The City of Love?

So we went to Paris this weekend and I have been waiting my whole life to visit this beautiful city. We took an 11 hour train ride through the North of Spain into Basque country and then on into France. The train ride was really beautiful, but our connecting train into France was full so we had to take a later train. That is when the trouble began...The train we were supposed take would get us into Paris at 7:45pm but because that train was full we had to take a train that put us in Paris at 11:20pm. We were a little worried about finding our hostel in the middle of the night and that the public transportation would close down in the middle of our search. But there was really nothing much we could do, so we walked around the Hendaye for a few hours waiting for our next train. The city was on the coast and really green and beautiful. But in the middle of our walk it started pouring buckets and lightning and thundering. We didn't have an umbrella so we went searching for one frantically. I swear that if someone would set up an umbrella stand in the rain, they would make a killing. We did find an umbrella at a boat store near enough and finally had some relief from the rain. Tyler insisted that we walk to the beach even though it was cold and rainy and miserable, but we did anyway. 

We finally got on our train to France, a little damper than we arrived, and found that even though we had a reservation, we did not have an assigned seat. So we scrambled to find two seats together and thought we were fine to settle in for the night. Well some smart Frenchman had another idea in store for us. It wasn't literally one guy, but somewhere, someone had the bright idea to give some people reserved seating and some people just general tickets. So we had to change seats three or four times before finally arriving in Paris. Not to mention we arrived at nearly 12:00am. We decided not to brave the public transportation and got a taxi. I thought it was fitting that our taxi was a Mercedes seeing as we were in France, until he started driving through tunnels at 100 miles an hour (not km! I did the conversion Dad!) and I remembered that Princess Diana was also once driving in a Mercedes in Paris at midnight through tunnels going quite fast and I became a little sick to my stomach. Tyler was nauseous too but not because of Princess Di, but because the cab ride cost us 45 Euros! That is over $70! It cost a 40 euros total to buy a plane ticket to Germany. That's what comes from being in Paris. We did pass the Eiffel Tower though and it was all lit up and sparkling and reminded me of my niece Janie and how when we play together she is always "Mywee" and I am "Spahkle Butiful." Tyler and I nicknamed the Eiffel Tower Sparkle Beautiful.

Our hostel was nice though and was not expensive for what we got out of it. And it was really clean, something you don't always see in student hostels in Europe. We found out it was a good thing that we took the taxi after all because the Metro in Paris is open late, but to get to our hostel you have to take an RER train which is a train system that serves Paris' suburbs and those close at 12:00. So we would have made it as far as the Metro goes and then would have had to find a cab in the middle of nowhere or even worse, walk. 

I was excited to start our first day in Paris. I wasn't feeling great, but I didn't sleep well that night so I thought once I got out and about I would feel better. We decided to go to the Louvre first and avoid the crowds. We walked through some beautiful parts of Paris and arrived at the Louvre. 

As we were waiting in line for tickets, I began to feel a little dizzy. I needed to find a bathroom and fast. So I told Ty I was going to check our coats and made my way out of the crowded hall. My stomach was rocking and rolling and I found the bathroom just in time...I will spare the hairy details...and came out a little shaky, my stomach still churning. We decided to see the Mona Lisa first and made our way to the crowded exhibition room. I started to feel that same sort of rumbly in my tumbly and told Tyler I needed to get out and get some Sprite or something. We found a Sprite and a bench and sat there for about 15 minutes and I tried to stand up but was really shaky and weak still. I nibbled on some granola bar and croissant, but that didn't help either. At this rate it would literally take us the entire two days we had to see the Louvre. Tyler however, is a champ and got me a wheelchair right away and I am sure I looked pathetic being rolled around with no apparent handicap, but it was a lifesaver and I was able to enjoy the Louvre. 

After sitting for a few hours, I was feeling a little better, so we decided to check out Notre Dame and the other side of the river. Tyler was starving and I was nauseous at the smell of food so he ordered a kebab and I tried not to smell it. I did try a little bit of it and it was good, but I couldn't eat much. We went through Notre Dame and there was some sort of service going on inside so it was crowded, but the effect of the singing and prayers was magical. I am so amazed at the size of these buildings! After Notre Dame, I wasn't feeling to swell and we started walking towards the Latin District and Luxemborg gardens. By the time we made it to the Pantheon, I was miserable, shivering and achy all over. We rested on the steps for a few minutes and then continued on our way exploring the little side streets. Each step became harder and harder and I became more and more ill. By the time we made it to a park bench I was in tears, I was so miserable. I wanted to see Paris more than anything, but my body was killing me! We decided to at least try for the Luxemborg gardens before going back to the hostel, but that was still a 15 minute walk away and by the time we reached the edge I could barely walk. We stopped in a McDonald's so I could get another Sprite to settle my ever-raging stomach and Tyler got a Nutella crepe from a nearby stand. 

We headed back to the hostel where I took a long hot bath and crashed into bed. I went from hot to cold all night, shivering and sweating and barely sleeping. I woke up at 4 in the morning and took another bath to relax my body and try to sleep better. At 8 I was sick and throwing up three or four times. Tyler went to the concierge to ask him for something to help with my pounding head and he gave him so fizzy lifting drink. Well it was not actually magical lifting soda, but you did have to put it in water and it did fizz and it was the worst tasting thing a person can imagine! Surprisingly, it did help with my headache but after awhile, but stomach didn't need any more fizzy lifting and decided to return the medicine. We had already left to go exploring for the day, and I new I had to see the Eiffel Tower first because who knew how long I would last. Right before the Eiffel Tower, we explored an area with a monument to the bastille with some beautiful side streets and hold aristocratic houses. I managed to get in a few good shots, but most of my pictures looked like the one above.

We made it to the Champs de Mars (the park in front of the Eiffel Tower) and I was feeling worse than ever. I laid down on the ground and crashed! There was no hope for me after that. It was about 1:00 in the afternoon and I had a ginger ale, my scarf, and my bag and I slept until 6:00! I didn't even notice, I was out cold. Tyler went off exploring and by the time he came back, I wasn't feeling any better. Not very many people can say the took a five hour nap in front of the Eiffel Tower I guess...We did walk towards the Eiffel Tower and got me another Sprite and I wanted to go to the top but my stomach just wouldn't let me. So we decided to go on a boat tour instead...I know great alternate. I was miserable the whole time, but luckily because I threw up right before we got on, I didn't throw up on the boat. I was beat by that time and knew that the City of Light only had one light for me....the light at the end of the tunnel. I told Tyler I was going back to the hostel and to stay here and explore and he reluctantly let me go. I was in so much pain. My head ached, my legs ached, my back ached, I had the chills. The only thing that didn't hurt were my feet, thanks to Lesli for buying me some great shoes. 

I made it back to the train station and instead of walking the 20 minutes to our hostel, decided to take the bus. Well I missed the bus by two minutes and the next bus would come in 50 so I thought maybe I should just walk. Then it started to rain. It had poured the day before but Sunday was beautiful weather, so I didn't have the umbrella with me. Like a scene out of a movie, I sat down on the cold cement steps and waited, shivering, for nearly an hour for our bus. When I got to the hostel, I took another bath, and I think I passed out for a little bit because all of a sudden I woke up and the water was getting cold. So I got out and went to bed. In the meantime, Tyler saw all the beautiful sights Paris didn't want me to see. He saw the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysee, the Luxemborg Gardens, the Jewish quarter, the Guillotine monument, and so much more (sorry if my French spelling is way off!). He came home close to 12 and we both settled in for a quiet night. For me it was another miserable night and when it was time to catch our train in the morning, I would have missed it if Tyler didn't have to work the next day. Tyler said he was worried the whole time to the train station because I was really pale and shaky and he said if I passed out we were done for. Luckily with a lot of prayers we made it to the train station. The train ride was horrible. Tyler laughed at my million different positions trying to get comfortable enough to sleep, and I was literally counting down the minutes until that wretched day would be over. I had barely slept in three days and I was sicker on that day then any of the previous three. Without fail, we hobbled into our apartment where I have crashed the last four days, living on soup and 7up. I finally have access to some medicine so I have been feeling a bit better, but still not great. My conclusion is this...The City of Love has no love for me. And in the words of Janie....I'm ok with that.