#noctilien

Yhassan - Métro #4

Let’s say you’re only going to be in Paris for a day or two... these are the things I recommend you MUST experience:

1) A tour on the Seine river at night by boat.

2) Visitng the Eiffel Tower right before midnight.  At midnight it is light like the Rockefeller Center christmas tree for about 30 seconds or so.  Just don’t go too close to the tower though or your pictures will suck.

3) Visit Mona.  It will take almost an hour to get to the spot inside of the Louvre where she is nestled, but you should definitely at least peek at her to say you did.  And in the wing of the Louvre immediately before the section she’s in, there’s an amazingly beautiful section featuring gems, and multiple royal trinkets that literally took my breath away.  Go there AFTER seeing Mona though.  It’s a lengthy journey to her, so don’t get sidetracked.

4) Purchase a Tour Passport from the France Tourism Office: http://www.francetourisme.fr/paris-sightseeing-tour/paris-discovery-passport.html   This is the best deal yet.  For once set price, this passport will pay for public transport, entrance to museums, city tours, etc.  Read the details carefully before purchasing though.  And by all means: DON’T LOSE THE CARD.  

5) Go to Le Grand Bistro go to this restaurant for dinter (every night if you can afford it).  There are multiple locations so find the one most convenient for your schedule.  They have an amaaaaaaaaazing 4 or 5-course dinner for under $50.  My family enjoyed it so much, we back a second time.  Set aside 3 hours (or more) to get through all of the amazing courses and drinks included.  And be sure to make a reservation! http://www.legrandbistro.fr/uk/index.php

6) Taxis are kinda expensive in Paris, so to avoid missing and appointments, give yourself between an hour to and hour and a half to get to and from everywhere using public transportation: download the app for the local metro system, SNCF; also download an offline paris metro map (much easier than carrying a big paper one with you all day).

7) If you plan to stay out after midnight, pick up the night bus (Noctilien) mini-map (so you can conceal it a bit and not look super touristy) and ask a metro station attendant to explain the night bus system to you thoroughly. It can be very confusing at first. These buses don’t stop at all metro stops, so you may have to walk further than you normally would during the day back to your hotel.  So have screenshots of all the map routes needed before leaving WIFI! 

8) If u like sweets or bread: go to any bakery (boulangerie) and get at least 3-4 things everyday that you’ve never eaten before and prepare to cry with joy.  One thing that blew my mind on my last trip was an almond croissant my cousin bough and had me try... Jesus....   It sounded boring, so I never considered trying one before that day.  Where have they been all my life!!!  And there's this cookie that looks like a big macaroon with cream in the middle - get it. Jesus is real...

9) Have an additional battery back.  For some reason, it can be challenging to find public places to charge your electronics (much like in NYC...sigh).

10) Smile, say “merci” a whole lot and be patient, you’ll have a nerderific time!!!

Funkfully,

Sono tornato da Cluj-Napoca!

Presto caricherò foto e commenti, ma direi che la notizia principale è che i Noctilien funzionano. I bus notturni parigini rispettano gli orari al minuto, e coprono tratte convenienti (soprattutto fra le stazioni del centro città e l'esterno di Parigi, come l'aereoporto).

Unici particolari a cui fare attenzione:

- preparatevi i biglietti in anticipo; i Noctilien usano gli stessi biglietti del Metrò "T+", ma ciascuno usa una quantità diversa di biglietti, con interessanti risvolti economici. Per esempio, il Noctilien che va dalla Gare du Nord all'aereoporto costa 7,60 euro facendo il biglietto sul mezzo; potete però usare anche 4 biglietti "T+" della Metrò, che costano circa 1,70 euro l'uno (1,70x4 = 6,8); ma c'è di più, prendendo un carnet da 10 biglietti, vi arrivano a costare 1,25 euro l'uno, quindi 1,25x4 = 5 euro. Misteri.

- se state aspettando ad una fermata, dovete per forza segnalare al conducente che intendete salire, anche se c'è un solo bus che passa di lì; altrimenti, non si fermerà. 

Ciò che rende più fichi i Noctilien, comunque, è il nome appropriato agli sgherri del Cattivo di un Fantasy e/o ad un gruppo di striscianti alieni. Ecco alcuni esempi.

"Attento, Frodo! Sono i Noctilien!"

Rapidi, i Noctilien salirono nell'aria, dilatando le grandi ali membranose. Quella notte, avrebbero nuovamente versato sangue.

ill be on my way towards Orly airport when i take off at 3 am tonite. the one i landed in way back when in September (2010!)

one week in Florence, Italie to visit my host sister working there

two weeks left in Paris after that [!!!] 

one month in Chamonix / Corsica with an au-pair family for all of august

come back to grab my stuff and head off to Madrid in september

according to the Plan. things change but God is alway Good. He is the Universe, Life and EVERYTHING in it 

course, i cant actually say what God truly is--besides mind blowing--but it is Infinite and in the Infinite i shall trust

ive done nothing to deserve any of these experiences, "in the city was a sinner, i've done a lot of things wrong but i swear im a believer" and yet He continues to bless me. its insane

sometimes i freak out abt what is happening with the World, that me personally am wasting so much time and doing everything wrong...but then i remember the craziness of what Hope is, and that if you trust in what you believe, there is nothing to fear. in God, absolutely ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD IS POSSIBLE