Paris

To all: I'm sorry I haven't been good about updating the ol' blog during this trip, but there have been some seriously amazing things going on and I just couldn't be bothered to spend time in front of the computer. Oh, wait! I'm not sorry at all.

Today I walked around Paris. Some may wonder if I rented a bike from the bike share program, and no, I did not. I guess I feel like going by bike would be moving too fast to see everything. Granted, I could see things over a greater area, but I'm surprisingly ok with just poking around the Latin Quarter and the surrounding area.

Last night I stayed at the Marriott Rive Gauche, using the Marriott points I accrued during my stay when I first moved to Danbury. So, on the upside, it was nearly free, but on the downside there was no continental breakfast (no breakfast!!) and they wanted 8.50 Euros (which I just kind of round up to $10) for ONE HOUR of internet. That's a bunch of noise.

With the cruel Marriott at my back, I set off. It was really easy to find from the train station last night, and this morning I woke up and took a few short Metro rides, aiming for the Seine. I saw a Notre Dame stop right around where I wanted to get off, so I hopped off, because the day was mine and Paris was at my disposal :)



I don't know this girl, but look how happy she is!



I walked around inside the cathedral but didn't do the tour through the upper stories. Then I stalked around the grounds and took about a million pictures. Here's a shot of me from the other side, with the 'love locks' on the bridge down in the corner of the frame.



As a tribute to my solo time in Paris, maybe I'll buy one and write ME on it, Ricky Bobby style.



By then I was getting hungry, so I grabbed something to eat and ate on some steps. I was planning on sitting down somewhere with internet to check in with friends and family, but there was this place on the street that had hot pressed hotdogs in a baguette with cheese. I mean, what would you do?



After that I found a pub with wifi, bought a glass of wine, and figured out my lodging for tonight. Young and Happy hostel, btw. I'll let you know if I wind up murdered, but at least it has free wifi. And if there are bed bugs, I'll be able to bitch about it on facebook in real time.

Then I walked around and spent too much money shopping, but there was a cashmere sweater with a rabbit with a cast on crutches on it. Again, what would you do? Money spent, I figured I ought to walk along the river some more and see the Musee d'Orsay and such. I wound up crossing the river to check out the Louvre, or at least the outside of it. I was planning on going back tomorrow to actually go in, but it looks like I won't have time before my flight. Alas, I'll just have to come back!



So tomorrow I think I'll walk around some more before working my way to the airport at 11:00am. I'll be honest, there's a part of me that's looking forward to sitting and doing nothing for 7 hours on the flight. It's been a long day of walking - my feet are telling me it's the most walking so far - and I'm sure I'll be fresher tomorrow.