Sydney Spy Classic
Parisian Metro
You'll notice that any romantic movie set in Paris will most certainly omit metro images. It's a bit shady sometimes, but overall, it's fun!
---
Quick Language lesson:
"Je voudrais un billet pour...."
- "I would like a ticket for..."
"Zhe VOO-DRAY Ahn BEE-YAY POOR...."
"Quoi? Je t'ai donne 50 euros! Tete d'ail!"
- "What? I gave you 50 euros!! Garlic-head!"
"KWA? Zhe TAY DON-NAY SANK-ONT EW-ROW! TET DAY!"
---
To travel around Paris, you take either the RER or the Metro. The RER takes you to the suburbs of Paris where all the violence happens. The metro rolls around Paris only - it's fast, with some stations being mere metres from each other. If you take the metro, that means fighting a mixture of begging Romanians and icicle-covered parisians to get you where you want to go. So, of course you'll always take the metro!
When you get to big stations like Gare du Nord [GAR DEW NORR] or Chatelet Les Halles [SHAT-LAY LAY AL], don't recoil onto the tracks after inhaling the stench of aged urine fused with garlic, it's Paris. The metro will rattle along with a shuffle and a skip, unlike the Sydney City-Rail trains which come with a chug and a 23 minute delay.
Unless you're mounting the urban pony at an early station, you'll most definitely be standing. Remember to always keep your bag closed with your phone and wallet out of sight. Being Australian, I'm used to my wallet, unprotected notes and monacle dangling out from all places or riding adjacent me.
Two seconds and two begging Romanians later, you'll arrive at your destination. If you're transfereing to a RER or another metro you may be hiking through endless labirynths.
Otherwise, if exiting, you may have the pleasure of experiencing melodramatic parisian doors. These doors let your presence known as they SMASH open with a clang automatically when you approach. So dramatic hand gestures are required to realise your childhood Alex Mack telekenisis fantasies.Often you'll get some metro-tainment which may be someone playing the accordeon or the guitar. My best memory is standing right next to some dude with a guitar playing "How Many Roads Must A Man Walk Down" with gloupy french-accent and all while fiddling with the chords on a crowded metro. I stole some coins from a rich tourist to give to him anyway though... when in Rome!
So how many roads must a man walk down, before he gets bludgy and wants the metro? Add a comment...
Labels: australia, france, metro, paris, RER, sydney, travel, travelblog