Things I am learning

The time to break in a new pair of shoes is not on an international, intercontinental trip. My blisters have blisters. I have bandaids on them and I am powering through but god damn ow.
The shoes aren't technically new. They're second hand so you'd think there would be an already broken in element to them. Oh no. There is not.

I bought a hop on hop off bus ticket today. It's good for two days and I think I will get more use out of it tomorrow because all I wanted to do today was find some place to eat.
It is not irrational for me to be nervous about going in to a restaurant. I cannot order in french. I can read things in french, enough to know what I would be eating, but I can't order in french or understand when someone speaks it to me.
I did, however, figure something out. All the restaurants here post their menus outside. If they have an english menu, someone speaks english. Amazing. Helpful. I ended up having a delicious Italian meal a couple doors down from my hotel.

I think the only thing the men here know how to say in english is "you are very beautiful." It sounds like I'm bragging, but three men said this to me today. I simply smiled, nodded and turned away from the conversation so they would go away.

I did a lot of reading before I came here. There is a lot of theft from tourists here. It's mostly a safe city but you still have to watch out. I'm doing small but smart things, like wearing my purse under my jacket and only carrying small notes. One person bumped into the area near my purse today and I elbowed them so hard. It was probably an accident on their part but if purse snatchers/pick pockets saw that they know I mean business.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I plan on spending it wandering around, getting off at every stop on the bus tour, going to the top of the Eiffel Tower and having champagne, and finding some RAOK to do. I also plan on going to a patisserie and getting a cupcake.
What can you all do for my birthday? Do a RAOK. Do something nice for someone else and expect nothing in return. I have stuff. I have all I need. Go be nice to people. Don't just do it for my birthday, do it every day.
I also plan on finding some french candy and eating the hell out of it. Have some candy too, for me.