Paris, la plus belle ville de tout le monde!
After a full day of traveling, I've finally arrived in the enchanting city of romance, Paris.
Since I couldn't visit the cemetery I went all the way across the city to see Les Galeries Lafayette near the Opéra Garnier (the setting of Phantom of the Opera). Everything was decked out in Christmas lights and decorations. There were window displays full of dolls and teddy bears doing the dances to Mamma Mia and other musicals, along with a plethora of Christmas music and small vendors lined outside the store. Inside it was gorgeous and immense. The building itself looks like an opera house from the inside but it is filled with outrageously expensive stores and cafés. And in the middle was a Christmas tree as tall as the 6 storied building was with 5 or 6 HUGE presents dangling from the ceiling. Incredible, almost too much to take in!
The traveling part went fairly smooth, with only a mix up of directions in the metro, but that is something easily resolved. And so, 11 hours after I stepped out of my apartment in Granada, a bus ride to Málaga, flight to Beauvais, hour bus ride to Paris city center, who knows how long in the metro system and I find myself in this charming little hotel/hostel with a room for four all to myself. (Both a good and a bad thing).
In my travels I've found it increasingly hard to determine which language to use to communicate with people. Do I try speaking the language of the country I'm currently in? Do I wait till they say something to anyone to see what language they speak? Do I speak Spanish, since my French skills have sadly disappeared? Or do I just give up and speak in English, since that was the language in which I was constantly replied to.
After the highly disappointing revelation of finding out, not only that I can barely speak a sentence more complicated than "Where is (place)" but, that I appear to be incomprehensible with my French accent. So with that I dropped the accent and asked the basics. Found my way to the hostel where I met a very cool Madrileno who speaks French and English. Finding out he was from Spain I immediately slipped back into what is a very comforting language for me now. Discovering how relieved I was to speak and hear Spanish again really made me realize how much I've improved these last 3 months. Surrounded by this half forgotten French language, the tiny islands of Spanish - in the metro, a stranger, the host at the hostel - made me feel right at home. My 4th home to be exact (after my actual home, the AcDec room, and barrett).
juedi:
Aujourd'hui j'ai marché pour 4 heures. This morning I walked for four hours and only covered a few streets. Paris is so huge, but so beautiful. And, contrary to popular thought, every single person (minus the cranky security guard at the pere-lachaise cemetery) was terribly nice and extremely helpful and cheerful. And in conversing with these lovely parisians and constantly asking how to get to certain streets, I finally find my french coming back to me, improving. A pair of parisians in a cafe told me I speak french well, but I'm sure they just meant they were surprised i could converse with them fairly well. Nevertheless, I appreciated the much-longed-for confirmation of my french speaking abilities. I miss french so much and just find myself constantly smiling and feeling like I belong here. I never want to leave...I am officially a Paris-phile and I know I will have a need to come back here often throughout my life, in every season, every weather, you get the picture. =)
Since I couldn't visit the cemetery I went all the way across the city to see Les Galeries Lafayette near the Opéra Garnier (the setting of Phantom of the Opera). Everything was decked out in Christmas lights and decorations. There were window displays full of dolls and teddy bears doing the dances to Mamma Mia and other musicals, along with a plethora of Christmas music and small vendors lined outside the store. Inside it was gorgeous and immense. The building itself looks like an opera house from the inside but it is filled with outrageously expensive stores and cafés. And in the middle was a Christmas tree as tall as the 6 storied building was with 5 or 6 HUGE presents dangling from the ceiling. Incredible, almost too much to take in!
By the way, have I mentioned already how much I absolutely love Paris? And how incredibly attractive everyone who lives here is? I think I might have...;)
Also, a surprise today was not being able to find a plethora of crèperies. In fact, I found only two on my adventures today. But the search at lunch was well worth it and I can still taste the peppery ham and cheese crèpe warming me up in the below freezing weather (though no snow today).
And later on my way to see some museums, I stumbled across one special exhibition displaying Roman and Greek art, with some beautiful Roman pieces and jewelry. Afterwards, I visited the Musée d'Orsay, where I found out that with my visa I can get into the museums for free because I am a temporary EU citizen!! So I explored this lovely museum for several hours, so many paintings and sculptures. I focused mostly on the paintings - by Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas and so many more. There was also an incredible miniature of one of the main buildings in Paris (I forget which).
And one must never forget that the museums themselves are works of art, such architecture and beauty. And Paris at night is gorgeous, especially near the Champs Elysées, where there was a grand roue (ferris wheel) all lit up and white and beautiful in the night surrounded by softly falling snow.
A lovely first full day in the city of love!
And later on my way to see some museums, I stumbled across one special exhibition displaying Roman and Greek art, with some beautiful Roman pieces and jewelry. Afterwards, I visited the Musée d'Orsay, where I found out that with my visa I can get into the museums for free because I am a temporary EU citizen!! So I explored this lovely museum for several hours, so many paintings and sculptures. I focused mostly on the paintings - by Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas and so many more. There was also an incredible miniature of one of the main buildings in Paris (I forget which).
And one must never forget that the museums themselves are works of art, such architecture and beauty. And Paris at night is gorgeous, especially near the Champs Elysées, where there was a grand roue (ferris wheel) all lit up and white and beautiful in the night surrounded by softly falling snow.
A lovely first full day in the city of love!
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