I realized yesterday - as I schlepped around Paris - that my Paris is still the Paris of a poor student. That's not necessarily a BAD thing, but it's not a glam city. It is a functioning real city. No Champs-Elysees pour moi. This is how it went...
Since our office is out at La Defense, my taxi brought be there by noon. I quickly bathed and freshened up, then packed up to get on the metro towards gay paree. That's when I realized that my camera was gone. I literally shouted "MERDE!". Guess that means I was feeling comfy!
Luckily I had my driver's number for my return and he was very gracious about meeting me in the city with my camera. So... I... took the metro to Ecole Militaire, walked to my old school, walked back through the Champs de Mars to my apartment.
I passed my favorite spot to buy a crepe au chocolat on the street (so I did) and then I cruised the old 'hood. That's when I realized my Paris is the poor student Paris! Then I took the metro to attempt to get into Musee D'Orsay - even though I knew it was free Sunday and the queue would be outrageous.
The queue was OUTRAGEOUS. So I took a picture and kept on. I walked along the Seine all the way to St Michel. Did I mention it was FREEZING???? So I did another poor student move and bought a sandwich greque (greek sandwich) with fries and took it to Notre Dame. My friend Jim and I used to do this often - soI reminisced as I sat watching tourists. Then I realized I couldn't FEEL MY HANDS anymore - so I went on.
Then I walked to Centre Pompidou to see if PERHAPS the queue would be shorter. No luck. Another museum shot from the outside. Notice the line of tiny bodies trying to get in for free. No thanks!
Then I went back to my hotel to get ready for dinner, which is EXACTLY what I need to do now. The big question is - do I go French and wear the same skirt I had on today or do I ruin a pair of perfectly drycleaned pants to go out in the rain (oh yeah, today it SNOWED - more on that later) and slush for a dinner. Methinks I'll ruin the pants. Gotta look good :)A bientot!
