I just got back to the hotel after a long day of wandering around the city. We headed to the Latin district and found a market right by the metro station. I found some local artists there, bought some gifts and then wandered around the surrounding streets where we found lots of unique boutiques and restaurants. I was planning on going up to the Sacra-Couer by our hotel but I didn't have time to do that and then be ready to be at the Eiffel Tower by 4:30 for our group photograph. 

I can't believe I'll be in Tuscaloosa tomorrow night! I feel like I've been gone for a month! I'm so sad to be leaving France but I'm looking forward to my own bed, clean clothes and most of all, Taco Casa.

Sorry I haven't uploaded photos, I have misplaced my card reader somewhere between my room and another photographers- I'm sure it will show up when packing tonight. I did, however find my journal (hell yeh!) I thought I'd left it in the rental car from Normandy. 

Its been cold and rainy today, 45 degrees with clouds. I decided to wear flats without socks today-quickly regretted this decision within 5 minutes of leaving the hotel. I'll be sure to put socks and boots on for tonight. I've also decided that I should have at least one day where I'm not strapped to my camera bag-I've got the worst pains in my neck and shoulders from all of the walking up and down hill with a 15 lb. baby strapped to me at all times. I feel like I haven't seen everything I wanted to see in Paris, but am looking forward to a trip back to pick up where I've left off. 

Things I'll miss from France:

BREAD

Crepes- with Nutella, an enemy of mine until this trip

Cheap Rouge Vin

Accents

Cologne- contrary to popular belief, the men here smell wonderful

Trains

People watching

Things I WON'T Miss from France:

Bread

Language barrier 

Luggage

Cheap Towels

Creepy Latin women pick-pockets

Cold Weather

Walking 10 miles a day

Our flight leaves at noon tomorrow, and we'll be arriving in Atlanta at 4:30pm. The flight will technically be 9.5 hours due to time change but hopefully I can sleep through most of it. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone so if anyone's up for hanging out tomorrow night, let me know- I will have my phone around 7:30pm central time. 

thanks to all who have been following this, I hope its been some what interesting. I've left out many stories so I'll have to fill you all in when I get home. I will try to upload many more photos when I get home so that folks outside of Tuscaloosa can see what the hell I've been doin for 2 weeks! 

AU REVOIR! 

True Life: I Survived My First Eurotrip

We just got back to the hotel...alive.

Bobby, Allyson, Lacey, Laura and I made it to the train station to rent a car at Avis at 7am. We hit the road and made it to our first stop: Mont St. Michel- took a quick tour, walked up probably 2,000 stairs at the least and got some good photos for Allyson's story. 

Then we headed straight to the D-Day Memorial at Omaha Beach- walked around the grounds and then hiked down another 5,000 steps to the beach...well worth it. We took a bazillion photos, that I will upload later...its been a long day.

 After a LONG, WONDERFUL DAY in Normandy, we hoped back into our hatchback and hit the highway straight to Paris...who would've thought 5 U.S. college students could successfully drive themselves from Paris to Normandy and back without trouble? we spoke too soon. 

Someone in the car had the bright idea to drive into the city and under the Arch de Triomphe  to see the city at night rather than go straight to the train station to drop off the car.....bad idea.

After 2 hours of weaving in and out of 12 lanes of traffic and making our way around 3 million round-a-bouts, we finally pulled into the Avis parking deck, safe and alive. 

My shoulders are stiff with stress and I still can't figure out why we thought that we were prepared to drive alone in one of the biggest cities in the world. 

Needless to say, I'm at the hotel....headed out for a well deserved victory "I'm alive" beer then headed to bed. 

Will post photos tomorrow, after I clean the squished banana out of my backpack and can wrap my brain around literally the craziest night of my life. so far. 

 

Escargot 

PARIS

March 23

me at the Eiffel Tower....its a little bright but oh well! 

 

Eiffel Tower at 9:05pm tonight.

PARIS

March 24

so i guess the videos aren't working- I'll try again later.

Here's a video of us frantically getting onto the train from Avignon to Nice...we had 3 minutes to get:

18 people

25 bags

onto the train. CHAOS!  I had the camera velcro-ed to my headband- notice the suspensful music from the speakers. haha