Riding solo

- copied from my notebook -

2/9/10 Tuesday
Ok, so finishing up yesterday, I walked to Notre Dame and then continued on my way to Dani's. I also walked to St. Germain de Pres, which was so cool! Especially after reading Pillars of the Earth (thanks, Mom), I was able to pick out some different styles and saw some of the more subtle details that were different. I think I may like St. Germain de Pres better than Notre Dame. Notre Dame is beautiful and awe-inspiring, but St. G-d-P is so much more real to me. I almost can't imagine going to mass in Notre Dame, whereas I felt really peaceful in St. G-d-P. I know that cathedrals are so gorgeous to inspire man with God's greatness, but sometimes I really appreciate the simpler churches (not that St. G-d-P is simple, but it's all relative lol) because I feel more myself in them - I feel like I belong there more than in the grand, almost ostentatious cathedrals. It's kind of funny that I'm discovering my religion more here in a country that largely doesn't attend mass than I did at my Jesuit university where I'm surrounded by practicing Catholics. Maybe because I'm in such an unfamiliar place that going to Mass is becoming one of my routines that reminds me of home (even though it is in a different language). Oh, well, I think this whole experience is good for me - parts of it are really hard but I'm proving to myself that I can do it! Especially traveling along. I'm not alone the whole time, I'm staying with my friends, but a lot of the time I do my own thing. And I'm realizing that not only do I not hate it, but I actually kind of enjoy it. I loved walking through Paris by myself, I mean, if I was staying alone and didn't have any friends here then that would suck, but just walking by myself is kind of fun because I see so much! And I can do exactly what I want and not worry about anyone else.

Anyways, back from my tangent lol. I left St. Germain de Pres for the last leg of my trek through Paris. And let me tell you, my back back was *killing* me. My backpack isn't that heavy, but carrying it for the last 2.5-3 hours is rough and painful. Also, I had to pee soooo badly! I hadn't used the bathroom since I left home because I didn't want to use a gross public one and I didn't want to pay for food to use a restroom in a restaurant. [sorry if that was TMI lol]

So then I met Dani and peed and dropped off my stuff, then we went and got lunch at a little stand thing downtown - the guy made crepes, paninis and hot dogs. I got a a tomato and chicken panini and Dani got cheese and tomato. They were both delicious (like everything here haha) Then we wandered around and eventually made our way to the Louvre. We walked around the outside and around the Tuileries (basically a big garden with fountains and sculptures that stretches from the Louvre to the Champs Elysées, where the Arc de Triomphe is). Then Dani took off for class and I kept walking around. I forgot my gloves in my backpack, though, so I decided to go to the Louvre for a little bit (free admission with a student ID = awesome!) so I went through the wing of french sculpture. I really sculptures. More than paintings, I think. Its the same kind of appeal as architecture for me: how did men hundreds of years ago make things like this? so intricate and detailed and they had no technology, just tools to work with. It amazes me.

After the Louvre, I was going back to Dani's appt and kept getting lost (apparently my sense of direction reverted to its normal terrible-ness) so I eventually gave up and got on the Metro. Then I grabbed my fleece (to wear for another layer - it got cold!) and my gloves and my Chris for drinks (I'm not old enough to do that! I feel so weird writing that!) It was happy hour so we each got a pint of beer for around 5 euro, which is cheap by Paris standards. However, I hadn't eaten since lunch and I think the beers here are stronger than the water we call beer in the US, so I was feeling it at the end of the beer. It was good, though, and fun to meet up and just catch up with Chris, so we sat and talked for a few hours and then left and went our separate ways. I decided I should have some dinner (since all I had in my stomach was the beer) so I stopped at the Chinese restaurant across the street from Dani's (called la Maison de Bonheur = Happy House) and got fried rice. It was different, but sooo good! I haven't had fried rice in over a month and that's just weird for me.

Then I got to Dani's appt, hung out for a bit and then passed out.

I woke up today (Tuesday) late and saw that it was snowing outside, so I was in no rush to get up and get out in the morning. I showered, ate breakfast and then headed out. I was meeting Dani at the same street vendor for lunch again. I walked there again (I've done so much walking. At least 10 miles at this point, and I'm not exaggerating because the walk to her appt from the Gare was around 4 mi if I went straight, but I didn't so it was probably around 5. Walking to, around, and partways back from the Louvre was probably 2 and walking to meet Dani today was probably around 2. Ok, maybe that's only 9, but then I've been walking around churches, museums and gardens, so I think it's gotta be at least 10 total.) I walked by the Jardin de Luxembourg, which was cool, but I bet it'll be gorgeous in the spring because everything was brown and dead today. But the Senate building was there, so that was neat. Then I got to the vender and got a nutella crepe and it was everything I could ever want lol. It was that good. then we wandered again (see, more walking!) and ended up at Monoprix. Their's has an entire grocery store in the basement! Well maybe mine does too... I'll have to check on that. Anyways, it was awesome. Then we went to the bookstore (it was freezing outside) and hung out there for a bit. Then she left for class and I left a little later. I was planning on walking home, but it was frigid and started snowing, so I took the Metro instead. Definitely forgot to budget for the Metro, oops! Oh, speaking of budget, I bought a pretty scarf for 4 euro :) I think I can afford that lol, plus, I have forever to pay off my [inevitable] debts and only one semester to accumulate them with my adventures. So, I'll enjoy myself (within reason, of course) now and then worry about paying for it later. Besides, everywhere I'm going is pretty cheap because I'm not flying from the US and I know people in a lot of places so I don't have to pay for hotels or hostels.

K, well my hand is starting to hurt, so Imma sign off --