Au Revoir Paris!

Au revoir Paris!!! Alright good peeps! Today was my last day in the grand city of Paris! It seems strange that I've been here just over a week, but it really doesn't feel like it. It's like I just got here. I have no idea where the time has gone. I added up my time left and it's only another 18 nights including tonight. It feels like nothing.
Anyway, today I made the hour long walk along the river the great Eiffel Tower! I guess I knew it was big, but holy cow! When you stand underneath it, you can really begin to appreciate the size. I bet 10 to 15 good size houses could fit underneath it. Maybe more. It is massive. I walked around it and every time I looked at it, I couldn't help but appreciate all the effort and creativity that went into it. I learned that the citizens of Paris actually hated the structure after it was finished being built. So the man who created it, a man with the last name of (of course) Eiffel, started thinking up ways for it to be utilized. The idea was the Parisians would come to need it and not tear it down. In the mean time, the government satisfied the people by saying it would only stand for 25 years and then be removed. Eiffel, the man, turned the tower into a radio tower, which was convenient, but still not crucial to the citizens of Paris. It wasn't until – don't quote me on this – but WWII (maybe WWI), when the Germans were trying to invade the city that they found a 'use' for the tower. The French had dug a trench around the whole city as a way to attack the German soldiers. However, this only allowed for radio transmissions to come through via the Eiffel Tower. Do to this success, the French decided to keep, what is now, the very symbol of Paris.

After thoroughly examining the tower, I proceeded to the Louvre to attempt, again, to find the Arago Medallions. I was thrilled when I found two! I found them after walking around the courtyard of the Louvre for about 20 minutes. I'm sure I looked completely silly to everyone – walking with my head down, circling both of the invisible pyramids repeatedly. I set off north to try to find more medallions, but after my initial two, I lost track of them. I walked around for about 45 minutes on the streets hoping to pick up on them, but either I wasn't heading north as I anticipated (which is highly unlikely, because my sense of direction is nothing but impeccable) or I simply didn't see them. Either way, I think it's a good think Tom Hanks is left in charge of following them to find the last remaining descendant of Jesus and not me. I think I'd be completely useless in saving someone else when I can hardly keep track of myself.

Otherwise today, I didn't do a whole lot. I've been trying to dump a ton of stuff from my duffel bag, praying that it's under the 20 kilos I'm allowed for my flight tomorrow (44lbs). It was 46 ½ when I weighed it in for my flight over, but the great worrier I am is constantly in the back of my head, going “it's going to be too heavy, it's going to be too heavy.” The lady here at the hostel was nice enough to measure my back pack (my carry on) and it's going to be just about perfect size wise, but it can't weigh more than 10 kilos (about 20lbs). Since I've got my camera, laptop, book 1, book 2, and a few souvenirs, I'm more concerned about this one since there's very little I can dump out of it. I'm hoping my over estimation on poundage is going to prove me wrong and I'll have plenty of room.

I'm taking a taxi to the bus shuttle the airport operates – the airport is about an hour out of the city. Strange, but since it runs the cheap airlines, I'm guessing the bigger airports don't want to deal with the 'hopper' flights. Then when I arrive in Dublin, I'm taking a taxi to my hostel. I love these wonderful things called taxis. Who knew they existed? It's great, you tell a person where to go, and they drive you right to the front of the building and you don't have to worry about getting off the right metro stop or walking up and down the wrong streets – it's completely worry proof. And for someone like me, that is a luxury I'll pay for.

This is just a funny thought I've had while I've been here: at home, I complain because I only get asked out by old creepy men. I've been telling mom that I'd just like someone normal to ask me out. Turns out all I had to do to accomplish that was to go to a different country. Here in France, my batting average is way up from at home. Of course, I have no idea – these guys could have been secret mad scientists looking for someone to experiment on.

You wonderful peoples have a great day! I'm going to try to remain calm and not worry about my travel day (travel days are the hardest for me – the complete uncertainty that I'm going to make it to where I need to be just preys on my mind). I am thinking instead of the four days I had initially planned for Ireland, is going to go to six. It's immensely cheaper than London and everyone I've met on my travels has told me to stay just a bit longer, so I think I'll be there until next Monday. After which I'll go to Liverpool for a couple days, then do the Grand Finale in London.

As always, loves and hugs!