Foux du Fafa

Paris!  I went to Paris!  One of the things that I wanted to see before I left this side of the world was Paris and I went!  The whole experience was amazing and NOT what I expected... I'll hit the highlights for you:

- I went with my friends Tom and Kristin.  For some reason, we decided to be young, dumb, and cheap by going to Paris by bus.  Yep, we traveled all through the night for 9 hours each way.  It sucked.  We did only spend 40 pounds round trip though...

- For some unknown reason, I have found it necessary when I am in a new place to frolic.  I have about 20 pictures of me doing so.

- I have learned that McDonald's are not only more posh overseas but they help calm your nerves when you are cold, wanna swear, and have been wandering lost for 2 hours trying to find your hotel.  

- French people on the street seem eager to test out their English whereas people in the service industry hate you when you say "formage" with an American accent.  On a similar note, I'd like to mention that I went to Paris knowing only one French word:  Oui.  No joke.  I learned how to say good evening while I was there and that's about it.  No wonder they hated me.

- I ate every French food I could possibly think of:  quiche, baguettes, creme brulee, croissants, pastries, etc etc... Mmm... they've got it going on.

- It's funny how when you're in a new place you think of all the stereotypes.  Every night walking through the metro stations, I would start singing and dancing to Beauty and the Beast "Bonjour!  Bonjour!  There goes the baker...."  or Flight of the Conchords "Foux du fafa fafaaaa"  At a low delirious point we would all start puckering our lips and pretend to smoke french fries.  I got really excited when I heard a little French kid grunt "Oooo la la!!!" 

- I, Misty Barrett, visited the Louvre.  I don't care what anyone else says, it was amazing.  Yes, it was an overwhelming amount of art but it was fantastic.  I mean really, I saw the Mona Freakin Lisa.  This other picture reminded me of my sister Natalie for some reason... 

- Paris smells like pee.  Everywhere.  No joke.

- Notre Dame could be my favorite cathedral I've been to in the world.  I think it was even better than St. Peter's in Italy.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  We were able to be there for part of their evening services on Sunday and the feeling in there was surreal.  Two men with angelic voices sang, incense burned, and the fading light through the stained glass windows made my finger tips tingle.

  

- I hate the Catacombs and they aren't that cool!  I'm just trying to make myself feel better... I didn't actually get to see them because they were closed the only day we could go.  Biggest regret of the trip.

- I had this theory on the trip that you could make anyone understand you if you just said anything with a French accent.  No one believed me.  On our way to find the catacombs, we got lost and we were looking at a local map.  I asked a man also looking at the map if he spoke English.  He said yes.  I asked him if he could tell us where the catacombs were.  He looked at me with a blank look- clearly didn't know English too well.  So I pointed to the map and said "The catacombs?"  Blank stare.  So I said, "Les Cata-combs?" with the French accent and he said "Oooooooh! Les Catacombs!!!"  Sigh.

- Walking through Pere Lachaise was incredible.  This is a cemetery that holds many famous people including Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison-  the latter who I discovered I am related to in my recent trip to Scotland.  Sweet eh?

- The French really need to take it easy with the weird naked statues.  

 

- The French police are pretty cool.  After picking up an abandoned shopping cart and having some fun, we got harassed by the cops a bit.  They didn't know any English and we didn't know any French so I tried to diffuse the situation by using the good ol' universal language of flirtation.  I think they were mocking us and we had no idea but in the end it was a good laugh.

Ah, Paris.  Good times.  I seriously have the travel bug right now.  I really don't want to leave yet....