Snack Attack: France - Monday, June 22

An email to my mother...

Hi Mom!!

letting you know that i made it and i'm alive!!! my flight wasn't too horrific and i actually slept for a few hours. i was feeling pretty good when we first landed, then the taxi got caught in traffic and the ride last like an hour and i started getting pretty sleepy. i got to my hotel with plans to take a quick shower, freshen up and hit the town but they don't do check in til 3, so i had to leave my bags and hit the town as i was....jet lagged and hideous looking. luckily i'd changed out of my loungewear and into normal clothes at the airport.

i set off kind of wandering for awhile and stopped in a few adorable patisseries. finally i stopped and sat in a cafe to situate myself on a map and make a game plan since i had about 7 hours to fill (and stay awake) before i could go back to the hotel. i did a walking tour of monmarte from my paris book, starting with the sacre couer basilica. it's absolutely gorgeous and i somehow managed in my exhuasted daze to climb the 260 stairs to the top of the dome for an amazing city-scape view.

then i wandered through the little alleyways of monmarte and saw some houses where picasso and van gogh used to live. i also saw the last remaining vineyard in paris and the 2 last wooden windmills. then i walked down to the moulin rouge and stopped int he museum of erotic art....interesting to say the least.

I did end up getting a phone....so if anyone can/wants to call, I believe the number is dialed 011 33 24 99 91 83. If that doesn't work, let me know and i'll try to figure it out. I'm 9 hours ahead of CA time.

Now I'm finally checked into the hotel and my room is teeny tiny but so cute with an adorable balcony (on the 5th floor) with an incredible view of the sacre couer. i love it!!!!!!!

I'll send another update soon!

Patty