Today I took the TGV very early into Paris. I got here at 9:15, so I had the whole day to myself in the city. I went to a cafe first, for tea and a tartine (toast) and I worked on my sketchbook for art there, watching the passersby and the fountain on the corner. I like how after I've bought a tea, I can sit there for as long as I want without feeling rushed to leave. It started to rain and I kept my seat outside the cafe under the canopy and enjoyed my hot tea. That was incredibly nice. An incredibly wonderful way to spend my morning.
It's funny the ways you can save money (or spend extra money) when you travel. For example, the hotel I'm staying in costs 42 euros per night. It is on the top floor with a view of Notre Dame only blocks away. My room doesn't have a shower or toilet in it, though, only a sink. If I wanted a room with a shower and toilet, I could pay 79 euros. But the shower and toilet are DIRECTLY across the hallway. Is it worth 37 euros to save a couple steps in getting to the bathroom?
I went for a walk around the city, exploring the smaller streets in this area. I sent Chuck an email to apologize for the pinkeye I would have when he arrives. I looked it up on wikipedia and it turns out I have the worst kind, which is the viral kind and it lasts for three weeks. But when Chuck called me tonight before he got on the plane, he told me that he talked to an eye doctor who said that the 'pinkeye' part of the virus usually shows up at the end of three weeks and goes away in a matter of days. This makes sense with me being sick a couple weeks ago and then sick again so soon, especially because I don't get sick that often. This is relieving news.
I watched French families and tourists all afternoon at the park. It was nice to be here and not feel rushed to see all sorts of different monumental sites. I got to watch a little Parisian life and enjoy the sunshine instead. It's not too cold here, which is surprising because it was unbearably freezing when mom and I were here only a couple of months ago.
