The abridged version of my first day in Paris!
An adventure to say the least. We arrived at the Eurostar station fifteen minutes prior to the trains departure thinking we were just doing great. Wrong, we were supposed to be there a minimum of thirty minutes before the train derails. Luckily we were able to rush through customs and literally sprint to the doors of our box cart, which happen to be the very, very first doors of the mile long train.
On the train we looked at the map and found the road our hotel was on! Ru de la tour was highlighted in pretty purple. Kelsey and I figured out every subway stop and switch we had to take to arrive to our much awaited hotel in the shortest amount of time possible! Having it all written down and color coded we were on our way! Everything was running smoothly, the fact that we got on the tube going the wrong way and had to go in a big circle didn't even bother us one bit because we were so excited, and just happy to be on the right tube at all!
We made it! After switching from french train to french train not understanding one single thing Kelsey and I were so proud that we had finally found Ru De La Tour. Next step, find hotel! We didn't think it would be that hard of a task, hotels are usually pretty big and stick out like sore thumbs when they are the only one around. Walking the cobble stone road up and down and back up and down again we began to feel a little defeated. Our efforts of arriving promptly weren't going quite as planned! We stopped at a boutique and asked the lady if she could help. Seeing the address she was able to just point and mumble in french. Off we went, arriving at the exact address of the hotel we were a little puzzled, it was a car insurance place and a spa, we thought maybe the hotel was on top of the spa... it wasn't. Walking, walking, walking we did, all over this city just out side main streets of paris. Asking anyone who looked safe for direction, we didn't feel comfortable asking just any old man for direction in fear that he would see our address and then come kill us in the night. Finding a hotel (that wasn't ours) was such a relief! Someone had to speak english inside. Kelsey and I went in and explained what we were trying to find. He was very concerned and asked us if we had a map, of course we did, we had more then we could count. He looks at my highlighted route and says "you see where you are here", "yes" I replied in hopes he would say something like, just turn left you silly girl. Instead he decided to point to the complete other side of the map and inform me that "I needed to get off at Torcy, and then it is somewhere over there", he wiggled is finger off the map. Off the map, literally, we were off the map! Kelsey and I had to have a laughing moment. How could we not find humor in this situation. We decided our only option was to try and find this hotel since we had already payed for it. Let me take a moment to explain how we got so off course. We had a map of paris and a few small cities surrounding it, when we found the road that our hotel was on we just assumed it was the right Ru De La Tour, it would be the same as someone in Arizona going to stay in phoenix and having a map of phoenix and scottsdale, finding say Bell Road on the map then finding out the hotel they booked was actually in Mesa on Bell Road, why would they have a map of Mesa with them when they are staying in Phoenix. (this is all just so you can figure out how this happened)
Once again the mapping out begins. Tube stations are distinguished, the switches that need to me made are precise. We went and told the other 2 we were with what happened and our plan to trek across the country. Lugging our luggage through numerous stations, overcoming the language barrier and braving the cold, rainy wind we made it to our final stop, Torcy.
Where the hell are we is the only thing I could think when I stepped off the pee infused tube. The station its self was a horrifying mess even compared to the nasty ones we had just left behind in Paris. We tried exiting the station only to be unsuccessful. We were so far out of the city that our tube passes were in a different jurisdiction. There were swarms of white tank top, gold chain, tattooed, colored men going in and out of the station. (I like to be accurate in my descriptions but I feel like I am am precisely accurate here I will sound like a racist) They could clearly see that we were stuck, helpless and lost. One of them came up behind me and told me to fallow him, I know, I know it sounds horrifyingly scary, and partly it was but he really was just helping us get out of the station. He kindly swiped some magic pass that opened the handicap gate and aloud us small white children to pass through with ease.
The search begins. Our map only had a sliver of Torcy's outskirts printed on it so we did have somewhat of an idea as to where were were. A lady on the bus tried to explain what direction we needed to head. She was difficult to decipher and all Kelsey and I could gather from her broken english was that we needed to go left from the station. And that we did, into this vast unknown land of slums and ghettos. Our search for direction began with a man who worked at some sort of electronic store. The short walk from the station to the store should have been a giant indicator that we were 1. in the wrong spot 2. we were not safe 3. we should just run for our lives. I have never seen so many scary things in my life. The electronic man wasn't sure exactly but he thought it was to the left, or right, or maybe behind us... We fallowed his vague direction blindly seeing it was the only thing we had to go off of.
Wondering in what we thought was the right direction, there was a constant prayer in all of our hearts (I am just assuming that there was one in everyones heart because there was one in mine). For me it wasn't even a prayer that we would find our hotel, just a prayer that we might stay safe and keep our chins up as our journey grew long. It had been hours since we first started the search, it was cold, rainy and our bags were weighing us down. None the less we pressed forward with faith trusting that in due time we would find our hotel and reach safety.
Hour passed, the acceptable people to talk to grew far and few between. The looks and vibes thrown at us from gang members and crack heads were less then appealing. The homeless and drug addicted that lay on the street became more frequent and the inner city grew closer to our feet.
This picture might look pretty but don't be fooled, it is a giant trap of rape and death. Each person we spoke with kept mentioning water and some sort of bridge or under/overpass we needed to cross. The only thing we could find that was remotely similar to their description was a freeway underpass slash drug dealing alley. Don't even worry though we conquered that alley like champs. Only to find our selves walking onto the onramp of a freeway. Oops! Rushing across the freeway to somewhat of a safe zone we found yet another not ours hotel. You had to ring a bell just to get into the lobby. The hotel concierge wasn't as well versed in the english language as the last. After much explaining she finally understood what were asking her for. A sweet glimmer of hope, we were close! She informed us that we were very close, so close we couldn't take a taxi. Great music to our ears quickly turned in to the repetitive sound of the death march in our hearts. Her directions, though written down and seemingly clear took us further and further into the far outskirts of this already far away city.
Zig zagging through and through we pushed onward. Some let the obstacles of the day bring their spirits down while others knew their was only one thing to do; suck it up, put a smile on and figure out what to do next. we tried and tried and tried again and again to find this mysterious hotel. It was getting late which brought more cold and rain and the much dreaded darkness of night.
Enter Hotel Mr. Bed, located conveniently next to an orphanage and some other sad and scary buildings. We entered our third hotel in desperation. They spoke even less english then before but were still willing to try and help. Kelsey and i bought there expensive internet, 15 minutes for 6 euro. We didn't have much of an option. Making the decision that even if we had found our hotel the thought of coming back into this part of the world so late at night, or any time for that matter was not okay. Hotel scrapped. All this work not done in vain but in learning. It taught me a great deal about traveling, and also about my self, how I handle strange and tiring situations.
We looked up hotels near the Eiffel Tower, there were plenty. Safety and location far out weighed the daunting price tag that came along with a hotel in the inner parts of parts of paris.
Back to the tube station we went. We had to purchase tickets to get back into it though because we didn't have our nice gang member friend to save our lives. Of course we all bought the wrong non refundable ticket because everything was in french. So after two tries of ticket buying the excursion began, the mapping and highlighting routes was never ending. Our spirits were full of hope, knowing we were on our way back to safety was all we needed to hear. Even if we didn't know where we would go once we got there.
Safety at last. Not the pictures above, those are of Torcy. But in this story, finally we made it to safety. Who would have ever thought I would be referring to the heart of Paris as safety? We entered one of the hotel options we had written down, they quickly turned us away because there were four of us and they would only allow three to a room. Fine by us, we are good walkers and had no problem walking to the next hotel and devising a plan to get all four of us in one room. Gavin and I pretended to be brother and sister as we left kelsey and lindsey outside the hotel. This made it easy to request two beds instead of one. They only had one night open and we needed two. It was going to be okay though. I knew in my heart that everything would work out fine, that my dad would take care of me and make sure I was safe. We booked our one night, two twin bed room and gallivanted off to the eiffel tower to watch the glimmering lights. It melted so much stress to see the tower twinkle. We returned with Kelsey and Lindsey entering one by one and Gavin and I fallowing a few moments behind, so sneaky we are! I headed to the lobby and purchased more expensive internet. I had to get ahold of my dad. I sent him a frantic e-mail on a dumb french keyboard and tried briefly explaining the course of events and pleaded with him for any sort of help or assistance he could give. Sorry that e-mail was so scary dad! I then headed to the pay phone to make a collect call and tell him to check his e-mail. No hope, not one single person I called accepted my charges! And trust me, I called all of you. Nearly every single person in my phone was called multiple times, I just needed them to tell my dad to check his e-mail. It was the only thing that started to bring me down, hearing a loved ones voice say "hello", then listening to the click of the other line when the automated woman started talking. I put five of my hard earned euro into the pay phone in hopes that my dad would magically answer. Hearing his voice mail brought tears to my eyes after a long stressful day, all I wanted was to hear his voice and listen to him as he reassured me that he was proud of me and loved me for trying. I wanted him to tell me what action to take next. To help me decide what to do for the next day. I left him a teary voice mail of words I can't remember and headed to sleep. Waking up early that next morning I felt so bad trying to make another collect phone call home. I knew it was late at night and my family would be sleeping. I dialed anyway and clenched the phone tightly as I heard two rings. Shelleys sweet voice came on the phone and again tears were brought to my eyes. Tears of exhaustion. I had been so strong all day pushing forward and doing all I could to keep a positive outlook on a seemingly gloomy situation. Shelley accepted all charges (thank you shelley) and my dad came on the line. Hearing his voice was being fed for the first time in three days. I was so happy to know that he was taking care of me. Not that I ever doubted that he would, he loves me and always wants me to be safe and have the best. My Dad booked us an amazing hotel room at the Hilton, everyone was thrilled, more than thrilled, I can not even think of a word to describe the amount of joy we all felt. The Hilton staff to amazing care of us, everything from that moment forward was perfect. My trip in Paris was amazing, I loved every single moment and appreciated all that I saw. I am so grateful for my parents for helping me when I could not longer help my self. I am grateful they raised me to be strong and to be directive, to make the most of every moment and always have a smile on my face. I am also blessed that they raised me to always have faith in the Lord and never give up my trust in him, he will always lead us to safety.
Well, there you have it, my real first day in Paris experience. Use your imagination to picture me, a little white, blonde American lost in the land of these people and places!
the end
:)
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