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Published: March 2nd 2006
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Departure
Standing on the platform at Gent St. Pieters. The sign above me shows that I'm about to get on the train that goes to Brussels International Airport, with a stop at Brussels Zuid in between. Introduction
We had a short holiday at Gent University, so some friends and I decided to spend a long weekend in Paris. It was a much needed mini-vacation. The weather in Belgium was getting tiresome, and Paris was a much needed breath of fresh air. I took over three hundred photographs over the course of the trip, but I've only posted some of my favorites on the next few blogs. I have broken the trip up chronologically, and spread the photographs out over four journal entries. I hope you enjoy reading about this guy's first visit to "The City of Light".
But first a short disclaimer. Who am I to write about Paris? Paris has been the subject of poetry and prose by many authors much more talented than I. My intention is not to provide some profound insight about the city, but only to give my family and friends back home an idea of how I'm spending my time. I know I have likely mispelled some of the French words, so feel free to comment or correct me at any time.
The Journey
We started our trip in Gent. The three of us, Daniel, Christina, and I,
Team America
I know it's a dark photo, but this is the Paris travelling team. L-R: Daniel, Christina, Me met at Gent St. Pieters station and caught a train to Brussels Zuid. From Brussels we hopped on board the Thalys, which runs directly from Brussels to Paris in about 90 minutes. Apparently the train hits about 180 mph somewhere along the way, but I couldn't tell because it was dark outside and the glare on the window made it difficult to see out. Also, the smooth ride of the train made it difficult to tell how fast we were going without an external frame of reference. Other than a little vibration, a few slightly banked turns and a very gradual acceleration at the onset of the trip, there wasn't really much of a sensation of speed. But sure enough, we hit Paris in almost exactly an hour and a half.
Wouldn't you know it would start raining just as we pulled into Gare de Nord. We got off the train and immediately started trying to figure out how to get to our hostel. We had booked the hostel in advance, so fortunately we had some directions, and the Paris Metro (subway) seemed to be the easiest way to go. As it turns out, Paris is a surprisingly easy
Our Train
The departure board at Brussels Zuid. "Paris Nord (Thalys)" is our train. city to navigate. The Metro makes things very convenient by providing cheap access to most of the major areas of the city. Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (or districts), and our hostel was in the 20eme. The directions we had stated that the hostel was 300 meters from the "Porte de Bagnolet" Metro stop. Finding the Metro stop was the easy part. Getting to the hostel was another matter. Believe it or not, 300 meters is a long way to go when you pop up out of the ground in a strange city. 300 meters, sure...but in what direction? But not to worry, after a little walking around and only a few backtracks we finally made it to the Auberge de Jeunesse d' Artagnan.
The Hostel
If you're not familiar with hostels in Europe, you should know that they are some of the most affordable accomodations you can find (excluding camping and sleeping in parks or train stations). This one was my second hostel to stay in, and so far my experiences have been good. Hostels are cheap, so don't expect the comforts of the Embassy Suites or the Peabody, but you can expcet a bed, a shower,
The Thalys
Here she is...the sulky beast that will zip me to Paris at 180 mph. a toilet, and free breakfast if you're lucky. Another good thing about hostels is that the front desk is often times stocked with maps and brochures that go a long way towards helping wide eyed Americans get oriented in a new place.
Le D'Artagnan was bigger than the last hostel that I stayed in. Seven floors with a restaurant, bar, and according to the guidebook a small cinema (although I never saw it). The people working the front desk were friendly and helpful, our room was clean and secure. Aside from a strange piece of what appeared to be beef jerky stuck in the light fixture, there was nothing untoward about the place. In my opinion, the price per night was very reasonable considering the quality of accomodations the hostel provided...especially in Paris where things tend to be expensive.
The First Night
Believe it or not, our first night in Paris was rather uneventful. Our train didn't get into Paris until after eleven o'clock, and it was about 12:30 when we finally got to our room. I had started getting a cold earlier in the week, so by the time we finally got settled I was ready to
The Hostel
The entrance to our room. That's Daniel holding the door open. Note the coded door lock. Very nice not to have to keep up with a key. get some rest. I think we had one beer in the hostel bar, and then called it a night.
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