As I continue to familiarize myself with the metro, I've discovered differences. We tend to call the whole system "the Metro," but there are many different lines. The Metro lines appear to be the most used. The RER trains are like those trains you take from BWI Airport in Maryland to Union Station in DC, except the stops are closer together than our trains in the US. And the Tram is basically above-ground trains. I think there's another category, but I have yet to experience it.
The Tram was new, but I found it moved slowly, like a bus. It was also much more crowded than the other two options. But the thing is, you can't just decide which line you like best: you have to go with what's the most convenient route. Transfers are tricky, but I figure I should master them. I can't take any more of these tiny tickets, so I have a Navigo card en route. (I ordered it online.) I've had a lot of differing opinions on whether to get the Carte Imagine or the Navigo, but the Navigo appears to benefit short-term inhabitants like me more, even though I am an under-26-year-old student who could get the Carte Imagine.
Another triumph of today was getting my French SIM card set up. Strangely, I seemed to be the only one who investigated the SIM card deal before coming to France, because the sales guy had to give his spiel dozens of times, while I was just like, "I'm approved, can I get my new SIM card please?" Then I had to trek out to the actual store to select my pay-as-you-go fee (30€, and I can picture Joe rolling his eyes at me, but I really need Google Maps). If I don't use 2 GB of data in a month, then I can just get a smaller data plan for the next month. It's so un-binding. I love it. But at the store, the group in front of me neglected to get their SIM cards, so I had to wait half an hour just to hand the guy 30€. J'ai l'air de frustration. So frustrating.
So free French calls and French text messages. I hesitate to give out my French number, as international calls are still expensive. We'll just stick with the iMessaging way. But now I can shoot a text message to my roommates or make sure I'm not on the opposite end of Paris while I try to find a place (it's already happened too many times). I'm feeling Frenchier and Frenchier as the days pass, though sometimes it feels like I have AMERICAN tattooed on my forehead.
But I am an American, and I'm not embarrassed when I think about staying in a Wuhan bubble my whole life. Anyway, I decided to snap pictures more freely, and I don't care if French people snigger at my tips.
Just today, I was walking down the Rue de Grenelle when I come across this:
Approaching it more showed me this:
Turns out it's the Veterans' Museum. Mom was wondering what Les Invalides referred to, and this is definitely it. I wanted to go inside so badly. I must have more patience.
Best picture of the day, I think. Les Invalides is surrounded by a trench, though it's a pretty green trench. And the cannons don't seem dangerous. Though there was a couple perched on the edge of the wall, and I was just wondering, "How do they get up if they fall over?"
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