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3-19-13
Saw the White Cliffs of Dover. Bought myself a fancy lunch on the ferry boat. The presentation was nice, but everything needed more seasoning. I ordered the salmon appetizer. When I got it, it was raw salmon! I just forced myself to eat some of it. Couldn’t send it back. The English Channel is huge. We docked in Calais. YAY, they drive on the right side of the road in France! We rode through the WWI or WWII battlefields in Northern France. We did a rest stop so I finally stepped foot on French soil. I saw black people at the rest stop. Some boy had cornrows like it was 2001. The 1st thing I bought in France was an Orangina.
The Eiffel Tower was amazing. I was in disbelief. It seemed so impossible to make it here. I teared up twice. Took lotsa pictures. It was windy up there. They also had a bar up there, but who is gonna buy suspensive ass champagne in a plastic flute? We had so much time up there I got bored. I feel so blessed. I am so proud of myself for achieving this.
The train system is confusing. I need a better train map. Evan, Sara and I went walking to find something to eat after we got back to the hotel…the 17th arrondissement is grimy. It feels like some dangerous NYC borough. Saw a tranny hooking it in front of a fresh fruit stand. I named it Stephanie. I was wondering why that lady was standing out in the rain. I figured she was waiting on a ride since she was on her cell. But when we got close we heard the deep voice and were like YIKES! I like her lace front though. Not many women were out. Lotsa men…African and Middle Eastern, hence I was trying to get my womanly ass into the hotel ASAP. Don’t want no oppression and sexism over here!
We are staying in a construction zone. There is building debris leading up to our hotel. It looked like he Soviet Union circa 1992. I am roomed with Tia. She is easy going. The one thing I noticed about Paris…It’s Dirty Outside of the Touristy drag. Traffic here is heavy. The African security guard at the Eiffel Tower asked me to marry him. He was checking my purse then just held on to it. He wasn’t even handsome and he was old enough to be my dad. People ride moped/motor cycles a lot here. Reminds me of Blade Runner.
My attempts to speak French have been horrible. I asked a lady “je parle angalis”…WRONG! Tried to tell the cafeteria lady I was in room “deux cent sept”…WRONG! Just hope to not have to talk to people much. A lot of restaurants sell pizza here.
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