My Trip To Paris - Part 1

Tuesday, 21th of March 2006:

Departure from the center of the world’s station at around 7am by TGV (Take the time to go fast) .Arrived at Noon in the Gare de Lyon’s. It was rather chill, first feeling i thought it was like the station in Barcelona but after a few minutes i realized that is was a huge station...

First of all, i looked for the left luggage lockers, it was in –2 floor. It costed 8 euros for 3 days even if you did not want to use the whole time, the stupid thing was that you cannot put some stuff and take them back, you only had to open it once; the second thing was i could not let my laptop in it so I had to carry it with me and i got to say that at the end of the day you feel it.

A shocking thing was you could not find any cash dispenser in the Station, you have to go out. I needed some cash to buy the underground tickets (10) Got the interview at 2.30 in the Hotel Cosy in the 12^th neighbourhood.
So after made all the things, i decided to go there right away and had my lunch in the neighbourhood. The line i took was number 6 to the Nation and then Picpus (funny name isn’t it) the next one is famous too –it is Bel Air (Hey Remi this is yours)

The exit was 20 meters from the hotel, the name is well found (cosy) it really seemed like that.. walking around and visited a nice church and stopped at the Bistrot in the corner for lunch, i was pretty starving. I ordered an Entrecote with roasted potatoes as main, a tuna salad with tomatoes , and a beer as usual. The meal was really stuffing and good as well for only 13 euros.. i thought it would be more expensive, got a nice surprise..

Hardly i finished to lunch, went to the interview. When i entered saw a pretty young woman at the recepcion. She knew who i was at first glance.. we chatted half an hour or more, it was an unconvential interview, she explaines that the hotel was only 2 years old with a familiar runnning, visited the patio (i saw on the website) and we talked about my experiences...
The salary was 1350 net + Carte Orange included + breakfast ( Night Audit).



After that i made my mind to go to the city center walking along the Seine River. The weather was cloudy and chilly with a bit of wind. Met a guy along my walk who explained that life in Paris was more and more difficult especially accommodation. Saw some nice boathouses close to Notre Dame’s Cathedral. Took some picture of the most famous cathedral in france and tried to remenbered me the history of Casimodo.



Before arriving, there was a crowd of people on the bridge, some Japs.. coming closer from the entrance the number of people was rocketing, bands of Italians, Asiatic, Swedish.... many class groups..

The front of the cathedral was impressive especially the two doors was massive scultures.Looked for the price and did not find it so went it and surprisingly it was free of entrance..


Cool !!! There was many many people. The top of the ceiling was really high, it reminds me Sevilla’s Cathedral.. the stained glass window and the great organ were fantastic.

Made a loop of it and seated for a few minutes because i was quite exhausted of having walked till it. It like the candles designed the Virgin Mary.

My watch ringed it was 6pm, time to meet with Yannick.. The Cathedral is close to the Town Hall which mayor is Bertrand Delanoe .. there were 3 photos exhibitions, went to one of a famous parisian photograph. The pictures were about Paris through the century, could see many monuments i was about to visit in the following days.. some pictures were fantastic.

Time was out with my appointement with Yannnick in front of the merry-go-round in front of the Town Hall.

We took the Underground to the Lyon’s Station to fetch my luggage and go to his place.. the bloody suitcase was heavy at the end of day.. i lived in the 14^th (Line 13 Chatillon Montrouge) Stop Pleasance. It sounded a nice neighboorhood.

We went for shopping for the nite, some pastas and beers and breakfast stuff..
During the nite, we chatted about Past and Future, friends and others..