The Day of 44 Sunsets

Paris has appeared to take a lot of jabs at me since I've returned.  First snot city, to a sprain ankle, I've woken up today with a bug bite on my face and bleeding teeth.  Oh, so guess the one thing I forgot to pack?  Floss. AAGGGGGGHHHHHH WHHHYY?! and of course on Sundays nothing absolutely nothing is open, so I have to wait in pain.  Finally it's Monday and I go to the grocery store to pay for my packing mistakes.  Along with no floss, I've run out of shampoo and such.  Floss cost like £1.50 and shampoo £4.60! Bleh, after that the post office, I mail back goods from Sweden, yes my kryptonite is gift giving. It cost £38 fixed price for up to 15 lbs, and in the box I did include my rain jacket cause I figure ooh Spain is next, who needs it? One step out the door to what was sun... was rain.  Funny joke.

est-ce que je peux achete une boite (petite, grande, xl)= can I buy a box (small, large, extra large)

et les timbres = and stamps (taw-m br-uh)

envoyer = to send

les états- unis = USA

international = international

Then you will have to fill out a form with the address you are at in France, the destination, the pays (country), what's in there (cadeau aka gifts, documents, etc - check a box), value, weight (I always just make that up), and sign and date.

Later, Thony and I took the metro to Montmarte, a northern district of Paris.  It's iconic with the Sacré-couer, a basilica high on the hill top, as well as the Moulin Rouge down at the bottom off Pigalle.  Right off stepping out the metro stop Abesses, were cafés, merry-go-rounds, vintage stores and a large bussle of tourists.  So, naturally I expected things to be exspensive immediately, but a store called Vintage Desir that sucked me in was honestly pretty decently price. Purses between £5-£10, overalls, dresses, and jackets for £10.

Took a smaller less crowded stair path to the top, passing Tertre Sq, filled with a sea of artists doing portraits.  That's all there was besides the cafés, and tourists walking with video camers pressed against their faces.

The view was definitely gorgeous, even with all the people running around.  We lounged on the top of the steps for a while eating carmelized peanuts just taking it all in.  The monuements stood nice and tall, and Thony explained to me that there is a certain height limit to buildings in the center - as to most likely not overshadow things like Notre Dame or the Eiffel Tower.  Facing out, to the left was North Paris and the right, South Paris, slightly more residential.  

Hi

Explored some of Pigalle, infamous for the amount of sex shops and adult shows.  Just alongside the 'Sex SUPERMARKET', was your normal SUPERMARKET... cause for all I know, all that sexiness must work up an appetite.  How convenient.  As we crossed the street, a woman was taking a piss on the sidewalk and nearly got run over by a biker. The Moulin Rouge was a tiny little thing, hidden behind tour buses, but I guess hosted a fairly entertaining restaurant with your standard can-can girls (who all have to be the same height, weight, curves etc).

Space Invader Sexytime

Kristina, moi, et Elena

couchsurfing wall

The entrances to the metro, like something out of a Tim Burton movie

As I count the days that I've been gone and away from home, I have a hard time believing it's been exactly 44 days.  Which then leads to my little emotional heart melting over my favorite childhood book Le Petit Prince.  We had two emergency couchsurfers from Russia, Elena, and Kristina.  Elena visiting Kristina who moved to France almost a year ago, had also spent some time in SF.  She was interested in how I planned my trip and everything, leading us to talk about friends and family and keeping in touch with everyone all over the world... now back to the prince...

A prince had left his small planet and everything he had tamed, only to learn on Earth, that he will always be responsible for them no matter how far he has left, and anything essential for the heart is invisbile to the eye.  So, in relating that to where I am now, I believe communication is underestimated, and whatever it is we may be searching for - we won't see, but feel.  If something is wrong, don't just drop it without trying to confront or fix it.  Effort is appreciated, while silence is hurtful.  It's hard work to maintain any sort of relationship with anybody; some require a lot, some - patience, and some just a simple hello and interest in their life here and there.  If you get nothing back, it's not the end of the world, at least you tried.  You may not always get what you want, but sometimes you just end up getting what you need without realizing it.  

I'll stop the sappyness there and just end this on, If there is someone you are thinking of and want to say Hello to, just say it, someone you want to see, make some plans!  Somewhere you wanna go, pack enough socks and go!  Apologies really do mean nothing if you don't mean it - and trust me, it's easy to tell.  If you want to go fast, go alone.  When you want to go far, go together.  Whatever floats your boat... will float your boat and then probably capsize it a couple times.  But, during those times under miles of water, you figure out who actually means something to your life and is worth keeping, instead of just being there.

You could say I'm looking forward to a southern california sunset on my favorite cliff when I get home

KL