Oui, Paris!

On Monday, I hopped a flight for Paris. Despite my day-glo orange backpack, I must have blended in because I was asked for help 3 times. We managed to find a common language twice (interesting that my knee-jerk reaction was to respond in Spanish. What's that about?). I was helpful once. Not a bad record before even leaving the airport.

So, I thought I'd left Ireland. I mean, I took a plane, didn't I? So, why did I step out of the trainstation to see Ireland EVERYWHERE - Irish pubs, shamrocks decorating storefronts, even the Irish embassy. Apparently even the French love the Irish.

I started off my time in Paris making my way through the lovely Quartier Latin. Taking advantage of a gorgeous sunny day, I wandered through the Jardin de Plantes and meandered over to the Pantheon. I sat on the steps looking out to Notre Dame while enjoying a crepe de fromage. I could get used to this. Notre Dame is simply stunning inside, and sits towering over the Seine. Unfortunately, I was denied entry to the Sorbonne, but they tell me it's not what it used to be.

After meandering past the Lourve and Bastille I picked my way through the streets to meet my host, Dule. In a word, he is amazing. We dropped off my things at his adorable apartment. Since he is a transplant (from Serbia, by way of Zurich and the U.S.) he has a butcher paper on the wall slowly being filled with all the things he wants to do in Paris. I was encouraged to contribute, and added "speak with an artist." It became our mission for the night. We headed out to a delicious dinner, I had a tartine de chevre with a delightfully light salad and a wonderful chablis. We then popped around from bar to bar sampling various French wines and sharing stories about great loves, great losses and great memories. He quickly endeared himself with his wonderful storytelling ability. I couldn't have enjoyed the night more, even though our mission was not met.

The next morning I bid a bittersweet adieu to my wonderful host. I set off on a mission, and walked a circle around the entire city for the next 13 hours. I saw it all: the cemetery with great French notables such as Maria Callas, Montmartre and Sacre Coeur, l'Opera Garnier, the Eiffel Tower, and the Pompideu. I stopped for lunch on a square watching painters and enjoying some wonderful French cheeses. At this point I was starting to realize I can pick out enough words to catch the gist and was feeling pretty comfortable. I even felt emboldened enough to order tapwater in French (l'eau de robinet - I taught myself!). I later ordered another, and despite being told that he could only bring me one glass, another soon appeared. People say that the French aren't necessarily the nicest, but in my experience they've been really helpful and sweet.

Taking the waiter as a sign that I should use French more, I tried to rely on it (all 3 sentences I know) as much as possible the rest of the night. Later in the evening, I was humbled by a 3 year old counting to 10 for her mom. Show off!