Casual Paris...

Last day in Paris. Ah, c'est la vie. I woke up early enough to catch breakfast and that was about it. I left to explore the city casually and to find out about this transfer to the airport. I got off at the Port Maillot stop and made all my mistakes today instead of tomorrow with all my luggage in tow. I finally found it and know how to get there. The bus leaves at 6:15AM. Whew that's early. At least I have that cleared up. I'm thinking Rome might be a wash. I get in at 11:30AM in Ciampino (I don't know how far from the city that might be) and then I leave at 6:00AM the next day. I'll see how it goes. I should've booked more time there. I wanted to stay in Paris, but I think now it's time for a change. Especially since my hotel is in the burbs. I found some of the hotels I saw on line in their perspective areas and know that when I come back here (which I hope to do in the future), I know where to stay and where to go. The trains here are great. It couldn't be more convenient. The only time it could get confusing are on the suburban lines where you really have to pay attention to the final destination if you're traveling outside the city's main center (zone 1). Some of the subways I found are on rubber tires. That's weird. I noticed this last night as I was wondering how the subway moved so quietly fast when the subways in NYC were so noisy. That would explain why. Even the suburban trains on the ole metal tracks and wheels are quiet. I wonder what the secret is there. There are no rubber tires on the suburban trains. After figuring out my transfer I headed into the Latin Quarter again by the Notre Dame. I like that area. I walked over to the artsy area on the Rue de Halles. I found a huge garden shopping center and another cathedral. There were people just bathing in the sun on the grounds surrounding it all. Paris is just lovely that way. The weather was a little cooler today, but perfect in every way. I got lucky and had a fabulous 3 days of weather. I was searching for an internet café at this point and I found some, but none that could hook me up or that were broadcasting a signal. In my urge to make connections for my upcoming Amsterdam overnights, I paid to use the messed up French keyboards to book my hostels so I wouldn't be homeless and I did just that. I have a hostel right near the beaches. This should be fine. It says I'm about 30 minutes from the city, but I can take a bike and do my thing or even take a day trip somewhere else. Ahh, relief. I also looked into the Prague trip and saw that the train is going to be a little more expensive than I expected, but the hostels available are under $20 for the night!!! Fabulous!! I grabbed a sandwich and just walked around enjoying the people and the sights around me. My only plans now are to take this heavy load back to the hotel, pack a little for my early departure in the morning, and go out again for some sunset and evening photos of the area. I didn't really meet anyone other than the folks that just sparked a conversation with me on a random occasion, but I'm fine with that. The only time I really wished I could enjoy an event with someone was at the Lido last night. I know a few people where we would have had a blast seeing the production value of the show, poking fun at some moments, and just realizing together that we couldn't believe what we were seeing. Another time and place.

I got into the city for the last time. I just remembered as I was walking to the train station how lovely the walk was every time I went to the station. The station was Chemin de Fer du Nord. The street itself had these stone brick houses that were so gingerbread cute. It was like these houses were plucked from Provence or Bréton and put here. This was definitely a positive to coming and going from Paris. Another positive was the quiet neighborhood and my sizeable room. The restriction of the train schedule and the distance away from central locations were the negatives of it. Such as today when I had to use the restroom and I gave up on my computer, it would have been nice to walk right there to the hotel I was looking at online right by Notre Dame (I didn't know this when booking) and drop my stuff off and do those things. Also last night I possibly would've stayed out later and slept in more if I knew I could walk there and still get a good night's sleep. The thought of staying out all night until 6:00AM when the first train to my area would go out was not too pleasing. Especially since that's what tomorrow might bring. Anyway, I headed into Paris also remembering there was a Statue of Liberty here and right at one of the stations that was accessible from the line I took into the city. I got out, snapped a few photos, and headed on my merry way to the Latin Quarter. In the Latin Quarter I found fondue place offering a prix Fixe menu for €11 and thought I would stay. I enjoyed the sit down meal immensely, but eating alone at a sit down restaurant was weird. The waiter didn't seem too thrilled I ordered from the Prix Fixe menu either. In such an instance I should've gotten take away and gone about my business. There was a sunset shot I wanted to get on the Seine and this meal was heading a little too long in that sunset photo for my taste and I had to power walk to the spot to grab the photo I saw last night without my camera. I walked on into the college area and then to see the Louvre at night. I still didn't see that Rose line. I guess that was added for effect in the story. I did a quite dangerous thing and walked the entire Champs Elysées. Now the second part wasn't dangerous at all since that's where the glitzy shops are located. It was the first part, the park that was sketchy. I should've turned around and walked out when I saw the dodgy people heading in and out of the hedge maze one by one. I did see a few couples walking along the parkway and a few single people with headphones, so I was put at ease since these were probably locals. I walked the entire path though all the way to L'Arc de Triomphe. Call me crazy. I just wanted to get in my last sight of Paris before I flew out the next day. I had my new French design shirt on (I shouldn't have accumulated more since I'm approaching weight limits, but I saw this and could not pass it up and that's rare for me) and I was strutting down the boulevard. I got stopped a few times from people this evening with my new shirt on asking for directions in French. I wish I could've helped, but I couldn't understand the French so well, couldn't speak it, and I had no clue about specifics of the area. I must've looked Parisian or something, lol. Well, it's off for a short nap for me before my alarm clock wakes me up for this 9:30AM flight I booked in which I have to be at the shuttle stop by 6:15AM. Yikes!! Au revoir Paris.