Dear Diary,

I have discovered a new way to exercise while here in Paris. Every morning I get a really great 40 min workout that tones my entire body, especially my abs.  You know what? Now I know why all those French women are so thin and their bodies so toned. People make a big deal out of the fact that every French woman has such a great body and they eat anything they want..blah, blah, blah.

Here is my morning workout:

I leave my apartment around 8:00 am, pass the two ladies smoking in front of the apartment and walk briskly towards Metro station Ouroq. This takes about 5 minutes from apartment door to the stairs leading down into the Metro.  As I enter the lower portions, descending the 30 stairs to catch the metro, I finally feel awake and ready to battle the assemblage of people on their way to work. (that big word is French for a butt load of people.)

As the Metro car approaches, people push forward waiting to shove their way into the car, which is already chock full of commuters. The anticipation is intense, “Will I get on this Metro or will I have to wait for the next one? Dear God, the car is getting closer and I must get on or I will be late!”  Never mind there is another one in 2 minutes.

The car pulls up and stops, only a few people get out of the car, but twice as many want to get on, but no worries, there is room to spare and we all manage to get on. It is cozy but not uncomfortable and a few stops later we have arrived at Gare de Nord. Now here is when it starts to get a little crazy.  This is a big, and I mean big stop, all the RER trains arrive here, it’s the stop where people grab the line to the airport and quite a few of the Metro lines pass through this station. You know it big when they have clothing and shoe stores at a stop.

I get off so I can switch to line 4…this means a vigorous walk, up stairs, down stairs trying not to run into others as they are navigating their way to their next line on the Metro. This person walks too slow…that person rams into me…mind your purse…look where you are going…

As I turn the corner to Metro line 4, there are hordes of Parisian’s standing around waiting for the next one to pull up.  Here it come, geez I hope no one gets pushed onto the tracks, there are so many people all pushing towards and oncoming Metro train…it stops, the doors open, 10 people get off the car I am waiting in front of but 25 want to get on.  They all push and jam themselves into the car, the door eeks closed and we are off.

Here is where I get the biggest part of my workout.  Line 4 sucks!  I am on this car for 30 minutes as it bounces back and forth with sharp twists and turns, and I think the driver has a secret wish to watch all the people fall down like a bunch of dominos with each stop and start of line 4 Metro.  Sadistic bastard.

There is nothing to hold onto because I am in the middle part of the crush of people. My feet are planted, purse clutched in my hand, my abs are taut, butt cheeks clenched, I try to balance myself and stay on my feet.  With every bump I nearly fall down, of course that is impossible with all the people around me. But slowly they get off at each stop until I reach my destination, Saint Placide, where, exhausted from my morning workout (damn my abs are looking good)  I gladly leave the Metro and climb the multitude of stairs where I am hit with that fresh smell of baked bread. No time now, I must walk quickly to class where I sit on my ass for three hours and learn French…Thank goodness for my morning workout…C’est la vie!

The “In Seine” Blonde – Lisa