To Paris with Love

Okay, okay. I know that this post is WAY overdue. But I just had so much fun in Paris I haven't been able to even think about writing it down because I like to pretend Im still there. You know, like speaking french to myself in the shower and ordering a hypothetical croissant, or hanging my clothes on the line as I sing french songs. It happens. It's my life. 

Now, excuse me while I adjust my music settings to an appropriate soundtrack for this blog. Gotta feel like I was right back in Paris. R & B it is, gotta love me some R. Kelly. 

It all began when we found a Starbucks in the Malaga airport. Absolute Success. A real cup of coffee. A fabulous change than the little cafe con leche I get. The plane ride was only about 2 hours and we arrived giddily in Paris around 10pm on Wednesday night. There was this really friendly guy, about our age waiting for a taxi. So naturally we started talking to him, you know, a young tourist is harmless. We found out we were heading in about the same direction and decided to split a cab with him. And then we were TAKEN. 

Nah, but seriously..

We walked out to our taxi where we met the love of our lives.. Mehdi. Mehdi used to live in Montreal for 12 year, is every race known to man, and offered us great advice on where to party. He informed us, that in fact, our hotel, was in, the, ghetto. Truth. Bag ladies, cart men.. the whole shabam. MEH. We were in PARIS. As we unload out bags from the taxi some creeper on the street screams to us about how he wants to sleep with us.. oh the ambiance. The city of love.

Fabi and I decide to set off and try to find some alcohol - her birthday was in 30 minutes! We walk into this place and the ambiance was just divine. Candles, sultry music, drapes and the scent of something high class. We begin to attempt to speak to the man who works there, and we though "Oh hey, he's taking us to look at the menu". Instead, he pulls back this curtain and leads us down this dark hallway with doors on either side. 
"OH MY DAYS. WE'RE IN A BROTHEL". Panic. Nerves and Anxiety over take my body. I didn't sign any contract, so I can't be held here out of my own true will. Until the man finally gets out the word "sauna". Thank the lord. We're just in some sauna, bar, pool table place, totally common folk.. So naturally, we have a couple drinks and head back to the hotel for our jammed packed day in Paris!

We start Thursday off correctly by stuffing our faces with pizza, croissants, baguettes and salad. Each of us with our own portion. We meet a great cab driver who provides us with latin music, Fabiola expressed that is is her birthday and he hands her a pack of random CDs and a package of gum! How kind!

We meet up with Fabi's cousin who lives in Paris, and we wandered all around! Taking the metro everywhere. We went to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Champs Elysees, Museo d'Orsey, Notre Dame toutes les choses comme ca! We walked and walked and walked. And for the next day we did typical Parisian things.

Then, Friday, we get ready to go out hard in Paris! I asked the ladies at reception to open up our phone line so we could call a cab and call Fabi's cousin because we were meeting her the next day. But, of course, our phone wasn't working and the reception desk was closed. So, we prop open our door, and decide that we will wait to listen to see if we can hear anyone coming in or out, and we'll ask to use their phone. Keep in mind here, I am the only one who speak a lick of French. Fabi speaks Creole, but it is not the same. Then suddenly, we here the hustle and bustle of people, and Fabi pushes me into the hallway. Keep in mind, I'd just woken up from a nap, I was wearing pajamas, and I had makeup smeared down my face. So, I run. And I dont mean jog, or gracefully walk quickly, I mean, I ran. I was running a 100 meter race and there was a HUGE poutine waiting for me at the end. I just holler in a singsong voice "Bonjour" - because everything sounds better when it is a song. The look of sheer confusion on these poor Parisian students faces. I politely, yet frantically ask them if they speak English. And explain that I need to use their mobile if it is possible to make one phone call to Fabi's cousin. They werent sold on it, but then they took a second look at me and realized they were helping the less fortunate ( *refresher - makeup on face, pajamas..)
So Fabi dials her cousin, and after the phone call, says 'I need to make one more phone call". She pulls out Mehdi's business card and calls him.
"Bonjour Mehdi, C'est Fabiola and Katie"
'Oh Fabiola! Happy Birthday to youuu, Happ-'
"Shut up Mehdi, I dont have time for this."
They begin to exchange banter like a married couple about what club we should go to etc etc. Mehdi tells us he is send us a cab at midnight, out front of the hotel. 

That is in one hour! I HAVE MAKE UP ON MY FACE! IVE GOTTA GET READY.

So we get all nice and beautiful, and await our personal driver, later referred to as "Katie's Teddy". I was the only one able to communicate with him because I was the only one who was able to speak french. Fabiola thought she could communicate, and began screaming things in Creole, she'd look at me, and I'd have to translate. Teddy looked over at me and said "Elles sont folles". THEY'RE CRAZY. Yes, Teddy, you are more than just a cuddly bear, your'e observant as well. He takes us to the fantastic Latino club where we danced the night away. There were floors and floors of bars and different rooms. It was unbelievable. We got free drinks all night. We went to this VIP area where we got a free glass of champagne from these guys... and then I stole the bottle... 

Me and Teddy.

We danced and danced. But wait. It gets better. The very last song they played was from Dirty Dancing - "I've had the time of my Life". The lights went up, and people started to leave. But of course, as all of you know, give me a musical number and I will steal the show. The dance floor became my stage and I started to dance all of the musical theatre steps I know. All eyes on me. The world as my oyster. Fabiola comes rushing in, and it becomes a duet, like it is meant to be. And at last, comes the infamous jump. I'm ready, I've been waiting for a career break through like this my whole life. So, maybe it wasn't quite as magical as the movie, but it is a close second. Definitely up to par to my sister and her friend when they did a contemporary dance to "Meatloaf - I'd do anything for love" in her living room..

We headed to this other club which offered sub par music, lots of flamboyant men and then we called it a night. We persuade the cab driver to get us some necessary drunk food and crawl into our beds while we giggle about our night. Sleepovers rock.

Saturday was spent nursing some gatorade and walking the streets of Paris in the shopping district. What a great day. 

Our flight left Sunday morning and because our phone was broken we decided we should leave the hotel early and try to flag down a taxi. We walked for a good 35 minutes and realized that the further we walked, the deeper into the ghetto we were getting...
I went into a cafe to use their phone, but they didn't "have" one. We saw a Police car approaching., So. I did what any rational cop's daughter would do. I flailed the heck out of my life and flagged to Police down, you know, because the police are my friends. Besties. I explained our predicament and they kindly offered to call us a cab. They flagged it down on the street - stopping traffic for us poor North American girls - okay, so there was only one other car on the street and a lot of pigeons.. but still.

We successfully arrived at the airport. Hit some terrible turbulence on the way home. But made it safe and sound.

If that isn't a successful weekend trip, I dont know what is.
-CB xoxox