Last of Paris & First of Germany

Yesterday in Paris was so amazing, again. We had very few plans, just areas we might want to see. We had a very leisurely day. After leaving the café where I sent the last blogs, we walked down Saint Antione near our hostel and found a coat shop. It was much cooler in Paris than we had expected so we thought it might be a good idea to get a heavy jacket. Our roommate from New Zealand, Amber (when she said it, it sounded like ah-m-ba) informed us it was quite cold in Germany. We each bought a short trench style jacket (very stylish in Paris) for 25€. We went on to Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. We also went to Moulin Rouge just to see the outside, and quickly vacated the area...it was a little scary!

Next, we saw the Sacré Couer, which translates in English to the Sacred Heart Church. It was on a hilltop on the less touristy Northern part of Paris. We had to walk up a gazillion stairs (that's a rough estimate) to get there. Definitely less than the Eiffel Tower, but it seemed like more because our leg muscles were so sore from all the stairs and walking we've been doing.

On our way down from the church, we decided to take a leisurely stroll around the area. What we found was the most beautiful area with corner cafés and side-by-side houses covered in ivy and flowers. The streets were all cobblestone and would only fit one lane of traffic at a time. We walked around for close to an hour just looking at the houses. We stopped at a corner café to purchase a crepe, which we had yet to experience. We shared a chocolaté crepe for 4.50€. It was to die for...and entirely to small. We meandered on to a small church and had a look around. We found a small "gift" shop where I purchased a key chain and bracelet for quite cheap.

We then decided to go to Samaritine, a less expensive shopping area. We mainly walked around but we also found an H&M (often modeled in Cosmo and Glamour magazines). I got the most Parisian scarf there!

We had to pack up our things that morning and leave them in the basement of the hostel (we called it the dungeon). We headed back to get it and stopped at yet another store and purchased some jewelry. On our way to the train station, we stopped by the Eiffel Tower for one more glimpse of the light show before heading to Germany.

The overnight train was an experience and a half! First, we were in a room of three beds and the third lady was older and spoke no English. The rooms were so tiny you had to step out of the room or onto a bed to allow someone to pass. The beds were one on top of the other and there was a ladder hooked to the side for climbing to the 2nd and 3rd bed. The other woman kept trying to ask me something and I couldn't understand her. She finally got frustrated and went into the hall. When she began climbing the ladder to the top bed I finally figured out what she wanted. She wanted to trade beds with me since mine was on the bottom. Being the kind soul I am, I complied...that was my first mistake!

The shower was in the very back of the car (which was in the very back of the train). You had to brace yourself against the wall to keep from crumpling to the shower floor in a soapy, naked heap. I wondered where the "I've fallen and can't get up" button was. Apparently, it's never been enough of an issue.

I finally made my way to my top bed around midnight only to find I get very sick in the top of a hot train car with no window to see out. I spent most of the night sitting on the steps at the front of the car watching the lights go by. Believe it or not, it was quite fun. I spent quite a bit of time talking to the 1st class car worker, Givani. He was Italian and spoke 6 languages. Then an elderly English woman who was also battling with motion sickness sat and visited for awhile. Next, a Frenchman name Zohae (he had to show me his passport) sat and visited while he waited to use he shower. Did I mention he did not speak English? He would say one word such as "Direction" and I would name off where we've been and where we are going. He wanted so badly to visit that he pulled out his calendar, which had the days of the week in both French and English. He would say the French version and I would repeat, and I would say the English version and he would repeat. I have to say, he was much better at English than I was at French. I finally went to bed around 3:30am and slept about 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

We missed our stop at Augsbergh, apparently they do not announce the stops. We went on to Munich and left our larger packs in a locker at the train station. We jumped right back on a train and headed to Fussen to see the Neuschwanstein Castle. The castle was amazing, but the walk to the castle was steep and took about 40 minutes. Back in Fussen, we wondered the streets and found rostbrautwerst (spelling?) for 2.30 € each. We jumped right on that! It was the first meat we had since the spaghetti in London! It was so delicious! We already decided we need to have more brautwurst while we are here! Oh, and I forgot to mention...it's FREEZING here! My 1 pair of pants that I purchased in London will definitely be worn daily!

As I type, we are on a train back to Munich. We will check into our hostel and try to find a place to do laundry. We are both getting pretty smelly.

Auf Weidersehen!

(Goodbye!)