Paris, day one

So I'm finally in Paris! I have walked my booty off today, too...at least 5 mi. I have been all over the Rive Droite (Right Bank) and the islands. Notre Dame took my breath away....it was gorgeous and huge!! I also ate the best ice cream in thworld...I am not kidding. Berthillon is a famous ice cream maker on the ile st. louis. Ihad one sccop of pear and one scoop of rhubarb. Damn....better than sex, really. Also saw Centre Pompidou, which is the modern art museum and the building is very cool itself. Paris is beautiful....it makes most American cities look like crap. All of the architecture is amazing! The food has been good too.

My hotel is a tiny, 20-room place above a cafe, owned by a man named Bebert. It's in the "gay section" of Paris...le Marais. Bebert keeps scolding me and correcting my French, although in a cute way. My room is tiny....like 9x12, but clean. I have a sink, but unfortunately I have to use a shared WC downstairs...it's a squat toilet...reminds me of Thailand!! I wasn't prepared for the primeval toilet facilities here! I haven't taken a shower yet, so I shudder to think. I think I'm doing fairly well avec le Francais. Most people have been able to understand me and only one or two people have spoken English to me today.

I am planning on doing the Rive Gauche tomorrow...le Quartier Latin, etc. It's the bohemian section of Paris, and also includes le Tour Eiffel. I think I will save the actual museums for Friday, unless it rains tomorrow. The weather is nice but cool. Everything is expensive here, but I'm getting by. Breakfast at Bebert\s Cafe du Marais is only E3.

OK will try to write more tomorrow...this Internet cafe is on the way to la Rive Gauche.

Miss everyone...miss the US:) Can't wait to sleep in my own bed for 3 days before leaving for LA:)