Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coure

Well I'm officially a tourist today. I'm a bit torn by that actually. I much prefer people and learning about culture. Well, anything other than Taize right now would be lacking in certain "amazing" qualities.

Nevertheless today I manuevered my way on the Parisian subway system. Yeah me. Wow, thank the Lord I've learned how to manuever my way through the Seoul subway. It has been a tremendous asset today! Even as a newbie I helped show a couple from Alaska who also just literally arrived how to get to their destination. They saw me as a God-send and thought I was well experienced in Paris. Ha...yeah right.

From Taize I made my way to my hostel. That was admitedly unnerving. I didn't know how to look for street signs so my directions were meaningless. ALso, I just seem to expect that people don't speak English when in fact when I ask, I often get people who do. What a contrast from here to Korea. And yes I know they are French, but so many are happy to help. I found myself going in completely the wrong direction, contemplated taking a taxi but alas found the right way. Thank you to the French couple who came to my rescue. The hostel is just down the steps from the Sacre Coure--I'm still not sure what that church is all about. ALthought, that church is amazing! So beautiful. No words can describe so I won't do it that injustice. Maybe I'll have pictures later. I walked around after visiting the church and just soaked in the oh so different sights. Wow, I kept thinking, I'm in Paris. Later I confirmed the directions to the Eiffel Tower and I was off.

As I walked around a corner full of hotels right out of the subway before me was this very large odd iron (or some type of metal) structure. Until now I've only seen it in books. Now it was there right in front of me. The Eiffel Tower. It was surreal. Something was telling me I should be jumping up and down but I was so calm. Ok, there was a cracked smile underneath my hood (on my coat). I stayed there for a few hours just me and myself. I loved it. At first glance I was was really bummed that it wasn't more spectacular. (sorry) I'm so glad I stayed until after dark. It is spectacular at dark! The first ten minutes of the hour is especially great as there are lights flickering on the whole thing. Wonderful! I walked up to the second level and just looked, and looked and looked. I couldn't be bothered to pay the 11 euros to go all the way to the top. I saw enough.. Wow, I've been to the Eiffel Tower. Wow, I'm in Paris.

I'm at the hostel tonight and off to Krawkow, Poland tomorrow. I get to manuever my way to the airport via the subway and train. (it is the cheapest way I know of)

May the journey continue....