We arrived in Paris about 6 o'clock in the (freakin') morning, after being up since 4-5 in the morning already.
Coming and seeing Paris again brought back so many memories, no matter how many times I have been to Paris I still miss it and becomes so happy being there again. :D
For you guys who haven't been there, Gare du Nord is one of the trian stations in Paris and you all know what it's like around train stations (enough said..XD). But around here and the neighbouring 19th arrondissment (Paris is divided into 20 areas, suburbs not included) are the absolutely worst areas in Paris. So can you imagen the thoughts running inside all my newly-awakened-first-time-in-Paris classmates? And if you haven't been there for real or been some place with the same condition it's hard to imagen what we saw.
What really upsets me is that these classmates (can surely say about 90%) was so sure that whole Paris was so fabulous as they see on TV and all the magazines. With fabulous Eifeel tour, glamorous Champs Élysée and those other things. I can get that you have this picture of the way Paris looks and all that but how come they almost fainted seeing this part is Paris.
France haven't the same well-fare system as in Sweden where practically everything is clean and tidy. France is a Industrial country and all that jazz but did they for real think that everything was that glamorous? Paris is a huge million-city did they really think it didn't have bad sides too? Seriously, how are their concept of the world?
When we arrived we had to drag all our luggage down the stairs, to a shaggy luggage space. I can tell you it was FAR from everyone that had small suitcases like me, some of them were huge. XD After that 32 people had dragged down their luggages we had a programme to follow. Next stop: La Défense!
Everyone feeling really unfresh and tired the whole class stumbled to Gare du Nord to have some breakfast.
-You get one hour to hunt down breakfast...aaannd BREAK!
That was my breakfast that day, orange juice and a croissant. Don't worry I got used to being hungry all the time in Paris....
We took the Métro to La Défense (see picture one XD). As said before our original teacher who does all the Paris-Nantes trips couldn't come to in the last minutes they took 2 other teacher who've never done it before, so it ended up with that one of the teachers asked me to give directions in the Métro and such. Mahahahaa, I felt so powerful XD, no but it was really fun taking charge. (powermadness!)
We came to La Défense (with me on the lead off course XD) about 8 o'clock and it was really amazing. La Défense being on the outskirts of Paris gives the whole place certain clamness and peacefulness. I don't know really maybe it was only morning when we were there but it was very different from the Paris I know, where everyone rushes and shoves. It was a nice change though.
We came back to Gare du Nord to walk up to Sacré Ceur cathedral. Off course the teachers didn't know the way there and I had to ask for the directions, in French ;) oh yeah!
We came there after a while and jsut as we were going through the gates to the cathedral me and 3 other friends got attacked by these black men holding these strings in their hand wanting us to take our hands out. The funny thing is me and one friend just got passed them but we realized we lost the 2 others so we went back to see them. When we saw them, both of them were stuck with these black men and when we were heading towards them the black men got us too.
I didn't really know what they were gonig to do, but he kept saying something about their religion I think and that with this string I will be happy and fortunate and all that crap. I was holding a finger out and they made this beading with the strings and he kept talking and talking, then I see my friends take their wallet out and pay.
I asked the man, how much I had to pay, and he was like no no it's free (my ass). After like 20 seconds he was finished and he was like I need to have some reward, I laughed out loud right to his face and said you jsut said it was free and he was like looking away and shaking his head. I started to go away but he kept grabbing me and like no you have to pay. I dug out my wallet, he said he wanted fifty, I couldn't believe it. I gave him 1 euro and he was still going after me I gave him the last coin I have a 50 cent, then I just walked out of there fast.
I'm such a tourist!! MAN! XD
[end of Day 2, part1]
6 comments:
wooow...I didn't know you were in Paris for quite a time! So was it like a language thing? Do you know that I was in New York and Toronto the last two weeks? omg, so fabulous, I tell ya! yah, i totally know some of these kids too, who have that beautiful Paris pictured in their head. But if you're there, you can actually a lot of dirt on the streets... yah, but that's only at some places... So what are you up to know? Haven't talked to you for quite a time =S
hahah det där med religionkillarna. HAHAHAHAH, knäckt de blev då :D
svar: ja det är sjukt jobbigt :(
Alla städer har sina bra och dåliga sidor det är ju det som gör dem så charmiga :D
re Mel: Thanks for commenting, Iäve been waiting ;) Yeah I heard, it must been a blast at the States. You ahev to tell me all about it later! ;)
re Carro: Det var rätt obehagligt, en annan kille i min klass betala jätte mycket!
re Josse: JA! Jag håller med totallt! :D Jag älskar Pariiisss :D
"I got used to being hungry all the time in Paris...."
fick du ingen mat där? xD
Re Therese: MAhahhaha, vi fick 60 euro till mat hela veckan. men det avr itne liksom vi ahde en tid då vi åt lunch och då vi åt middag. Det var liksom, är vi så hungriga att vi snart svälter? OK vi köper en baguette XD
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