I Will Follow A Set Of Deep Tracks Other People All Stay Hidden...

Its been a few years since Cordoba saw snow and I was just sitting here feeling really stupid for not going for a run and then I look out the window of my apartment and I see these flurries outside. I was hoping there was a hill nearby to go sledding down or at least a palm tree nearby that ironically was covered in snow...but alas, its just a nice set of scenery. Especially because its been raining here. I don't know how the people of England can deal with that depressing weather all year long.

So I never spoke of Paris. This is taking me back to Paris because it snowed there too, but we just couldn't force ourselves inside to stay warm. Cool things were to be seen there. I had just found my way to Terminal 3 with the very little French (Bonjour, parlevous Engle!? -- its not spelled right, but you get the point. Merci.) I knew and I see this girl writing with her finger, "RACHEL WAS HERE". I was SOOOOO excited! I finally was among people that could understand me and feel just as lost as me! There they were. The 3 amigos: Heather, Rachel and Andres. So we waited for this bus to take us to our hotel and got into our room at 2 pm. I was contemplating eating an arm because I could only afford a yogurt at 6 am in the Sevilla airport after the 23 euro cab ride (I love surprises) and just wanted to take a hot shower where surfing is not optional.

I've already made up my mind at this point. I'm not wearing that green dress from H&M for New Years because its already 30 degrees and dipping. Andres says, "You are only in Paris on New Years once in your life. Just wear the dresses." Allllllllright smooth talker. So around 5 we decide its time to head out and we get on the ever confusing metro system that Paris runs on somewhere between where we live and the Earth's core. Teeth are chattering and eyes are tearing up and we just stepped outside the metro exit. We get to the Eiffel Tower and its the first thing we see. So fabulous. This iron cast monstrosity will not disappoint. Its time to eat so we find the first restaurant in front of us and each shared a pizza. )Oh, just so you know...couldn't find a pizza I liked in Italy. Stay with pasta, especially if you have plans on walking all day.) Afterwards we walked to the Eiffel Tower and wandered around taking the usual touristic pictures and were just trying to savor the moment that we were indeed here, that we made it to Paris. On the search for coffee to find a safe haven that was above 60 degrees indoors we kept asking for a Starbucks...and fortunately there was one. Unfortunately, they all closed by 6 that evening. I was already to give up on the rest of the evening at 8 because I knew I wouldn't make until midnight. Andres tells us one more big loop around and lets catch the 10 PM light show, then we can head back. So we finally made it back to L'Eiffel Tower around 9:30 and meet a nice man named Vince (a little too chatty for me) but Heather and him are hitting it off. There are crazy Mexicans hitting the bottle, throwing each other around like rag dolls all stoked that its almost the New Year and Africans selling you an miniature tower for 1 euro; ah, sweet bliss. All of a sudden the light show begins, Mexicans are flying in the air, champagne bottles are popping (guess in their drunken stupor they didn't realize midnight was 2 hours away) and then I look down (I was looking up so I could see the light show and narrowly miss a man being hurled directly in my direction) to see Andres on his knee and Heather looking around every which way through a smiling cry saying, "are you serious?!" Rachel and I are yelling at each other, "did you know!? NOOO did you know!?" and then Rachel with her trusty disposable camera snaps the shot of him on his knee and Heather in a daze. For the record, no one knew. Andres is a quiet one. So we head back after that and bid Vince adieu and head back to the hotel to warm up and soak up the whole experience. I passed out before midnight. I'm just that fun!

The next day we wake up and collectively get on the metro and get back to the Eiffel Tower around 1pm. What a late start...seriously, for the longest day of your life....getting around Paris in that metro takes you hours and came across the Notre Dame. The four of us are debating whether we want to pay the 8 euros to go inside but not before waiting in a 2 hour line only to have made our decision when a disgusting ogre of a man belched on poor Heather! So we make moves hastily and we walk around and realize its too cold for that and hop on a city bus and just let it take us wherever. Later that night we see the Arc de Triomphe (sp) and it was beautifully lit by the Champs Elysees. I didn't feel like sashaying down the famous street because I was starved and the streets were packed but it was gorgeous nonetheless.

That next morning we began our trip back to the Eiffel Tower only to climb it that day! We stood in line for a couple of nippy hours and finally got up to the 2nd floor only to arrive at another line (yay!) and then went up to the 3rd level to see the greatest view! But only for 5 minutes. I saw what I needed to see, took pictures that I wanted to take and made a mad dash for the 1 hour wait back to the ground floor.

On our last full day in Paris we deemed it an incredible idea that we get up at a decent time and make moves to the Lourve. Rachel and I decided that a croissant wasn't enough for breakfast and while Heather and Andres were in line at the Lourve (a surprisingly fast moving line) we didn't make it in time to rejoin them. Heather was outside when we got to the end of the line telling us that she could get us in only for them not to get us in but we walked to the side entrance and I frantically explained that we had been inside already but she was pregnant and needed food and now we needed to go back in (Well, I never finished the last bit. As soon as he heard "pregnant" we got let in. Which he had denied access to the 12 other people in front us!) The Lourve was absolutely breathtaking and 4 (FREE) hours was just not enough in there. We barely covered the terrain in there. I felt cool walking around with Rachel explaining the different pieces that I could recall and the formalities of them all and how they were each significant.

I didn't feel like going back to the Eiffel Tower again (which is of course where the love birds wanted to go...understandably) and I suggested somewhere new since Paris is vast and wide. We went and saw the Luxembourg Palace and its Gardens and it was the most beautiful day by far. We walked down the street and made it to the Pantheon. It was a great way to end the trip. Oh, I must add that I found a crystal Eiffel Tower fully intact on the ground just after a small police bust must have happened (you see, selling anything on the street is illegal). Yup, pretty great way to end the trip.

Oh, I'm sad to report that the snow stopped. And I will not be expecting a snow day tomorrow or the mountains as it is too dark now.

Until next time.