Okay, I'm probably going to try to keep it brief. I didn't post yesterday, as most of you are aware, because we didn't get back to Paris until 8:30. Then, after dinner it was pretty much 11pm. Yeah, I was exhausted.
So, we got up, had breakfast at the hotel buffet, and went to the Paris Nord train station. Just getting to the train station was hard and made me nervous. First of all, the signs at the bus station say that you can buy bus/metro/RER tickets (they're interchangeable) at the metro station, on your phone, or on the bus. Yeah...no, not that last one. At least, not anymore! So, we got on the bus to the train station and were expecting to buy a ticket, but the driver just told us "Avancez, avancez!" (Get on!). So...we got a free bus ride to the train station. Talk about making us both REALLY nervous.
Then we got to the train station and it took me two minutes to figure out which train to board. Mom, however, was convinced that we had to go downstairs. I grabbed her shirt and lead her to platform 8 and we got on.
The problem with traveling with someone who doesn't know the language is that sometimes they question you more than once. And then you end up questioning yourself. So then you have to be an extrovert and ask another passenger on the train to verify it is going to Amiens. (It was.)
What is really weird about the trains (at least, as far as we can tell) is that there isn't anywhere to scan your ticket. There wasn't anyone who came around to scan our tickets or ask for them either. So, if someone knows that we are supposed to do to get on the train, please inform me. Because, the way we figure it, we could've had a free bus ride and two free train rides yesterday and no one would be the wiser. But I promise on a stack of bibles as tall as the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Amiens that we had tickets for the trains.
Amiens is the tallest gothic cathedral ever (according to Mom...she says that there might be one other, but she can't remember).
In the interest of time tonight (it was also a long day today and I want to get this post done ASAP, because we have to be on the bus at 7:45 tomorrow), I'm just going to post a few pictures I took of/in the cathedral and the Parish Park next door. We mostly just hung out there all day, except when we walked down a street for lunch...during which I had to order for both of us in French. That was really difficult, but we got some of the best French food I've ever tasted (of course, it probably isn't "French" food, but it was made in France, so...): a salmon and shrimp wok (noodles, salmon, shrimp, carrots, and zucchini).
Where we had lunch (it's empty because restaurants usually close around 2 or 3 pm and then open back up for dinner around 6 or 7 and I took the picture as we walked back to the train station when it had closed after lunch).
And just so you know, we bought a bunch of bus/metro tickets at the train station in Paris when we got back yesterday night to use all day today in Paris.
Because we were so tired, we decided to eat at the restaurant in the hotel again. They don't have the biggest selection of food, but it is the most convenient and right in the hotel.
So, yeah. Pretty hectic day. Mom couldn't have gotten to Amiens or eaten lunch without me, and I couldn't have gotten to Amiens without her because I get so nervous/anxious about traveling and using French again that I literally don't want to eat breakfast. Thank goodness we spent the day with Jesus in the Cathedral of Our Lady, because I finally felt at peace. Amazing what Jesus can do.
Just so y'all know, I took way more pictures. So, you can see them when I come back home.
Bonsoir, mes amis.
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