I awoke early, around 6am. I showered and ate and anticipated an adventurous day going back to school. I needed to be at Alliance Francais by 8:30am. The school is in the 6th arrondisement and accessed by the Metro. I was a bundle of nerves. Those family members close to me know, when I was in France 6 months ago, I had a complete breakdown in the bowels of the Metro. Granted, it was after a long international flight from Seattle, and, I, standing before a metro map, which is colored lines and numbers, had no idea where I was or how to resolve it. Fortunately, my daughter was with me and she knew what to do. However, this did nothing to strengthen my confidence as far as the Metro was concerned and I have worried every day leading up to my trip about this frequently used transportation system. In fact, 4.5 million parisiennes use the Metro daily. I can tell you it is a sea of people and they all know exactly what to do. There are 14 lines, all nearly underground. Actually, they are layered one on top of another at different points beneath Paris. The first line was opened in 1903 in conjunction with the World's Fair. The number of lines increased rapidly until WWII when, they literally ran out of room. The Metro remains, today, pretty much the same, making improvements and updating as necessary. I walked to the station at "La place de Republique". I deemed it a bigger station where I could buy a "navigo mensuel" (monthly pass). I thought the pass would cost me about 12 Euros/month, but I was so wrong. The pass costs 65 Euros/month and/or 6 Euros/day. This makes more sense. The city of Seattle will charge a fee of approximately $3.50 for a one-way car trip across the Evergreen Bridge. If you are a commuter from Seattle to Bellevue, you'll pay somewhere under $10.00/day to get to work. Now, in Paris, I can go anywhere, anytime - get on or off one of the 296 Metro Stations for 65.00 Euros during my monthly stay. This makes the Metro cheap. the night before I had studied the Metro map and made sure I knew the direction and the station where I had to make a transfer. I stepped into the "Place de Republique Metro Gare" and found my way to the train. One waits for the trains a maximum of 5 minutes or less. Everything was going smoothly, until I checked the transfer station. A big red "X" across line 4, my next line. I took a deep breath, got off the train, read my map and changed the route. Not so hard afterall.
I arrived at school at 8:30. There were a thong of people. Alliance Francais begins classes every Monday. You decide what you want to take (Oral workshop and French Grammar), take a test, and pay your fees. I will be taking Oral workshop as the Grammar class was filled. There are other schools in the area and I will think about enrolling some place else next week.
On the way home, I stopped at a cafe and had a "cafe au lait" and "un pain au chocolat". I read the French newspaper that lay on the counter. M. Sarkosy, le presidente had fired one of his ministeres. Evidently, her family (La ministere is a woman) had some interests ("perks") with the Tunisia gov't and was trying to protect them during this volatile Arab rebellion. She was fired.
I walked home, used the ATM, and bought groceries. I'm feeling "Almost French".
No school tomorrow.
Sally
Monday 28 February 2011
Sunday 27 February 2011
Day One - Explore the neighborhood
I slept to 10am. Then, I decided it was time to get to know my neighborhood. I live in a 2nd floor (actually 3rd floor - French don't count the bottom floor - our 2nd story is their 1st) walk up. The building must be very old as the treads on the stairs are worn, but smooth, in various swales. There are 2 locks to get into the interior of the building. This is very common. The street front is non-decorous, but my apartment is very nice and functional and cold. Concerned about the lack of warmth, I checked the thermostat. There were very bold instructions telling me that in winter: AUTO; summer: OFF. It must be summer now; my heating system is off. Thank goodness for "REI" down jackets!
My neighborhood is the 3rd arrondisement. I have a set of 50 "City Walks - Paris" and I chose one that features "historic" monuments etc. close-by. Paris is huge. The streets are not on a grid so they angle in all sorts of formations. The taxis use GPS; a foreigner needs a good map. The "walks" are anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. Longer walks are so indicated on the card. This walk was relatively short; I thought it would be a nice beginning. The first point of interest was the "Memorial de la Shoah". It is a moving tribute to the French victims of the Holocaust. From 1942 - '44, jewish french citizens were rounded up and sent to prison camps. The Vichy government silently condoned this activity. After the war, people did not speak of these unspeakable crimes until decades later. The memorial is relatively recent.
Because it is Sunday and considered a family day, some of the places and museums were closed. I did walk by the manicured tapestry gardens of the Hotel de Sens and I really enjoyed hearing the children talk to their parents. I can almost understand them! Dogs are big too. I had my breakfast (croissant and cafe au lait) with a huge mixed breed with a shaggy mane and a French bull dog. They come right into the restaurant and usually eat better than their owners. The french "brasseries" (cafes) often have seating on the sidewalk outside. I couldn't imagine sitting in the cold, but there were more outside of the restaurant than on the inside. I paid my "fracture" with coins. It was 5.10 euros. I added for good measure - "c'est correcte?" Well, it wasn't. I had included some coin from Viet Nam. Thank goodness I had asked.
Along the way, I bought, at a patisserie, the traditional baguette and a delicious looking pastry. And, I've seen strawberries so big they look like they've been plumped and so red they look like they've been dyed. The price is alarming too. One dollar/ one strawberry. They must have come from Mexico.
I have television and turn it to a French channel. I like to hear the language ... and have the company too.
Tomorrow, I leave early in the morning to go to school. I take the metro and must make a transfer. It will be an adventure to be sure.
Sally
My neighborhood is the 3rd arrondisement. I have a set of 50 "City Walks - Paris" and I chose one that features "historic" monuments etc. close-by. Paris is huge. The streets are not on a grid so they angle in all sorts of formations. The taxis use GPS; a foreigner needs a good map. The "walks" are anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. Longer walks are so indicated on the card. This walk was relatively short; I thought it would be a nice beginning. The first point of interest was the "Memorial de la Shoah". It is a moving tribute to the French victims of the Holocaust. From 1942 - '44, jewish french citizens were rounded up and sent to prison camps. The Vichy government silently condoned this activity. After the war, people did not speak of these unspeakable crimes until decades later. The memorial is relatively recent.
Because it is Sunday and considered a family day, some of the places and museums were closed. I did walk by the manicured tapestry gardens of the Hotel de Sens and I really enjoyed hearing the children talk to their parents. I can almost understand them! Dogs are big too. I had my breakfast (croissant and cafe au lait) with a huge mixed breed with a shaggy mane and a French bull dog. They come right into the restaurant and usually eat better than their owners. The french "brasseries" (cafes) often have seating on the sidewalk outside. I couldn't imagine sitting in the cold, but there were more outside of the restaurant than on the inside. I paid my "fracture" with coins. It was 5.10 euros. I added for good measure - "c'est correcte?" Well, it wasn't. I had included some coin from Viet Nam. Thank goodness I had asked.
Along the way, I bought, at a patisserie, the traditional baguette and a delicious looking pastry. And, I've seen strawberries so big they look like they've been plumped and so red they look like they've been dyed. The price is alarming too. One dollar/ one strawberry. They must have come from Mexico.
I have television and turn it to a French channel. I like to hear the language ... and have the company too.
Tomorrow, I leave early in the morning to go to school. I take the metro and must make a transfer. It will be an adventure to be sure.
Sally
Saturday 26 February 2011
I made it!
Saturday evening. I just woke up from a nap. I needed it. It seems I was totally exhausted...but the trip was uneventful. Wasteful worrying. Unnecessary fretting. The flights were smooth; I had nice seat mates. On the last leg, I sat next to a young frenchman who works for Michelin tires. I engaged him in conversation with my limited french because this is the purpose of this trip...to be able to understand a french person speaking french at the speed of light. "Tres difficile".
But I became braver. I totally talked to the cab driver on the 40 minute ride to town. I was able to ask him about the size of Paris (5 million but 11 million if you count the surrounding area), the economy ("terrible"), the price of gas (going up), O'Bama (the parisiennes love him and Michelle too) and Sarkosy...he wanted to talk about "sa belle femme" (his beautiful wife). Most of the time and especially in my case, when they hear me speaking their french, they will answer in perfect english, but my pleasant cabbie did not.
One funny thing happened to me. At Charles DeGaulle Airport, I had deplaned and was walking down huge concourses heading toward baggage claim. I was tired from a day of jangled nerves and I was desperately trying to keep and eye on other fellow travelers also heading for "livraison de bagage" (baggage claim). (The airport is massive.) At one point I was singled out and approached by a woman pleading to me, arms open wide, eyes narrowed. I looked twice, didn't understand her confusion and kept going. I did not want to lose my way to my suitcase in the airport maze. At the carousel, the "haut parleur" (speaker) announced that there was a woman acting "deaf and dumb" and operating in the airport - Beware! Fortunately, I had missed getting entangled in an unpleasant problem. It really was an end to a perfect "Bon Voyage".
Sally
But I became braver. I totally talked to the cab driver on the 40 minute ride to town. I was able to ask him about the size of Paris (5 million but 11 million if you count the surrounding area), the economy ("terrible"), the price of gas (going up), O'Bama (the parisiennes love him and Michelle too) and Sarkosy...he wanted to talk about "sa belle femme" (his beautiful wife). Most of the time and especially in my case, when they hear me speaking their french, they will answer in perfect english, but my pleasant cabbie did not.
One funny thing happened to me. At Charles DeGaulle Airport, I had deplaned and was walking down huge concourses heading toward baggage claim. I was tired from a day of jangled nerves and I was desperately trying to keep and eye on other fellow travelers also heading for "livraison de bagage" (baggage claim). (The airport is massive.) At one point I was singled out and approached by a woman pleading to me, arms open wide, eyes narrowed. I looked twice, didn't understand her confusion and kept going. I did not want to lose my way to my suitcase in the airport maze. At the carousel, the "haut parleur" (speaker) announced that there was a woman acting "deaf and dumb" and operating in the airport - Beware! Fortunately, I had missed getting entangled in an unpleasant problem. It really was an end to a perfect "Bon Voyage".
Sally
Friday 25 February 2011
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Thursday 24 February 2011
Bend to Seattle
First leg Bend to Seattle. Pretty uneventful save for the fact that I left my computer in the scanner tray @ security and walked away totally unaware. A very nice TSA agent found me and returned it. Only in Bend, Oregon. Resting today with family in Seattle. The big send-off is tomorrow a.m. Seattle to Atlanta. Atlanta to Paris.
More later...
More later...
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