Allez Les Bleus!

The spirit in the air here is good, much needed, for all that's happened as of late in Europe, around the world...

I'm back in Paris, this time as a tourist, but it really feels like I've never left. I get off the plane, on the bus down the streets up the stairs and arrive to my old work office like I did every morning at 10am to start my casual 35 hrs a week. Im greeted by my good friend Joao, 6ft3 and in his typical pastel dress shirt and blazer and it's hard not to cry because it's so good to see him, to be back, knowing I'm about to stuff my face with buttery pastries and see the faces that were once my familiar. 

I'm here for a brief visit, spawned by the news of my sweet friend moving and also a ticket to the Euro Cup final. To you sad soccer virgins this is THE (other) cup you should know about: European national teams battle each other once every four years for the crown and bragging rights of being the best in Europe, a pretty big f-ing deal to at least those who have heard of it. And the finals are happening right here in my sweet bitter Paris, so wins all around. 

In other awesome timing news, it's the SOLDES!!!!!!! What are the SOLDES, you ask?!!!?????

jambon fromage!!!

Well you know about Victoria Secret's biannual sale? You do, because you like the boobies. Well think that (the sale, not the boobs) but every store in the entire country. France doesn't do markdowns for every holiday like we do, but twice a year for four weeks straight the stores take an axe at the prices and chop them down, sometimes by half or more, and it means two things: an influx of Chinese tourists and overzealous shopping sprees that contradict my pay slips. I've only brought one suitcase but the material angel on my shoulder whispers "buy one get one free!" And she is the only angel there, so of course I'm gonna listen! 

I arrived on Wednesday after lots of hours on the plane: departing from Cali rather than Chi added a significant chunk of time, made bearable thanks to the Big Short, Spotlight and Zootopia (fine, I admit I hadn't seen them yet, I do work in television). A delayed flight made me miss an opportunity to pick up Garrett's popcorn from the o'hare airport as the go-to gift: luckily I had bought extra boxes of double-stuffed Oreos that I hadn't yet demolished. 

I arrived exhausted but the rule to overcoming jetlag is making it 48 hours sans nappy time and so I fought through and went straight for my old office in the city centre. I hadn't really announced my visit and so many past coworkers were surprised to see me, or at least the huge zit on my face. A lot of new faces, who still recognized me as the high-pitched one from the company recruitment videos (my only dabble in stardom) but overall, as I said, it felt like I had never even left. Now that I think about it, they were definitely most surprised by the zit.

Monet's water lily garden

I've managed to stay (mostly) awake for the past two days, having drinks with friends, biking to the Claude Monet Gardens (a real treat!) and watching France beat Germany 2-0 in the semi-finals! Germany definitely deserves the win and had way more scoring opportunities, but I'll spare you the futbol commentary and just say that the post-game ambiance is untamed joy throughout the city. Cars honking in the streets, drunk Parisians also honking in the streets, it reeks of beer and piss but the spirit is sweet. Last time France hosted a major soccer event was the 1998 World Cup (THAT cup), which they ended up winning, so if all goes well this weekend could also end with a big fat W. Who else won tonight? Monsieur Jetlag, as I'm writing this post at 4am, which means tomorrow is gonna suckkkkkkkkkkk. Thank god for croissants. 

The big final game is Sunday, France v's Portugal, and I am PUMPED! I've never been to a sports final game before (other than junior year IM intramurals for my dorm... which we won, BTW). I'm going with three girls I used to play with back when I lived here, and we will wear face paint and jerseys and look ameeeezing and cheer our hearts out for the country we love to bitch about love so much. It will be my second time seeing Cristiano Ronaldo play (saw him play in Madrid a couple years back) which will satisfy by sex appeal quota, making it a sure win of a night. Though I can't help but feel a tingle of fear to be at a major European event with herds of people jammed into one space in a city that's had two horribly violent incidents in the past year and a half... It's a shame that excitement is often clouded with a dark filter these days... But I am still SO excited. DUH. You know how much I love this sport. And such a big game beside good friends in my old 'hood... A win would be EPIC, much needed for a city still suffering from loss. And for a spoiled girl who is enough of an arsehole to brag about it on her trivial blog (Mind you I was recently jobless and have developed adult acne, so let me have this!!!) 

Okay the sun is coming up and I need to try to steal some z's or else I WILL suffer. But apparently travel is the one thing that inspires me to write, and I've got a cool trip planned, so expect some more words of the wisecrack in the coming days! And I'm asking you all to chant along this Sunday: Allez les bleus!!