paris...finally

Well, since the last couple of days at home included getting ready for the trip and, oh, I don't know, a little thing called CHRISTMAS...it actually seemed like I would never make it here...but I did! as I was taking the shuttle from the airport, the driver and I were chatting, me in broken (very, very broken) French, and he in slightly less broken English, about how it now was a reality that I am in Paris on the day after Christmas. Yeah, nothing like driving by the Arc de Triomph, down the Champs Elysees, and seeing an itsy bitsy "Tour" in the distance while experiencing your first hour in Paris to drive that point home.

So, yes, after a drama-filled day of flying on Christmas (never, EVER think flying on Christmas day is an easy feat...it's not!), I have made it to Paris. It is freakin' cold (4 degrees Celsius when I arrived, which you can convert on my nifty little converter so you know how cold it is on the US system), but there are lights EVERYWHERE. And yes, when I was here before, in the summer, I noticed how well-lit Paris was, but times that by about 100, and that's how it is during the season of Noel. It truly is the City of Lights, and everyone is in a holiday mood. Joyeux Noel!