An American in Paris

We made it! A combination of delayed flights, lost luggage, and a foreign language that none of us can speak has made this an interesting start to our adventures. But we are all here and stuffed with all of the fresh bread and cheese you can imagine!

This post is very brief, as my internet is almost out and this keyboard is way too complicated for my qwerty trained brain.

We have spent the last few days mastering the Parisian metro, sampling crepes from all sections of Paris, and, of course, seeing all of attractions. Our hostel is in a grungy, wonderful part of Paris. Our jetlag has made so we are awake and out in Paris late into the night and it has certainly been an experience!

To combat said jet lag, we have been exploring in the morning and early afternoon, taking a siesta in the late afternoon, and then heading back out for the evening and night. Interestingly enough, this nap and rest time has made up some of my favorite times in Paris. Our rooms have gigantic windows that open fully onto the Paris streets below, so I drift into a light sleep to the sounds of Vespas driving by and Parisians talking excitedly on the street below. It has been intoxicating, really.

My dad will be vindicated to hear, however, that we have encountered several very rude French people. Americans and (hopefully!) other Europeans are far more welcoming to visitors to their country, even those who do not speak the language well. However, we have also met many helpful Parisians and even a traveling Croation who have been generous with their time and information.

Tonight we are taking the overnight train to Madrid!! I will post from there in a few days. :-) Feel free to e-mail with info about back in the States (or Australia, for that matter).