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| Say, what's that in the distance? |
Paris
Hi to anyone who reads this blog! I'm just a middle-aged woman who loves to travel. When I'm not traveling I'm teaching (I'm a special education language arts teacher at our local high school), gardening, and reading. I also enjoy hiking, just not steep uphills!
I usually take a solo trip--sans husband and children--during my spring break. This year I have the opportunity to be part of a celebration of the 20 years of our Uppsala,Sweden--Minneapolis teacher exchange program. I was part of this in 2012. Our two cities are also sister cities and dignitaries from each city visited the other with expensive dinners and such to celebrate the 25th year of that. Before the year that I began, Swedish teachers/staff came over in the third week of October and Minneapolis staff went there over spring break. Well, the year that I did it, I was talking with my Swede, Gunnar, when he was here in October and discusded the dates that I would stay with him (you and your "exchange" teacher host the other when they come to your country). He said that their spring break that year was the same as ours, so the leaders decided that we would go the week before spring break, cobbling together school PD days, district PD days, and personal days. Ever since then, it has been the week before spring break. From what I understand, the Swedish school district/government very much supports this program and those teachers have paid days off while they are gone, their flights are paid for, and they get spending money. It just shows you! Well, our celebration delegation (which are all teachers, SEAs and admin that have been involved the past) will overlap in Sweden somewhat with the current exchange members but we have a different program. Still have speeches by their admin talking about Sweden's education system and how wonderful the exchange is, followed by days of school and cultural visits. And, of course, time built in to have fun together and have meals.
Well, the person I contacted to be included said that the celebration was Monday through Friday, and that most teachers were asking their admin to give then the days off. I was willing to use personal and sick days, but we are not supposed to take a week's worth together, and not right before a school break. So I asked my principal and he said that they want to support the program and so I was given the days off as building PD days which means I get paid and have a sub without using up any sick days (personal days come out of accrued sick days). So, anyway, that is why I am traveling earlier than normal.
When I was scheduling airfare, Joshua thought he was going to be in Paris doing his final study abroad (and hopefully graduating at the end of it). I thought it would be fun to meet up with him for a few days while I was in Europe. Looking at the calendar, I figured that I would leave on Saturday, then found out that for the celebration in Sweden, we need to arrive on Wednesday. So I planned to fly in to Paris at the beginning for a few days, then head up to Sweden, either by train or one of the inexpensive short flights that they have in Europe. Well, a few days before he was supposed to leave, Joshua checked his email and found out that he wasn't able to go to Paris after all--something to do with an incomplete the previous quarter that he hadn't taken care of, I think. So, we lost out on his nonrefundable flights and I had already booked mine, so today I arrived in Paris.
After a few crazy, stress-filled days (week?) trying to get everything done for my sub and my end of quarter paperwork, on Saturday I flew from Minneapolis and arrived early this morning in Dublin. It was a very underbooked flight so I ended up with two empty seats next to mine. Yay! But, I was still unable to sleep. I dozed a bit, but got up in Dublin feeling completely exhausted. Short 1 1/2 hour layover and a short flight to Paris (where I also attempted to doze up against the window).
Well, from Charles de Gaulle airport, one needs to get into the city. There is only one train--the RER B. I went to figure out tickets and was told that the RER B was out of service today!! Okay, plan B. I went back to ask, and she pointed to the sign out in the atrium area. Well, it simply gave a QR code to book tickets on a bus to take instead. The QR code only gives you an app to download. Well after 45 minutes, it had only downloaded a quarter of the app. So I went back to the office and she acted very annoyed and told me to go to the other office, straight ahead and to the right. Well, that's the atrium area, finally found it on the other side of the building--you had to go way straight ahead. They tried to help me, then someone else told me something else, and I was near tears because I was still in the airport several hours later! And I was so tired! Eventually more and more tourists started following each other, and we finally figured out where Terminal 2F was and where gate 4 was there. Out in a parking garage were a few coach buses (near a sign that said gate 4). We were trying to figure out where and how to pay for them, but then we found out that they were free. They dropped us off near Gare Proche de Saint Denis Paris (a train station closer in to the center of the city). After two RER (regional) trains and a metro (subway) train with a short walk in between the two, I arrived a block from my hostel and realized that I had lost my jacket--left on the bus to the train station. The Hotel Madrigal, four hours after my plane landed. It has dorm style rooms with differen numbers of beds and with either single or mixed sex. I chose a 5 bed women's room. The online pics showed bunk beds so I emailed and requested a bottom bunk (after the bunk bed situation in Washington DC!). The bunks are built into wall alcoves and are very sturdy (unlike DC's!). Each bunk has blackout curtains, a power socket (for charging), a light and a little alcove in the wall. Your also get a pillow and duvet. I had to rent towels for €3.50. I found where I had packed a few things (I needed a band-aid for a nail torn off too far).
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| An RER B closure sign |
I packed my travel bag and went out into the city to wander. I love doing that. You never know what you will find. You typically find the "real" city with the real people that live there. I walked by the catacombs--turns out they're closed--good things I checked it out last time i was there. I counted it up and this is my fifth time in Paris. So most of the tourist things I've already done. I do need to go see the new roof of Notre Dame and I love the Coulee Verte walk, so I'll probably do that again--some people say that they do it every time they are in Paris. My family is suggesting that I go shop some thrift stores to find a jacket, so I will probably do that. I stopped at a cafe for dinner--had an omelet with salad and bread--slightly French. It was chilly as I was heading back to my hostel. One person had been closed in her bed when I arrived and she is still there--hope she's okay. A friend of hers came to check on her.
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| Pretty garden path that smelled so nice! At least one lilac! |
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| In these little plazas and parks between the streets, so many people are out walking, playing, and interacting |
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| Fancy roundabout |
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| more parks |
Not many photos, sorry. I'm still knackered, so I will head to bed after finishing this, even though it's only 9:15--oops, gotta fit in a silent DuoLingo spanish lesson too. G'night!
