On Sunday we got to Paris and dropped off the trailer with all the instruments at the hotel. After that quick errand, we went to Nortre Dame Cathedral and took pictures and went in search of a bathroom. We walked all over, asked the chaperones and followed some signs, but couldn't find any. Finally we found then, it took like half an hour, and then we had to wait in line for an extremely long time. There were lots of other people around too, since it was probably the only public restroom in a 5 mile radius. We had been extensively warned about pickpockets and there were lots of Hispanic or gypsy women around, asking us to sign petitions or something. We just didn't make eye contact and tried to look like we knew what we were doing. One of the women left and actually went through a hedge into nowhere and just disappeared. It was crazy. After a few minutes of waiting for the people in front of us, I felt something tugging on my backpack. My heart rate sped up to inhuman levels and I spun around "excuse me??!" ready to fight off anyone who might be behind me. It was a little like 3 year old girl who was playing with the hand sanitizer hanging from my backpack, and her mother apologized extensively. But we all were so scared after that, it was terrible.
After that, we went to find an atm and walk around and maybe buy some crepes. We found a fountain park thing and took pictures, then had the best crepes I have ever had the pleasure to eat in my life. I had a sugar lemon one and it was incredible. We made it back just in time to meet back up with the group.
Mr Memoli, the head director, decided that we should take a group photo in front of the Cathedral. However, since he planned the schedule to tight, and we all were exactly on time, we did not have enough time to take a photo and make it to dinner on time. Everyone was telling him we didn't have time, even his wife, but he still tried. Our tour guide, Sophie, yelled at him that since there is nowhere for the busses to park legally, they had been moved and now we had to walk even further to meet up with them. That finally changed his mind and somehow it was now our fault for being late. To make up for the time we lost, and to meet the busses on time at their new place, all the chaperones yelled at us to "RUN!!" And we all literally sprinted through downtown Paris. They wanted us to push people out of the way and stuff, it was awful. We made it and boarded the busses in record time, completely upset and stressed. We drove "quickly" through Paris to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner.
(On the bus to dinner!)
At dinner I say with Daniah, Reid, Asia, Margaret (sort of, she was supposed to be at the table next to us but...) and 2 boys we didn't know and attempted to talk to, but they weren't having it. Apparently you could request songs, so our group requested things like Let It Go, a Grease medley, and YMCA. It was fantastic. The food was pretty good, but the general consensus was that we all would rather go to a Parisian restaurant rather than something we could eat in the states.
From dinner we were bussed to a poet and went on a river cruise down the Seine. It was nice, there were lots of nice views of things and we had a good time. There were also lots of Asian women who would pose awkwardly with scarves for photos, which was pretty funny. I don't know why they were doing it, but it was all anyone could talk about for the rest of the day. It was cooler on the water than on the mainland too, which felt good.
(Being cute on a boat)Finally around 11 we made it back to the hotel, all the way at CDG airport. Asia and I were together and Daniah had her own room. We showered, talked much too long, and fell asleep in the most comfortable beds we had slept in in a lonnnggg time.
The next day, yesterday, we woke up early for breakfast and then went to he Montparnesse tower. We took an elevator up to the 65th floor, then stairs up to the 68th(?) and from there you could see all of Paris. It was great. We took bunches of photos, ran down to the bottom to make it in time, and went from there to the Louvre. We had an hour for lunch before we could go in, and we had crepes and water from a carnival (the same carnival we went to last year actually!) It wasn't the healthiest, but we finally found an atm to use and it was good, so we were alright with it. We went to the Louvre at 2:45 ish and were led around by Mr Richter, one of the chorus directors. I saw the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and tons of other things. It was a good time. It was very very hot inside though. We had 45 minutes left and just sat on th floor and played 20 questions with Reid, Margaret, Ani, and Reilly, super fun. We sat on the floor which was cold too, nice. Daniah and Asia got lost, and they didn't come back until *right* before we had to leave. But they made it!
We had to be out at a certain time so that we could run to the Eiffel Tower to quickly take pictures (everything we do, we do quickly, if you haven't noticed. They say Europe moves slower than America, and everyone can definitely tell we aren't from Europe by the rates we are moving at!) We were hustled off the bus, given 15 minutes and ran to take pictures. They came out pretty cute actually, I was happy. Only of the only things I wanted to do in Paris was take a jumping photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, and we did that, so it was satisfying. It came out super cute too 😄
We went back to the hotel and showered and did laundry for an hour or 2. We ran to dinner and were all looking forward to the "special liberty tour activity" planned for that evening. It ended up being a rehearsal. Woohoo.
The band and orchestra both got rooms in the hotel to practice, but, like usual, the chorus got pushed to the least convienant place, a park outside the hotel. It was really pretty, but since it was a public place, there were bunches of people who came by to see who was singing and why. Kinda awkward...
We practiced and preformed our acapella songs for a handful of people who came by, it was fun. And then we were finally allowed to go to the hotel and sleep 😴
This morning we woke up and started out for Obernai, a ~6 hour ride. We stopped at a rest stop on the way, and were given 45 minutes for bathroom and lunch. But there were 150 of us and it was a small place, and the chaperones (eg Memoli) got mad at us when we couldn't make it back to the bus in time for the 45 minute deadline. *sigh*
Excited for the discotheque (disco tech) tonight, party in a castle! Write soon,
~Taylor
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