Stories of Europe Trip

LOST IN PARIS

Paris is a city in Europe which has millions of attractive view offering to tourists. Why? Because one of the reason that Paris is the landmark of Europe. People said you haven’t gone to Europe if you haven’t visited Paris. By that reason I insisted my self to put Paris on list for my Europe Trip. It wasn’t a long trip, only three nights there, but it has many stories to be shared. Prepare your self for reading itJ.

Ok, let’s start, at the first time I stepped my feet on Paris was at the airport, Charles De Gaulle, a big one and for a new comer (especially Indonesian) like me, must prepare to observe it previously to avoid the confusions.  I did it by browsing the internet, got the information from some blogs and websites. Some travelers tell their stories about their trip, and it helps me, so I follow their acts now. Therefore by the time I arrived there, there’s not a problem with it except I lost my bag (Ow-Ow).

I was taking a connecting flight from Copenhagen to Paris, transit in Frankfurt. I brought one bag to be checked in the airlines. In short, my bag was missing. Straightly I claimed to Star Alliance, the airline network that in charge of baggage report. Calmly the officer said my problem, the baggage missing or delaying, could happen to any one and they would keep trying to find and send it back to me, either to my hotel in Paris or my house in Indonesia. First strike for me… I would travel Paris without my bag in which all my clothes and foods are there. Fortunately I still have my hand bag which save all important documents in it. At that time I was so up set and disappointed with the airline’s service. But directly I changed my mind, and tried to think positively. I travelled to Paris for enjoyment and fun, I wouldn’t let any problems distract it. So I kept moving on and told my self…”Paris here I come”.

Taking RER (Paris by Train, which I’ve learn it from the blogs how to use it) to the central city was also a story, I didn’t know how to pay the ticket, because the machine for issuing the ticket was in French, and I didn’t know any words in it except mercy and we which means thanks and yes (hehehe), that’s why needed a help. A girl helped, and immediately I entered the station to catch the train. By the way, the ticket needs to be validated before entering the station (by machine, not an officer like in Indonesia).

Base on the map I read on the hotel’s given I would stop at Laplace station. So when I already in this station, I asked a station officer how to reach my hotel from there after telling him the address. It’s on Malakoff, and he said he didn’t recognize it (ow-ow, second strike). But he gave a hint to take a bus from there to that street from the bus stop across the station. The confusions got bigger because the officer couldn’t speak English. At the bus stop I met a woman who carried a big vase with flower. I asked her about the hotel address, at beginning she’s also unfamiliar with it. Although her English was limited, but she tried to help, then she called her friend to get detail information, and you know what, she helped me by taking me to the hotel although she had different direction to go. At this moment all rumors about French people that dislike and unhelpful to the tourists were vanished from my mind since I’ve found a sincere and kind one. So, don’t worry about language, although we can’t speak French, we would be still survive thereJ.

After arriving in hotel and cleaning my self, it was started at night; I decided to use my time well and chose Eiffel Tower as my first target to be visited. Getting information how to reach the nearest station to go there from the hotel receptionist, I rushed to the station. The locket officer helped me to use the machine and guided to read the map of Metro. For your information, Metro is the internal or subway train in the city which has 14 lines marked by different colors. Again for beginners like me it’s confusing. But I sorted it out by keep telling my self “you can do it” and yes I can.

On the train and station, there were warnings about be aware of pickpocket. I started alerting my self and my hand bag. I put it inside my jacket so not seen from out. In the train there was a guy stared at me and talked to me in French, his gestures seemed unfriendly. So I moved my self to other spot and when I arrived in the destination station, Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel, hurriedly I left the train. Outing from the station and walking to the Eiffel Tower.  While walking I met a weird guy again who stopped me and this time was really frightening, why? Because he insisted to shake my hand.  First he greeted me by “Assalamu’alaikum”, probably of my scarf he noticed me as a Moslem woman, but he spoke French and the tone of his words sounds forcing. I was so afraid, because I didn’t see any people around to help me, and in my head at that time he could be a bad guy who wanted to steel or hypnotized a tourist. And that what happened? I replied him by say “thank you” and tried to avoid him and run as fast as I could. At this moment, I realized the important to know about French.

Having Eiffel Tower for my eyes was really an amazing experience; the light of the tower was so bright and awesome, especially when I already reached the top of it by lift. Since visitors could see the view of the central city and Paris was so beautiful at that night. It was supported by good weather as well. Yes, all my frightening was suddenly gone and the feeling inside was only happy and fun to be there, I was standing on one of the miracle building or statue in this world. It seems all the efforts done were not useless and worthy. Eiffel…you are really something; no wonder many tourists around the world come to see and praise you. I felt so lucky at that time…and until now tooJ.

Leaving Eiffel Tower and getting back to the hotel, with the same Metro route I was already on the train and again I met a weird white guy who stared at me, and he also had the same stop as mine. Along the station I made my walk faster so couldn’t be seen by him. And because of it, I took other road to my hotel undeliberately, and when I realized I was already taking the wrong road. I tried to walk back to the previous road but I couldn’t find it and all the roads and buildings look same. I started panic, because it was over mid night, and alone in the foreign city for the first time. In another word I could say that I was lost in Paris….Ooh NO !!!!

to be continue…..