So Paris was a whirlwind of insanity. Our hostel was kinda far outside the city itself by train in a place called Chelles, then the place itself was supposed to be a 5 min walk from the station. Yeah, total bull. We did get lost, but even so it was over 10, at least. We kept trying to ask for directions and geez we failed pretty hard…wish I knew more French!! But we knew it was next to a McDonald’s, so we just kept asking where that was with hand gestures. FINALLY like almost an hour later we made it, after exploring most of the town haha. And this was the first place where we had no internet at all, so we had to use the McDonald’s next door…we basically looked like fatasses cause we were there all the time. That night Rafa and I went to see Stornoway in the Bastille area of Paris, and HOLY S*&T BLEW ME AWAY. I love all their songs, but it was just soooooo much better in person. First time I’ve ever truly enjoyed an entire concert, to be honest. Their lead singer has an incredible voice, and he sang a song just him and his guitar (which he’s also amazing at) that wasn’t on the cd which made me swoon. LOVE IT. I def wished they would just keep playing…I didn’t care if they’d repeat songs. There were these really annoying British girls singing, which is okay if you’re at a loud concert, but these guys did a lot of unplugged numbers and I did not pay to listen to their ugly out of tune faces screech. Ugh. But even that didn’t ruin it…I’m an even more devoted fan now. And, HINT HINT, you should go listen to them too on YouTube. RIGHT NOW. GO.
Brit came the day after we got there but kinda late, so we decided it wasn’t worth it economically to go into the city. We did explore a bit and find a grocery store AND this amazing little bar right next to our place. We kinda just dropped in and no one spoke any English so we relied on Brit’s semi-workable skills haha. But we did get wine, and then he brought us this delicious lemon sangria which was one of the best drinks I’ve ever had. And, of course, we asked if he had any food so he brought out some sort of pastry thing (flan, maybe?) which we devoured. All in all, we got a glass of wine each, a pitcher of sangria, flan, beans stuffed with something awesome, and olives for 30 euro total. Dude, it was almost like a meal.
The next day we were so ready to go…which was good cause there was lots of walking involved. First we headed to Versailles, along with 431849130 other people. I left my Nalgene at the train station, thus beginning a long series of me losing things and basically ending with me being at my wit’s end, but that's another story. I did find it when we got back, though. But since we were students we got in free…always a good thing. I’d been there before yeeeeeeeeeears ago with the fam, but I def kinda forgot how elaborately gaudily decorative it is. I mean, there’s gold freaking everywhere! I’ve decided my house one day will have certain things in common with Versailles, like tapestries and perhaps a throne, but I don’t think I could sleep with all that crap everywhere. I mean, one little light and the entire room glooooooooows!
Brit and I opted to pay the 6 euro to walk around the gardens especially because there was some sort of musical fountain show going on all day and we were intrigued. Rafa and Ronnie headed into the city to wander for a while. But omg the gardens were magnificent…that’s another thing I would love to copy from Versailles. It was even better because the fountains came on as we were there, and classical music was playing the whole time. I underestimated how large they were, though, because it took us a good 1.5 hours to get from one end to another, though that did include some picture time. And we wanted to see Marie Antoinette’s estate as well but a) our tickets weren’t good for it and b) we would never have left that place if we’d gone lol. Brit and I were at Versailles for over 6 hours, mostly in the gardens, but it was so worth it. There are all these subdivisions of gardens with different themes, and also marble statues EVERYWHERE. There were a bunch of people with picnics, which made me wish we’d thought ahead haha.
We met the others at the Eiffel Tower, where Brit and Rafa climbed to the first floor. I opted out cause oh god my feet hurt so badly. On the other hand, I had the best hot dog of my life…cause I was so effing hungry. I seriously have to eat pretty regularly otherwise I get grumpy and tired…college has ruined me. In high school I could go all day without eating. Now I need to eat like clockwork. Oy. But we wandered a little more, and I tried to solve my money crisis. Oh, I haven’t talked about that yet? Yeah, so I went to withdraw money and it told me Chase wouldn’t let me. Not cool…I had NOTHING left in my wallet and the help line numbers apparently ‘didn’t exist.’ So I did what every adult-like person would do—call their mother. OBVS. I did get it sorted out, but luckily Brit had cash moneyz to lend to me otherwise I’d have been stuck in Chelles. Walked a little more, sat, walked, and sat again. Then went home. Apparently I worked my legs too hard cause oy shin splints came and I had the urge to hack my legs off at the knees. Nbd, cause Rafa had her pain go bye bye pills and god I felt great! (Calm down, guys, it was just really strong Ibuprofen.)
Our last day there I really wanted to do the walking tour that we missed the day before, but Brit wanted to do the Louvre as well. I was gonna join her but we had to put our luggage in lockers at the station and get our tickets for the overnight train and by the time we got to the Louvre I would have seen like the entrance and had to leave. Good thing I’d already been there lol. Did you know that if you looked at every piece in there (over 30,000) for 30 sec each, it would take you a week straight without sleep or rest to see everything? Yeah, my new goal is to see the whole Louvre…over like the course of a month. Can’t handle that much museum haha.
We did the Sandeman’s New Paris tour (like the free Madrid one) and of course it was wonderful (and free!). The oldest bridge still standing in Paris was built by one of the Louis’ and apparently he and his friends got wasted in celebration, and he had their drunken faces carved and placed along the bridge, where they still are. Our guide compared it to putting up Facebook pictures lol. I think the French royalty were the funniest in many respects, though also the craziest. Seriously, a bridge full of drunken faces…epic win. Our guide suggested we go to Montmarte, where the Moulin Rouge is, so with little time remaining we headed there to meet Brit, who finally finished at the Louvre. It was kinda cool, though it was also a little weird cause there were sex shops everywhere, and I def thought we’d wandered into the red light district haha.
Getting to our train was an absolute nightmare, btw. We left too late from Montmarte, and we still had to get our bags, and Rafa and Ronnie needed to get their tickets too. I lost my unlimited metro pass, and then the luggage locker ticket which meant a 20 euro fine AND Brit and I had to fill out paperwork and wait til they checked it was our stuff. Rafa and Ronnie went ahead to pick up tickets, but, as we’ll see, that didn’t go well for them. From the lockers I freaking sprinted down the block to Gare Bercy that we were leaving from in 10 minutes while Brit decided to take the subway. Not a bad plan…except she went the wrong way. The man at the counter wouldn’t give Rafa her ticket with her credit card and she didn’t have her confirmation number written down. 5 minutes til departure. I’d gotten mine with my card earlier so I berated someone to get Rafa the ticket, then I went to find our platform. 3 minutes, and still no Brit. I’m frantically asking in broken French where my train is, and they keep slicing their hands across their throats, like, it’s not here, or at least that's what I got. 1 minute. Well, I finally found someone who spoke English, and they told me that the train was delayed. OH THANK GODDDDD. Just then Rafa and Ronnie run up, and we all breathe again, and also realized just how fast our hearts are beating. About 3 minutes later Brit comes in, like, oh I’m ready! Yeah, if that train had been on time Ronnie and I would’ve had an interesting time alone in Rome…
AND THE SHENANIGANS were just beginning! I was in ‘1st class’ aka 4 people in 6 bunks instead of full up…so worth the extra 10 euro. But somehow in the hustle and bustle my passport, which was on my bed, disappeared. Yeah, I did not react well. I think this trip has broken me because my new reaction to stress is to cry…that is so not my style. So basically I’m freaking out in a cabin with this adorable family with a little 4 year old French boy who climbs like an monkey. After FOURTY FIVE minutes of tearing apart everything I can get my hands on, we find it under the bottom bunk. I don’t think I can convey the panic I had, though. I mean, I was prepared to get thrown off the train at a random stop (we were in motion already) or arrested or something and I was so not okay with that. Funny story though: the conductor came in to get the passports right after I realized mine was gone, and when he asked I kinda spun around, tears running down my face, and kinda hysterically yelled/asked for more time. Yeah, he took one look and was like, I’ll be at the end of the hall…’ Haha scaring people FTW.
Next morning I wake up and everyone is gone. Nbd, they got off in Florence. That was a cute kid, though…we made faces at each other for like 20 minutes before bed, and Brit was talking to him a bit. He wished me good night in the MOST ADORABLE voice ever, and in French obvs.
Rest of the trip was pretty uneventful, except for me losing (surprise surprise) my two new rings which was really upsetting. Just got those in the Aran Islands, and one was my claddagh ring. So, in total, I lost my water bottle (got it back), my money (Chase let me have it eventually), my subway ticket (gone), luggage locker ticket and thus 20 euro, MY FREAKING PASSPORT, and my beautiful rings. Paris was not quite as good a time as I’d hoped…sadly I don’t think I want to go back for a loooooong time even though most of it was really fun. Just too much stress I can’t handle that again. But I was looking forward to seeing/stalking the Jersey Shore so I tried to forget about my near death experiences from stress-induced heart attacks. I never want life to be that exciting again lol.
Slán go fóill!
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