Let the games begin

Hello! or should I say, bonojur.

I finally got this thing up and running. I've been gone for 2 weeks and these 2 weeks have for sure been the most stressful, the most exciting and the most eye-opening of my entire life. I have so much to say, I have no idea if I'll be able to say it all. I really wish I had this sooner because now I have 2 whole weeks of epiphanies to share. I will have to shorten it down but here goes:

So on the 19th of August and the following week I went to San Francisco(finally getting my VISA), New York City, Ireland, London, Paris and Lyon. Too bad none of it was as glamorous as it sounds. I wore the same clothes for three days and didn't sleep in a bed until the 22nd. After Norri and I got to the Hilton in London, the first thing I did was take a very long...scalding hot...shower and god I needed it. We ventured out into the rain after that. I think that the Underground is the best public transportation system I've ever been in. Its clean and fast and worth riding just so you can hear the woman go "Picadilly Circus" in an English accent. The tube makes the max look like the "special kid" at school. London was very busy. Everyone there was on a mission and moving fast but I really liked it. I just wish the weather had been better. It felt like November in Oregon. Norri and I ended up seeing Buckingham palace, Big Ben, The British Museum, Soho, and The Lion King: The musical. Neither of us had seen the play and I really liked it (yes I cried when Mufasa died....)

They eat baked beans for breakfast in England. Okay...whatever. Norri and I took the chunnel to Paris after two days in London. Once we got to Paris, I really wanted to chuck my luggage into the River Seine. That is if I could get the damn things there. They were so heavy and Europe doesn't really believe in elevators. They are slowly catching on with escalators but very selectively. I dont even want to talk about those ^%$#@$ bags. Up and down, up and down, taking trips up and down stairs, one bag at a time...luckily people were VERY nice, even in Paris. Whoever said that the french were rude made a very rash generalization. so many people helped us! One night when Norri and I were lost in Paris, some man came up to me and asked if we were lost. "oui" I said and he proceeded to take my map and ask were we needed to go. I showed him and then he walked us to the Metro station. Norri thought he was coming with us and told me to make him go away...I really have no idea how to say that in French so it was kind of awkward. (BTW...there is no word in french that really conveys the word awkward. Aparently nothing is awkward in France but I BEG to differ....) Anyway, the man ended up BUYING our metro tickets for us and getting on the Metro that was going the other way. It was one of those little kind things that have a really huge impact. One of those "pay it forward" moments. We only had one rude waiter but come on...french waiters...OBVIOUSLY going to be rude...

So when Norri and I FINALLY GOT TO OUR HOTEL in Paris, we hauled my bags to our room and promptly blasted the AC and stripped down to our underware to cool off. It was SO HOT. After composing ourselves, we went on a walk. The Eiffel Tower was very close to our hotel and I took about a billion pictures of it. I started to cry actually. I was in shock that I was ACTUALLY in Europe. I had such a sense of accomplishment because it honestly took so much work to get to that point. I just stared up at it and felt like I was dreaming. I made it! I actually made it to France, something I have wanted my whole entire life.

After circling the tower, Norri and I found a restaurant where we ate our first meal in France. I had Confit du Canard even though I had NO idea what I was ordering. It turned out to be duck and potatoes with garlic and herbs and it was really really good. Hopefully I wont get kicked out of U of O for eating duck though. Apred le diner, we walked along the Champ-Elysee to the Arc de Triopmhe and got there just in time for the sunset. We climbed all 250-something stairs and it was the best decision of the whole trip. I got to see the sunset on Paris and the Eiffel Tower light up. The city of lights really earned its name that night. I took another billion photos because the Tower was all lit up and the moon was just off to the side of it. I said it was the most beautiful thing i've seen. Norri said, "wait till you have kids" but that wont be for at least 15 years so i'll settle with this for now.

I had a rough time last night. I really wanted to call home but it was just not happening. American calling cards just dont really work here. Phones actually really suck in France which is interesting because Norri read me something that said that France was supposed to have one of the best telecommunication programs in the world.....GREEEEEEEEAAAATTTT.....

That sucked, I cried, blah blah blah. I cried a lot on the beginning of this trip. Anyway, we got breakfast which is where we met the rude waiter. He refused to speak French, I refused to speak Enligsh, alas, we hated each other. Then Norri and I went to the Louvre. The louvre is the largest collection of 18th century art. I dont really like 18th century art so I guess that was a bad choice but come on...its the Louvre. Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and you know....according to the Davinci Code, Mary Magdelene, the bearer of christ's child, is buried there....(im joking for those of you who can't read my internet sarcasm). After that, we walked to this island in the middle of the Seine called Pont neuf and fell asleep on a bench. It was very beautiful, minus the drool. We woke up and went to the Latin Quarter where we bought scarfs and ate a delicious meal. That night was the night we got lost but when we finally got home, we passed out. By that day we were so beat from walking everywhere for 5 days. The next day we got to Lyon and thats wehre I'd like to end. There is much more to say about lyon.