Hostels Are Not Made for the Young at Heart

Okay, yesterday I checked into my hostel in Paris and it was the first time that I had slept in the same room with other people. I know it is not the glamorous way to travel, but if you had my budget that is where you would be staying.

Anyway, when I got back to my room after my long walk to the Eiffel Tower (I will tell you that story a little later....keep reading) and the Arc de Triomphe, I was greeted by my roommates. All three are women, but please do not get any ideas because it is far from "Girls Gone Wild". They are from China, South Korea, and Boston. The women from China and SK are about 30 with Botox. However, the woman from Boston takes the cake (notice I have avoided the phrase "young ladies"). In the first five minutes of meeting her, she informed us that she is almost 60 years old! Being 60 was not the bad part, it was that she would not shut up.

In keeping with our friendly meeting,we all decided to go to Eiffel Tower to see it at night (I know I agreed to go back). On our way there way stopped to get some food and the Korean woman claimed she got an urgent phone call that she had to go back to take. The Chinese woman decided to follow her back. Yeah you got it, they both bailed on us like they had it timed.

So the "grandmother" from Boston talked and talked and by the 6th time she mentioned that she went to Harvard and told me about her divorce, I was hoping one of my friends would call with an emergency (Erin where were you when I needed you). She is a very nice person, but I cannot do motherly figure for the next three days. So, for today, I will be like the Korean woman and avoid her like the plague.

The point is, leave the YOUTH HOSTELS to the youth.

**** All of the women do have names, but I am really bad with them but perfect with ethnic origins*****

Briefly, I decided to go up the Eiffel Tower the cheap way, I walked (I am on a tight budget). The walk up is not for the "out of shape". About half way up to the first observation level there was a hold up on the stairs. There was this five year old girl who was screaming and crying because she could not go up any further. For one it seemed like she had one to many animal crackers in her previous 4 years of life plus she seemed scared. What made it worst is that her parents were literally dragging her up the stairs as though there was a million euros waiting for them at the top. Then a couple who passed by me turned to each other and said, "They must be Americans".

Hope you enjoyed the pictures.......

How Not To Speak The Language

Before I get to my first experience in a non-English speaking country, I must briefly tell you about yesterday.

My cousin Faye put me in contact with her cousin Alisa, who has also traveled the world. She was very helpful in showing me around and providing me with a little bit company. I kind of made my last day in London my cultural day with art galleries and a play. I went to the Manet to Picasso Exhibit at the National Gallery. Then I went to this awful play about Olaudah Equiano. I don't even want to waste your time explaining all the things that were wrong about it. Note to self, when "African Snow" comes to DC, SKIP IT!

For the past week I've been trying to learn some simple french travel phrases. Simple things like, "Do you speak English". I had brought a phrase book from Borders and downloaded a couple of podcast lessons to listen to on my Ipod. I was practicing these phrases on the train ride to Paris and the flight to London.

When I get to Paris I went immediately to the subway desk to buy my ticket. This was my moment to show that I was a true international traveler. When I got up to the desk the words that came out of my mouth were, "Do you speak English". Now, the first rule in speaking to someone of another language is never ask them in your own language if they speak your language, they will never understand.

Needless to say I walked away felling like a fool, but I learned my lesson. The phrase is "Parlez-vous anglias?"

My First Glimpse

I finally made it London yesterday after a very good flight on Virgin Atlantic. I must say, I don't know how they are staying in business because there was literally one person per row. So I laid out across four seats and slept the whole flight. I kind of laughed knowing that there was someone sitting in first class who paid five times what I paid for a little "extra space".

When I got to London I did what any responsible traveler would do, I followed everyone else (sheep). I figured between the guy sitting in front of me and the posted signs I could figure out the airport. The only exciting thing at the airport was seeing a guy make a commotion at customs after being denied entry. So I did what all the rest of the nosey Americans did, we stared. I thought to myself, "please get louder and throw your hands up some more, then they're really going to let you in".

Once I left the airport I was excited to see my first glimpse of the London scene. When I checked in at my hostel I dropped my bags and quickly made my way towards the underground. The underground was not that hard to navigate. I figured if I can do subways in NY and the metro in DC I would be okay.

My first day consisted of me walking aimlessly throughout the streets of London. I stumbled on a few places like Buckingham Palace and Westminster. I'm going back today to check out the changing of the guard. For the most part the weather is very nice day. I did the typical American thing and ate at MacDonald's. Plus, I now understand what some homeless guy once told me when he said that Starbucks is taking over the world. Because they are.

Tomorrow I'll be in Paris. Can't wait.

This is Alisa and I with some random child from California who wanted to be in the picture with us.