Oui Oui in Pari

Wednesday:

Alright so reality has been hitting me pretty hard in the last few days. I am currently in Torino, Italy and I think I will be cutting this part of Europe way short. Let me explain from the begining:

London was an interesting city because of the fact that you could pretty much see everything you wanted to really see in one day and then you didnt know what to do after that. So it almost parylized me. I went out and did what I could but it was kind of tough in a sense. For example I went to the park and read for a while and kind of watched the city breath and that was nice. Then when it started to almost depress me, I made up my mind and decided to stop being a wuss. So I went down to the Irish pub called Omalleys and I had myself a goddamn Guiness. After a beer and a burger I said that this is my vacation and I am not going to let a city parylize me. Haha, little did I know Paris was much different.

I got on the train that costed me a good 60 euro, which is pretty much a 90 dollar train ride, and headed to Paris. Not know what to expect or where to go I pushed my way through the city streets. As I was half way down the first street, I realized that I dont have a place to stay and I cant speak any French besides what Pheobe tried to teach Joey in the one Friends, which doesnt help me very much because my name is not Claude. So I searched the city for the Eiffel Tower, thinking that its a pretty big thing so you couldnt really miss it. But it was the hardest thing to find. I swear I looked everywhere for the damn thing and couldnt find anything. So after about two and half hours of going back and forth between Parisian alley ways, I was getting discouraged. So I looked around for a place to eat hoping that I might grab something quick as I continue my search. And then I turned around and there again was my best friend. The IRISH PUB. OClearys was staring me right in the face and I said I need a little Irish pat on the back. So I walked in and I expected the guys to speak French so I talked slowly in English, "Do you speak English?" and the response I got from the guy made my life. He looked at me and said "Hell yea I do buddy, what can I get ya?". The Luck of the Irish! So I had myself another pint of Guiness and a club sandwhich and thought to myself about what the hell I was doing in Paris when I was not that thrilled to be there anyway. Reality sunk in: get out of Paris. So I paid the guy 16 euro for a sandwich and a beer and a whole heap of confidence. No wait, the story gets better.

So I asked the guy what train can get me to Monaco in South France. He told me the Gare de Lyon. So I asked how to get there and he gave me all these crazy bus directions. I looked at him and said "yea I got it man thanks" and walked off like an idiot. I was to afraid to waste money on a bus going the wrong way and a metro fare was through the roof. So I pulled my pack over my shoulder and said "Im a man, I can do this". Well lets consider how big Paris is before I tell you about the trek to the station. Paris doesnt seem like it would be that big but it felt a lot like putting Bostons confusing streets with the length of New York. I walked up and down Paris looking for this station. I realized, I was about 5 miles off. Being in no mood to deal with my own bitterness, I said lets do it. So I walked in my rainbow sandals to the Gare de Lyon. No wait, it gets better.

I get to the staiton and little did I know, that for every train coming out of Paris you need a reservation. Obviously I didnt have one, I thought the Eurail pass would work, but my luck ran out when I walked out of that pub. So I asked when I could find a next train anywhere south and the lady said sorry I have nothing open. So I tried to make one for today and she said sorry nothing is open. So I had to stay the night in Paris much to my displeasure due to the price of hotels/motels (By the way I emailed like four people on Couchsurfers a few days ago and no one has gotten back to me even up to today. Thats a real kick in the pants). So I sit in the station trying to figure out what to do. I think about it and I really didnt want to pay for a place to sleep and it was a pretty nice night out, so I figured I could sleep outside. No problem. The whole entire place was lit up with lights and there were people all around. I was in a decent area that was safe. So its about 10:30 and Im outside with my legs in my sleeping bag reading my book. And then this creepy ass guy walks up to me and asks me a question. And Im like "sorry buddy, I dont speak French", thinking that he will go away. But no, obviously not. "ares yousss Americana?" he asked me between the drags of his cigarette. "Yea I am" I said and then I looked down at my book. He asked my like three other things and I just said to him "I CANT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOURE SAYING", hoping that he will go away. He asked me again something in dumbass French and so I responded by getting pissed, "I DONT KNOW WHAT YOURE SAYING, IM JUST GOING TO READ MY BOOK. THANKS". He looked at me and got the hint and left.

Ok, Im a dumb kid Im not going to deny that. But Im not that stupid to sit there with wierdos like that around me (dont worry dad I wont do that again). I said to myself "Hell no dude, I saw the movie Taken and that shit is not happening". So I got my stuff and I went walking into Paris. I looked around for a cheap room and found one for 40 euros which is still an arm and a leg. And it was one of those dumpy ass rooms where all there is is a bed, a sink, a television that didnt turn on, and a toilet look alike to was the...well you know where. So I felt a lot like Tom Hanks in the movie Big where he had that place in New York for a while. There were French people screaming and it was just sketchy as hell. But I said it was a safe place to sleep and that was ok with me. Wait, no, it really gets better.

So I got up feeling good and energized and happy that I got the room and headed to the train station to find a train. I go to the ticket counter trying to figure out my stuff and the guy says he has a full price ticket to Torino but thats it. Im irritated as hell at this point because I just took out a bunch of money and its going quick but I had to get out of Paris or else I would go broke, so I said fine and took the train. The train ride was amazing. Some of the most gorgeous scenery that I have ever seen in my life. We went through the Swiss Alps and I was dumbfounded by some of the views. So then I figure I will get into Torino, find a cheap hotel like I did the night before and then be off to a place called Cirrique Terre where there is five small villages that I could stay at along the beach. Awesome. So I get into Torino tonight and I walked around for 2 hours looking for a motel. Nothing. All I found were neon bright lights that looked like motel signs but when I got close they said "RISTORANTE PIZZORIA", goddamn Italians (no offense Adam). So I found a Holidy Inne (Go figure. My first Italian hotel is American) and the lowest price they had was 70 euros. I had no choice but to take it despite my efforts. So I get into my room, pissed off, sweaty as hell, my feet hurt, and all I want to do is shower and obviously I cant figure out how to turn on the lights. So I try for ten good minutes and figure out how to do it. So Im relieved and I get ready to take a shower (meaning Im standing in the room butt naked) and what should happen? The lights automatically turned off! So Im standing in the dark running around an Italian hotel butt ass naked screaming "Where are the goddamn lights!?". Great. This is my adventure.

So I decided that there is a decision that must be made and I need to make it now. I am going to find a flight to Ireland within the next couple days where I can stay there until my flight home. I dont want you guys to think that this is a bad thing for me because its not. I realized that I feel at home in the Irish pub and I can relax. I cant relax anywhere else and I feel like Im constantly trying to survive and not enjoy myself. What I really came to Europe for was Ireland and now Im just going to stay there longer than planned. I wasnt too wild about the rest of Europe and of course I wanted to see stuff but like I said, this is My adventure. As I was on the train I thought about how Katy had met so many people when she came, and when I talked to Dara Fineman about her trip she said she met so many people. I almost felt bad like I wasnt doing what I was supposed to be doing and then I snapped myself back into reality and realized that my trip is my trip and it doesnt have to be like everyone elses. Ive been able to see the wierdest things so far and I have only been here for no more than a week. Its been an adventure already and Im learning as I go, which is the point I think. So dont think that Im sad and dont be sad for me because this is good. It can help me relax and I can also get a little bit more bang out of my buck.

Those Irish pubs are calling my name and I need to meet them head on with as much money as I can. And I am fully aware of the fact that if I needed any money I would be able to call any of you. But at this point thats not my issue. My issue is Ireland now. And thats where the next chapters will follow. I hope that all of you are doing well and I really cant wait to see you. This is the farthest away from everyone I have ever been and its not something someone would call an easy thing. I unfortunately forgot the other part of my adapter so I cant charge my ipod unless Im at a computer so I had no ipod on the train, and I had finished my book. So I sat on the train with nothing but my own conscience. Its a funny thing being the only one who knows the same language as yourself and the person who you end up having the most conversations with is your own mind. You pull out so many different memories about everybody that you have ever known. One thing I know is that if I come back with no real personal change or anything like that, the one thing that I have found out is how much I incredibly adore all of you. My friends and my family are the epitome of me and being away from you for only a short while has helped me understand the value each of you have with me. I sit around sometime when I wait for the train and I think about what Im going to write in my blog to all of you. Or sometimes I will open the camera and look at Kyras picture. Its amazing how being so far away and seeing the world can show you so much about what you have back at home.

I will update you all with the next opportunity I get. I cant promise it will be soon but Ill figure something out. Thank you all for reading and for giving a damn about what Im doing over here. I wouldnt be able to do this if you all werent behind me. Thanks.