Love In An Elevator

Or, love FOR the elevator is probably more appropriate.

I started yesterday off with a little breakfast, checked out of my hostel and spent a little time on the net, before heading off to conquer Sacre Couer and Marmarte. I decided I was going to walk since I seemed to misplace my metro pass. (I should of known then it was a set-up for how the rest of the day would go.) I walked what seemed like 3 miles to my chosen destination, through a somewhat seedy area, only to discover when I got there that I didn't have my camera... (panic!)

Assuming that I left it sitting at the computer in the Internet Cafe at the hostel I proceeded to head back (by Metro this time) and recover it. But of course, it was no where to be found and no one had turned it in. So I sat and sulked a little, thought about crying (but didn't), and decided I was going to have to move on. I bought a disposable and headed back to Sacre Couer. I decided that maybe a little spirtual time in the church was what I needed. But spirtual it was not. Instead I watched as one by one the "moderator" of the church, kicked out any woman that walked in without her shoulders properly covered. Shouldn't we be welcoming everyone into the church? Ugh, I won't go there.

I enjoyed the rest of my time on Marmarte and decided that if I was going to be in Paris for 5 more days I was going to have to have a camera - and not just a disposable. So, I made my way to St. German Blvd and bought a Sony Cybershot. $170 euros later, I feel better.

Tired and hungry I headed back to the hostel to use the internet and upon finishing up one of the staff asks me:

"Are you American?"
"Yes"
"Did you lose something?"
"My Camera!"
(pulls camera out of his draw)
"Are you frickin kidding?! I just bought a new one" (as I hold up my FNAC bag)

Figures, right?

So, new AND old camera in hand, I head to my new hostel for the night (couldn't get the same place booked for two nights). As I mentioned before, my luggage now successfully weighs more than me. And the metro I have to take has no elevator or escalator, only 5 flights of stairs to go down, then up, only to go back down again. REALLY not my day. Make it to the hotel, only to find that you have to climb a flight of stairs to get to the reception. What is with no elevators in France?

BUT, I do have my own private room with shower AND a TV, so I am in heaven. I walked to the supermarche, bought a bagette, some cheese, a bottle of wine and a chocolate tart and I was in for the night.

Only to wake in the morning with little bites on both my arms - BED BUGS!

But I'm not bitter. Not even upset really. Paris is just too cool to care about anything else.

I got up, took a TAXI to LaShawn's, got a Chi Tea Latte from Starbucks, bought a new metro pass and started the day anew: Centre Pompidou, Notre Dame and the Towers, Eglise on Ile Saint Louis, Muse D'Orsay, a stroll through the gardens at Hotel de Invalides, and dinner at a fantastic italian restaurant with fabulous vegetarian pizza.

And good news - bed bugs can't exist on an air mattress so I'm safe for the rest of my trip.

3 days!