Ok so unlike the normal Anastasia I did not go to Paris and discover that I was truely a princess. However, I did manage to fall in love --- with the city of course! But our love story begins like most in 'Once upon a time'....
The sun was rising as I woke up early from my little Corrib Village dorm to meet my travel buddy Gwen. Gwen, a girl I met in my marketing class, is also an American from Chicago (with the chicago accent and all!) and like me was dying to go travel and see Paris. She was very organized, inquisitive, and never hesitated to ask a question in order to get answers, but also easy to become stressed when answers weren't found. As for me, I know that I am a bit on the carefree and laid back side, but I rarely pay attention to detail (as I bet most of you have noticed with my frequent spelling errors that I never double-check on). So it sounds like our personalities would clash, but when it came to traveling, it was a match made in heaven! She saved my life (and my wallet) by planning out our train travel, accomodations, and sight seeing and I helped her to just go with the flow when things didn't go as planned. PLUS we both share outgoing, energetic, and talkative personality traits, so we were always having a good time!
We left just in time to make our plane from Dublin to Brussels, Belgium, where we plopped our bags at the nearest hostel we could find. It ended up being quite a great hostel - it even had a wonderful little bar in it with a buy-one get one free happy hour. So of course we couldn't resist! After our happy hour we hit up the streets for more drink specials and ran ourselves right into what is called Grand Place, which a large open cobble-stoned area surrounded by some of the most beautiful structures I have ever seen! Whether it was the extra free drink, the night lights, or just the fact that I was closer to Paris - but it was an amazing place to be!
The next morning Gwen and I woke up early to take a look at more of daytime Brussels, discovering that there wasn't much to explore. We took another look at the Grand Place, then to a momument so appropriately named Mannekin Pis - a small fountain represented by a boy taking a pee, and the water comes out...well you know where! However, we did manage to find many chocolate shops (alot with free samples!) and shared a waffle bought from a local street vendor. We also ran into some street markets, which I absolutely love, and once again finished our explorations at Grand Place to say our goodbyes before heading to Paris!
So we took the train off to Paris, and I ended up having to sit by a family (Gwen and I got seperated!) traveling from the Dominican Republic to visit Paris Disneyland. It was my first time (and probably only time) that I became tri-lingual: the boy I talked to started to speak to me in french, realized I was American and we tried again in English (although he could not speak it well). Then I realized he could speak spanish so we ended up having a 3 language conversation, switching languages often in mid-sentence. So it was a limited converstation, but quite entertaining for the train trip!
Ok so Paris: day one!
We sucessfully navigated our way through the sunny streets (yes it was sunny - no wellies needed here!) and into our cramped, but adorable little hostel. I could have stayed in a garbage dump for all I cared - we were in Paris!!! A bit hungry, we almost immediately went back out towards the city center to find our way through shops and restaurants. Finally around 7 or 8 we found a great little sit-down place where we both had chicken, rice, bread, and of course some Bordeaux. It took us awhile though to figure out what we were actually getting, but it was quite good! Then after a very long dinner we thought it would be fun to find a place to drink and socialize, but as we were leaving we realized that the restaurants were just starting to fill up, and the bars were just opening - so we were a little on the early side of things. Since we already had dinner, and bars were bare, we settled for an early night in - which I was thankful for because I had huge ambitions of seeing ALL of Paris the next day!
Paris: day two!
I got up a little extra early to go for a small jog on the city streets (I know, I'm crazy). It was not long after when I stumbled upon a giant street market, just getting set up. I mean, it was huge - taking up 3 or 4 blocks, right in the median of Rue du Temple. I ran swiftly past fishermen in boots (so there IS a need for wellies here actually!) loading fish onto ice trays, women setting up displays of exotic scarves and jewelery, and even locals placing fruit neatly into trays. I wish I could have explored more, but there was all of Paris to see! Still, it was a great way to start the day, and an instant mood booster! My love affair with Paris was in full swing!
After a yummy crossiant and coffee breakfast (free from hostel - yay!) we started our quest to explore all of P
aris! We started out with the Picasso museum, moved onward to
Notre Dam, shopped at markets and watched street preformers in the Latin Quartier, stopped in Luxembourg Park for lunch and watched the kids play with their toy boats, made our way to the Effiel Tower (and up to the top of course!), then to the Arc de Triumph to see the tomb of the unknown solider, and finally we made it to the lourve musuem (where the Mona Lisa is placed) but by then we were too late to get inside. But I did manage to score a free chesnut roasting on an open fire! A street vendor was cooking them just outside the museum and I came to observe and he gave me a free nut! All in all it was a great day and each location we stopped at I could have easily spent the entire day just relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere. But unfortunately time was not on our side. Even The next morning we had plans to go visit the Opera in the morning before our train, but we got a little side tracked when Gwen wanted to make a stop at the Poste - which ended up taking way more time than planned! However, I managed to discover a cute little french bookstore, so my time did not seem wasted whatsoever (although Gwen I think was a bit dissappointed). We skipped over the Opera and headed to the train station and back to Brussels. I was forced to be separated from my love - but I know someday love will find a way to bring me and the city back together again!
Back in Belgium:
Gwen and I seperated ways that evening, as she went home and I explored more of Brussels. A friend I met in Ireland, who was from Belgium, told me about her friend living in Brussels so we arranged to meet up. Thinking that I was going to be Irish, he told me to meet him at an Irish pub for a drink, then he took me to the Grand Palace of Belgium, which was quite impressive. Along the way home we talked about politics and our hatred for slimy snakes! He was very nice to take me around, making me feel a little less lonely in the city.
The next morning I discovered that all I had left was 20 euros - and I still had to buy a bus ticket home! So whats a girl to do when she has woes about money? Go shopping of course! My hostel was conveniently located next to all the shops - and I took advantage of the 3-story H&M clothing store, and tried on as many crazy outfits as I could, and finally settled on a 2 euro pair of earrings! I managed to feed myself for free by simply stepping into the chocolate stores - SO many free samples were offered! I felt like a kid in a candy store!
After a long day of traveling, I arrived back in Corrib Village at midnight with 5 euros, sparkling earlobes and chocolate stained teeth. However this time as I walked through the door, I felt like I was coming 'home', which was a new and exciting feeling for me. I really feel comfortable and relaxed in Ireland now, a place where I feel welcome.
However that night the only thing that welcomed my presence was a slug on the kitchen floor...ahhh home sweet home...
