an american girl in paris

10/3/2008

well i made it through my first day alone - it actually wasn't bad! i slept in to the sound of rain pattering comme une berceuse. once i decided to get out of bed, i tried tackling the washing machine. we really take so much for granted in the US, but they are honestly things that aren't even necessary. i think the word i used before was overindulgent... we're spoiled.

after making sure the washing machine wouldn't explode, overflow, or something of the like, i went back to roayl jussieu for cafe au lait and a croissant, even though by this time it was noon thirty. the same lady from yesterday was there - short, blonde, a little overweight, and very cheery - the perfect grandmother aside from my own grandma gay! i noticed today a picture of a cow above the espresso machines, very odd. it wasn't even the cartoon kind! but the guy worked those espresso machines and i can easily say starbucks has nothing on him!

at this point i decided to make my way towards gare d'austerlitz, letting myself get lost along the way. i could have taken the metro but have gotten so used to walked that i figured ''why not?'' i got there only to find the information desk closed. come to find out later i should have looked around for the actual ticket office - you live, you learn!

''defeated'' i left and let myself get lost again, this time finding a beautiful park ''jardin des plantes'' near the museum national d'histoire naturelle. i sat for about 30 minutes reading rick and enjoying the view. once the wind and clouds rolled in though it was time to move on. i continued to become even more lost, finally giving in and pulling out the map to find my way home.

before coming up i stopped at the crepe stand across the street for a crepe chocolate-banane. oh mon dieu! it was amazing... i had to call mom to brag! after switching the wash and some phonechat with merz (HAPPY BIRTHDAY BTW!) i decided to take the metro to the gate, only to find the information desk closed - again! this time i asked around and found out that i needed to go to the ticket office. i made my reservation for a night train to nice! when leaving i looked at a map to find my way without getting lost. the great this is i still made some discoveries! for one, i found some osteriches! (don't worry i took pictures which i will eventually post!) i also re-found an internet cafe from earlier in the day where i posted my first journal entry - and all the ones from today.) the keyboard was tres difficile to get used to and after 1h30 i realized they had an international keyboard so next time i'll ask to use one.

by this time it was dark so i stopped by the hang my wet clothes from the wash then made my way towards historic paris. walking along the narrow, busy streets i felt like i was in the middle ages or at least some decade past of paris. i stopped at a well-known english bookstore and bought eat, pray, love and a collection of poems by e.e. cummings - both of which would have been much cheaper in the states but they will forever be momentos of my first night alone in france!

i walked along the lit up notre-dame towards ile st-louis, wanting to get ice cream at the famous berthillon, but it was closed, as much of the rest of town. i walked home looking for a market to get some cheese and fruit for a small dinner, but decided to stop at the sandwich/crepe stand across the street when i saw everything closed. i had un chevre chaud dans l'apartement avec vin rouge.

maintenant, je me couche!