Paris

Once again I've been an unfaithful blogger. I'm sorry... the time goes by fast (especially these past few weeks). The blog is about to be littered with updates all at one time. So back to the Paris trip with my family. Lauren and I got to the Nice airport early Thursday morning, checked our bags, got through security, and then waited. Our plane was delayed about an hour and a half so we didn't take off until around 11. We arrived at Charles de Gaulle, found our bags and the RER, and headed to the hotel where we were to meet our parents and Lucie. Lauren and I love each other very much, but we are not always the best travel companions; just in more stressful situations. I tend to be rather stubborn, headstrong, and figure things out as I go. Lauren, on the other hand, likes to have more of a plan and ask someone for help if there's a problem. Not always the best combination. We discovered this as we were looking for the RER in the airport. Eventually, after finding the RER, we had to buy tickets which required me to go to an ATM then take that money and change it into coin pieces that would work in the ticket machine. All this sounds very simple, and it is, but at the time it was stressful and complicated. We got situated in the RER for the half hour trip into Paris. Lauren was lucky enough to grab a spot across the aisle from an old Venetian man. He began speaking to her in broken English about his life in Venice and how he plays the piano. Lauren, being the kind, caring person she is, did not want to be rude to the old, slightly creepy man so she began answering his questions and making small talk with him. I would have been worried if an American woman fluent in Italian hadn't been sitting next to us as well. He got off a stop or so before us, and we finished the ride with a laugh about the unusual conversation that had fallen upon my sister.

We made it to the hotel all in one piece only to find that our parents had not yet arrived. We weren't expecting them to be there until a little after us so we stored our bags and went to get lunch about a block away. Our hotel was in a perfect spot on the Rue de Rivoli, right across from the Jardin des Tuileries, and in between the Louvre and the Champs-Elysees. Lauren and I walked down the Rue de Rivoli after lunch until we could check into the hotel. Again, we arrived at the hotel to no parents. At this point we checked in and went up to the room (which had a staircase-it was cool). After unpacking a few things I got my computer up and running only to find that the internet did not work. Several failed connection attempts later, Lauren finally convinced stubborn ol' me to call the front desk. The internet man came to our room to try and fix the problem, got on the phone, and told us that he couldn't do anything (Macs and France don't mesh too well yet). Lauren, at this point, was freaking out-to say the least-and began to curse the country that I've lived in for the past 7 months. In the middle of this rant my first host mom called to make sure that we had gotten there and that my parents had arrived as well. I explained our situation and then she got online to see if I had any emails or facebook updates. Turns out my parents had missed their flight in Atlanta due to weather conditions or something of that sort, and they would be getting in the next day. Finally Lauren and I could begin enjoying ourselves knowing that our parents weren't lost in the Atlantic Ocean. By this time it was already about four in the afternoon so we headed out to find Les Galeries Lafayette. The gigantic department store was not far from our hotel at all, and we got to pass by the lovely Paris Opera on the way. Time went by fast as we climbed up the floors in the immense Parisian store, exploring every nook and cranny. We left and grabbed a sandwich at a nearby restaurant before heading back to the hotel.

The next morning we waited anxiously in the room for the travelers to get in. I couldn't keep still and had to pace back and forth in the confined space to keep from going crazy. At last we heard that beloved knock on the door signaling that my parents were there with Lucie. I could not have been happier. Lucie has grown up so much. She was bigger and taller and talked just as much as before. My parents looked exhausted after three days of traveling in the same clothes. Plus, their suitcases did not make it with them after this ongoing journey which tends to add a whole other layer to the awfulness that often is traveling. It was so nice to be with my family after six months without them (if only Will could have made it out; it's ok Brother, I know you had farm duties). Dad and Lucie took a nap-jetlag is never an easy state to battle-while Lauren, Mom, and I walked over to the Champs-Elysees to have lunch at Ladurée, the famous macaroon shop. The restaurant was breathtakingly beautiful; the multi-colored macaroons covering every square inch of the place probably played a small part in this. The food was equally wonderful and the macaroons that we bought after were simply scrumptious. Ladurée was followed by GAP to buy clothes for the three vagabonds. Thankfully, the clothes ended up not being needed. Their suitcases came that night only after we got back from having a nice meal at Le Restaurant in L'Hotel on the Left Bank of Paris.

The next day we had a tour which started at Victor Hugo's house in Le Marais-a district in Paris which still has its old feel because it wasn't reconstructed by Haussmann like the majority of Paris- and ended at the Notre Dame, or Quasi's house as Lucie calls it. Our guide was incredibly nice, and we saw a good bit of Paris on the tour. Lucie's jaw dropped when we saw the Notre Dame up close-a priceless moment. We had an incredible lunch in a little restaurant we stumbled upon on L'Ile St. Louis. (Just a little side note, it's taking all that I have not to describe every morsel of food I ate on this trip. Everything was simply fantastic.) That afternoon/evening we wandered around the streets soaking up the Parisian atmosphere.

Le Louvre was next on the agenda. The day started at the huge pyramid before the tremendous castle. The tour was a scavenger hunt geared more towards Lucie since the rest of us have hit the major highlights before. It was still fun to run around the Louvre with her looking at all the wonderful art. She got a book from the guide that even I was jealous of. It looked like fun. Following the Louvre was more time spent on the Champs-Elysees and just walking around the city.

That night was the big meal on the Eiffel tower. Lauren and I got ready before and took the metro to go find her friend's cousin who is studying abroad this semester in Paris. We had planned on meeting him at the Starbuck's on Avenue Victor Hugo, not too far from our hotel. We took the metro until the end of the Champs-Elysees and not the next stop in the middle of Avenue Victor Hugo. We thought this way we could see the Arc de Triomphe a bit closer and the Starbucks wouldn't be too far down the road. We were wrong. We definitely should've gotten off at the second stop. After booking it down the first half of the huge avenue we got to one of the circles of death that have roads shooting off from every end. We ended up getting completely turned around after completing the circle in its entirety and started walking back down the street we came up. Finally, after much confusion, we ended up at the Starbuck's and talked to her friend's cousin for a bit. We left only to get turned around again trying to get to the Eiffel Tower (I'm convinced that the maps in Paris are backwards just for the record). We ended up making it in time to find our parents with Lucie standing in line, waiting to get on the big elevator that would take us up to the restaurant on the first level. All five of us made it up after waiting in the long line. We got our table, which had an excellent view, and once again had a gastronomical overload of goodness. Lucie finished off her meal with an Eiffel Tower chocolate cake. Paris was seen by night again as we walked a bit, found a taxi, and made our way back to the hotel where the packing commenced. Finally, the suitcases were filled, in a somewhat organized manner, and we could get some rest before waking up at the crack of dawn to head out to the airport.

I always love waking up at five in the morning to travel, but that doesn't make it any easier to actually wake up. Yet another taxi took us out to Charles de Gaulle. The baggage was unloaded, and it was time to say goodbye to the big sis. Lauren left after the sad moment (it's ok, we'll be together ALL summer) and Dad, Mom, Lucie, and I headed to the train station in Charles de Gaulle (extremely convenient). We grabbed breakfast then waited for the train after some confusion with the platform number. Our seats were comfortable which was nice for the four hour ride. It went by fast. Initially, I had had the intention of sleeping; however, adorable, talkative Lucie made that impossible. I was more than happy to stay up and talk to her though. We even took a walk around the train a bit. I think I'm still a six year old at heart; that's why Lucie and I get along so well. Every time another train would pass by we would just look at each other and laugh. Four hours later, we were in Avignon.