PARIS

Finally we reached the Paris Orly Aiport after 13 hours flight in Airbus 340. Although we stopped in Amman for a few hours, we still groggy.

When we landed in Amman in the wee hours, the temperature outside was 6C. What can I do? grinned. Well, the good news is we cant walk outside the Queen Alia International Airport. So after the hassle with the airport staff on transit flights, we cleaned ourselves and rested while waiting for the flight from Amman to Paris. It is going to be another five hours flight.. urgh!

I was feeling a bit quesy coz of the food served... argh! Am not trying to be patriotic here but Malaysian Airline is much better. They served bread cheese and some lettuce called salad hehehe.. Anyway, it may be ok if my preference is not nasi and pasta. Furthermore, it was a late night flight.. so probably lighter is better?

Anyway, we have reached Orly around noon. We were the only Asian females on board. Others were.. I guess Arabs and European.

The stewards and stewardess started distributing the embarkation cards to the passengers to fill in. Are we required? "I don't know," said the stewardess. "Just fill in, if they say no well, you can throw it away later."
Dutifully, we filled the forms until at the box that said occupation. I looked at Jules.
"Nak tulis apa?"
"Tulis jer la apa kerja hang."
"Tulis kerani tak boleh ke?"
"Kan ke kita dah ada record dlm pasport kita yg dulu. If we lied that would put us in more trouble if they found out."
"Ha? Ok ke ni?"
"Should be ok," and Jules continued writing her profession - sub-editor - on the occupation box.
With bismillah, I wrote down mine.

Well, I should have lied and begone with the consequences.

We were stopped by the immigration officers just because of the stupid occupation box.
"parlez français ?"
"non" we said in unision.
"Engles?"
"oui!" again in unision.
"Here to work?" asked the female immigration officer
"No, just for holiday," answered Jules.
"Oh tourism," said the male immigration officer.
"Oui" i said.
"In France?"
"No just stop over. Going to Madrid tonight," Jules explained.
"hmm... follow me," he and she started walking.. fast pace.

Both of us were still blured. What's happening. Where are these two bringing us..
"Come.. follow us," again
We followed them.

Through a door, into a passageway.. another door and this time through a lane. Jules twitched me on the arm.
"Hey, we went through the VIP and Diplomat Lane lah"
"wow! Rasa macam penting ler kita ni."

We were ushered in the waiting room. It was quite nice. There was a another guy in the room. While we were observing our surrounding, the guy looked like he almost in tears.
So, both of us started speculating why we were brought to the immigration office. After some time of mulling, thinking and deep in thought (cheh! pretending), Jules said it must be because of the headscarf.

Yup, boys and girls.
French Government had just passed the law that no headscarf for Muslim students and workers. And they (the immigraton) thought that we are here to cover the story and give them a bad publisity.

So we burst into laugh and were quite relax while waiting for the Immigration clearance. Our laughters brought curiousity among the other immigration officers there. So we just smiled at them. Naaaah..not worried at all.

After 20 minutes being couped up in the room, the officer came out with our passports and gave to us. He ushered us to the door.. and bye! We were on our way to the bagage claiming area.

Contemplating with Jules.. should we wear our headscarf or not?

"Oh God, I acknowledge and confess before You, all my sins, please forgive them, as no one can forgive sins except You. Forgive my mistakes, those done intentionally, or out of my ignorance, with or without seriousness. Oh God, forgive my sins and my ignorance, forgive my sins of the past and of the future, which I did openly or secretly. Forgive the wrong I have done, jokingly or seriously. I seek Your protection from all the evil I have done. Wash away my sins, and cleanse my heart, from all the sins as a white garment is cleansed from the filth, and let there be long distance between me and my sins, as You made the East and West far from each other."

At the airport information counter we asked the officer where to take train from Paris to Madrid. She suggested we go Gare Montparnasse and took a bus to the train station. The bus fare cost EUR15.

1.30pm

After we bought the night tickets to Madrid, we stored our bags at the coins compartment and ready to explore Paris. As both of us did not went up to the Eiffel Tower, the first time we were in Paris in 2001, we decided to do so this time. Thinking that the queue would not be too long due to the winter season. The temperature was around 7-10C so I was still freezing under my fleece. It's ok though, just let my fat do extra work to warm me up! hehehe. So, we took the RER ride from Montparnasse to Bir-Hakeim and walked to Eiffel Tower.

the queue was long. Although not as long as during the summer. I guess most of the European took the opportunity of going up the Eiffel and visiting France during the winter to avoid massive tourists flow during the summer. Jules was conned into buying a pack of postcards as she thought that the ones in the store at the tower would be very expensive. hehehe. I got a pack back home and don't think I need another one.

Bought the ticket up to the third tier. Cost us EUR10.50 per person. Ah.. the anticipation of going up to the top tier and face the cold windy day. hehehehe.. The lifts up to the tiers were crowded like a can of sardines. I really had to press myself to the door. Had this scary thought.. what if the cable broke? uh! don't think, enjoy the view.

Yup, the view was spactacular. I guess there was nothing interesting in this wrought-iron tower except the view of Paris. You can see the River Seine, Les Invalides, Église du Dôme,Paris Opera house, Arch De Triomphe near the busy Champs Elysees and other colourful or dull buildings. Well, its too cold, what da ya expect?!

http://ryhano.mypicgallery.com/ryhann/100-0094_large.jpg

Anyway, spent more than one hour on the tower and admiring Paris through wired fence. (Its too hight.. the fence to prevent people from jumping off the tower). Headed to the second tier and checked out the shops selling postcards and bells.. (urgh! too expensive) and the first mission of sending postcards began.




After we had too much of Paris, we went back to Montparnasse station and started to loiter around while waiting for our 7.20pm train. We were actually hungry but did not want to eat bread. So we thought of buying some mee, prawns and rice from one and only asian food stall at the station. Went out the station and saw a stall selling drinks. Ahhh.. hot chocolate. I love their hot chocolate.. so rich. Bought a second one hehehehe

7pm

There was no sign of the train. I was getting worried. Jules too. So I told her to wait while I asked at one of the counters. Oh no! We are at the wrong station. We were supposed to take the train at another station Gare d'Austerlitz, but were not informed about it. So, we proceed to the international train counter again and had the ticket changed. There was no direct train to Madrid so we had to change train in Irun - the France-Spain border. He could not booked ticket from Irun to Madrid, we have to do ourselves. OK. He booked the tickets at 11.25pm and we have to proceed to Australitz.

Took our bags and ran to the taxi stand for a taxi to Gare Australitz. No wonder the train station did not looked familiar when we arrived this morning. The temperature had dropped down to 3C and I was tortured with cold. The station was big too airy. Meaning that it is colder here with marble floor and marble walls. There was only one single heater at the centre of the station and everyone were crowding it. it was the longest four hours waiting of my life. I was cold, hungry and I can't sit down on the marble floor. My bum became numb!

Finally, the train arrived and I immediately checked our compartment. Uh! we got the six beds room and we were on top of them. Gosh! we had to climb almost to the ceiling. I was cranky already and pushed my bags up with me. Let Jules go up and then I joined her. Took off my shoes and straight went to bed. I just refused to think about anything. I want to just close my eyes and when I open them, we should be in Irun.