Le Metro

Hello! to all my lovely readers.

I'm excited to be writing again. This blog is great to keep my memories fresh and also a great way to keep in touch with my family and friends.

The Metro here in Paris is an amazing way of travelling through the city has stops in almost every corner, that´s why is the easiest way of travel. There are 3 types of metro trains in Paris, they´re different because they're from different periods of time. (You will notice after a while here in the doors). 

Le Metro

A lot of people use the metro to move around Paris this allows me to see incredible things. People from all around the world, turists and parisians, inmigrants from all races and from different social status. Elegant women with their fine jewerly, homeless guys begging, turists with their maps and bags, people tired from a day of job and students just like me.

I think the metro for me is a place for reflection, is the perfect place to think, to observe other humans. Has enriched me as human being. You start to wonder and start to create his/her story, why is he in Paris? from what is he running from? maybe his/her country is in war?.

The first few times that I used the metro I was overwhelm with the amount of people. It's a great way to practice tolerance I must say, the first times I was a little apprehensive, too many people too different from me. But then you start to appreciate, you start to see the positive things, the beautiful things in each person. I often see beautiful black women with amazing typical African outfits, full of colors from head to toes. We always look at them, astonish, because of their beautiful clothes and hair pieces. For an instant you can imagine how must it be in their home countries, how all women must be dress so colorful and so distant of what we called "fashion". Is like they come from another planet where all this social conceptions that we all now here in "Occident" doesn't exists. Is comforting to know that there are cultures living abstracted from the globalized world, maintaining tradition.

But not all is beauty and peace there is also some crazy shit that happens in the metro. The other day I saw some creepy guy, we are sure he was a serial killer. Physical description: he had this crazy look was all white with his head shave probably in his 40s  and his nails were long with triangle shape. Then he started to cover his ears and to close his eyes, he took out a black glove and calmly pulled them on. It was so creepy I have the picture perfect in my head.

Horrible odors ( It amazes me how bad a person can smell ). The stations are the home of the homeless of the city, so is very common the smell of pee in the stations. Is sad and I dont know what are the public policies to stop this but people have invented devices for the smells. For example, you wrapped a small piece of fabric on your index finger with perfume and discretely you put it under your nose. IT´S BRILLIANT! I'm going to do it!

A Tip: When you hear BONJOUR! in the metro, is because someone is asking for money, here is VERY important to say bonjour, pardon, merci, etc etc but not on the subway.

Cause if you do people think you are asking for money (is crazy but my teacher told me that). When you come to Paris you will see a lot of these beggars who ask for money, they are harmless.

I love the Metro it´s Always an adventure, yes it stinks and is old but it has his charm. It´s unique and very characteristic of Paris. I recommend if you come hop on line 6 has a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower and there are always musicians playing the accordion , is MAGIC !

Bisous!!

Line 6