May 2, 2011

I got free breakfast at the hostel this morning (cornflakes and OJ, and a baguette for the road). I tried my hand at the Metro. I boarded at Anvers (on the corner near my hostel); I’m either a transit savant or it was pretty straight forward I knew I had to go south (my goal was Palais Royal Musée de Louvre) and there were several interesting lines I would have to change to. After about 20 minutes and not a single hitch I reached my destination! I walked through an archway and onto the grounds of the Louvre. It was full of people. It was about 10:30 AM at this point; I took a few pictures of the glass pyramids then started to figure out how to get in. The line was massive; everyone told me it would be but in actuality it is insane! I decide to wander around the gardens before making the commitment to get in the queue. I found something called the “Port de Lions,” which had cool lion statues (as you can imagine) so I hung around there taking pictures when I noticed a few people in a line. I investigated. It was another entrance to the Louvre! I skipped the huge line by going in the back door! I waited for maybe 10 minutes and bought my ticket at a machine. I ended up spending about two and a half hours in the galleries; I kept trying to leave but another room would appear out of nowhere and I couldn’t resist! I found the Mona Lisa room (she gets her own room!) and it was crazy busy. I waited longer to get to the front of the crowd than I did to get into the Louvre! I also got crushed.

After the Louvre, I went across the Seine and went to the Musée D’Orsay (another art gallery) but it was closed on Mondays. Then I decided I’d better get lunch. I checked out the menu for one place and was *this close* to buying frogs lets. I kept walking, though, and checked out a few other places. Then I came across a place called “Great Canadian Pub;” I chickened out again and went in there. I got a chicken caesar salad and a half pint for 11 euro. French food next, I swear. Part of me wishes I didn’t go to the Canadian pub because the girl at the table next to mine kept telling the most inane stories each one about a different ex-boyfriend. I tried to wait out the rain in the pub but I think I would have been there for hours (it rained all day).

After lunch I walked by the river until I found Notre Dame. For some reason it didn’t look the way I expected; still magnificent, though, of course. There was a long line to get in so I did a loop around the cathedral and walked through the gardens. Back at the front, I decided to go in the line. It moved really fast and I was inside within two minutes. It had really cool archways and stained glass – as many cathedrals do. I always like to find the organ; this one was above the main aisle at the back (and it was huge)! I bought a ticket to a special exhibit that holds bits from past popes: hats, rings, etc. There were also a few books dedicated to Jean Paul II (they love him there). Then I decided to wait in the line for the towers. This line did not move quickly. I was probably in it for an hour judging by the amount of bell tolls I heard. When you get to the front and in, they send you up a little flight of stairs to make you think you’re on your way to the top but that’s not the case. Then they tell you it costs 8 euro to go up. Obviously, I wasn’t leaving after waiting all that time in line but I was irked, too. But the view was worth it!

The climb up the tight spiral staircase didn’t seem as endless as I thought it would; but it was still a little scary and I clutched railing the whole time. At the top, the view of the city was amazing (I thought Sacre Coeur was good…). I even caught a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower – encouraging to know it’s really there; my friend Selina said she went to Paris with her family and they couldn’t find it. At least I’d seen it, now. Then I checked out an old bell (Emanuel Louis Terèse) and got to hear a really long toll (I don’t know what for; it was about 10 minutes long, or so). There was another staircase (tight and spirally) to the very top of the cathedral for a 360 degree view of the city. Paris is HUGE! and dense.

After Notre Dame, I browsed the Latin Quarter at Saint Michel and wondered if I should eat; but I couldn’t commit. I walked down a street with lots of Greek restaurants; they were smashing dishes on the street to draw you in! I ended up buying a few souvenirs here. Then I decided to check out the Obelisque because it was relatively close (just west of the Louvre and garden). Once at the Obelisque I could see the Arc de Triomphe in the distance and thought I’d check that out, too. It must be huge because I walked towards it forever and it didn’t get any nearer! I wandered down the Champs-Elysées eyeing up all the fancy shops and keeping my eye out for somewhere French to eat. Finally, I got to the Arc.

I took the underground walkway right to it (it’s in the centre of a roundabout) and it definitely was massive. And cool. I took a few pictures there and a little rest from walking as well. My feet were killing me. I’m used to standing all day at work but 10 hours straight walking was starting to show. At 8:30 PM I decided to eat. I found a place called Le Deauville and went in. The waiters looked adorably French…or like sailors. Or maybe both? Striped shirts and little hats! I ordered water (beer was 20 euro), a tomato salade, and crêpe Deauville (cheese, ham, and an egg). It was insanely filling, really delicious, and at last, French!

I hopped on the Metro at Franklin D Roosevelt station and had to change lines twice. I made it back to the hostel by about 10:45 PM. I sat in the common area downstairs and listened to a couple of southern guys swear over fooseball while I wrote postcards (and this journal entry).