less than "bon" voyage

my journey to paris went something like this--
(NOTE: there is a light at the end of this tunnel.)

flight from st. louis to newark, new jersey: delayed one hour and twenty-one minutes.
result: i arrived in new jersey at 6:30pm....for a 6:40pm departure to France

newark, new jersey: ran like hell from terminal A to terminal C in time to learn that the doors to the flight to paris had already been closed.
result: i copped a slight attitude (the distressed traveler who just ran across the airport and is thus sweaty and tired, and whose muscles ache from dragging two suitcases through airport traffic after going to gate 1-2-0 instead of 1-OH-2 kind of attitude) and convinced her to re-open the door to let me on the flight (which didn't end up leaving until an hour after i boarded).

newark, new jersey to paris, france: i arrived at my seat to find someone else reclining in it. devoid of energy, i took the seat behind her and called it a day.

charles de gaule airport, paris, france: cleared customs without any trouble, collected my one checked bag (i am so proud of myself for packing only one checked bag and two carry-ons, and even happier that the checked bag survived the new jersey fiasco), and proceeded to the exit to search for jorge, who was supposed to pick me up from the airport at 8:00am.

paris metro, 8:45ish am: jorge was stuck on a train that had been stopped due to technical difficulties.

9:00ish am: i gave up the search for jorge and took a cab.

9:30am: jorge arrived at the airport.
>> it turns out i unknowingly took a "limo service" taxi, which costs twice as much as a regular taxi.
result: i'm out of 90 euro instead of the original 45-50 that i had budgeted, and jorge is out of 16.80 euro for being kind enough to try and fetch me.

HOWEVER....

despite my less than "bon" voyage, i can already tell that i will be enchanted by this city. there was a light snow covering the ground when i touched down, and despite the frigid air (the high today meandered somewhere around -10 degrees Centigrade), i had a wonderful time walking around and enjoying the sights. below is a picture i took from atop the Sacre Cours, overlooking the city.

i have a few more days to explore on my own before my program begins on tuesday. tomorrow i plan to stroll around the eiffel tower, and perhaps take a trip to the louvre. admission is supposedly gratuite this sunday.

more pleasant posts are sure to come soon.