Pretty Paris - Day 1

I am back from my trip/vacation to Paris! I have had such a wonderful time, I don’t even know where to start telling! I decided to write a report with pictures for my friends and for my blog of course. It will take at least five entries, probably more, but I’ve had so much fun that I don’t mind at all! Please look forward to my following entries, for they will include quite some Lolita too!

Day 1
Our train would depart at 15:15 (3:15 pm). In the morning, I packed the last things I would need, like my toothbrush and that kind of stuff.

All the clothes I took with me. I actually had made special outfits,
complete with accessories and all.
We left for the trainstation very early, because my mom and I were restless and we wanted to go so badly! The trainplatform was very crowded already when we arrived, but luckily most of the people went somewhere else with a different train.

My mom and I on the station with our luggage. I actually had another bag with me,
with some books and mangas, but you don’t see that one in the picture.
Our train was -of course- delayed, so we had to wait for another 30 minutes. It didn’t really bother us though, we were too excited anyway!

15:16, yeah right! ;)
Then the Thalystrain arrived! It’s a superfast train, that takes you to Paris in four and a half hours, when it stops in some places. The train even looked fast! Then we had to get in, with our heavy suitcases. Everyone wanted to get in as fast as possible for some reason, but we got in just fine. We didn’t really have a windowseat, but a bit in between of two windows, so we still could look outside a bit. We placed our suitcases on the boards above us (which took us quite some effort). We kept my bookbag and our handbags with us, plus my two umbrellas/parasols (why two umbrella’s you ask? Not only in case it rains, but they were mainly to take pictures with. My mom and I both like to use props). The train started driving and we waved my brother and dad goodbye for the last time. Our nerves finally calmed down for a bit and we only got more excited.
My mom, who sat at the aisle, described to me what the other passengers were doing when I couldn’t see it.
In front of us sat five Greeks (we discovered that after a while, since they were reading books with Greek letters on them). They were all very cheerful. One of them we called the ‘Vreetgriek’ (which means something like ‘the Eatgreek’), because he was constantly eating, from huge sandwiches to chocolate cookies. Later, some whiny teenagers joined our traincoupé, complaining about everything possible. It was actually quite funny.
So, after a few hours, we arrived at Gare du Nord (Northern Station).

Gare du Nord. On the right you can see the Thalystrain.
There, I had to buy two Navigo-passes: special metropasses that allow you to travel with the metro during a whole week. I was really afraid of doing this, since I had read the night before that we would need pictures of ourselves and I was afraid I wouldn’t understand the clerk. Luckily, everything went just fine. I asked the man: ‘Parlez-vous anglais?’, which means ‘Do you speak English?’ and he said yes.
Now this isn’t strange of course, but the French used to be really difficult in the past. They didn’t speak English and were very rude. I am very glad that now, years later, a lot of them spoke English and a lot of them were very friendly during our whole trip.
Anyway, I bought the passes and stuck the ready-to-go pictures I had with me on them. A signature, and done!

Our Navigo-passes. They were so much easier to get ready than I thought!
We immediately checked out the metromap (they hang everywhere in the stations) en walked to our station.
Now, the metro in Paris is supereasy! I understood immediately what to do and during our whole trip, everything went perfect! I’ll never be afraid of the metro ever again (I’m usually afraid of public transport, silly me).
We arrived at our hotel, ‘Hotel Eden Montmartre’ in the Montmartre-quarter, at about 8:15 pm. Our room was at the fifth floor, a small room with a bed, a small make-up table, two chairs, a tv, two mirrors and a bathroom with shower, toilet and handbasin. We had a French balcony: two doors that opened inwards with a little fence in front of it.

Our view straight from our window: a beautiful building with lots of different little fences.
We ate at an Italian restaurant down the street. I had pizza and my mom had a delicious Tagliatelle. After that, we went back to the hotel to plan our trip for the next day. We decided to go see the Eiffeltower. My mom also sugested to go visit ‘my shops’ (Angelic Pretty and Baby). I really wanted to ask for that myself, but I didn’t really know how to. I was so happy when she suggested it herself! My mom really understands me too well.
After that, I watched some tv (all French channels, really cool!) and after that, we went to sleep with the doors open (no mosquitoes, yay!).

Our first day was hectic and a little stressful, but the metro was really awesome and I was glad I understood the system so well! It had been a very fun day!