Adventurous Weekend

So I'm sitting in a McDonalds in Paris right now close to Maureen's apartment.  I had a VERY interesting weekend, let me tell you.  Friday, Adrienne and I boarded a train to Milan and had a fabulous (FABULOUS!!!!) time shopping and eating Italian food.  There really isn't much else to do in Milan, believe it or not! We went on a bus tour and saw all the important monuments, and Monday I went to La Scala (not sure if I spelled that right).  It's the famous Milan opera house.  Unfortunately the actual theater was closed for construction but I explored the museum by myself and the building was sooo beautiful.  You could only take pictures in the lobby though, so that's all I have.  They had this big exhibit on a woman named Maria Callas who was an opera singer there for a period of 30 or 40 years.  She was Greek, so that reminded me of my favorite girls that I miss oh-so-much (it's getting to be a bit ridiculous).  They had all the costumes that she ever wore and they are so intricate and beautiful and they all seemed hand-made.  Hopefully my parents stopped reading this because what I did Monday night is a little sketchy.  I COUCH SURFED! Yeah, worst idea ever, lesson learned.  Important part = I'm still alive. I planned on staying in the Riviera area for a few days, but I was so uncomfortable at the apartment I was at that I up and left the next morning which  brought me here.  I can't believe how stupid I am for bringing TWO suitcases that are SO heavy and how stupid the French are for not having ONE DAMN ELEVATOR OR ESCALATOR in the entire underground system.  My shoulders/back, literally, have never felt so bad (remember, I am a swimmer).  A pair of macho guys did save me a trip up one flight of stairs though.  Anyway, I feel really empowered and independent because of my success in traveling alone (for the most part).  Next step is to be able to pay for it myself... ha! Yea right.  I would not have survived Milan if I didn't have my parents to fall back on...Adrienne and I booked a 12 Euro/night hostel in Milan, which worked out fine the first night, even if it was a little sketch.  We climbed the stairs and walked into what looked like a scene out of Requiem for a Dream and waited for our room for quite awhile even though we had previously booked it online.  In the meantime, a little mini-bulldog (my favorite) peed on the floor, but neither of us had noticed and we kept stepping in it.  When our room was finally ready, we were told that two other people would be joining us in the room later.  We were so exhausted from our day of traveling that we went right to bed and around 3 in the morning, the concierge just walked in (the doors don't lock), and led in two girls, one of whom took off all her clothes and got in the bed next to me which was only about 5 inches away from me.  I could smell her breath the entire night, and it REEKED of alcohol, let me tell you.  The next day, we were told we would have to move rooms.  We were led (very sketchily) to a room in a different building which REALLY looked like a scene out of Requiem for a Dream.  There were 8 bunk beds and half-naked men strewn everywhere, plus the room smelled like absolute shit.  As we were being shown the room, Adrienne and I were exchanging TERRIFIED looks that said "no way in hell are we seriously staying here."  I pulled out the parents-love-me card and told my mom that we would have to find a hotel. We ended up finding a place in a 4-star hotel that was only 63 Euros a night.  Breakfast was included and it was sooo good, and so worth the extra money.  Anyway, I guess I'll wrap up this post and head back to my hotel because Maureen is deeply involved in her work right now.  She has two exams, two papers, and a presentation tomorrow.  But you know what that means! She will be ready to party for my last night in France, and I CAN'T WAIT! It's a bummer that I have to go back to acknowledging my severe dependence on my parents in the U.S.  But, I am looking forward to a few things including AIR CONDITIONING, the good hygiene of the general American population, driving my own car instead of taking the disgusting metro/SNCF trains everywhere.... I have come to the conclusion that homeless people piss all over the underground when everyone else is sleeping.....How else can it smell so bad???  Tomorrow, I plan on hitting up the Louvre again as well as the Galliera because I've never been there.  I'd like to go shopping of course, but I seriously can't afford to put anything else in my suitcase.  I have a terrible feeling I'm going to lose a wheel or an arm or both next time I need to take it somewhere...  Well, back to the hotel for moi. Make sure to call me or get online if you are bored because for the next three nights I will be alone in my hotel =(  While I have definitely gotten to appreciate all the benefits that come with being totally by myself during my stay in France, I have also come to appreciate all the benefits of living with my two wonderful families (at home and at school).  I miss my brothers and sisters so much that it hurts, and I cannot wait to move into my new apartment with Vassi and start things up with that crowd again.  Yesterday, I talked on the phone to my sisters and after I hung up I started crying because I miss them that much.  I know, pathetic.  It's just, I' m SO close to seeing them, yet so far.  Until next time!