Paris 1

What an eventful weekend.  I feel like I need another vacation from that vacation.  We decided to purchase museum passes, but in order to make them worth our while, we had to visit about a million museums in two days (or about 8 if you want to count).  While it seemed like a good idea at the time, I think I became a little too overzealous.  I kinda pushed the three of us to exhaustion on the first day.  Partly out of my desire to get the most out of Paris and the museum pass, and partly because it was just so exciting to be able to see so many amazing things.  A word to the warning, there is actually so much I have to say about three days that I will end up splitting this post into two parts.  The pictures are already on the sister website if you should decide to look at those first (although I have yet to write comments and do not know when I will get around to that).

Thursday was quite exciting.  We ended up passing the airport on the metro and had to return the opposite direction, but we found it alright.  Then we found out there is an airport supplement that was not liked, but unavoidable.  Next we waited in line for about 45 min to an hour to get our passes, all the while fretting that our bags would not fit into the very strict requirements for luggage on a Ryanair flight.  The reason we had to wait so long was that many people don't bother to weigh their luggage or make sure it fits into the dimensions of the carry on luggage and then the line has to wait for the trouble makers to sort out how to fit two suitcases in one and make it fit under the weight limits.  The next two hours seemed to fly by as we ate a quick lunch, and got a gag line for the entire trip.  Rob asked the lady at the register cuanto vale, which literally means how OK.  However, it is also used as a way to say, cuanto cuesto, or how much does this cost. (how cost) When the lady didn't understand, Rob decided to say very slowly and deliberately cuanto... vale... Then the lady understood, but it was funny because we are the people who never understand Spanish, not the other way around.  Next we had a scare as we saw boarding was in 30 min and we hadn't gone through security yet.  We practically ran through security (where you do not have to remove your shoes) and then realized the plane had not even arrived.  However, the plane ended up landing on time.

The flight there was definitely something to remember.  We were all getting kind of nervous and excited at the same time.  This was my first time to France and I think Rob's too, but none of us knew French.  Rob and Andy had little phrase books, but I didn't know what that would do for me.  Instead of worrying, we got absorbed in either movies or music.  That is until the plane got rowdy.  The thing that you have to understand is that Ryanair does not get the most respect from its passengers.  Basically Ryanair is a school bus with wings.  On our way there there was almost no one on the plane and this group of six guys that were having a party.  Hanging over each other's seats, laughing and mixing duty free alcohol with drinks on board.  That seems like an expensive habit, but at the same time, quite an experience.  After there was a break in the selling of food by the stewardesses, we had some sort of bell ring that was like bingo, not just one chime, but a sequence.  Anyway, apparently this signifies plane lottery.  The stewardesses fill the aisle and begin selling scratch off cards for 2 E.  I didn't want to play, but in the spirit of the trip, I indulged and I have to admit it was fun while it lasted and that group of guys definitely made the trip fun.  Oh, and I didn't win, but it was fun nonetheless.  Landing went fine, but it was COLD in France.  Maybe it's because I'm spoiled in Madrid, but I was none too happy while walking outside.  The first day it was alright, but the next I had to wear the heavy coat, which also did not keep me that warm.  I cannot complain that much though, because now I can say I have been in Paris when it snowed and I got to see the Palace of Versailles in the snow.  It was quite beautiful.  Back to the story, Ryanair, being cheap as it is, flies into an airport an hour north of Paris and man is it bad.  Beauvais is even worse than Willard (Champaign's airport) and Willard takes about two flights a day.  I actually didn't notice how bad the airport was until I got back for the return flight, but I think this is quite a lot of nonsense to read and therefore I will continue later with the hostel and some of the sights (including the metro, for now I feel as though I should become a connoisseur of metros after Madrid's lofty claim of being the one the world longs for).