Day Three

FYI: This post is LONG!! Sorry.

Ah today is the day. Today, it finally hit me, I’M IN PARIS!! AAAAAHHHH! LoL Why it took so long to really sink in I have no idea, but I think it’s because today, I saw the Paris from TV. I saw Ratatouille’s Paris. I walked the streets seen in romance movies, ate the crepes, giggled as little Frenchmen wanted to kiss Tamara and I, sat on side walk café’s and sipped on Cappuccinos. Oh it was absolutely amazing. Where in the world do I begin…

After a quick breakfast, we got ready and headed for the Metro. As corny as it may sound, as soon as I stepped outside I knew it was going to be a good day. I mean, how bad can it be when you step outside and the wind tickles your face and the first thing you see is the Arc de Triomphe?

We finally found our way to the RIGHT train after walking around forever. Ya know, I try to let Johnny do some things on his own sometimes. Now, I know how bad that sounds, but really. He’s grown, 31 to be exact, but he sure doesn’t act that way most of the time. I let him FEEL like he’s in charge sometimes. I thought I’d be nice and let him lead the way but it was apparent that at some point he’s just going to have to let me do it! He’s leading us in all the wrong directions and I’m pretty sure he’s wrong, but for the simple fact that there is indeed a SLIGHT chance that I COULD be wrong, I let him lead. Turns out he was all wrong. Surprise! He just doesn’t listen!

(ok kinda off topic: this morning, Tamara and I are sitting on her bed having “boy talk” NOT about Johnny LoL and Johnny yells up asking if we’ve seen his wallet. Tamara opens her mouth to answer and I touch her arm and tell her not to say anything. We sit in silence and thirty seconds later, “Never mind, I found it.” Not long after, “Guys have you seen my room key?” Again we wait in silence… o yes, he found it. Why WHY must he ask BEFORE he looks? Note to ALL men… all people… LOOK FIRST PLEASE. But here’s the story of ALL stories LoL. When we got back around 5ish, he couldn’t find his toothbrush. He swore up and down for hours that the maids threw it away! He was SO pissed. So later when we got home around 11 he’s lifting up his toiletry bag looking for something and in the bottom, I see something that resembles a toothbrush. Could it be?!?! Sigh. That’s my Johnny. I carry the brain for us both most of the time.)

So anyway, we headed up to Montmarte, supposedly some artists town on the very top of a hill surrounding Sacred Heart Church. We got off on the wrong stop and had to walk through the town up VERY steep hills and never ending stair cases that were actually VERY pretty. That’s when it hit me. We got to the top and there were artists walking around an open air market asking to draw your picture. The streets were lined with café’s and gift shops. The leaves were changing colors and decorating the streets as people seemed to dance through the rows of art galleries. We ate at a café outside and Johnny ordered Oysters as an appetizer. SO disgusting. Much like mollusks, I know ENTIRELY too much about them to want to swallow the slimy and salty mush! Instead I sipped my cappuccino and munched on of course, French bread, until my meal came. Goose! Breaded goose and spaghetti! Random huh? I actually saw the lady next to me eating it and I just told the man I wanted whatever she had. It was good. It just tasted like bland chicken actually. No big deal.

After lunch, we continued to walk around and made our way to the church. Most of the café’s are of course both inside and outside, so the waiters outside try to get people to come in and eat at THEIR establishment. So this guy called us over to eat there. Tamara politely turned him down for lunch but asked to take a picture with him instead. That’s my girl! So I took a picture of her and then stopped some random lady to take a picture of us kissing his cheeks. Little pervert totally pressed his face against mine and when we laughed and walked away, he grabbed me and tried to lay one on me really quick but I have cat-like reflexes and turned my head quicker than the fool could peck. Whoa buddy, slow your roll! You’re taking it a little too far. Peace out!

We arrived at the church and it was MASSIVE and so white and so pretty! In the front of the church there were huge steps that looked more like stadium seating and then a balcony-ish area and some grass. A guitarist from Mexico, Enrique Peyrot, had a little set-up going on with his guitar and a guy on a box drum. He actually sounded REALLY good. I ended up buying his CD but I’m kinda pissed because it doesn’t even work in my laptop. I’ll see if it works at home and if not, I’m e-mailing him and I’m gonna let him have it!!

After walking through the church, which is unexplainable, we decided we were going to conquer the dome. The dome is 300 steps to the top and is probably the highest point in Paris, especially since it’s on top of a hill. Now, the Arc steps were bad yesterday, very tight and confined. I freaking have shin splints. What the heck?!?! But these steps… these were ridiculous! Even smaller steps, longer, higher, darker, smellier. Oh it was bad. And then we get to one point and Johnny is telling us that the smell is dead pigeons. Ok, so funny story. Tamara is very soft spoken and delicate in EVERYTHING she does. Complete opposite of me, right? We’re walking up the stairs and you hear pigeons in this dungeon-like area of the dome. Conversation goes as follows:

(Birds making noise)

Johnny: (as if responding to the noise) See, there’s tons of dead pigeons!

Tamara: (serious as all heck!) Really? I didn’t know dead pigeons still made noises.

Wow. I didn’t really know what to say. At the moment, I wasn’t sure who was being serious and who was just plain stupid. I was dying laughing inside!!

We FINALLY got to the top and it was truly amazing! I feel like I say that about everything we see. That’s just the way Paris is I guess. Everything is breathtaking and I just honestly can’t describe the beauty. Pictures just show how big, high, how colorful, how lovely and peaceful Paris really is. We kinda just sat there for a bit taking it in. I think we were all having a moment =) By the time we got back down to the bottom, my legs were shaking like crazy!! I was reminded that I REALLY need to get back into working out… but the thought was interrupted by CREPES!! Tamara and I decided to share one because we were both kinda still full. We got one with nutella and bananas and OMG!!!!! I honestly cannot explain the chocolaty goodness that danced around all over my tongue. If anyone is curious, go to Victoria Gardens and find the Crepe place by JC Penny. They’re pretty authentic so I’ve found. Nutella is the magic ingredient.

On our way back to finding the Metro we ran across Moulin Rouge. Johnny got excited and asked us if we wanted to go. Without hesitation “no thanks” just shot right out of my mouth. After last night’s garbage, I’d rather catch up on homework, thanks! They looked at me like I was crazy but I know I’m not. Why on Earth would I want to see boobs and corny dancing again? If that is entertainment to them, their heads would blow if they say So You Think You Can Dance! Ugh! What a shame. So we wandered aimlessly through the streets letting Johnny lead of course. This part I didn’t mind though because although this was quite a ways from the center of Paris, THIS is what you see on TV; the steep streets, blue skies, flowering window boxes adorning the windows. Geez it was so pretty! At this point I wasn’t caring about my shin splints anymore. I would gladly roam these streets again even if I had a peg leg like a pirate!

So we made it back to the hotel and proceeded to get ready for our dinner cruise. We got all dolled up and headed downstairs to catch our ride to the boat. Our driver was named Gustav and he was from Ecuador. He was about 45ish and he came to Paris 30 years ago to pursue his art and ceramics career. Somehow he ended up driving a cab? None the less, he was a good man. I talked to him in Spanish. Screw French and English, it’s all about Espanol! Viva Mexico! (Or Ecuador… whatever) Gustav dropped us off at our boat and promised to be back to pick us up by 11. We hopped out and found our seats on the boat, not knowing that this was going to be one of the most beautiful and (lonely) romantic nights EVER!

The boat was lined with walls of glass, red floors, a pianist and violinist right in the center, red and black linens, crystal glasses, dim lights, and candles everywhere. Tamara and I just looked at each other, knowing we were thinking the exact same thing (which has been happening a lot actually. She’s SUPER girly and dainty and all but she’s a cool chick! We’re totally gonna hang even after Paris!). Ok anyway, we were both thinking how amazing and romantic this is and we’re here with Johnny. Nothing against Johnny, it’s just that you’d probably rather be with someone “special,” you know? She and I decided it was OUR night. We were going to be each others' dates =)

Johnny popped the bottle of Champagne and poured the first round. I know I know… Pariseans drink like crazy and it seems like every meal comes with wine or champagne. Plus Johnny really likes Champagne. I think it’s kinda gross,

but I drink some anyway. Not too much though. I was feeling it after one glass so I was pretty much done. LoL. The food was… interesting. The appetizer was salmon and cream cheese on a pita-ish bread (not too bad actually). For our dinner I ordered filet mignon, which was filet of PORK and was gross. The vegetables were green. That’s all I can say. I had NO idea what they were and why they tasted so funny. Next was the Brie cheese with vinaigrette salad and bread. That was my favorite part =) Cheese and bread? Aw man!! Lastly was dessert, chocolate and raspberry tart. Pretty yummy, but not worth the calories so I passed it to Johnny.

Now to the good part. I wish I could just tell you to close your eyes as I describe the sights and sounds but there’s two problems with that. One, you obviously couldn’t read it with your eyes shut. But Two, there’s absolutely no way to describe everything and the feelings that came along with it. The boat went in a circle through the canal/river and passed by many of the famous buildings and churches. My favorites were the Eiffel tower and all of the bridges. So like I mentioned on day one, I LOVE the night and I love seeing the lights. The Eiffel was breathtakingly gorgeous! Again, illuminated by blue lights, and every hour, the whole thing twinkled like a thousand tiny stars were dancing on its beams. The pictures don’t do it justice! I stood on the roof of the boat in silence. You could hear the water crashing against the boat, the sky was lit up by a tower of electric fireworks, and all I could think about was how freaking romantic this was and how freaking alone I was. I chuckled to myself at how pathetic that was and returned to my seat slightly disappointed. I also loved the bridges. We must have gone under ten bridges, each of them different and beautiful in their own way. My favorite was the Alexander bridge that I didn’t care for yesterday. But tonight, illuminated by the moon and the street lights, the gold glistened and it reminded me of expensive China my grandmother once had. Pure white with gold trimming. Massive yet so delicate, kinda like me! haha

For some reason, Johnny was pretty quiet the whole night. He went to the roof a few times and that gave Tamara and I a chance to have more girl talk about life and love, Paris and loneliness, and how I was going to serenade her all night long. LoL. That’s when it REALLY sank in. I’m in Paris!!!!! My heart just melted and the butterflies in my stomach began to flutter and I couldn’t stop smiling. It was quiet for a while as we both just stared out of the window. I finally looked across the table to see Tamara smiling as well. We just looked at each other for a moment, giggled a little, speaking so much without saying one word, and toasted to being in Paris alone, but together, and to good men waiting at home :-)