Saturday, July 26, 2008

I'm writing this from Sophie's bed at 11am

Traveler's tip number 2:
When possible, travel Air Canada. Air Canada speaks french, Air Canada has young hosteses, Air Canada goes through Montreal where all the girls are gorgeous, Air Canada serves wine for free with their meals, the meals are delicious, the seats are comfortable, I was able to sleep about 5 hours on a 7 hour flight. Travel Air Canada.

I brought my sister to la gare de Lyon and saw her off on the TGV for Lyon. She's going to stay with a friend of hers from primary school, just for the weekend. Then she's taking a train to Gap passing through Grenoble to stay with her Aunt Sylvie and her three cousins with whom she gets along with.
From there I walked over the Seine through some parks, got lost inside this huge university building (Henri 6 I believe) and finally found l'institut du monde Arab. I checked it out, went up to the 9th floor terrace for an awesome view but didn't go the actual museum.
Then I continued my way over to Sophie's and passed through the Lutece Arena. This arena way built by the romans in circa 100 AD. At this time, Paris was still called Lutece, Lutece is the Roman/Latin name they gave Paris. This arena is said to easily fit 10,000 people and perhaps as many as 17,000. I believe it was used for gladiator matches as well as theatre, perhaps. They rediscovered it in the late 19th century but it was almost destroyed to make way for some bus hanger. Luckly the Parisian people were in uproar and managed to have it preserved and restored. Now it serves as a park in the middle of Paris. Yesterday when I visited it, there were people taking their lunch break in it on the seats of the arena and others playing bacci ball where lions used to tear gladiators apart. Cool stuff.
At Sophies, I chatted a little bit with her parents and whatnot then out of the blue Stephanie scared the shit out of me. She surprised them and arrived from Turkey last night. Cool, welcome back Stephanie!
Well finally, somehow, Alex managed to leave a message on Sophie's cell phone saying that he was coming in at 15h06 (il a eu du mal avec l'heure apparament). We met him and his dad at the Paris gare du Nord (the train station that goes to the places North of Paris). We took his dad to see the Eiffel Tower and then took him back to his train for London. Short stay in Paris Mr. Thomas Nishida.
This was followed by meeting Stephana and Gwladys back at Sophie's. Then we all walked like 2 blocks to the "grande mosque de Paris" where we could not visit because it was Friday but where we were able to have some tea and eat some delicious pasteries. Then Olivier met us up there. He seems cool, he got his hair cut really short (by Stephana). After about and hour at the mosque, it was now 20h30 and the the supermarkets would be closing soon, we got out of there and went grocery shopping for our picnic along la Seine. And oooo what a picnic! MAN! wine, saucisson, cheese! everything one could ask for! I even got Sophie to feed me some stuff although it was short lived. This whole time Gwladys and I were chatting, catching up, which is always fun with her.
So we get up and start walking further into Paris along the Seine and like 30 seconds later there is this awesome capuera group with live music and capuera dancing and everything! soooo cool! they were very good too. we stayed about an hour watching them dance. AND THEN like, right next to them was a salsa dance party going on, right along la seine! again! awesome! and i think i dance salsa way better when i'm drunk. Although I was also just really exhausted. We walked back to some bar not too far from Sophie's but then I walked Gwladys back to a Taxi stand. She was going back to her bfs I think. She had to wake up early to go somewhere for a marriage with him. Good time though, oh and it was pouring as we were finding this taxi, Olivier was nice enough to lend me his dry sweater. so nice of him!
We soon when back to Sophies and crashed and man did I crash! must be jetlagged still. Sophie's sleeping in another bed. We're all here kind of sprawled out on matresses. France has less matress stores than Brazil.

No comments: