Happy Birthday America with a touch of Europe

First let me say a big happy 4th of July everyone!! To my friends and family serving abroad I thank you for your service and hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!!

Sorry I've been a little slow on updating you all on my Europe study abroad!! How could I do that when it was all I talked about for weeks or was it months on here? But, alas the update is here!

So how was it you ask? Wonderful, amazing, trip of a lifetime..all of those things. I have to admit it was nice to get back home after two weeks. Two weeks in foreign countries, with people you didn't know well, living out of a suitcase can take its toll. But do not doubt that it was a grand time!! It was just nice to get back to the familiar.

Lets get into the details though shall we??!! First stop on the Europe trip was Paris! For those of you that don't remember, this was my first trip to Europe and it all started out with that long plane ride! Two hours in and I just couldn't believe it had ONLY been two hours. I was like that little kid, "are we there yet??" I have to say though, the flight attendants are quite efficient on those large airplanes and I enjoyed watching all the movies.

Finally we land in Paris at 8am their time, making it 1am in the time we're used to. We were running on fumes and excitement at being in Paris!! We get there and retrieve our luggage without a problem so we were off to a good start. However, we then realize we don't know how to get to our hotel and duh, we don't speak the language. So we ask at information for help, the lady laughs and tells us in perfect English she doesn't understand us. Ohhh so that's how it's going to be huh? Guess she got it the second time cause she directs us to a bus that will get us in the general area. It takes us ten minutes to figure out how to work the ticket machine to purchase said bus ticket. I'm wheeling our luggage on a cart over to the bus and manage to overturn it so our luggage falls to the ground where there just so happens to be a mud puddle. My friend and I are cracking up, maybe out of exhaustion and the whole situation, while the Frenchman stands there and stares at us and doesn't offer to help with our 50 pound luggage. We manage to get ourselves and our luggage on the bus and then literally get dropped off in the center of Paris and still don't know where the hotel is. At least we're closer right?

We set out on foot after asking for directions. We go a block or two, then ask someone else. We go another block or two, and a lady asks if we're lost. She tells us to get on the metro. Uhhhh I don't think we're ready for all that. Then we decide to get a taxi. Finally I'm able to flag one down and he says "Oh, it's just right over there." And drives off. Really guy?! I don't know where "right over there" is and I wanted you to take me there! We walk another block and manage to get another taxi who decides to actually take us there. He did require my help in my putting my suitcase in the trunk. Lol these French men, I tell ya. But, finally after being in the country for nearly 4 hours we made it to the hotel :)

The hotel there was fine, small but clean. Seriously it had the smallest elevator and beds I've ever seen, but we were in a good area and it was the only hotel on the whole trip where we had free WIFI in our room. So my friend and I change clothes and hit the streets to see Paris!! First night we went to Notre Dame and did a little shopping. I went to sleep around 10 and then was wide awake at 4 in the morning. I made a phone call home and then went back to sleep and managed to sleep til noon. Dang it!!

We had a big day though. We went to the Louvre and saw the Mona Lisa. We walked the Champs Elysees and saw the Arc de Triomphe. And of course we saw the Eiffel Tower up close. All of it just gorgeous! These things we hear about and see on tv and I was there in person, taking it all in. I just love to travel. Shopping in Paris, stopping in a bar right of the Champs Elysees for an afternoon cocktail to ease our aching feet, or having a cappucino and a choocolate pastry outside Notre Dame, I mean how cool is that?

It was a quick and somewhat expensive trip to Paris, but I think it was worth it. The next morning we were up and catching taxi to the train station. This trip was full of firsts as this was also my first train ride! Pretty cool it got to be from Paris to London. I have to say I was pretty proud of myself for all that I handled in Paris. We didn't have any troubles and got ourselves around the city just fine. I'm happy to say we did figure out their metro system and it was definitely cheaper than the taxi! Gives yourself a little confidence to travel like that, to be totally responsible for yourself in a foreign country where you don't speak the language.

Since this post has gotten really long I will break the Europe trip into a few parts. So stay tuned for London and Berlin!! I wanted to leave you with a few pictures of Paris, but they're not loading for some reason. Hopefully, next time!