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Published: November 13th 2008
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Clouds over Europe
First rays of sunlight seen in the airplane. How could anyone argue that the world is flat... I made it on my plane just fine, everything hit me while in Detroit, when I was connecting with my plane to Paris. Thankfully I slept the entire time!! It was an eight hour flight and I landed in Paris at 11am. So I wanted to make sure I got some good sleep. The plane wasn't that full (the one to Tokyo was PACKED so i didn't know what to expect!). No one sat next to me, so most of the time, I layed across the two seats with my pillow and slept. Neck a little sore, but ehh can't complain.
I make it Paris and realized that even tho this is Europe, no one speaks English. At least I didn't find those people. And I'm really glad that I did my homework before coming out here!! It took awhile to find the right bus stop, I asked one lady (and even tho I know how to count to 10 in French, I still couldn't understand her) and she pointed somewhere said something, and held up two fingers and her thumb. Soo.. does that thumb make the count three? Or is that just the French way of saying two?
FRANCE
There she is!! I was lost. I was soo lost, I couldn't even ask the numbers in French, and she didn't like me asking questions (uncomfortable) so I guessed three and walked off. And yes, a thumb is a counting finger in France. So It was 3. Found the word "Montparnasse" on one of the bus stops, and knowing I needed to get there, took it.
Took over an hour on the bus - but I did get to go through Paris. And man! It's like NY!! It's not as romantic as I thought - I still saw those side streets with the gheto neon phone card shops every where! Ehh, I guess all big cities have their moments. We'll see if I feel the same way after I get to spend my weekend there before coming home.
I get into the train station and find the place to buy tickets (No english anywhere - lucky guess!). The lady at the counter was like "uhhh" but with a French twist, and I was like "uhhh" but with an American-I-Am-Stupid-and-lazy-and-didn't-learn-your-language twist. I kept saying Bordeaux. And she said something, sounded like class, so I said 2, but with fingers. Then she said
1st meal!
Not sure if that's turkey or ham.. ehhhh the doughnut thingies were yummy tho! something else, so I looked like a deer caught in headlights. I think I must have done that a few times. Then I said "One way!" Cause all I heard from her was "Paris, Bordeaux, Paris" and other words, after I said that, she moved on. Either frustrated with me, or I got the answer correct (I'm thinking it was a combined thing). She gave me a ticket and everything looked right. I was to leave in a few minutes so I found my train. And then uh.. hey.. it leaves in 10min and no one is around. So i finally ask someone and say "Speak English?" "Little" and then (without using my English) I show him my train ticket and he points to what train I need to board. I get on - and then realize I am getting sick of sitting and waiting to get where I need to get.
Three hours later (after some sleeping and some ipod and some dripped spittle down my shirt) I made it to where I needed to get. I walk out, find Tram 6 (HECK YEAH THATS THE ONE I NEED TO GET TO MY HOSTEL! IM AWESOME!) Get off
Super nice hotel in Bordeaux
I'm not staying there - mine is safely tucked behind the roads (where the rich people can't see it!) at my stop (more Kudos).. then walk around stupid.. again. Find a Taxi and he's like "Ma'am, I feel bad. It's right over there just walk, otherwise I charge you 10euros". So i walk right over there. Nothing. Walk more over. Still nothing. Ask someone. She's lost. Ask someone else, tell her I don't speak French and she goes off in French pointing and shrugging. So I make it back to the taxi stand, find same guy, and said "Just take me, right now I don't care, its worth the 10euros".
Then I made it to my location! YAY. I did go out and get a bite to eat. I dunno if my sandwhich was turkey or ham. And when I'm in another country I just can't care. But it was super tasty. Didn't drink any wine (I'm in a fancy area I didn't want to walk into a nice place alone) so I bought a bottle instead (shhhh I have to hide it from my Sangha!). Will not drink it til I get back to the States, but will most likely have a glass in Paris.
So tomorrow I need to find Ste. Foy la Grande train
My room!
Little, but has internet! station and be picked up by the Sangha. From there I will have no internet so two weeks I wont beable to write emails or say Hey! But I may give some quick phone calls (they have phone cards there).
Much love to everyone!!!
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David
non-member comment
Wow,
that sounds like your classic language barrier alright :D Hope you're having as much fun as it looks and sounds like you are. Take care and much love back! ^^ P.S. The world isn't flat? Well it's still several thousand years old then right? All the animals we have we can thank Noah for, correct? Have you heard the latest story? While they weren't 100% sure, it is probable that Jesus rode on dinosaurs. If you google that you will find the picture. It's reeeeeaaaly funny.