Paris --- Day1, Arriving

This big buddy below took me from Houston to London. It was my first experience with British Airways. I was surprised that there was no vacant seat for that flight. Seems traveling season is coming! I had little complain about the flight, better entertainment videos than American Airlines, but less space for each passenger than Virgin Atlantic, worse food than Air of France. I did have some complain about the London airport, where I transit to Paris. The transit was very troublesome. London is a big and busy city, but the airport is very tiny. So passengers need to take a bus from the airplane to the landing terminal, some also need to take a bus from the landing terminal to the transit terminal. Furthermore, even connecting in the same terminal, one needs to take a train to transit to different gates of the SAME terminal. There was also duplicated security check procedures, officials' slow movements... Anyhow, it took me 1 hour to transit to the right gate, then 30 mins for the airplane to take off, the actual flight in the air took only 30 mins to Paris...

It was smooth experience after I got out of the Paris CDG airport, since I did research on Metros/RER transportation system quite well. To ease the ticket purchase experience and save money, the best way for tourists traveling less than a week was to buy a Navigo Decouverte. It was a one week pass for all Metro/RER transits, covering a selection of zones. Airport is in Zone5 and my traveling mostly will happen in Zone1 & Zone2, so I purchased a Navigo Decouverte covering Zone1 to Zone5. It cost 38 Euros including 5 Eruros' card fee. With this card in hand, it solves all the transportation for the following days. I don't need to struggle with French on the ticket vending machines, or take a taxi to the airport.
After 13 hours' flight and 1.5 hour's train, I was very sleepy and hungry when I finally got to the hotel, with a little delight --- The hotel is operated by a Chinese old man, who could speak Chinese and quite friendly and helpful. The hotel itself was also quite good, it locates in Porte d' Italie (Chinatown area) with lots of restaurants and Metros around. The hotel room was small, simple, clean, with all the necessities, and only cost 60 Euro/per night. After a big meal and a big sleep, I stepped out to see the surrounding area --- Porte d'Italie (Chinatown)

The Chinatown area covers 4-6 blocks, full of Chinese shops, restaurants, and facilities. Walking on the street was a great joy. Trees are tall and old, shadowing most of the sidewalk. The sunshine was very gentle. It felt like walking on some old streets in Shanghai, even the weather was much alike in this season --- little sunshine, big trees, humid, and cool weather, shops around. I miss it... Living in Texas for 4 years only make me remember the aggressive sunshine burning my skin and brain, nothing else.

It seems the Chinese community has a big impact here, they have their own church.

I was looking for a convenience store and someone pointed me to the store called ``Ed'', what a weird name... Inside the store, a few teenager black girls came to me and asked me something in French. I told them I don't understand French, they need to ask in English. Then the black girls said something then started laughing. I didn't know what they were talking about. I was thinking watching their ugly faces was really like watching animals in the zoo, e.g., monkeys talking and laughing. When I went out of the store, I realized they probably made fun of me...

After walking around for a while, I stopped at a PHO restaurant and ordered a beef PHO and hot soil milk. Chinese food fits my stomach best! Heading to Lafayette tomorrow!