“It’s lke being in a movie, Mom”, quipped Alex excitedly, as we got off the subway at Trocadero, in search of the Eifel Tower.
And indeed, our first hour in France’s fabled capital had been like a movie!
After dumping our bags with the hotel’s front desk (our room wasn’t yet ready), we ventured out to the Metro, in order to purchase some subway tickets and travel the number 9 to the stop that would take us nearest the famed landmark we were determined to see during our short time in Paris. The streets from the hotel to the Metro station were narrow, and lined with cafes and small shops selling their wares to a mid-morning Parisian crowd laced with other tourists like us.
Typical of many European cities, it was unlike anything the boys had ever seen.
En route, we stopped for crepes, our tummies rumbling after the mediocre muffin offering in the wee hours of morning on the plane. With our nutella and banana sandwhiches in hand, we meandered along the narrow streets, enjoying the joke and costume stores, gourmet cheese shops, chocolateries and small fruit markets along the way to the subway.
And indeed, our first hour in France’s fabled capital had been like a movie!
After dumping our bags with the hotel’s front desk (our room wasn’t yet ready), we ventured out to the Metro, in order to purchase some subway tickets and travel the number 9 to the stop that would take us nearest the famed landmark we were determined to see during our short time in Paris. The streets from the hotel to the Metro station were narrow, and lined with cafes and small shops selling their wares to a mid-morning Parisian crowd laced with other tourists like us.
Typical of many European cities, it was unlike anything the boys had ever seen.
En route, we stopped for crepes, our tummies rumbling after the mediocre muffin offering in the wee hours of morning on the plane. With our nutella and banana sandwhiches in hand, we meandered along the narrow streets, enjoying the joke and costume stores, gourmet cheese shops, chocolateries and small fruit markets along the way to the subway.
Once in the metro, I attempted to buy tickets in French. Unfortunately, my French was better than I thought, because the guy behind the counter understood what I said, and started rattling off a detailed response in French, approximately 99% of which I did not comprehend!!! But, 19 euros later, we were making our way through the subway stall, an my pockets were stuffed with enough tickets to last us more than the two days we were staying here!
Once on the subway, we observed that it was considerably narrower than its Toronto counterpart. But, like in our home city, it featured noisy teenagers sprinkled amongst the other commuters. Three of them in our car were playing a sort of kicking game, that involved kicking one another's legs whilst yelling boisterously in French. This garnered them several dirty looks from their fellow passengers.
No sooner had the teenagers left the train then an accordion player got on, and began playing his instrument in lively fashion, no doubt in hopes of making a few Euros from appreciative music lovers on board the subway train.
Truly, it was like a foreign film; we all felt a little surreal!
Once on the subway, we observed that it was considerably narrower than its Toronto counterpart. But, like in our home city, it featured noisy teenagers sprinkled amongst the other commuters. Three of them in our car were playing a sort of kicking game, that involved kicking one another's legs whilst yelling boisterously in French. This garnered them several dirty looks from their fellow passengers.
No sooner had the teenagers left the train then an accordion player got on, and began playing his instrument in lively fashion, no doubt in hopes of making a few Euros from appreciative music lovers on board the subway train.
Truly, it was like a foreign film; we all felt a little surreal!
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