I moved out ( finally!)

I know I know, I should have been out of Shefali's place A LONG TIME AGO. Nevertheless, I'm out now. I have a room at the Hotel Rivoli, it coast me 40 euros a night, and at least the toilet is on the same floor. If I want to shower, IF, I have to ask for the key on the 1st floor, go to the 2nd floor, return it to the 1st when I'm done and return to my room on the 3rd....oh without elevators. You'd think that after living in Montmartre and having to climb the stairs there plus three more sets of steps in Shefali's apt one would get used to climbing, and yet I am still exasperated just at the last stair climb, gets you every time!

Today was a loner day for me, Jessica had to work. After booking my hotel, I went to the train station to go to Reims. I had gone here in '97 while on my exchange trip back at AHS (Aurora High School for those of you NOT in the know). I had taken one of my favourite pictures here, of a spiral staircase leading up into the sky. Maybe one shouldn't revisit, maybe memories are all that's needed.

The place wasn't the same. When I was 17, I thought it was this little country village. Compared to Paris, sure it is, however compare it to all the other little towns the train passes by, no it's a little metropolis. The building where my staircase used to be, yeah it's been torn down. The Joan of Arc statue is still standing tall, in the midst of construction. It ruined my memory of a great, beautiful place. Even the gift shops have changed, there more touristy. I found some really great things when I was there last, a beautiful bracelet, some goblets for my parents, now they sell the same gimmicky things that I can find anywhere else in Paris.

Came back, moved into my beautiful palace and had to go in search of shower shoes, and fast! It was close to 18:30 and most places close at 19h, plus where I am there's no cheap little shops, I have to go BACK to the Montmartre area to get shower shoes. Luckily I discovered the "semaine" metro pass. I found a cute pair (pink no less, for 2.50 euros (good, all I had on me was 3 euros! I needed to find a bank too!). It was a pretty interesting night to walk around, there was a flame thrower at Notre Dame, and the U2 singing man was at it again...Haha Jess ya missed it! There's this guy who was singing a U2 song one night when we came out of a metro stop; this is now Jessica's favourite area, Metro St Michel.
The Defender of Time