Paris, The City Of Lovers Is Glowing This Evening

WARNING: I did so much in Paris this will be a two post city! (No complaints lol)

Who didn't love this film?

850 years of Notre Dame!

So if any of you readers had a childhood like mine, you grew up watching The Hunchback Of Notre

How I party ;)

Dame, and thinking about Paris. Now full disclosure, I have never been someone who really wanted to go to Paris. Horror stories about issues with the French, pickpockets, and problems over all had turnd me off of the idea. And then I found out I had gotten my dream of moving to Bulgaria- I thought wow, I’m not wasting a minute of this. Now not wasting time means living up every occasion and I set out to figure where I would want to spend New years and just like that I thought of Anastasia and the fireworks over the Eiffel Tower. (Which btw DON’T HAPPEN.) But anyways I decided to spend New Years in Paris.

Isn't it pretty?

I lucked out the second my bus got in I found someone on my bus that had a metro map and helped me figure out how to get where I needed to go, and a few women with metro passes that were leaving the city passed them on to another woman and myself. I got on the metro and figured out how to switch lines and get all around. Made it to my hostel near the Sacre Couer and settled in. Immediately I met my room mates, these two lovely women from New Zealand who are both Chemistry teachers and just fantastic company. Seriously, I have the best luck meeting people in hostels. They gave me advice on where to go in the area and after I unpacked I decided to make good use of that metro pass and headed to the Arc du Triomphe.

Now I figured that my mom was sad she couldn’t see me take in these places that she saw in the 70’s, so I had my phone ready to a picture of my face the first time I saw both that and the Eiffel Tower.

Singing in Paris!

That way my mom could feel like she was really there. Then I tried to actually get to the Arc du Triomphe. SERIOUSLY IT ISN’T EASY! I met a couple from Kansas, they asked me to take their picture and I heard about their lives while they then returned the awesome favor and I clung to a lamp post having fun. Then they directed me towards where the tours went to get across. And FINALLY I found a tunnel to get there. Thanks to my BG visa I also got in for free- I am VERY persuasive- then I headed up the very steep steps and made some more friends along the way!

Mom I made it!

There are multiple levels of things to do. Which helps when you have a fear of barrier heights like I do. (Side note: It’s a real thing, my godfather understands this, back off Kate.) I got to see other monuments like it around the world on an interactive screen, view statues and even miniature versions. Then head up to the top and see the beauty of Paris!  I saw a giant Ferris wheel from afar, the Christmas markets, the Tower, everything that as lit up was fair game for this gorgeous view. Eventually I descended and took more pictures from the ground before making my way to the Eiffel Tower. Which btw is super intimidating! I knew I couldn’t climb it the first day, I was just too tired, so instead I crossed the Seine, and climbed the stairs to get a better view to yell “Mom I made it!” Then I took in the Christmas festival and headed home to get ready for the next day! Which was New Years Eve.

I surrender!

Problem with Paris? Things change, just because they can. My hostel had called Notre Dame and The Eiffel Tower and told me when they were meant to close. LIES. I went to the Sacre Couer in the morning and climbed the steps to the top and took in New Years Eve mass, then I walked around artists alley, and headed to the Catacombs. Which were-you guessed it- closed. So I headed to Notre Dame and got inside which was gorgeous, only to be told you can’t climb to the top from inside you have to get in line outside. But, when I got in line outside they decided to close early, without notice. Yep. 0 for 2 Paris. Then I head to the Eiffel Tower to climb it and they decided that it took 3 hours to

I JUST WANT TO CLIMB

climb (IT DOESN’T) and that they wanted to close even earlier than 11:30, so at before 6 p.m. no I couldn’t get a ticket. Can’t even handle it.

Yum

Thus I got delicious churros with nutella and went back to my hostel. Where my roommates were getting ready to get Indian food, which I have missed very much. They kindly invited me to join and we had a great time annoying the restaurant owner who wouldn’t believe that we could actually eat dinner in less than 2 hours when

Some of the crowd!

he needed our table back. Oy Vey. I stayed up until midnight on the steps of the Sacre Couer with these soldiers from Turkey that I met in my hostel. It was a weird night, some broken bottle fight broke out and the fireworks were rather disappointing. But I rang in the new year 6 hours before my family did. I kept thinking of how I always watch New Years from the couch at home and I see the new year around the world in recap but this year I was going to be a part of it. Really cool.

I then went to bed so I could take on my “huge” undertaking of the year. If I couldn’t end 2013 on top

It's a Hakuna Matata Moment

of the Eiffel Tower, I would start 2014 there!

Now my Nunny told me not to climb to the top but to take the elevator. But I was determined to climb for two reasons.

1: I could represent my Nunny and Nana who didn’t climb to the top

Not even near the top! haha

2: I could fulfill a promise I made to myself at 12 when I watched Tuck Everlasting . In it Jesse takes Winnie to the top of his rock mountain and this conversation happens:

 Jesse: There it is.

[Pointing to a mountain]

Winnie: This is the Eiffel Tower?

Jesse: The one in Paris - it's pretty tall. Mine is two feet higher.

Winnie: [They start to climb the mountain] Have you really seen the real one in Paris?

Jesse: Yes I have. And climbed 1.652 stairs to the top. Much easier than this. You doin' all right?

Winnie: I think so

Jesse: You're doin' great. Here

[Gives her a helping hand]

Winnie: If I went to the Eiffel Tower I would take one of those elevators.

Jesse: Not with me! You'd take of your shoes and walk up every single, solitary step.

Don't Look Down!

Winnie: How old are you?

Jesse: You really wanna know?

Winnie: Yes.

Jesse: 104

Winnie: I'm serious.

Jesse: So am I!

[Thinks about it]

Jesse: Let's just call it 17.

Well I am no longer 17 or 15 which is how old she was in the book. However, I wanted to make sure I walked up every single solitary step. So that’s what I did.

Irony here is I dislocated my Ankle at Dracula’s ball on November 1^st, and January 1^st I’m

Look at that view!

climbing up the Eiffel Tower. How cool is that?

A few fireworks from New Years

There were some annoying parts, like parents who let their kids run wild, or people who stood in the middle of the stairs just talking…yep. But I made it to the first landing and took tons of pictures. Then went up to the second and really took it all in. A nice man took my picture for my mom, and I took one of him and his two boys! Lovely exchange. I walked around inside, then took the elevator (there are no more stairs, I didn’t cheat haha) to the top and faced, yet again, my fear of barrier heights…and that is where I will leave you for now. Because if I’m gonna leave you somewhere it may as well be at the top of the world ;)

Tonight’s song is: You’re The Top, with Barbara Streisand and Ryan O’Neal from one of my top 5 films- What’s Up Doc? 1972. Because I did leave you at the top ;) 

Anna

These Are The Things, The Things We Lost, The Things We Lost In The Fire, Fire, Fire

NUTELLA!

Delicious!

And then Anna decided to visit one of her ancestral countries: Belgium. But it’s me, so I do this with a theme: capital to capital. So I headed on the train to Brussels to see what my family left. By the way BIG MISTAKE. They have waffles with nutella. Seriously people let’s get our priorities straight!

Hero

But I got in and it was already not as great as Germany. The tourist booth it turns out isn’t open everyday, and when I was finally able to get help it took 2 hours and a really annoying ticket system to get any answers to buy a single tram ticket. Then when I got off the tram I had no idea which way to head so I ended up asking another hostel for help (I’m not THAT type of person, but I saw a big friendly building and it happened to be a hostel, I did feel guilty) then I found my hostel and settled in.

11 forever!

Now as many of you know by now I am a huge Doctor Who fan. And this year during the Christmas special, my beloved Matt Smith was going to die and regenerate into Peter Capaldi. And while I am incredibly excited to see what Capaldi does with the character-Matt will always be my favorite. I sincerely believe he was the youngest because he was the Doctor who “forgets” like a child who’s brain doesn’t want them to process the horrors they have seen. And thus moving to an older Doctor works because there is no need to forget now, now is the time to remember. But that doesn’t change how much it hurt to know Matt won’t be on the show anymore, Matt the actor who portrayed the most selfless, most humane doctor. Matt who taught me who I want to be, and who helped me become an activist. So I knew that I had to be able to get my anger out after watching the episode. Here’s what I did:

You are always here

I checked into my Brussel’s hostel, and set up shop. I had already

LOVE IT

downloaded the Christmas special onto my phone and I took out some of the lovely chocolate my friends mom had packed for me (emotional support) and watched the special in my bed. I did this because it was still bright daylight and I knew if I was too upset I could go for a VERY long walk. But it turns out that after I was too worn out. I just wanted to curl up and process the death of my favorite. It was a beautiful death. I have to say that Moffat had 10 die in the best way possible, he died to save another which undid the selfishness you often saw in his episodes. But with 11^th he was always so selfless really, and his death was his way of maintaining the balance and order and not letting anyone else die for him.

It was a hard episode to watch, and I think it was perfect the way it ended. But for me it is the end of an era, and one that started when I was in university, and it greatly impacted all my life choices. Now it’s weird because I’m an adult, in the real world, actually in Bulgaria which in itself is a wild ride, and I know that Matt Smith’s Doctor helped me get here. So it was hard. But the next day I worked that aggression off by taking a tour of Brussels! 

So much emotion. FEELZKABAN

THERE WAS A LIGHT SHOW!

Funny story, I am not fluent in Spanish. If my high school Spanish

Me when they started talking...

teacher ever reads this- you were amazing. Really, brilliant. And I LOVED your classes, but I just was too sick during high school and missed too much. Now I am taking the time to go back and re-learn a lot of what I missed, but still not fluent. So imagine my surprise when I accidentally ended up on the free walking tour in Spanish. Yep, that happened. Literally I started to only talk to the Koreans on the tour because they spoke English and got on the wrong one as well. But it didn’t matter to me, I just went with it and understood what I could. Which was great until I got lost in the town square and couldn’t remember how to say “Help! Don’t leave me!” (Shout out to Amelia for telling me how later!) But in typical Anna fashion I thought “eh, at least I know how to get downtown now, let’s explore.” SO I DID. And wow was it pretty! I found a cathedral for mass and literally during mass one woman told the man next to her who clearly wasn’t catholic "this is kinda like the sound of music" seriously? Nuns sing and that’s all that you need to jump to Julie Andrews? 

Then I saw the University, and all of the Christmas market stall. Befriended a waffle man, yep. I now

Drug Opera?

know a guy ;) Went through all the lace shops, tried to track down a store that did family heritage (no luck :( ) then just watched people go about their day.

I love walking ladies and gentleman. LOVE IT. I ended up walking between 10-12 miles that day just enjoying Brussels and taking in all the Christmas shows and light extravaganzas.  I walked off my sorrow about Doctor Who, I walked off my confusion of Spanish, and I loved it all. I even found this walking spot that when you go under this construction it sounds like different types of dinosaurs stalking you. How cool is that?

The next day I made it back downtown to see all the spots I hadn’t gotten to yet, and guess who I ran in to? Come on…guess.

It made dinosaur sounds!

Well if you guessed: the Spanish speaking tour you lost. You would be correct! Give yourself a pat on the back! I found them, and found out all about the government in Belgium and the opera house. (Or I got a great recipe for fried chicken that I can’t eat- not quite sure :) )

McDonald's counts

During the second night I also got to skype in to my family sing-a-long that we do every year around Christmas. It was nice to just get to tell them what I was doing and have them involved. It isn’t normal for my family to have someone live abroad. It’s not that we are against it, it’s just not normal. So it’s been a bit hard for me to the be the one that isn’t there, but they love me and I love them. Which made it great to hear their laughter and join in! You can stay in touch with anyone if you set an alarm to wake up to call at 3 am! 

Brussels’ was fun but I was glad to leave. I wanted to get to Paris, and as much as I loved some of the people I met in hostels- this was an annoying one. With very whiny people. So I got on a bus to Paris after walking the canal one more time and committing to memory every thing I loved about being there. (Also, side note- I got brunch! I MISSED BRUNCH SO MUCH!) 

Raggedy Man: Goodbye

Tonight’s song is: Thing’s we lost in the fire. I chose it because memories are often all we truly have to hold on to, and I will carry my memories of Matt as the Doctor with me forever, but he is now lost in the fire. Just as I will carry my memories of Belgium with me hopefully until I die, even if I never get those pictures off my SD card that my computer has decided to hate. (urgh)

Anna

Simple Joys Have A Simple Voice: It Says Time Is Livings Prize

Same procedure as last year Ms. Sophie? Same procedure as every year!

Get on a train and go

We left off with the protagonist of the story on a train bound for Cologne. I was quite proud of myself readers! I speak 10 words of German and read EVEN LESS, but I managed to get to all my train connections on time and figure it out! Thankfully I saw the best site ever as my train arrive- my friend and her husband waiting for me on the platform!

Readers I am a very lucky woman. I met my friend Verena at university, just one of the wonderful gifts undergrad gave me. And when she knew I was moving to Europe she kindly offered to have me for Christmas. Now I have spent years waiting for the time when I could spend a Christmas at home, without the craziness (if you knew what my family used to be like, you’d understand) but when the time came, that was the farthest thing from what I wanted. I couldn’t wait to get to spend time with her in Germany.

How I felt being welcomed!

And it was a wonderful four days. The first day out we went to the Christmas markets and I saw the

Christmas market with wine!

Cologne cathedral. I also tried gluwein, which is this warmed wine with ameretto. It was delicious and warmed me right up! The Christmas markets were packed, but gorgeous and so intricate. Each one had it’s own theme and I can only imagine how long it would take to go slowly through all of them! I got to try some German food and really enjoy the night out.

SUCH GOOD FOOD

Then it was back to Verena’s parents house for the night! Her parents are seriously two of the best people I have ever met. From the moment I met them they were kind and generous, they were so gracious in having me and it never bothered them that I don’t speak German. It honestly felt like I had surrogate parents that I really loved being around. We discussed travel, politics, the world in general, all while still telling stories to me about my friend and discussing her daughter. I couldn’t have asked for a better family to spend the holidays with. And boy were the holidays packed!!

There is Christmas eve in Germany, but then there are two nights of Christmas. I will totally be instituting this when I get home! On Christmas eve we stayed at Verena’s

Isn't it pretty?

parents house and we exchanged gifts before dinner, which was really cool. Even though I am not actually family they gave me this beautiful tin of cookies with a picture of the Cologne Cathedral on it so I would always remember my time here! The dinner had more traditional foods and honestly I couldn’t name half of them with correct spelling, but I know that come November next year I will be messaging her for recipes and tips to recreating parts of that meal! Really, really delicious. Then we all watched this traditional movie that is in English but Germans watch it every year for New Years. (I wasn’t going to be there for New Years so they watched it with me then) It’s called “Dinner for One” and has this constant line: The same procedure as every year. (This will also be a new tradition at home!)

We decorated the tree!

The next day was Christmas, everyone slept in and just enjoyed. The day before we had been watching “Hook” at Verena’s and seriously Steven Spielberg was making adult  sequels to kids books before it was cool. It brought back a lot of good memories and we were really able to enjoy it, while I kept the pacifier in her babies mouth. That baby is seriously adorable!

For Christmas however we made sure the tree was decorated, and I got to hold the baby more as

I ate so much

Verena and her husband set about preparing for that nights meal as his family was coming over. It was the coolest dinner ever. LEGIT. You had these mini pans and you filled them with different foods like pineapple, peas, (meat if you eat it, which I don’t, so I didn’t) peppers, just ANYTHING. Then you put cheese on top and place under this heated plate and bam, awesomeness! Verena joked that my time in Germany was meant to help me gain weight- mission accomplished!

Then second day of Christmas I got to meet many of her husbands family members for lunch. Everyone thought it would be overwhelming for me, but actually it reminded me of the holidays at home when my family comes together for a sing-a-long after Christmas. I will share with you all a not-so-secret, secret that just kind of goes against my personality: I LOVE big families. Love them. I mean my personality fits that I like to stay quiet sometimes, or that I tend to walk on my own a lot. But I love having a big and different family. I love how different we all are, with varying interests, and fantastic personalities. And being with his family was just great. Being with both of their families was a gift I can only hope to pay forward one day.

My sister sent me a pic of my kitty at Christmas

I love playing holiday games!

After we finished there we went back to her parents house for “trashy Christmas!” And no readers, I am not being ethno-centric. It’s this family tradition they have that everyone brings a wrapped gift that is really one of the worst things they had in their house. You role a dice and if you get a certain number you pick a present, this goes on until everyone has a gift. Then you role again and the present swapping begins! If you hit a certain number you pass right, another number you pass left. It was great! I ended up with this coaster set that her cousin said was her grandfathers, it looks like an old fashioned clock. It was very fun, we just enjoy it immensely. Then it was that sad time when it was all over.

I was grateful that I had so much time at night to spend with her parents and discuss things, I really

Family is snuggly

felt at home. But then I had to pack and prepare to leave. I never thought leaving would be so hard but it was. And I insisted on a picture with her parents the next day before I left and Verena took me to the train. I was also given a surprise when her mom gave me a lunch package for my train! I really felt like a kid getting treats! I got on my train, with some rather annoying people and prepared to see Belgium, one of my families home lands. (Not as good as Ireland though, no other homeland is as wonderful as Ireland)

This was me talking to the baby...yeah I listen

The time I spent in Cologne was brilliant. But aside from the beauty of the holidays, time spent with the baby, and the joy of catching up with my friend, there was so much more to this trip. It was really wonderful to get to sit there and listen to German. I have never studied it but it was great to just listen and enjoy, I didn’t know what was going on all the time but sometimes that’s one of the best experiences you can have. Americans often think we are the “best” because of our English, but I love these humbling experiences when you realize that knowing English is good, but you need to be open to other languages and cultures to truly be a “citizen of the world” and John. F. Kennedy said. I was so sad to leave, but happy that I made it.

Relevant, but mostly here because I love them

 Tonight's song is "Simple Joys" from Pippin. My friend Glenn sent me the new Broadway soundtrack just before I set out on my winters journey. It was sent to remind me I have "magic to do" and I found a lot of magic on this trip. But also it really is the simple joys in life that make it worth living, like Christmas with a family. 

Anna

There Are Many Things That I Would Like To Say To You, But I Don't Have The Words In My Head

Let’s talk Zurich my friends!

So if you are in my family you may or may not know about my joke with my sister. I always told her I would steal her (not even in existence) children “Franz-Fritz, and Heidi” and take them to Switzerland. You may think that sounds insane but it all started when she decided her children were never going to be allowed to see Santa Clause and well…it spiraled from there!

But never in my dreams did I think I would make it to Zurich as a young adult. I thought maybe when I was retired I would finally get there, but I made it! For winter break I went from Zurich to Cologne to Brussels and finished in Paris. That’s 4 fun posts about my shenanigans! Let’s get started!

An old building turned shop

The old city!

During the day I taught my literature classes and my wonderful students had surprises for me! A few gave me presents for Christmas! Two gave me a dream catcher to help with my nightmares, and two gave me candles with wishes so that I have a great new year! Then all my students lectured me about staying safe while away. They literally said "Anna, you are prone to accidents...so don't take any chances!" I wanted to tell them "I am the adult! I am supposed to look out for you!" But I couldn't weary as I am to admit it, their concern was deeply touching! As hard as I tried, I have to admit I am tremendously attached to my students. Wherever I go I see things that remind me of them, and I am faced with wondering if that will ever stop, I hope it doesn't honestly. I love how some of them have really opened up to me and how comfortable I feel with them. And each time I leave it gets harder.

I really almost cried

However I had planned me trip, no going back! I took a bus to Sofia, then got to the airport to stay up 10 miserable hours overnight in the airport. Yet again my trusty David Tennant kept me awake as I prepared for my flight.

Me waiting...

I ran into some friends at the airport, Victoria and Irma. We had flights around the same time and it was nice to have friendly faces to wait with that last half hour. Not always great to be alone with your thoughts too long. I had even considered just running away from my gate and find a flight home instead. I know how badly my family missed me but I knew if I didn’t take this leap I would never be able to truly be on my own.

Yep...basically

Thus, I boarded the plane and landed in Zurich! Which was the easy part, the hard part was figuring out the trains I needed to take to get to my hostel. Thankfully I met a family that spoke English and they helped me out. Then it was up to stumbling around the old town until I found my hostel. And boy was that old town gorgeous. Once I’d checked in and told my family I was ok I hit the town. Just walking everywhere, until I got lost 12 miles away from where I was supposed to be. I mean seriously you take ONE WRONG TURN. But then again no one should be surprised, I love getting lost. Only in getting lost do you find out who you are.

Told you I made a friend!

A woman told me which tram to take and I was back in business taking in the city, going to the Christmas festival and making friends with seagulls. (Yes, you read that right. Seagulls. I have a fondness for them ever since the Little Mermaid, which came out before I was born so read that “ I have always had a fondness for seagulls ;) )

I followed him for streets and he never knew. Future spy career?

The next day was interesting, I had taken in the Christmas market, followed the marching Christmas band (In John Cleese style) and figured out the super market. Then something completely unexpected happened: I met someone. I met a guy, Luke. Just finishing up his internship in Geneva at the United Nations. And it was fantastic to meet him. We discussed everything from “gay” rights (SERIOUSLY IT IS HUMAN RIGHTS) to feminism, to just travel. Then I showed him around. Bad idea, and seriously Luke if you read this ever, I DID warn you that I always get lost!

We got there, just where the "there" was, didn't matter

I offered to show him the super market and we ended up getting crepes in the train station which was

The park I where I claimed my bench!

gorgeous and so decked out. Then we went to see about that circus that was in town. But since Switzerland is exceptionally expensive we didn’t bother to buy a ticket, we were about to leave when a man gave us a ticket for a free program. I now have a program I can’t read but I will always remember how I got it!

I love bad ideas ;)

Then we stumbled around the park, stole a bench that I wrote my name on and had a marvelous night just talking. The night ended with me showing him the 50^th anniversary episode of Doctor Who (he asked, I swear, I didn’t tie him to a chair or anything) and playing a fun mind game on his ipad. I love intellectual games! We made a deal that if we saw each other in the morning as we were both checking out to grab trains to Germany, me to Cologne, him to Munich- then we weren’t figments of each others imaginations. 

We met in the morning and went to the train station, I saw him off on his platform since his train left 3 hours before mine and it was

Till we meet again

seriously like a scene from a movie. All I could think of was Mama Mia. I just wanted to hop on the train and follow him, and he just wanted to meet me somewhere along the way. But that’s life, we couldn’t. I still desperately wanted to spend Christmas with my friend and her family, and he needed to see his friends. But that doesn’t change what a beautiful memory it gave me. Watch the clip below for the first 12 seconds to really understand this.

Found while lost!

Memories are the best souvenir

A few hours later I was on a train to Cologne, happy I had seen such a beautiful, and historical city. And more so happy that I knew myself even better. For years I told myself I would be horrible at even considering companionship, but it was nice to feel like I wanted to follow someone across the world, even to just pursue a wonderful friendship. Life, my dear readers, will never cease to surprise me. If you are lucky, it will never cease to surprise you.

Tonights song is Rewind because even though I have no regrets I would still like to rewind in my head and remember it all! No regrets ;) 

Anna