7.7.2008 - 7.18.2008
Monday 1:56 PM
Our first real day in Paris was, to put it mildly, [expletive deleted] CRAZY! In the morning, we met up with Zoe, our friend from school who is studying here for a month. We explored Paris with her, as the pictures show:
This is the PARIS part of our trip...
Fig. A Alex and Zoe enjoy French baguettes.
Fig. B Alex decides that the sky in this picture is
more interesting than the people.
Fig. C In France, they don’t seem to really
understand what sushi is.
Fig. D This glass pyramid would collapse if me and
Alex weren’t there to hold it up.
The 14th is Bastille Day - French Independence Day - so the night before there are big celebrations in all of Paris. Zoe, Alex & I went to a party hosted by the Paris Fire Department, and then walked around the city.
Fig. E Where did these underage kids get a bottle
of champagne? More importantly, why do
Alex and Max appear to be holding hands?
At about 1 AM, we decided we were ready to go home for the night. That’s when the real fun started.
Since Zoe lives in a suburb, she wanted me and Alex to walk her home. We got to her house at around ten to two, exhausted, and were all set to go to our hostel. But when we went down into the metro, none of the trains seemed to be running.
It was then that we discovered that the metro closes at 2 AM. Not only that, but the metal gates that block access to it had been closed while we were still inside, effectively locking us in.
After about half an hour, we had pretty much accepted the fact that we would be spending the night in the Paris subway. But a helpful janitor soon arrived and opened the gates for us.
But the fun wasn’t over. About a two hour walk away from our hostel, and with no other way to get there, we had no choice but to wander the streets of Paris until around 5 AM, when the metro reopened. So we did. After intermittently falling asleep in the street, we finally made it, and arrived at our hostel at around seven in the morning (it turned out that while the metro opened at 5, the first train didn’t come to around 5:45). A video update, filmed at the height of delirium caused by exhaustion, provides more information:
And that concludes last night’s adventure. All in all, a wholesome and family-friendly night of fun. Until next time, au revoir and stay classy.
-Max & Alex
Tuesday 8:26 PM
Yesterday was a day of joyous reunion. To our utter disbelief, we happened across three compatriots from the days of high school, Ian, Dan, and Mike E-R (in addition to our previous compatriot, Zoe.) We greeted them with jubilance, and embarked on an adventure that would bring us back hundreds of years, and across many cultures. We traveled to the Louvre.
Fig. A Alex washes his new sandals in the fountain
of the Louvre.
Fig. B We have no idea what is going on in this
picture.
Fig. C The Mona Lisas
Fig. D The Louvre is going avant-garde
Fig. E The art on the ceilings was nicer than the art
on the walls
Fig. F The couches of the Louvre were
remarkably comfortable
Following our educational endeavor, we proceeded to the Seine, where we picknicked on poor sausage and wine, accompanied by a champagne flute of dijon mustard. Following these festivities, we celebrated Bastille Day by getting lost in an attempt to find festivities.
Until next time, may the gods bless you with good fortune
xoxo
Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee
(Alex wrote this entry)
Friday 11:13 AM
This is Max, coming to you live from Charles de Gaul Airport in France. Alex is on his way to Prague, and it seems that the adventure has now come to a close. For now, here are two final video updates to give you a handle on the final days of our journey.
Oh, but before that, one thing we forgot to mention is that in England, instead of “That’s what she said,” they say, “Said the actress to the bishop.”
- Alex & Max, looking out into their colorful but uncertain future
Video 1 Drinks by the Seine
Video 2 At the top of the Eiffel Tower
