Paris!

Mom arrived safely with no complications on Tuesday Nov. 21st. We had just enough time to go back to our flat, freshen up, and catch our breath before we were on our way to Paris! The journey consisted of MANY modes of transportation to get from point A (Harrogate) to B (Paris). You will be amazed...

First, we took a taxi from our flat to Harrogate's bus station. Then, we rode the bus to Leeds Airport where we flew into Paris. Next, we took a bus to get from one side of the airport to the other where we caught a train called the RER which we rode for 30 minutes. When we reached "Gare du Nord," we hopped off the train and got onto the underground Metro system where we made two connections before we got off at our stop. We proceeded to walk about 3 minutes and finally arrived at our hotel. What a journey! With the use of mom and my brilliant minds, a few maps, Brandon's pre-travel help and paperwork, and a nice Canadian girl that was going in a similar direction, we made it there problem free. There was only a minor hold up at the train station in Paris, but we figured it out eventually and overall it was a very smooth operation.

By the time we checked in, it was already 6:30 pm. Dinner was the first thing on the agenda. We went to a recommended restaurant called Chartier. Surprisingly, there was not an English menu, but our waiter did his best to translate a total of 3 meal choices. We both went with the "beef in sauce" option. :) It was pretty good. By the time dinner was over, all the attractions and stores were closed so we just did a little window shopping. We finished our evening with a visit to the Eiffel tower. At night, it's all lit up and a very different feel than in the daytime. I wanted Mom to experience it at both times.

The next morning we again headed to the E. Tower. This time, we went to the very top. What amazing views! We then hit up the Louvre where we saw the original Mona Lisa in addition to many other pieces of artwork. (Note: It's a given that shopping was sprinkled in between all of these activities. :) We would have it no other way.) We next went to the Arc de Triumph where the world's largest roundabout is located, and finally ended our time in Paris with shopping on the most famous stretch in the city.

At 7 pm we did the route in reverse order and got back to the Paris airport. This time, however, we flew into Luton, London instead of back to Harrogate. After an hour bus ride that took us into the heart of London, we found a handsome, familiar face that belonged to Brandon Rigg. We successfully pulled off the plan. Hooray for us!

Now, some people may have the impression that Paris is not a "friendly" place. That the people can be rude, mean, and possibly even somewhat anti-American. Well, as with any place, I am sure there is a percentage of such people. But I am here to tell you that Mom and I encountered so many nice people during our short stay in France! (One that was a bit too friendly.) I'll share a few stories that we experienced. A kind man carried mom's suitcase up a long flight of stairs. A random lady directed us to the escalators that we didn't know about because she noticed we were carrying luggage. A French lady complimented me on my purse. Our first waiter at Chartier was practically my best friend. And even though I had no clue what he was saying, his proximity and body language was telling me enough. (That is until I told him I didn't speak French. At which point he acted very disappointed, but couldn't do anything more but get the English speaking waiter.) BUT... the story that tops them all is about a French guy at the train station in Paris on our way out of the city. He saw us standing at a map and came over to ask if we needed directions. He proceeded to help us for the next 20 minutes! He led us all over the station, talked to people in French for us, helped us buy tickets, etc. We kept telling him he didn't need to do anymore and could be on his way, but he kept saying "Oh, it's no problem," and insisted on assisting us until we made it to our platform. Who gives 20 minutes of their precious time to help 2 American strangers you may ask? Apparently, the kind French do. Anyway, it made me happy to experience the opposite of the stereotypes we often here about.

Stay tuned to hear about the next part of our adventures. Two full and fun-packed days in London.

Byeee.