FRANCE!

I spent my last day in Germany walking around the city and drinking several cups of tea at the hostel because my bus didn’t leave until 11:30 that night, but there was excitement bubbling as I was headed to Paris. And also, I took so many pictures while in France that they are not in any real order for this blog post like I usually try to do. 

Let me just say, I LOVE THE FRENCH. I’ve always loved the sound of the language, there impeccable food/pastries and I’ve been a fan of their national football team for quite some time (my favorites being Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane). As the bus arrived in Paris at seven in the morning, I looked out the window to find that it was raining. Not the best thing to see, but I’ve grown to deal with the weather over the last eleven weeks quite well, especially after being in Ireland and the UK, places known for rainy, cold weather. The first thing I needed to do was buy a three day transport pass and then make my way to meet up with Edouard.

I met Edouard while I was in Cork, Ireland about two weeks into my trip. As luck would have it, the Brazilian host I was staying with, was good friends with the Brazilian who was hosting Edouard and his friend during their short hitchhiking/camping holiday. Sidenote- Edouard and his friend managed to get over 25 rides all through the southern part of Ireland during their trip. Now that is some dedication.  However, when I met them in Cork, it was almost an immediate friendship; but the overall indicator was when we were in the pub dancing, Edouard and I made eye contact for a quick second, then the beat dropped and we both kind of started rocking out. It was at that moment I said to myself, “Now this is a real cool dude, I think I’ll get along with him quite well.” He already graduated with a law degree (Crazy!) and is now in art school because he hopes to become a photographer.

Edouard met me at the tram stop which is actually outside the city of Paris in Colombes. We walked back to his house where I met his mother and step-father. The first encounter was rather quick, his step-father was leaving for work, I was tired and his mother was getting ready for the day, but they were extremely welcoming and happy to open up their home to me. After having a cup of tea, taking a shower and grabbing a small bite to eat, Edouard took me back into Paris and he gave me a really quick tour before showing me the café we were going to meet up later that night after his classes and a concert he was going to. After saying goodbye I spent the next six hours getting lost in the city of Paris (on purpose that is) because you honestly cannot walk down a street without being blown away by the architecture. I went to Notre Dame, an amazing cathedral, and although I didn’t see the hunchback anywhere, the artwork, sculptures and design of the building are incredible. Next, I went to the Eiffel Tower. I wasn’t willing to spend money to walk up stairs, so I didn’t go up but the structure is MASSIVE! Standing at the bottom looking up honestly makes you dizzy, but I am glad to have been able to see it. One day, when I go back, I’ll go all the way up to the top. I got lost again walking through the streets and came upon a cute little bakery where I enjoyed a croissant and a chocolate meringue. When I was finished eating, my legs were also finished lol, so I went back to the house for a couple hours to rest before going back out to meet up with Edouard, his cousin Flore and a couple friends for a drink. It was amazing listening to all of them speak French; it definitely gets me excited about learning the language. Edouard and I left after the drinks for some much needed sleep because we both had a long day ahead of us.

Day two started with a great breakfast and then hours spent at The Louvre. In total I spent about five hours at the museum, two and a half with Edouard and Flore and a few on my own; and let me just say, I barely even scratched the surface of all the things to see. Yes I saw the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Law Code of Hammurabi, The Seated Scribe, Winged Human-Headed Bull, Winged Victory of Samothrace and soooooooooooooooo much more I honestly couldn’t write them all. I was absolutely blown away by the quality of art and the precision the artifacts are kept preserved. With Edouard being in the art program, I was yet again able to have a private tour through one of the most famous museums in the world. And trust me, this guy knows A LOT of information. I had such an amazing time learning and being taking to some of the really amazing pieces of art that aren’t as well known or popular as the Mona Lisa.

Later that evening, I introduced Edouard to the television show Brooklyn-Nine-Nine, we shared some music interests and chatted about some of the things he was learning in school. And once his step-father arrived home from work, we all sat down for dinner. This was my opportunity to share more about myself to his parents and to learn a little more about them. It was one of the best dinners I've had because we all got along so well. His mother is actually going back to school at the moment for Psychology which is awesome because I minored in psychology and think the subject is extremely interesting and fulfilling. And his father works for a company that helps those in the older generation, albeit the common person all the way to former army generals and even spies (though he said he couldn't go into much detail or else he would have to kill me haha) but seriously a really cool job and an awesome line of work.

The third day I woke up well rested and on a mission to see as much of the city that I hadn’t seen yet. I was blown away as I got to the area of Montmartre and looked around at all the artists with canvases along the streets waiting to paint anything from a landscape to a portrait right there on the spot. And, although some of them weren’t your Van Gogh’s or Picasso’s, they did have talent. The best part of the area however was the Sacré-Cœur; an old church built on top of a mountain with an incredible view of the city below. The building itself is gorgeous, with huge stain glassed windows and murals on the domed ceilings. This trip has made it extremely hard to choose a favorite piece of architecture but the Sacré-Cœur is somewhere at the top. After starring out at the city for a few minutes, I got lost in a different part of Paris (but as I said, it is on purpose because you’re more likely to find something you didn’t know was there). And as I was walking through the narrow streets I remembered that I hadn’t yet gone to the Arc de Triomphe. So, I raced over to the Arc, took some pictures, gawked at the structure while constantly reminding myself that I was in FEAKING PARIS, and then made my way back to the house to meet up with Edouard for dinner before I caught my 10:30 bus.

It was definitely an amazing ending to my mainland trip. I said goodbye to Edouard’s parents before they left for a dinner party, with big hugs and his mother telling me I was a “beautiful person" and that I was welcome any time I was back in Paris. These are honestly memories and things that I neverwould  have experienced if God wasn’t working in this trip back when I was in Cork. I know now that he had a plan and a reason for me meeting Edouard and eventually his family because they are now a part of my heart and my family. Edouard and I sat down for a few more hours of conversation and a delicious salmon dish and éclair’s for dessert. I was all packed and ready to go, but this was by far the hardest ‘see you again friend’ that I have had along this trip because Edouard and I got along so well, but I know that I have a place to stay if  ever I’m in France again, and my home will always be open to Edouard if he is ever in the USA.

Long story short, it took me two and a half days to get back to Dublin because of bus trouble and long hours of waiting, but I am back for my last week to spend time with my Brazilian family but I am very happy to be back!