What will go wrong in Paris? Will we get lost? Harassed for being American? Mugged? Rapped? Killed?
No we are too lucky for this and our apparent Paris hold up has been Freddy, our recommend Couch Surfing host.
Paris, well pretty much all of western Europe, is a hot bed for couch surfing but in the summer it is apparently in overload and man people just don’t host. So, based on a mutual connection, Laura, our host in Moscow, Freddy took us on. However, FREDDY IS A LIE AND A USER.
My perspective on Couch Surfing is that it is a give and take organization. You surf and you host. While you are surfing it is often nice to bring a gift or treat the person to a meal or drinks or maybe just cook. Freddy’s idea is that it is give and take, the host is a hotel and the surfer must compensate him according to the high season rate at the nearest 4 star hotel.
We did our best. Without insured compensation we followed his instructions to pick up cigarettes and liquor duty free at the airport. Luckily he did repay us by discounting the amount we owed home for purchasing Disney Paris tickets for us at the discounted Parisian rate.
That was a scam and a half. Freddy warned us that the metro gets super crowded in the morning and that we should leave by seven am for Disney. He must have forgot that we lived in China (although he made the common joke that he was waiting for Chinese people when we arrived) and he did not remember that we lived in a small cereal box of a city with 24 million inhabitants. We know crowded more than he ever will. We got to the park before it opened and got in line to switch our vouchers for tickets. As we did so, the polite Disney employee at the counter asked to see our IDs. Coincidentally, these did not match the names on our vouchers which were printed as “Super Man” and “Wonder Woman”. Nice one Freddy. The only reason we got to go into the Park, after already paying Freddy, was because 1) This is Disney and they are nothing but nice and 2) we remembered Freddy’s address, although not his last name.
On our way home from the Park we stopped and bought some wine, cheese and the works (bread, meats, grapes) because we were feeling a little bad about the night before. We arrived in Paris a bit famished and went out for some food and to walk the streets on our first night in Paris. Freddy told (not asked, told) us to be back by 11 because he was going out (we were not invited). Partly because I lost my watch in Budapest, we wanted to see PARIS and we just didn’t care, we came back 20 minutes late. He was livid! When you let tourists out on the streets of a new city without a map, sometimes they get a little lost. Besides, aren’t Europeans suppose to be a bit more laid back and less punctual than Americans? There is no reason to be mad… but he was. He drank most of the wine and tried to make conversation but it was clear Freddy liked us as much as we liked sleeping on an air mattress on his kitchen floor.
Days later Freddy left Kate and I this review:
"I hosted Wonder Woman & Super Girl ^^ I waited a couple of Chinese, and surprise i see two nice american girls. Two girls with a lot of punch, independent and motivated to visit Paris, even late at night. Handy when you are too busy, by your daily work! Bon voyage et bonnes aventures ailleurs girls."
A lot of punch? Oh we were out so late- almost past 11! The rest doesn't make sense but I am sure it is an insult. I don’t really get his problem. Freddy lives in a BEAUTIFUL city. Cheer up you chubby bastard.
I really fell in love with France and want to see more of it. Maybe even learn some French. I must say, perhaps after coming from Hungary, that I was a bit disappointed by the food. Everything smelled delicious, and I mean everything while we were walking the streets smelled like heaven, but we didn’t eat anything exceptional. Being our Asian selves and in need of a pick me up from Freddy’s hell, Kate and I literally waited in line for a Chinese buffet. We saw the sign right across from Notre Dame Cathedral 10 euro all you can eat. With this prime location you would think the restaurant would be open at 5 but we had to wait until 6. A couple of Korean guys who were biking around Europe (far more than we biked) also joined us in line. We really enjoyed the international cuisine in Paris and even though Parisian food is supposed to be the best in the world (actually number two after Japan) we really enjoyed little French food other than wine and cheese. I suppose I must return.
We were happy to leave Freddy’s and spend the weekend (Friday and Saturday nights) in a rented apartment. We cooked for ourselves, including a breakfast that I hardly remember cooking when we came home at ten AM. Opps.
The night before we met yet another group of delightful French people. I remember the conversation starting when the lone girl in the group approached us and drunkenly mumbled “Promise me, PROMISE ME, that you will not get in the car with any one.” This was roughly the extent of this girl’s English yet we continued to stay with her and her guy friends until the wee hours of the morning which wouldn't have been a problem but we had a bus to catch at 3 and still wanted to shop at Louis. White girl problems.
By the way I suppose I should explain the title. Paris IS Vegas for no reason other than I expected both to be entirely underwhelming and they blew my mind. There's some kind of magic there, even outside of Disney.
