Day 2 - Paris: So Many Landmarks, So Little Time.

It was still dark at 7 am and therefore I was unwilling to get out of bed, and took a while to finally roll out. Breakfast was at a cafe down the street where we had omelettes. Before leaving the owner warned us to take care, no subways today. The public transportation strike put a major crimp on our plans, this meant we had to walk in the freezing cold all about Paris.

On the way to our first stop, Notre Dame, Margie would go "my god!" at every corner. It's all so stunning even in the overcast weather. The old buildings, the streets, the Seine. Notre Dame was full of tourists, even as the priest tried to hold a mass. I've never seen a more beautiful monument to God; I couldn't help but offer a short prayer at one of its chapels.

As of this point the skin on my fingers felt like they were ripping themselves from my nails and my nose was running non-stop. Had to buy a hat and gloves. Us tropical 3rd worlders aren't used to all this fall clothing; everytime you on inside a bar or restaurant you take off your hat, gloves, scarf, coat; and when you leave you put them all back on again. Ma-ceremonias. Margie and I would invariably leave our gloves or hats, or drop them on the streets, and have strangers approach us to return them; it's just not in our muscle memory to put them on.

At the Louvre, saw your basic Mona Lisa (in my book still The Most Disappointing When You Finally See It Thing), Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, all that. The place is just filled with all this beautiful, important art; but when you're on a schedule you sort of just glaze over everything, take mental notes of a beautiful Titian stroke or the immaculateness of an ancient Greek statue, before moving on to the next room. I can't help but feel like I slighted all those artists.

At this point, hindi ko na kaya, ang sakit na ng paa ko, pati nung likod ko. So we went back to the hotel, and thankful the one metro line that was working ran from the Louvre straight to our hotel at Bastille station. On the way back though, to Arc de Triomphe, it was rush hour. And only one train was working. It felt like the entire population of Paris was in our train. Margie says she won't be surprised if on the next stop the train announcer said "Station Cubao". But it was cold and everyone was wrapped in coats, therefore, no sweat or skin contact.

We emerged on Charles de Gaulle station exacto sa Arc de Triomphe, and going up the escalator it's was as if there was musical scoring... then suddenly it's there, the Arc. It's bigger than I remember it. It's Margie's favorite of the landmarks. Again a lack of trains had us walking to the Eiffel Tower, by then it was raining, and we were freezing. I've never been colder in my life. It was amazing. And I just had to have a cigarette on the Eiffel. Good thing I delayed quitting.

Back to Champs Elysee to meet Raya, a Filipino filmmaker also in town. On the way a man asked for a cigarette, and remembering Mario's story about how expensive cigarettes are here, I gave the man five sticks. It seemed like he was ready to hug me. On the way we got lost, but I like getting lost in foreign cities, only to find your way back. Not Margie's style though. She likes to ask people. I don't. I'm never lost.

So finally, I get to drink. In all our stay in Paris we never had a decent meal, just a lot of baguettes, which I don't like, sugat sugat yung bibig ko tuloy. So at least now I get to drink. First at an Irish pub, then at an Italian place. Then crepes after, but not like the crepes in Manila. The crepe is as big as a pizza before they fold it in quarters which you eat with your hands, see my photo post below.

The walk home was the coldest yet. When I checked online, it was an impossible -3 Celsius.

Next: We arrive in Nantes.