lisa (I did too, but that was #2 for me). We went through security and got downstairs and asked information what time they closed (we thought we had an hour), and it was only 30 minutes. We decided not to spend the money, and come back another year. We did go into the bookstore and browse a bit.
We then discovered that it was also an underground mall and Chris was ecstatic to find an Apple Store. We had to get pictures in there. Then, I saw a Laduree macaron store. I went over there, but decided to not get any since we had them in New York (but they are originally from Paris). Instead I went next door to a ritzy famous chocolate shop - La Maison du Chocolat, and drooled over the chocolate. Chris and I each bought one piece, and it was cheaper than I thought at just over one euro (I later discovered the reason it was so cheap was that the girl did not get my piece of chocolate and had just given us one, so sad...). I had a brief scare thinking I had lost my iPhone, but really it was just in a pocket of my purse and I missed it.
We walked around looking for a toilet, which I had read the public toilets were quite bad in Paris. We found it, but it was 1,50 euro to get in and it was super fancy. You could pay up to 4,00 euro and I'm not really sure what you get with it, but I thought it was pretty funny that there was a wall of toilet paper rolls. I have to say they were quite pretty shades and had a cute Paris print on some. We decided we didn't have to use the restroom that much, so we passed and continued out of the shops and up to the street where we resumed our walk.
It took us through the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel outside the Louvre and through the Tuileries Garden. By this point it was almost completely dark, but I could still see the statues lining the wide walkway and there were people sitting and enjoying the fountain, cafes, and just walking up and down. We could see the large looming farris wheel all lit up at the end of the gardens. As we walked out I recognized the gates from pictures. There was something of a festival area set up but we didn't stay long after Chris paid to use the bathroom (it's a weird concept to me to pay to use public restrooms...and you'd think they'd be kept nicer, but they are not).
We crossed the Place de La Concorde (the largest square and where people like Marie Antoinette had their heads chopped off). It was so pretty at night. We could see the Eiffel Tower far in the distance, the lights, the farris wheel, the fountains, Christmas lights still strung up like in Italy and a festive market that stretched all the way up to the Champs-Elysees with Christmas music playing and lights. It was certainly right calling this the city of lights. And I thought Rome had a lot of lights.
We walked up the wide avenue and looked at all the booths sellling goods, hot spiced wine, which we gave in and tried, cheeses, meats, trinkets, chocolate covered marshmallow mounds. I loved it! It was the last night of the market and people were out strolling and enjoying. I think traveling to Europe during the holidays is so enjoyable. Again, I felt like I got an insight to Parisian culture. We turned toward the river and walked past some massive ornate buildings with massive columns. One thing about this area of Paris different than much of Italy is that the avenues are so wide you can fully enjoy and appreciate the grandness of the buildings. In Italy it is so close together you are usually standing right next to it trying to take it all in by just looking up.
We walked along the river some and then got a little confused as to where the Champs Elysees was since our trip advisor guide was off with it's map. We went down one beautiful street we mistakingly thought it was with it's trees wrapped in balls of lights. It was very pretty. The stores were all closed and there were no cafes. We had planned to eat dinner there, but nothing was open. We then came to the end which was the other end of that market we had walked partly through. There was large, lit up, holiday decorations on each corner of the piazza. We realized looking down that it intersected with what really was the Champs-Elysees.
Here we saw the large throngs of people with sidewalk cafes, car dealerships and stores all open and alive. We stopped in the Citreon car dealership and Chris got pictures of their racing car. We also walked into the Mercedes Benz dealership.
We took a few side streets trying to find a good place to eat since most of the restaurants were not rated well on trip advisor on the main drag or were super expensive. Our Trip Advisor app was very off on a few locations, so we gave up and just ate instead at a little chain cafe called Brioche Doree. We ordered the panini with cheese and ham. He gave it to us for the price of two for one and heated it up. It was so good. The bread was perfect and soft, but a little toasty on the outside, the cheese was so thick and good. I love bread and cheese, in fact one of my favorite things to eat is grilled cheese sandwiches, so this was so good. We decided that the desserts looked good and so did coffee, so we split a chocolate banana tart and a large pie shaped slice of flan and ordered coffee drinks.
I used the restroom, but it smelled and was gross. I don't think they were flushing the toilet paper, so that contributed to it. That is one thing I am grateful about in California - we usually have the best bathrooms. And we don't have to pay for them (most of the time...I've run into a few).
We took a short walk to the end of the street which happened to be the beautiful and famous Arc de Triomphe. We took some pictures there and headed back down the other other side of the street until we cut into a side street to head to the Eiffel Tower. Earlier when we had seen it from a distance we saw it sparkling. I didn't know it did that. When I had seen it years earlier it was in the daytime and just briefly from a near distance. We wanted to make sure that we got there in time for it to sparkle at the top of the hour. We hurried through the streets.
At one point a couple stopped us using English. It is so interesting that here everyone visiting just uses English. They know that whether they are in France, Italy, Germany, wherever, they have probably taken years of English in school and can speak at least some English. I really think it is a shame that in the US we don't do the same for our students with a foreign language. Spanish would be so practical since all of our neighbors south speak Spanish. Being bilingual is a gift and it is only helpful. Europeans constantly show us up in knowing at least two languages, if not three or more, that they can at least use enough to get around in another country. Anyway, this couple needed help finding the RER, so we did our best, but we didn't know much.
Trip Advisor took us on a somewhat random route down side streets but we got there and walked into the park around it just in time to see the light show on the tower that made it appear to sparkle. It was so beautiful. Probably one of the most beautiful sights I saw on the trip. We walked around the tower for a bit.
We had a few incidences which made me really feel like there was a lot of tension in Paris. When I travel, I have always traveled light, keeping little of monetary value or importance on me. I was definitely a little more on guard with the engagement ring on my finger because it was night and we were in some areas that were a little more isolated. I felt this way in Rome, too. I also make it a point to acknowledge the people around me, make eye contact, etc, and I usually smile to not make it look too suspicious. This is what I do anytime I am in a more secluded area and a man comes around, regardless of this race or ethnicity. Being with Chris, I didn't feel as concerned as if I was on my own.
Earlier when we were on a bridge taking a picture of us with the Eiffel Tower, a man was walking by that made me a little uncomfortable. He was several feet away, and I expected he would walk by and give us plenty of space, so when he didn't and he came close I watched him. He was so close to us (and this was a wide sidewalk with no one else anywhere nearby) I thought he was going to bump into Chris. I don't know if I looked too long, or if it had nothing to do with me, but he walked by and said something that sounded angry to us in another language. We didn't respond and he said something more, but he kept walking the whole time.
Then, when we were actually at the Eiffel Tower we were in a somewhat secluded area, but close to areas very populated. There was a man that walked by, and I looked up to see who he was, and then smiled, but the way he kept eye contact, I thought he was going to ask us something. I know at this point, my smile was gone, and I felt like it was more of a curious look, and the longer he kept looking at us, the less I think I had a friendly look on my face. He was passing by, but then turned his body back toward us and started convulsing with his head and arms and making a gibberish noise. He didn't have a wild look or anything (and was actually dressed very nicely), but his behavior was so strange. I didn't know what he was going to do, and I didn't move and didn't want to look away because I felt the need to watch his actions to see if I should make a defensive move away from him. I felt Chris pull me away, and then the guy burst into laughter.
Both were clearly harmless, and it may have been a cultural rule I violated by making eye contact, but it felt differently to me than Italy and different than previous times I had traveled.
After the strange convulsing man, we walked up to tower and underneath it. We enjoyed it for a few minutes from some benches from the other side (this was the populated area). We then walked around a few more minutes looking at the little portable wooden shops and what they were selling. There had been some type of market or festival next to the tower as well, but they were closed for the night. We walked back over the the RER stop, along the river this time. Chris needed to use the restroom, and so after finding out from a guy who spoke little English, he learned how to work the public bathroom (It was simply that Chris was trying to enter while it was cleaning itself - it was one of those fancy ones that cleans itself by hosing it down between each use).
We walked down to the train and I was frustrated because it was not clear and there were no maps to help us figure out if we were on the track for the direction we needed to go. The train came, we got on and I realized almost instantly that we were headed back to the Eiffel Tower. We got back off at the next stop, wandered around, up and down, to try to get back to the track going the opposite way, to Notre-Dame. I think part of the problem was I thought we were trying to find out way out to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle one last time, Chris just was trying to find the opposite track. We did eventually find it and we followed the footsteps that showed where we needed to sit if it was a short train we were waiting for (which it was). We sat for about 10 minutes or so until it came and we were able to travel just a few stops to Notre-Dome.
Chris was on a mission to find a gelato place a friend had recommended on FB. The problem was that neither of us could remember the name nor did we have internet to check. We decided on one that sounded right to us and had high reviews on Trip Advisor. This part of town was clearly where the nightlife was, too. Streets were much more narrow and there were plenty of open shops that found their home beneath apartments. We hurried down the streets in hopes they would not be closed. They were not closed and so we ordered each a cup. It was a very cute place and we took our ice cream with us and walked back through the streets toward Notre-Dame. I felt like Chris had to at least see it if we were that close. When we come back to Paris (since I plan to make sure that we do), we will have to spend more time in this area.
We walked through more cute streets lined with little restaurants that were lively and filled with people. It may have been cold out, but the warmth was felt inside as friends chatted. We quickly found the massive cathedral and crossed over the river to stand in front of it. It was celebrating it's 850th anniversary and had a large bleacher type of structure across the street from it. There was something else going on behind it, but I wasn't quite sure what it was. Chris and I stood there, at the top, looking at this amazing cathedral. There were several people there with us taking in the amazing sight. It was dark and so it was a bit difficult to make out the gargoyles hanging out watching over the place.
We didn't stay too long since the last bus to get us back to the hotel ended at 12:20 am so we quickly found a metro staircase down to grab a train. I was a little wary because I remembered that we had gone through some rather tough looking areas on our way in and it was quite late at night at this point. I was not sure since we were all the way out at the end of the line that there would be too many people going out there with us. I was a bit concerned about being on the train, fairly isolated, going through some of these areas. I am not sure that I would normally think much about it, but that ring on my finger made me more nervous, though it was covered with gloves and not visible.
We got on a pretty crowded car, but the very next stop, the majority of people got off. A few got on, but not many. This continued to happen over the next few stops until there was just a handful of people with us. They all seemed pretty honest and just as tired and ready to be home as we were. I noticed that the train didn't stop at a few stops and then realized that it was speeding through much of the roughest area (or at least what I was reading as the roughest area...sometimes in other countries this can be different than what I would perceive it to be here in the states). We made it quickly and easily back to the airport and found the bus there waiting, filled with a large number of people. I was glad this part of our train trip was over.
The hotel was a welcome, but yet sad sight. It was our last night in Europe and the next day meant a long long flight back home, ending our amazing trip that had become our engagement trip.
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