Day 2 of Paris 2022
This day began with our family over the Atlantic Ocean, traveling swiftly towards our destination in France. After the drama in Texas with our connections, the flight was incredibly smooth and easy. We enjoyed our meals (as we generally do) and Lola and Billie managed to sleep most of the flight. For my part, I struggled to find sleep. But excitement and euphoria would carry me through our first day in Paris!
In past trips to Paris, we would Uber from the airport to our apartment, but this trip, Lola and I wanted to try taking the train from CDG into town. The airport is a bit outside of the city, so either Uber or train would be a 30 minute affair. We followed the "Sortie" signs through the airport, headed for the train and got our tickets from the machine.
As we scrambled to make the next train, a lady held the door for us and kept yelling "Paris? Paris?" at us. She went so far as to toss our luggage into the train and help my father in law on. I had assumed she worked for the train company, but very quickly (and slightly too late) I realized she had other intentions. She began passing out cards asking for money from us. While I have no problem giving money to "beggars" there's always a risk of getting ripped off or attracting the wrong type of attention from someone looking to rob you. On the other hand, the people who pain Paris as pickpocket central and robberville need to slow down on that stupidity. We've visited the city multiple times and NEVER felt unsafe at any point. Anyway, I gave the lady some euros I had in my pocket and she shuffled off when the rest of the party didn't have any to give.
As we stood there, a multi-lingual passenger turned to my father in law to explain that we shouldn't give money to her type. I worried my family would take his perspective too much to heart, because fundamentally I believe poor people have the right to exist and ask for money or food. Ignoring them or treating them without humanity is a slap in the face of our own fragile financial existence. We arrived at Gare Du Nord, the main train station in Paris, soon after and began our walk to our apartment.
When booked this airbnb, we had specifically chosen it because it was near the train station. However, it was still a block or two away from the station and the walk, with full suitcases and tired minds, wasn't the most fun experience. I felt somewhat uncomfortable as the suitcases made us stand out as tourists to the people milling around us in the streets. Both Lola and I after decided we'd be taking Ubers from the airport in the future. We eventually located our Airbnb and got our luggage up the stairs into the our rooms.
Due to the pandemic, France requires a QR code that identifies you as being vaccinated. To obtain that code you simply visit a pharmacy, show them your vaccination card and they supply you with the code. Having never done it before, Lola and I went down solo to the pharmacy on the corner to get ours. That way if it was complicated, we could figure it out before involving my in-laws. Happy to report it was incredibly easy. So easy we immediately returned with my in-laws' passports to get theirs as well.
After knocking that off the list. We decided to knock out grocery shopping, something we do every trip. It saves money by allowing us to eat a meal or two a day at home. We had spotted an Aldi sign on the way to our place, so we walked there after getting our QR passes knocked out. Quickly, we realized the Aldi was a bit run down and not the kind of groceries we were looking for. So we exited and walked down the street to a chain we knew from previous visits to Paris, Monoprix. We quickly gathered groceries together, paid and, on the way back, stopped at a boulangerie for croissants, pain a chocolate, and some baguettes.
- Dan
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