Day 111: Last night, In Paris

It's my last night in France, it's four days before Christmas, and I'm in Paris. Amazing.

I checked out of my room this morning without any trouble, met up with Jessica Wilbourne (she's a student from Georgia who works with the Seattle-Nantes-Jacksonville Association; she's been decently involved in a lot of the city-organized activities that the UW kids have participated in) and her boyfriend Sebastian and had a late breakfast in downtown Nantes, then I headed to the train station and caught my train to Paris. It was sad leaving Nantes. As I was on the train (listening to Elliott Smith, Yann Tierson, and Damien Rice, appropriately enough), I was internalizing once again just what an incredible time I had there and how much I love that town. It's so familiar to me, like another home, and I really hope I get to go back and stay again for a while later in life.

Checking into the hostel and everything here in Paris went just fine. I'm qutie surprised, but all of the stuff I'm bringing home to the States fits into my backpack and one suitcase just fine. The suitcase is packed pretty tight, but it all fits all the same. I wrapped my wine bottle up really well before I packed it, so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that it gets to PDX in one piece! At least it's white wine- if it breaks, it won't ruin my clothes completely! I was worried last night and this morning that I wouldn't be able to get out of Paris on Tuesday because of all the snow that's been falling across the European continent, but when I got here, all the snow was gone and it was just drizzling. It's supposed to stay above freezing again tomorrow, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to hop over to London and then to Seattle without any flight delays.

So, I was on the metro tonight, on my way back from walking around the Champs-Elysees and the Eiffel Tower, and there was a guy playing the accordion in the car I was in. At first, it just made me grin, because how French is a guy playing an accordion in the metro in Paris, but then he started playing "Jingle Bells", and my eyes started watering and I couldn't stop smiling. Earlier in the night, I hopped off the metro close by the Eiffel Tower and walked down the same street that Kris and I had walked down to see the tower when he and I were in Paris together. When I rounded the corner and saw that big beauty all lit up and oh-so French, the same thing happened; I couldn't stop smiling and my eyes started watering. I have been utterly happy and content all evening. What a perfect, perfect way to end my time in France.

Can't wait to get home tomorrow!! :)

On the Champs-Elysees :)