Holy flying buttress
OK, that last post was from an internet cafe. I was hoping to upload some photos to Flickr but couldn’t get it working. So I figured I’d return to the Palm handheld with the good old American keyboard.
So we’re staying in a hostel just up the street from Notre Dame in the Latin Quarter. It’s actually pretty laid back here — I suppose most people are back in school/work and only the slackers are out vacationing. The last time I was in Paris (in 2000) it was pretty crowded and hot. So it’s nice to be here later in the season.
Anyway, Jamie and I have a double room with a shared toilet down the hall. I take her to the nicest places. The shower in the room is just that: a shower in the room, tucked away in the corner. No shower curtain either, so water collects on the floor all over the room. Basically, this is a shower room with a bed, rather than a bedroom with a shower. But hey, at least it keeps the floor clean.
The cool thing about European hotel rooms is that nearly every room has an impressive balcony. Our room is pretty plain, but there are French doors (just ‘doors’ here) that open onto a pretty large balcony that overlooks the flying buttresses of Notre Dame. (Yeah, I know.)
We’ve also noticed the major price difference between Southern and Northern Europe. Drinks in cafes costs about $5 here. They were only $1 or $2 in Spain/Portugal. I think they charge extra here for ambiance/people watching. You could easily sit there and nurse that coffee for 2 hours and watch people pass by, so I guess it’s worth it.
Food is definitely an experience here — not simply nourishment. You can’t get coffee to go. You’re expected to go in and sit down. And you literally have to hunt down a waiter for a check. They expect you to sit and talk and enjoy. It’s kind of refreshing.
Jamie’s been a little sick the past couple of days (so maybe send up a prayer for her) but other than that it’s been a pleasant and relaxing experience here. The French people we’ve met have been extremely friendly and helpful. We’re hoping to relax a bit this AM and then go explore a bit more this afternoon and tonight.
Miss you all and we’re looking forward to seeing you all. It’s been real fun reading your comments!