DAY 1:
Wednesday 12 July 2017
Bon voyage!
Here we goooooo!
This is the first time I've started the preparations and
packing so far in advance (a week early! Technically. When I packed for Lifest
I also put aside clothes I wanted to pack in a laundry basket. And then Sunday
I started preliminary packing logistics. Luggage draft one. Plus laundry sunday
night and all day Monday. A second round Monday. A third and fourth and maybe
fifth draft Tuesday. Replenished toiletries and gathered things I think I'll
take along in my backpack.
Dad still hasn't started.
…
Wednesday wake up and make some adjustments. Revise those
earlier drafts. Coming down to the wire. Dad's ready and I'm not. Not
quite.
Went to visit grandma and spent over an hour with her while
she chewed and chewed her hotdog. A lot of what we said to her went unanswered
and occasionally (I worried) Unheard. But she enjoyed the ice cream we brought.
And dad prayed. And at one point I told her I loved her and she looked back at
me and told me she loved me too and I felt it was real/true/her... I don't know
what to pray for for her, I don't know if this was the last time I'll see her
(I cried there thinking it might be), but I truly hope it's not the last ice
cream I bring her (and not just because of the fear of interrupting this trip
and all he stress/worry that would entail). I miss my grandma. God help me with
however this goes. Give her comfort. Give us all strength and peace...
Home again and it was the last rush and final adjustments and
then cross your fingers and hope you have everything you need and/or can buy it
there.
Backpack weighs in at 24 + 15. Ufda.
Stopped and grabbed Culver's and then mom drove us down to O’Hare.
Said our au revoirs to bub at her work quick and then with
mom once we got down there.
Security was easier than planned which actually kinda made it
more tricky. Go figure.
Finally found our gate. Sat on the floor. Wandered around
wanting something kinda sweet or maybe to eat.
Found mint mocha at Starbucks that tastes like an Andes candy
and a scone for Dad. Then came back to our boarding line.
Don't know if it was the sugar that heightened it or what but
all of a sudden I felt true, pure excitement--for our trip, for seeing Spyros
so soon, for this thing that is my life!
Boarded the plane and managed to squeeze our backpacks into
the overhead spaces. Then settled in for our 7 hour flight.
Hidden Numbers is really great. Food was decent.
Then tried in vain for the next 3-4 hours or so to sleep but
alas.
Miss congeniality and breakfast and then we were landing in
Paris!
DAY 2
Thursday 13 July 2017
930am Paris time. 230am Beloit time. Ouf. We have a loonngg
day ahead of us...
We strapped on our backpacks.
Ouf.
Hea-vy.
Then through the hamster tunnel thunder dome walking sidewalk
towards the exit.
Mustered up enough courage to ask the information desk about
the train into Paris.
Slowly slowly pieces of French come back to me but more often
than not it's Greek that floods my mind. Strange but cool feeling to have three
different languages mingling in my mind... never thought that would happen...
Navigated the train and watched the French countryside turn
to city turn to underground.
Step off the train and the first thing we hear is an
automated voice warning us about pickpockets. Nice.
Then up the stairs and what do our eyes behold but the
splendor of Notre Dame. Now that welcome is one not too shabby.
With our packs strapped to us we take a flurry of pictures
and video and look up at the stones that have looked back on people here in
this square for hundreds of years.
Then we waited in a line that wound to the entrance. Had to unload
and unzip my backpack for security. And then zip and reload and settle it on my
back and my belly again.
The dark cool interiors were littered with tourists pointing
and clicking--and a few faithful there for prayer or midday mass.
We walked around in the deep history marveling at the stonework.
The saints in their chapels. The decor. The stained glass windows (and all of
them have doors don't ya know--learned that by eavesdropping on one of the
English tour groups we passed by...)
-
We finished there and walked back out into the sun to hear
the bells of Quasimodo ringing in the noon hour.
Using the star feature of Google maps and a vague memory from
looking it up before, we estimated our hotel to be walkable.
What.
A.
Walk.
This trek through Europe with our backpacks will not be
easy--but we survived this first leg so far.
Walked along the Seine River for part of it. Pretty. This is
Paris.
Then stumbled across one side of the Louvre by
accident.
Kept walking and circled around a block then back and forth
before finding our hotel. Dark black interior and an attempt at shiny/classic
decor. Had to leave our bags until 2. It was 1.
We were exhausted. Officially awake and at ‘em for 24 hours
straight.
We backtracked till we found the sandwich place that looked
good when we walked by earlier. Managed to order two ham sandwiches and fresh
watermelon and peach juice and dessert. Mmm. I was too tired and not hungry
enough so I saved half mine for later.
At two we wandered back and got our keys to room 204 to find
a double bed. I went back and asked about the twin room we'd requested and all
was fixed but we had to wait another hour.
Finally we got to our room and we're finally able to unwind a
bit--and by a bit I mean here a 3 hour nap...
Much needed but after I woke up (to dad watching fast and
loud in French lol) I was almost ready to trade a night out seeing Paris for
some more shut eye.
But, managed to wake up and get up and get going. We
discovered the Musee d'Orsay was open till 945 so about 630 we made our way
there. Took a mini field trip. I've been videoing little snippets of our
journey to compile and tell our trip's story a bit better than just hundreds of
photographs. Pretty neat museum. Lots of sculptures and Impressionism. Selfies
with Van Gogh and stumbled on Monet on the fifth floor.
Just before they kicked everyone out we left and walked back
toward the hotel. We were so thirsty that we stopped at McDonalds for a 3 euro
medium coke that was subpar. 5 ice cubes (mom would not approve) and no free
refills.
Loipon.
Then made our way back to a crepe place we'd passed earlier
that looked really good. And it was. Creme de Paris. Go there! Caramely and buttery
crepe with homemade vanilla ice cream. So good!
Wrote postcards while we were there to stay on top of
it.
11ish back to our room. Shower felt really good. Hot and good
water pressure from a big circular shower head. Then FaceTimed Spyros and mom
and Megan.
And uploaded 221 pics/videos.
And at last: sleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment