PARIS

So, Paris wasn't exactly as I was expecting, but it was definitely just as great! Upon arrival at the train station we (just me and Anne-Marie for this trip) were a bit paranoid, to say the least. We had been warned before leaving Brussels that the Gare Nord was the most "sketchy", so we clutched our purses and walked as fast as possible to the Metro. We were shocked to discover, however that the metro was actually much scarier than the train station: it was hot, LOUD, slow and pretty old. Nevertheless we made it to our hostel (which wasn't too bad as far as 68€/night double rooms go). We dropped our thing and headed immediatly to the Eiffle Tower! I am sure I will never forget the moment I first saw it... We were on the metro (subway) which seemed to take FOREVER when suddenly we emerged from underground and began to cross a bridge. I looked out the window to my right and gasped so loud I'm sure the whole train heard - there was the Eiffel Tower, all lit up! It is really imossible to describe that feeling, so ill just say it was fabulous! We took about 50 pictures of it (or more), made our first purchase, of many, then went home to bed to get ready for a very long Saturday.

Saturday we were on our feet for about 15 hours in the hot sun but it was absoletely worth it! We were up and out by 8am in order to get to the Eiffel Tower before the lines got rediculously long (and they DID get VERY long so it was a good idea). Going to the top of the ET was a bit scary but very awesome! We wet straight to the top and took a million pictures (of the entire city). From there we picked out some of the sites we wanted to visit during the day. Any hourorso later we went and bought tickets for the boat tour we were to take that evening, and took off for the catacombs. After a little more than an hour in line there (and some tummy pastries as we waited) we walked throguh the 1.7km underground tombs which were much creepier than the catacombs in Rome. These ones consisted of piles and piles of skulls and bones arranged rather artisticaly that had been transferred in the 18-19th Century from various cemeteries in Paris. Creepy, yes. From there we visited two Chutches: Notre Dame de Paris and St. Germain-de-Prés. Notre Dame, needless to say, was INCREDIBLE! Huge, detailed, beautiful... what else can i say?

From there we walked. We walked and walked and walked. For two hours we strolled along La Seine in thehot sun which was a great was to see the city, but not something I would like to do again! By the time we arrived at La Place de la Concorde we collapsed (finally sitting) in the first semi-affordable resturaunt we found. We didn't realize until later that it was a British Restaurant! The food was terrible and over-priced, I ordered red wine by mistake and our waiter didnt understand us but the water was free, the toilet was free and we got to sit, so we didnt complain too much. After our break and meal we were ready to hit the road again - for shopping! We walked down la Champ d'Elysées, mostly just to see because it's an expensive area (Luis Vuitton, Mercedes, Guess etc etc). We managed to find a store with some sales though, called "Promod" where I bought a very pretty skirt :) The street ended at L'Arche de Triomphe, but we were so tired by that point that we simply took a picture and hopped on the metro towards our boat tour. The one-hour boat tour was very worth the 11€ it cost us! It included a bit of history and explications of what we were saying, which we really needed! The highlight for me was seeing loads of people dancing tango on the bank of La Seine - definitly added that to my to-do list!!! (Of course I need to learn HOW to Tango first...) by the time the boat tour was over you'd think we'd have been ready for bed, but we opted instead for another walk - along the park facing the Eiffel Tower - at sunset. Very beautiful! By the time we got home that night it wasMidnight.

Sunday we were up and out by 8am once again and off to Le Louvre (it was free that day - yay!) I only had anhiur there (which is redoculoussince it's 700m long and 3 floors - it'd take DAYS to see it all! I opted to go straight for the Mona Lisa and Venus De Milo, then saw a few of the Ancient Greek, Roman and Egytian rooms. I left to go to mass at 1030 and ended up embarking on quite the adventure... but God had my back. I literally ran to the subway which proceeded to break down -, at 1055 and 3 stops away from the one I needed to get to the only mass I knew how to get to! Instead of waiting for a new train to come I went in search of another. Long story short, I didn't find one, nor could I find another Church so I headed for the tallest bell towers in Paris: Notre Dame! I went with the expectation of going to confession, praying a little and going back to Le Louvre to meet Anne-Marie for 1230 as planned but was pleasantly surprised to discover that I had arrived 10 minutes before mass!!! I don't think I need to say how beautiful mass was. The readings were some of my favs, the music was fabulous, the homily was powerful and the mass was reverent and extravagant. Finding my way back to Le Louvre was near imossible, but eventully I found Anne-marie again and (after paying 1€ for aBathroom whivh i easnt happy about) we headed for food. We picked up our backpacks, ate more croissants and had MORE espresso and went to the Musée de la Mode (fashion museum) ... which was colosed :( so we went to the Wine museum instead! :)

After the Wine museum we tried to find a grocery store to buy breqd, cheese and wine for a picnic. Nothing was open but we found a nice guy in a resturaunt who made us up a cheese tray to go, and gave us a free baguette! I bought a WAY overpriced tiny plastic-bottle of white wine and we headed to the Eiffel Tower for a lovely, relaxing picnic. It was VERY nice :) After our picnic were were off again to the train station and back to Bruxelles. It was a beautiful weekend, altough a bit expensive. I ate some of the best croissants Ive ever tasted, and drank the absolute best coffee. I got a bit hooked on expresso but made up for it with a couple early nights this week. I cant WAIT to go back to Paris someday!!! Theres still SO mcuh more to see and eat... and tango to be danced!