The Eiffel Tower

So after my lqst post; I crashed...but not for long enough. I was awakened qt qround ' when my roommates stumbled in, and really did not sleep ,uch from then until I got out of bed at 8.





I went to Paris Nord Train Station to pick up Julia, and this time she was actually on her train. We took a taxi to the place she is staying, which is EXTREMELY nice, and then after grabbing a typical French sandwich for lunch (while we were at this restaurant, we saw a live dog walk across the bar...in the restaurant), she came out to Montmarte since I had to move into a new flat. On the taxi ride to her place, we drove through the tunnel that Prncess Di crashed in, and the driver pointed out exactly where the car hit and ricocheted twice, and there is some sort of makeshift memorial under there.



When I got to the hostel I got to meet my new hostel mates, a guy from Canada, a gal from Australia, a guy from California, and three gils from Spain. They all seemed pretty cool, but I really only hung out with the Canadian and Australian.





Anyway, I get to my new room, a sixth story flat in a great location, and find out that while I booked a three-person room in Paris, I was put in an eight-person. So I guess I will probably not be doing much sleeping in Paris. Whatever, I claimed my bed (the middle in a triple bunk), put my bags down, and julia and I set off to see Paris.





We decided that we would first see the Eiffel Tower, and I was not sure quite what I would think of it to be honest. From a distance, it didn't look so grand, and it is, afterall, the nost photographed object/building/structure in the world, so everyone knows al,ost exactly what it loosk like. I thought it would be a bit surreal, finally seeing it in person. And it was. As Julia and I ascended from the metro station, I couldn't believe my eyes. We took pictures every few feet, until at last we were under this najestic structure. Gustave Eiffel's creation is really something that I wish everyone gcould get a chance to see. As Julia and I were climbing the metro steps, it was quite sunny. Ten minutes later, under the Eiffel Tower, we were not only struck with windblown drops of rain, but with pellets of hail as well. Julia suggested coming back another day, but I knew the storm (which I was reveling in) would pass. And unfortunately, it passed far too quickly. When we reached the top of the tower, I was glad that it was not raining and clear for the view and picture taking purposes. But when the wind started blowing again, I could not help but be excited.



Julia and I went to the inside observation deck, but when the storm churned full force again, I had to go back up. I was one of a few brave people at the top of the Eiffel Tower, as full on hail began to fall from the clouds that I was nearly standing in. It was incredible. Anyway, we went to the end of this grassy area for a photo op.



After the Eiffel Tower experience, which was absolutely incredible; we walked across the street to this building that we figured had to be some government building or something. We walked up some pretty intense stairs that gave us an INCREDIBLE view of the Eiffel Tower. Exhausted, we sat and stared at it forever. Some caricature artist came over and, even after my refusal, started to sketch me. I told him I did not want it, and finally asked him how much it costs. He said "Whatever you want to pay me." I cannot explain how ugly this caricature drawing turned out to be. I felt like I was being nice handing him a 5 Euro note before he turned the page in his sketchbook and showed me his normal price of 50. My eyes dropped, and I tried not to laugh. He told me that he would give me a discount and it would only cost me thirty. I told him that I asked him the price and he told me whatever I wanted, and after a few minutes arguing, he walked away aith my five. While Julia and I were sitting in this plaza, we saw some crazy kids rollerblading backwards down these massive steps (not just the number, but these steps are like a foot tall each. Other teens took boards of wood from a nearby construction site and sledded down these steps. It was a lot of fun to watch, but it is also hard to believe that nobody got hurt.

Julia was exhausted from her travels, so we parted around 7 or so and I went back towards my hostel. I stopped at a pizzeria for dinner, where I witnessed a man smoking as he prepared my pizza. Health codes are obviously seriously different here than they are in the States. Anyway, my pizza turned out to be delicious.

I walked back to my flat and got to know the people I was staying with now a little better. I went out with them until about 2, at which time Stephen and I set off in search of food. We found an open bakery, and I saw that they had sour gummies. Stephen said that the sign on the gummies said they were not for sale at night time, and I was really confused. He speaks French, so he asked the workers and they confirmed what he had already told me. Why I could not buy some sour gummy treats at night is beyond me, but I couldn't, so I settled for a baguette and ate a bit of it on our way back to the flat. I finally went to bed a bit before three, sleeping on the middle bed in a triple bunk, approximately one foot above a Dominican man snoring louder than anyone I had ever heard before in my life.

I am a bit behind in these posts, but have decided that, day by day, I will try to write at least one day's worth. This was all Wednesday.