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Published: October 6th 2008
Let me start by saying that I am head over heals in love with Paris. I think that that is something important to remember for this entry, especially after you read it in full, and refuse to believe me. However, it's true. I plan on coming back as often as my life will let me, and staying in the city has solidified my belief that French is one of the most beautiful languages in the world.
That being said, we had an...interesting weekend. It started at 5 AM, Friday morning. My alarm went off, and the lot of us who had seemed to have trouble sleeping (from excitement) took turns showering, checking the room for anything we could possibly have left behind, and jetting off emails home to alert them of our plans. We were set to meet Gabe, Nikki, Amanda, Ciera, and Audrey in the courtyard at 6:45, so as to catch the 7:00 bus to Venlo. This all worked out perfectly, and with Strippenkaart at the ready, we boarded the bus and made it to Venlo by 7:25. Alysia validated her Eurail, and we were seated comfortably in our compartment by 7:30. An announcement came over the intercom,
"There is a small problem with the train, and we won't start moving for the next half an hour." I freaked out a little, because, of course, I wanted everything to go smoothly. However, those around me reasoned that if we missed our connection to Brussels, we could always catch the next train. Bearing this in mind, the train pulled out of the station around 8:15, and we made it to Eindhoven by 9:15. We needed to only wait about 15 minutes to catch the train to Dordrecht, which was our first stopover on the way to Paris-Nord Station.
We got to Dordrecht, which is a few minutes shy of the border of Belgium, and promptly found the platform where we were supposed to catch the train for Brussels-Zuid. Suddenly, the board that read "Brussels-Zuid" changed to read "Niet Instappen". We surmised that this meant "Not Stopping." We were in a fierce panic, as the train started to approach. However, it slowed down, and we boarded. It took us about 5 minutes to realize that there was absolutely NOBODY on the train with us. We decided to get off, and wait for another train. However, the doors wouldn't open.
We banged on the windows, trying to alert the conductors, but they just shrugged sadly as the train pulled out of the station.
What followed on this half an hour trip was quite humorous. The lot of us were sitting in the train, wondering where the heck everyone was. We were convinced we were on a train to nowhere, or perhaps, to Hell. Maybe it was a Ghost Train (Ghosts of the Yellow Dog, anyone?). Sooner or later, the train stopped, whereabouts, we still aren't certain. And Ciera, Alysia, Amanda and I went on a Crocodile Hunter adventure to find the conductor. Instead, we found railway workers who told us how to get off the train. They assisted us, and mentioned that this happened all the time, which made me slightly less embarrassed. Our trip on the Ghost Train had come to an end.
To make a long story short, we had to get a later train from Brussels to Paris, but one way or another, we managed to arrive in Paris at around 4:30. We pulled into Paris-Nord, and we all had a moment of extreme giddiness. We made it to Paris!!! Our group was staying in
different hostels, with Alysia, Nikki, Kelsey and I staying in Montmartre. Our hostel was in walking distance, so we walked out of the station, and into the streets of Paris.
I really don't think I've been this high with happiness ever before. It was just a surreal experience, as we navigated around, finding out hostel. We were walking through the streets of Montmartre, unsure of where we were exactly, but enjoying it nonetheless. When we arrived at the hostel, and had checked in, we walked up the four flights of stairs to our room. No one was in there except for us, which is good, because it was the size of an average dorm room, only with six beds crammed in there. None of the lights worked, and the bathroom was big enough for two people to stand in there uncomfortably. However, our view was overlooking Montmartre, and we had hot dresses to wear, so everything was still peachy.
We got all dolled up, and decided to head over to the L'Arc de Triomphe, a point rather close to us on the Metro. We were to meet Ciera, Amanda, Audrey, and Gabe there, and the group of us
would hike to the top. Yet, when we arrived, and called Gabe, they were not going to be able to make it, because of a rather large screw-up, which left three of the girls with no place to stay that evening. They were scrambling to find a hotel. They told us that we should meet later, underneath the Eiffel Tower. That was fine with us, and we entered the "L'Arc de Triomphe. It's one of the most stunning structures in Paris, I'm convinced. I just kinda stood there staring at it. Very moving!
We walked to the top, which wasn't that bad, and had the most amazing view of Paris. The Eiffel Tower lit up as we were there, and the sun was sinking below the skyline. Beautiful! It's still all very dreamlike in my mind. I completely understand why people call it the city of love.
When we got down, we were all rather hungry, and strolled along the Champs-Elysee until we found a reasonably priced Brasserie. We were seated, and soon were feasting on Sicilian pizza, and drinking some (fantastic) French red wine. Our waiter, Rene, was hilarious, and very snarky. He kept asking me who
my boyfriend was (no worries. He was old, and not being creepy :P).
By the time we had finished, it was about 8 o'clock which left us plenty of time to get over to the Eiffel Tower. We headed down into the metro station, and were mystified. We couldn't really understand the maps, there was no one at the information desk, and Alysia's metro tickets, for some reason, didn't work. I asked a few people, "Quelle est le ligne pour la Tour Eiffel?" which means, "What's the line for the Eiffel Tower?" My accent must have been good, because they certainly didn't answer me in English, which was daunting. They responded in fast french, and we had no idea what they were saying. Not a lot of English speakers there, and if they did speak it, they certain weren't about to. To make ANOTHER long story short, we were lost on the Metro for a good hour and a half, because for the life of us, we COULD NOT FIND the Eiffel Tower. Ironic? Ironic.
When we got to the right place, the other group had left, which we didn't realize. Alysia was running around looking for them,
L'Arc de Triomphe
Almost in front of it!as was Kelsey and Nikki, but I had to stop. We were at the base of the Tower, which, FYI, is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I was so moved, I couldn't budge from where I was. There weren't a lot of people there, and it was quiet, except for the wind. It's impossible to look at that structure and not feel something, and I was sure feelin' it. We didn't go up, because we weren't sure if the other group had, and we wanted to wait for them. With that, we called it a night, hailed a taxi, and headed back to the hostel.
Are you bored yet? There's more.
We woke up at 8 the next day, with the hopes of going to Monet's Garden in Giverny. Now, I'm pretty sure I've wanted to go there since I was a little kid. Before we shoved off, we stopped a tiny cafe down the street from us. I had the best, and smallest, cup of coffee I've ever had, after which I bought a french newspaper in the hopes of expanding my knowledge of the lingo. We found the station with no problem, and arrived
Ahhhh
Oui :) at Paris Nord. We asked the women at "la billet guichet" how to get to Giverny, and she gave us clear and concise directions. An hour and a half later, we were strolling down "Rue de Claude Monet" - for students, the garden and house tour only cost 4 euro (Kelsey paid for my ticket and transportation, for my birthday present!!). Entering was crazy. It was just like I pictured it. One can see, just by looking, why Monet's garden was so inspirational to him. The day was clear and perfect - and we spent a good two hours walking amongst the flowers, the waterlily pond, and of course, the Japanese bridge. SUCH a good experience. On the train and bus ride home, we were silent with happiness, and we pulled into "Gare de St. Lazare" at around 4:30. We wanted to meet the other group, but not til later, around 8:30, for dinner. We were planning on really splurging on dinner - well, not REALLY splurging, but having a really REALLY good meal. With this in mind, Alysia, Kelsey, Nikki and I walked along the left bank of the Seine, wanting to visit the Musee D'Orsay, Notre Dame, etc.
Looking Up
at the L'Arc de Triomphe We happened along artists selling their work along the Seine, and some were so stunning that we couldn't resist buying them. Wait til you see what I got! 😊
The Musee D'Orsay was closed, due to Nuit Blanche - that means that the museums open later, but stay open until around 7 AM the next day. It's crazy. So, we walked to Notre Dame, which loomed larger and larger. Once finally there, we found it flooded with tourists. I didn't imagine it to be more crowded than the Eiffel Tower, but it was. The line was long to get in, but it was free, and moved quickly. What beauty! It's gorgeous. The rose windows, the gothic style, the candles, paintings, organ, etc...walking in there solidifies your faith, no matter what you believe in. We stayed for the majority of the mass, but it got to be so crowded with (pushy) tourists, that we left early. We found our way to the Eiffel Tower (successfully), so Kelsey and Alysia could take pictures and videos during the daytime, and after that, we took a taxi to the L'Arc de Triomphe, our meeting place. We reunited with the other group, and swapped
stories as we walked down the Champs-Elysee, searching for a nice looking restaurant. We found one, called La Duree, and I was the delegate to go in and ask if they had room (note: this was usually the case. Of the group, Alysia and I could speak the most French. It helped SO much. We didn't receive the "rude" hospitality of the French that so many people talk about). I asked "Avez-vous une table pour huit personnes?" and in 10 minutes, our table was ready. My camera was dead at this point, so I don't have any photos of the place, however, Kelsey does, and I'm going to send you the link, because this place was CRAZY out of this world french gorgeousness. We were given a room practically to ourselves, overlooking Paris. It was the perfect celebration of, well, everything. We decided to stay up late and go to the Musee de Pompidou, a modern art museum. The place is really cool, but I'm really still not sure about modern art. They had canvasses painted white with one side painted yellow...no clue how that was supposed to "speak to me". I find it frustrating?
After the museum, we
caught a taxi back to the hostel, because the metro had stopped running for the night. We passed the Moulin Rouge, with its famous windmill and shady street, and made it back to our hostel with 10 minutes before our curfew of 2 AM.
We slept in until 9 the next day, in preparation for our little picnic on the steps of Sacre Coeur, the church in Montmartre that overlooks all of Paris. We bought baguettes, fromage, jus a pamplemousse, pommes, and nutella. We met Gabe and Audrey in the garden at Sacre Coeur, and talked about our weekends, and how we had enjoyed it. The plan for the day was to head over to the train station, book our return tickets home, go to the Eiffel Tower, and do some shopping on the Rue de Mouftard. We got up to the ticket line, and the man spoke English, which was important in this situation. We stated that we wanted tickets for around 3 PM, going to Eindhoven. He searches, then says. "There is nothing going to the Netherlands from Paris today."
We couldn't believe our ears, but there were no trains second class. I was in the
Going Down
284 Stairs front of the group, so I was doing some of the talking. "Can we get a train to Amsterdam? Maastricht? Brussels? Bruges? Switzerland? We'll stand. We'll go on separate trains. Anything to get us back." He came up with nothing. "The only available seats are in first class, to Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. From there you can take a train to Eindhoven." The price for the tickets was steep, and tears were shed, but it was our only option: that, or sleep in the train station for the next couple days. There was a strike the next day, so we either had to leave then, or stay in Paris til Tuesday. With heavy hearts, we bought the first class tickets, and worried about Ciera and Amanda. They had decided to sleep in at the hotel, and there was no way of reaching them. Hurriedly, Gabe and I found the number to the hotel, and by some stroke of luck, they hadn't checked out yet, and were actually at the desk when we called the concierge. We told them to get over to the station immediately. However, they were not able to get tickets at all. They had to take a
flight back to Amsterdam.
We boarded the train at 2:30, only to find out that the portion of the train we were on was only going as far as Brussels. We had a moment of panic where we thought that we wouldn't be able to get on the Amsterdam train at our stop in Brussels, however, the panic was calmed by a very nice conductor, and we switched with no problem at Brussels. Our seats, first class, still weren't worth the amount of money we spent, but they were nice. We had a section of the train to ourselves, our own personal waiter (Lukas!), smoked salmon, wine, cheese, chocolate, and tea. We got into Amsterdam around 6, and took a train to Eindhoven at 7:15. We made it to Eindhoven by 10 o'clock, took a train to Venlo, got in at 11:00, caught a bus at 11:25, and made it back to the Castle at midnight.
With all that being said, I'm in love with Paris. It's true love, I think. Because sometimes, you really dislike the other person. They cause you so much pain, make you cry, make you do crazy things like buy first class tickets.
Alysia and I
All dolled up :) But ultimately, it's all worth it.
Ahhhhhh...Castle, sweet Castle.
Love you all,
T
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Dad and Mom
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Happiness in our hearts for you
Dear Theresa, Reading your travels to, through and from Paris moved us to the heart. We smiled the whole time we enthusiastically read your letter of such a new adventure with your friends. We were touched by your last paragraph about love especially. We were happy that you remembered how special your book about Monet's Garden really was for you, and how nice that you had to stop yourself at the base of the Tour Eiffel just to soak it all in. Your writing helps us to live it with you and indeed we do. Thanks for the detailed account of your exciting journey. We thought it was great that you could say "Avez-vous une table pour huit, s.v.p.? among other things. Wish we could have shared the dining experience with you too! Nous t'adorons. Maman et Papa