Let the Rain Come Down

Sitting in an internet cafe, in the 5º arrondissement -- right near the Latin Quarter -- in Paris. It is raining outside, which doesn't make walking around the city particularly convenient. But hell. It's effin Paris.

I'm paying for this session, so I won't be able to update too much, and unfortunately, pictures are not possible. Later, though.

We arrived in Paris on Sunday afternoon, and basically have been walking around, metro-ing it around the city since then, forced early on to carry insanely heavy bags, which caused a certain Stacy to get very very grumpy. We're staying in a youth hostel in a very artsy area, with a bunch of other international travelers -- our roommates, so far, have been all boys, one from Chile, another from Israel, and two from the States. There will be more, I'm sure, throughout the next few days.

We have walked along the Seine, seen the Notre Dame cathedral (just from the outside -- amazing!), and walked around the gardens in front of le Louvre museum. The strangest thing, thus far, was seeing the Eiffel Tower -- from very far away. I didn't even see all of it, just the top portion, and I couldn't stop staring at it because it didn't seem real! Literally, it seems as though it's been super-imposed, like in a movie. Surreal.

Jessie and I got a little treat last night while having dinner. We were in search of the cheapest place, and succeeded -- considering we had to find a sit-down place due to the rain -- and ended up eating next to a very American couple visiting from Hawai'i for the Paris air show. We chatted, and talked about Paris and current events and our families and all this great stuff, and at the end of the meal, they insisted on paying for us. We argued, but they insisted, so we gave in. It was incredibly, incredibly nice. We bought ourselves a pint because it put us in such a good mood -- not that you need to be in a good mood to warrent buying a pint of beer. Anyways. They were nice. I want to be like them, travel, and buy food for students when I am older. =)

Once I have proper internet access and the capability to post pictures (unfortunately, probably not until I get up to Cambridge on Saturday), there will be several posts simultaneously, all about Paris and the French and Jessie and my travels around this crazy romantic city. Yes. By default, Jessie is now my lover. C'est Paris.

I hope everyone is doing well, and I am going to do my best to try and make a few phone calls (Mom and Dad and Kim) sometime today -- you might be getting called during the wee hours of the morning, since I'll have to call when it is most convenient for me, aka. when I am near a pay phone.

I'm peacing. Ciao.