Author: Staci

Staci blogs about travel at TheVoyageer.com.

Self Discovery

When traveling, one learns things about him/herself that they didn’t know before.

Example #1: I speak French better than I thought I did.
So, here’s the story… while getting hit on by a French guy, I lied and said “I only speak English” in the most hokey, American accent possible, however, he continued talking to me in some weird mixture of English and French (“Franglais”) and my facial expressions and such totally gave me away. We both knew that I understood every word he was saying. Not so good for me trying to get rid of him, but a little personal victory as far as my language skills go. Score 1 for me, 0 for the French guy.

Example #2: I’m a great typist!
I just figured out how to change the keyboard into English so I can type with correct punctuation and whatnot. The great typist part comes into play because I haven’t looked at the keys this whole time, because they would just lead me astray. For example, I type “z” to get a “w.” And “q” and “a” have switched places. And the quotation mark itself, it would appear that I’m typing a percentage sign but I have this ole computer fooled! Ah, good times.

Okay, what else. Today I didn’t get as much accomplished as I wanted to, due to taking things (stairs) extremely slowly due to the ole bum knee. Paris is not friendly to the disabled. Hello Paris Metro, they’re called elevators! Take a page out of DC’s book, guys!

I still have many things on my to-do list; here’s hoping I can get them all done in one day tomorrow. Luckily museum hours are extended on Thursdays. Quelle chance!

Missions accomplished:
-visit Sacre Cœur basilica
-eat French food
-see the moulin rouge
-visit Musée d’Orsay (objective  50% complete)
-get my money’s worth out of my metro pass
Missions incomplete:
–visit Jim Morrison’s grave
-visit Centre Pompidou
-see Napoleon’s tomb
-Picasso museum
-stroll les Champs-Elysées

Can I get it all done tomorrow??

Bonjour, Paris!

Getting to the hostel here in Paris was no small feat. There were multiple trains/metros taken, much getting lost, and many flights of stairs on my bum knee. But I’m here and I have my ibuprophen so things are looking up. What did I have for my first meal in Paris, you ask? Well, chinese pineapple chicken and pork postickers. ;) The restaurant was on the same block as my hostel. That’s all I’m giving you for an explanation.

Lets recap Rome before I forget all about it.
Missions Completed:
-eat pizza
-see colosseum
-hear someone say “mama mia”
-see School of Athens and Sistine Chapel
Missions Incomplete
-hug the pope

Rome Day 1

I got here no problem, praise God! TBH I really was worried about finding my hostel but it was like 4 blocks from the train station. Easily located on the free map I got at the airport. Almost forgot to take a photo of airport number 5, but I remembered at the last second and snapped one from the train. The French people I was sharing the compartment with looked at me like I was wierd, so I explained to them what I was doing (in French, yes I am a rockstar) and I they still thought I was weird Im pretty sure. Oh well!

So, it was still broad daylight when I got to my hostel so I set out for the Colosseum at once. Partly because it is the closest historic monument to my hostel, and partly because its the whole reason I chose Rome as a destination in the first place. The sun was setting, which was helpful because the Colosseum is pretty much due west from my hostel, so I just followed that, checking streets with my map every couple blocks. I probably looked really touristy. Anyway I reached this park area and i was about to get my map out, but something made me glance up and… THERE IT WAS, looming just past the park. I picked up the pace and made it over there quickly. Once I got up next to it… it was just amazing. It is SO HUGE. It took my breath away in a way that no monument ever has before, natural or manmade. I took about a bazillion pictures because it was so beautiful in the sun-going-down light (not quite sunset yet) and took a lap all the way around it. Then I wandered around the area for a while and took inventory of what to do tomorrow, and mentally planned out my next two days.

Tomorrow I am doing a walking tour as outlined in my Frommers book in the morning, then in the afternoon going up to the area by the Trevi fountain. Then on Monday I will pay a visit to the Pope and give him my due respects.

Since I am at an internet cafe, not using my laptop, there wont be any pictures (or apostrophes, if youd noticed) until I get a) home or b) find a wi-fi place in Paris. Well, now you know I am safe and sound! Hopefully I will update again tomorrow. Love you all!