Paris is Burning

You know... God answers prayer. 

Cause He's awesome like that. 

Basically, I've had that change I needed, provided through new friends, and tons of fun last week. 

Starting with a night out with people from church, which ended up with me helping out with a photo shoot the next morning, and a Welcome to church Party that evening.  Crêpes for Brunch Sunday morning and Worship night at church Sunday night!  What a weekend to take my mind of things.  Just exactly what I needed! 

This week we had a small group meeting at a Starbucks in Paris, Starbucks no longer tastes like Starbucks anymore, It just tastes like comfortable. haha! 

Friday was a Bank holiday so we had a Pique-nique in a park, that was just gorgeous. hills full of people lounging looking out over the rooftops of paris. One couldn't ask for a more relaxing afternoon.  Afterward I headed over to meet a couple of crazy cool girls to work on creating some fashion. we dabbled here and there on projects I started knitting something, which later ended up being a headband, and drank wine, and ate quiche and had a grand time! 

Basically.  My life rocks. I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

I seriously don't know why God blesses me like this, I'm the last person, I mean really, but a word of thanks is constantly on my lips, because for whatever reason, God has blessed me with all of this, and I will never not be grateful! I can't wait to see what's next for my life! 

P.S. I saw the Eiffel Tower, And a man wearing a stripe shirt and wearing a beret, carrying a baguette! too good! 

Oh, to be in Paris.

When one thinks of Paris, one certainly pictures people walking around with their poodles in striped shirts, and berets, sipping coffee and munching on croissants, in charming café's in front of the Eiffel Tower. 

Well, if that's what it's like I wouldn't know.  I am not in Paris as it turns out, I am in a suburb, and, a Suburb in France is just the same as a suburb in America.... Boring.   

I've been here nearly two weeks now and I haven't even Laid eyes on the Eiffel Tower. 

From where I stand now, Something needs to change.  

I feel like I am not moving forward one bit, I'm completely stagnant here. Knowing this is driving me crazy.  

But, I'll keep pushing forward as hard as I can, keep praying, and hope that things change.   

choopie Goes to London: Part 4

More Sights and More Bobby. 

Saturday, I met with Bobby again to do more sightseeing. 

Hopped on the tube to go and experience Primark, and let me tell you it was an experience. I wanted to buy a cute blue leather Jacket for 25 pounds, but the check out line was so ridiculously long, that it was no longer worth it.  

The Primark we went to was just across the street from Hyde park so we took a nice long walk around. while we were there we witnessed a protest march against animal torture. the ironic thing about it was, that there were hundreds of people chanting and ringing bells and honking horns and making the most amazing ruckus, but, a lot of them actually had their pets with them. That much noise and commotion to a small little dog, is, sort of, torture don't you think? It's at least traumatizing. 

Any way, Hyde park is Amazing, and Huge! We wandered around for a good two hours. 

once we got out, we at Prince Albert Hall, and by all the royal colleges.  They are all situated in such beautiful buildings.  

I like how everything's "Royal" over here, Like even the mail is Royal, it makes it so much more important.  

So as we were walking around we came upon the Science museum, and since all the museums are free over here, we went in, had a bite to eat and poked around a bit.  

Just next door is the Natural History Museum.  There, we looked at dinosaurs, and Rocks. sounds boring, but it was actually my favorite part of the day.  

Next, we scooted over to Tower bridge, which you see by way of London bridge, which I have no idea why there's a song about it, because it's just a normal bridge, whereas Tower bridge is lovely.  It's all very confusing.  

Snapped some Photos, and then we found our way to the nearest pub, to have a beer.  and call it a day.  

   

Choopie Goes to London: Part 3

Sightseeing

 

 

Friday morning, well more like afternoon, I woke up late.  I got ready in a hurry, so i wouldn't waist more time.  then i was out the door ready to be a major tourist.  

First stop Big Ben.  

consensus: It's big.  and I didn't see Peter Pan, so I was a bit disappointed about that. The weather was just gorgeous again though, so I got some great pictures! 

Second Stop Westminister Abby. (which is actually just across the street.) 

consensus: Amazing. I just love old cathedrals, I didn't even go in the big church, because they charge you (so dumb) but just in the little chapel, I was awe struck.  The way the whole thing is designed your head just goes straight up, as if the building itself is pointing at Heaven.  I loved it.

Outside the church is a little green area that was filled with people lounging in the sun. It looked nice but i didn't join them, I was on a schedule. 

Third Stop: 

Top Shop. 

consensus: Soooooo good! It definitely live up to it's expectations. I loved that they had a nail salon and a Hair salon in the store, they had cute little name for them though, like "Blow-dry Bar" for the hair.  I ended up getting my nails painted (Dark blue, Finally! I've been wanting this color forever!!!).   I also bought a Sweater for 15 pounds! 

Fourth Stop:

Hyde Park/ Marble Arch.

Consensus: marble arch, not impressive, I don’t really know the history behind, maybe if I did it would be more interesting, I’ll have to look it up sometime.  Hyde park, Gorgeous and HUGE! Again, tons of  “sunbathing”

 

And that concludes my sightseeing for the day.

One of the girls who lives in the house I’m staying at, Belle, works Across from Hyde Park so I met her when she was done, and we took a bus home. When we got there she made this sweedish (because she is sweedish) vanilla creamy stuff. It was god kind of like pudding and whip cream mixed together.  We Ate it while we watched comedians on YouTube, until it was time to finish the day.

 

Tomorrow I’ll see some more of the City. 

 

Choopie Goes to London: Part 2

A Day Spent with Bobby.

Wednesday morning thanks to jet lag I'm up at 5:30 am. I shower, get dressed, organize my room and sit at the computer until 9.  then I head out to find a pay phone to call Bobby who i'd be spending the day with. The weather is really nice, sun shinning, about 60 degrees.  I found a phone, but it wouldn't take my credit card, and I didn't have the right coins, so I went to a little shop around the corner and bought an Orangina for 75p to get change.  

When I got ahold of Bobby we decided to meet up at the tube station, by where I'm staying, at 11.  I went back to the house and had a chat with Elise, and then headed to the station to meet Bobby.  There's a workers strike going on with the underground so a lot of the trains are closed and Bobby was about an hour late.  

While I was waiting I sat outside the station and watched people.  This is what I saw.

I saw a very chubby man with his belly hanging out below his sweater park illegally outside the station, directly after that a man driving a dump truck stuck behind the empty car cursing at it, then the chubby man trying to parallel park in a correct spot, it took him about 8 tries. 

I saw a lot of crazy good fashion, and a lot of just crazy fashion.  

I saw a police man, his uniform something out of the eighteen hundreds.  

I saw a guy bumming cigarettes off every person who walked by that was smoking, he must have had a whole pack by the time he left. 

I saw a pregnant lady and another lady get into a fight over something or other and go their separate ways.  

And, I got asked a lot of directions, for which I got a map so that I would know the answers.  

And then, Bobby came.  

Bobby saw some amazing graffiti down the street so we took some pictures.  then we headed towards Portabello Road since it was close.  We walked down for a while, went into American Apparel, and a shoe store, then we bought some fruit at a stand and went into Tesco so I could get some groceries.  All the food is different, and shopping was difficult, but ultimately VERY cheap. only 6 pounds for everything.  We went back to put the groceries in my room.  

Then we got on the underground to see what we could of central London.  We rode around for awhile trying to figure out what to do or where to get off, finally we got off at Bond Street, to have a look around there.  It was stunning, but we didn't go into any stores, there were scary security guards standing in all the doors starring you down as you walked by.  

We stumbled upon the Royal Academy of Arts, which was AMAZING! so many famous artists touched that very same railing that I touched on my way up the stairs. We heard a bit of a tour that was being given, which I found really interesting. 

Eventually we got hungry. I went to a cash machine to get money out, but my card had been suspended because I forgot to notify my bank that I was going out of the country.  So, Bobby bought me lunch (Thanks Again Bobby). we went to a place called Eat.  It was really good and I liked the packaging.  

At that point we were tired.  and, on our way back to my place we experienced the London underground during rush hour. I don't recommend it. 

We got back eventually, and figured out a route for Bobby to take home since the line he'd taken before was closed. 

What a day.  

Choopie goes to London: Part 1

Getting there:

So, we open up this little adventure on a British Airways Boeing 747, in economy class. A Hungarian water polo player to my left, and an Italian guitarist to my right.  Both men are rather large in stature leaving me shoulder to shoulder with both of them and absolutely no personal space for the next ten and a half hours.  

Luca, the Italian insists that he didn't sleep last night and would be sleeping the whole way there, and Toma, the Hungarian says he's just finished eating a huge meal so that he won't have to ruin his kosher diet on airplane food. 

About three or four hours into flight, the cabin lights are turned off and after a long conversation with them and between them, plus movies of our choice,  Luca and Toma, are asleep.  and as they fall deeper and deeper asleep they spread farther and farther out.  

Toma is asleep with his head in towards me his nose pressed against the side head rest, with his elbow fully on my lap.  To the other side of me Luca has somehow contorted himself into a sort of fetal position with his knees pretty much covering my own.  

I couldn't sleep. 

About an hour before landing I finally started to drift off when Luca shook my shoulders and exclaimed " Wake up sleepy girl! we're there!" 

really?

Then, off the plane, down the escalators through passport control, where I was repeatedly asked if I was alone... yes, I'm alone. Baggage claim, both bags accounted for.  then through customs.  

Officially on UK soil, I decided to get some money out. although the cash machine said it took mastercard, the machine did not like my card at all. finally, I gave up on that machine and went to the one from another bank on the opposite side of the terminal.  It worked thank God!

I called Elise form a pay phone to let her know I was there, and to see if she knew how to get to the underground from the terminal I was at.  Lucky for me it was fairly simple directions, the only thing was is that I had two gigantic suitcases, a duffel bag and a shoulder bag, this was going to be interesting.  

I got my ticket, and made it onto the first train alright.  which was good, that was the train i'd be on the longest. when I got off at my stop I was faced with the daunting task of two flights of stairs, just as I took a deep breath and started up a man came up from behind and offered to give me a hand.  Crossed the street to a different station and and sat on a train, this train short circuited and so with the help of another kind man, crossed the platform to another train going the same direction.  Got off that train and more stairs, and another person, nice enough to turn the opposite way he was going to give me a hand.  through the handicap exit because my load was too wide for a normal one, and, I had successfully finished my first trip on the London underground, with the help of three kind strangers of course. 

Called Elise form another Pay phone and met her at the station, just a short walk to the house I'd be staying at, and three flights of narrow stairs up to my room. 

when everything was finally up in the room, Elise made some soup while we chatted, and then i got my computer set up and talked to My sister online to let her know I'd arrived alright.  Then I went to sleep at about 4:30, and didn't wake up until morning.