Paris

Well I'm back in London but I need to catch you all up on my time in Paris. I took the Eurostar to Paris and back and have to say that it is an amazing way to travel very relaxing, easy to do and quick. Much nicer than flying. I got into Paris fairly easily figured out which metro station and train I needed to get to my hotel and actually got there fairly easily. My hotel was really a pleasant suprise. My single room had a king size bed, a mini fridge and a nice bathroom much better than I expected. I also had free wifi access which was nice but only had my ipod to use with it so it was a pain for typing long things.

I was really enjoying just wandering around Paris. I went to the Louvre to see the special exhibit of Russian Orthodox art and artifacts which was stunning. I went to the Musee de Orsay and have to say if you don't have much time and want to see some beautiful art while in Paris go here rather than the louvre, it is much smaller so you can actually see everything in an afternoon and it is just as stunning and has equally famous paintings. I also spent a day just wandering from store to store starting in Montmatre and ending down by the river, it was really nice and good map reading practice for me.

Then I went to Disneyland Paris, BIG MISTAKE, going alone to a disney park was horrible. I got sick on the first and only ride I tried to ride (it was a very tame ride so I was embaressed too) and I just felt miserable and alone. I ended up with a migraine I think from trying not to cry. I ended up going back to my hotel tired, upset, sick and miserable to curl up with my stuffed penguin for a good cry. For some reason being surrounded by happy families and couples really bothered me, perhaps being that this month is one year from losing Armin. Perhaps it was the reminders of what I lost, perhaps it was just a bad day. For whatever reason it was a disaster of a day but I did find some quirky gifts for my brother in laws and I got a set of tigger ears.

The last day in Paris I slept in due to the headache and then got up and due to their being no more room in my luggage decided not to revisit some of the awesome places in Montmatre :D so I stayed in the neighborhood I was staying in a ways out of the centre of Paris and I went for a long walk. I really enjoyed seeing regular people doing regular things and it really cheered me up. I also enjoyed one last crepe and cider at my favorite little cafe.

Have to say I love Paris but I hate feeling so isolated, my french isn't up to conversation level so I don't understand what's going on around me and can't strike up a conversation with people around me. That was really hard. For a while it was okay but after a while it wears on you.

So that was Paris the good and the bad.