St. Pancreas Station was a short walk away from our hotel, and, since we brought one small suitcase each, it made the way easier. We walked briskly, tho', since we decided to have a leisurely breakfast of coffee and croissants before boarding.
The trip was pleasant, and we enjoyed watching the countryside fly by. Soon the view out our windows blackened, as we descended under the English Channel. Before we knew it, we were in the French countryside, and then, we pulled into the station (la gare´). We disembarked, and followed our host's directions to the Metro station, and purchased a "carnet de billet" (packet of 10 tickets) for our journey to our Paris flat. I was able to use the French I remembered from HS, and, voila´, I was understood! That was such a triumph for me.
It was strange to see young Muslim women begging for a few coins near the ticket counter. They first approached Mario and handed him a handwritten note in English, explaining their plight. We were puzzled, so we went on our way.
The Leconet's, in whose flat we stayed, gave us perfect directions. The flat was in the garment district of Paris, where buyers purchase clothing for their shops. We were on the fifth floor (no elevator) in a structure built in the late 1700's, I'm sure. The stairs were made of wood, worn down by thousands of feet traipsing up and down for years. Thankfully, Julien (the owner's representative) was there to greet us. His help with our bags was most welcome...just carrying our backpacks made the ascent difficult.
The view was delightful from our top floor balcony...we breathed in the Paris air, and took off again for our first walking tour: The French Revolution. Simon, an American born of French parents, shared tidbits of history as we toured the various neighborhoods and buildings related to that horrendous time. Our first taste of crepes´ at lunch was much savored, and we closed the day feeling like true "Parisiennes"!
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