Today was a very touristy day for us. We started at around noon, and walked to the Métro stop at Porte D'Orleans (about a 15 minute walk-where I'll go to catch the train for school every day) and went to La Tour Eiffel. We had to change trains, and the second train we got on had very lively polka music playing, which was entertaining. It sounded like someone's Bar Mitzvah was happening in our car. The Métro is great, though, and I think I'm finally getting the
hang of it. It comes so often you never have to wait longer than 5 minutes for the next train. And it goes SO fast, it's amazing. Also, I think I've been doing pretty well with my germaphobia here. I thought it was going to be a big problem, and while it kind of still is, I'm doing better than I thought. For example, I don't instantly dive into the shower the minute I get off the bus/train. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that EVERYONE here takes public transportation, whereas in L.A. it's mostly bums who come up to you and tell you they're married to Jesus (true story, he had the ring for proof). I digress...Anyway, so we got to La Tour Eiffel and my mom and I did our requisite "Where is it?" "I think they moved it." "It's probably next to Ikea." bit like we did at the Coliseum and every time we pass Ikea (can't they make it any bigger?). The line was insane, but only for the elevators. That's right, we took the stairs, and climbed up. So. Many. Stairs. I can't even 
imagine having to build it back in the 1880s. The view was amazing, though. You could see the whole city. I also found out where the entrance to the Paris sewers are so I can pretend I'm Jean Valjean and go running through them. The entrance is next to this statue on the Pont de L'Alma, which they use as an unofficial way to measure the flooding of the Seine, which I thought was kind of interesting. Then we took the lift all the way to the top, which involved a long line and a lot of pushing by crazy tourists. It was a cool view from up there, too, but it was super windy and really cold. And I could have done without all the people shoving me around. It was so high up, my ears popped on the way up and back down. Back at ground level, we decided to find a place to eat, and ended up getting les sandwich jambon. People here eat more ham than any other kind of lunch meat. Also, I partly know why Parisians are not fat. It's because a ham sandwich is literally just one slice of ham on a baguette with a little bit of butter and *maybe* some cheese. No crazy "double meat" or tons of mayo and other toppings. Also, we walk everywhere. And we don't snack. So hopefully I won't be super fat when I get home, although I may be out of shape all the same since I breathe in vast quantities of cigarette smoke every day.... After we ate, we took a bus part of the way to Notre Dame. After a few stops, the bus got so crowded we could hardly move. People were just piling on like it was the last bus that would ever come. Also they all just got on through the back door, and you can't pay from there so I'm wondering what the rules are regarding that. It was so packed that we got off early and found a Métro. 
hang of it. It comes so often you never have to wait longer than 5 minutes for the next train. And it goes SO fast, it's amazing. Also, I think I've been doing pretty well with my germaphobia here. I thought it was going to be a big problem, and while it kind of still is, I'm doing better than I thought. For example, I don't instantly dive into the shower the minute I get off the bus/train. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that EVERYONE here takes public transportation, whereas in L.A. it's mostly bums who come up to you and tell you they're married to Jesus (true story, he had the ring for proof). I digress...Anyway, so we got to La Tour Eiffel and my mom and I did our requisite "Where is it?" "I think they moved it." "It's probably next to Ikea." bit like we did at the Coliseum and every time we pass Ikea (can't they make it any bigger?). The line was insane, but only for the elevators. That's right, we took the stairs, and climbed up. So. Many. Stairs. I can't even 
imagine having to build it back in the 1880s. The view was amazing, though. You could see the whole city. I also found out where the entrance to the Paris sewers are so I can pretend I'm Jean Valjean and go running through them. The entrance is next to this statue on the Pont de L'Alma, which they use as an unofficial way to measure the flooding of the Seine, which I thought was kind of interesting. Then we took the lift all the way to the top, which involved a long line and a lot of pushing by crazy tourists. It was a cool view from up there, too, but it was super windy and really cold. And I could have done without all the people shoving me around. It was so high up, my ears popped on the way up and back down. Back at ground level, we decided to find a place to eat, and ended up getting les sandwich jambon. People here eat more ham than any other kind of lunch meat. Also, I partly know why Parisians are not fat. It's because a ham sandwich is literally just one slice of ham on a baguette with a little bit of butter and *maybe* some cheese. No crazy "double meat" or tons of mayo and other toppings. Also, we walk everywhere. And we don't snack. So hopefully I won't be super fat when I get home, although I may be out of shape all the same since I breathe in vast quantities of cigarette smoke every day.... After we ate, we took a bus part of the way to Notre Dame. After a few stops, the bus got so crowded we could hardly move. People were just piling on like it was the last bus that would ever come. Also they all just got on through the back door, and you can't pay from there so I'm wondering what the rules are regarding that. It was so packed that we got off early and found a Métro. 
We took that the rest of the way, and when we got off, I was looking at the map and trying to orient myself and find out which direction I was supposed to be walking to find it, and a man came up and asked where I wanted to go (in French) and I answered (in French) and he directed me (in French) and I understood what happened! Big moment haha. We were literally right around the corner. Notre Dame might be my favorite thing here so far. The Eiffel Tower was cool, but all the tourists were really annoying and pushy and it was really cold. Notre Dame was way calmer and so beautiful. Inside was amazing. All the stained glass is soooooooo 
gorgeous. They also had a bunch of confession booths where you could go in and talk to a priest, but it was behind a wall of glass so everyone could see you. It was kind of strange. It was really nice and quiet inside the church, and it was really warm, too. But, of course, we had to go outside to the other side to see the flying buttresses. If I only learned one thing in Schmidt's class back in high school, it was about the flying buttresses. They are the weird spider-leg looking things that are basically flying out the sides of the building and indicative of Gothic architecture. 
They're necessary to support the extreme weight of all the stone, and crucial to being able to have the stained glass windows. Without them, the windows would shatter under the weight of the stone, and the walls definitely would not have lasted this long. However, I'm pretty sure the flying buttresses we built out of people in class could give these a run for their money. After Notre Dame, we found another Métro and went to Au Bon Marché, a very expensive department store with a very expensive market attached. The market was really cool, they had SO much random stuff from all different parts of the world. Definitely a good place to get gifts for foodie friends. My mom was going crazy. I also had really bad hiccups during this little side trip, which was super fun. This was our last stop for the day, so we took the train back to the house, bought a baguette, and came back for dinner. I'm kind of getting to know my way around a little bit. When we got off the subway I knew which "sortie" (exit) to take, and which streets to take to get home. Once again, however, I was bested by the lock on the door, and Bibiane had to come rescue me. She probably thinks I'm an idiot for not being able to open the stupid door, and she showed be again, but I'm pretty sure I did the exact same thing she did except for me it was a fail. Then I watched as a bunch of neighbors came over to help set up the living room for the huge party tomorrow, which I still don't have a costume for. They brought in huge speakers, and a bar, and moved a lot of the furniture out of the way. I have no idea what to expect. Someone started playing a really cool version of "Bulletproof," though. It was a remixed version by Major Lazer, and everyone should look it up/listen to it. Then we had dinner outside (it was freezing outside, and I still can't feel my feet, 4 hours later). All the neighbors were over for dinner, and I was, once again, lost in the conversation. I think I'm at least starting to pick out individual words sometimes now, instead of everything sounding like one super long word, but either I can't remember the meaning of the words I can make out, or by the time I process they've moved three topics ahead.... I feel really inadequate on this front, as well, because I can't contribute anything to the conversation. It already takes me long enough to be comfortable speaking in new groups, and now I have to do it in a different language? Great. I went up to shower and go to sleep after I couldn't figure out "dix-huit heures" (18:00) did not have anything to do with 10:08--I forgot to subtract 12 from the time. I just keep telling myself it will only get better.
gorgeous. They also had a bunch of confession booths where you could go in and talk to a priest, but it was behind a wall of glass so everyone could see you. It was kind of strange. It was really nice and quiet inside the church, and it was really warm, too. But, of course, we had to go outside to the other side to see the flying buttresses. If I only learned one thing in Schmidt's class back in high school, it was about the flying buttresses. They are the weird spider-leg looking things that are basically flying out the sides of the building and indicative of Gothic architecture. 
They're necessary to support the extreme weight of all the stone, and crucial to being able to have the stained glass windows. Without them, the windows would shatter under the weight of the stone, and the walls definitely would not have lasted this long. However, I'm pretty sure the flying buttresses we built out of people in class could give these a run for their money. After Notre Dame, we found another Métro and went to Au Bon Marché, a very expensive department store with a very expensive market attached. The market was really cool, they had SO much random stuff from all different parts of the world. Definitely a good place to get gifts for foodie friends. My mom was going crazy. I also had really bad hiccups during this little side trip, which was super fun. This was our last stop for the day, so we took the train back to the house, bought a baguette, and came back for dinner. I'm kind of getting to know my way around a little bit. When we got off the subway I knew which "sortie" (exit) to take, and which streets to take to get home. Once again, however, I was bested by the lock on the door, and Bibiane had to come rescue me. She probably thinks I'm an idiot for not being able to open the stupid door, and she showed be again, but I'm pretty sure I did the exact same thing she did except for me it was a fail. Then I watched as a bunch of neighbors came over to help set up the living room for the huge party tomorrow, which I still don't have a costume for. They brought in huge speakers, and a bar, and moved a lot of the furniture out of the way. I have no idea what to expect. Someone started playing a really cool version of "Bulletproof," though. It was a remixed version by Major Lazer, and everyone should look it up/listen to it. Then we had dinner outside (it was freezing outside, and I still can't feel my feet, 4 hours later). All the neighbors were over for dinner, and I was, once again, lost in the conversation. I think I'm at least starting to pick out individual words sometimes now, instead of everything sounding like one super long word, but either I can't remember the meaning of the words I can make out, or by the time I process they've moved three topics ahead.... I feel really inadequate on this front, as well, because I can't contribute anything to the conversation. It already takes me long enough to be comfortable speaking in new groups, and now I have to do it in a different language? Great. I went up to shower and go to sleep after I couldn't figure out "dix-huit heures" (18:00) did not have anything to do with 10:08--I forgot to subtract 12 from the time. I just keep telling myself it will only get better.
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