The year was 1999 and I was finally in Paris. I was 23 years, I’ve had been saving money ever since I was 15, instead of a crappy trip to Punta del Este I saved every single penny I earn and invested it in my trip to Paris, executive class French Airlines, caviar and champagne, everything pretty, blah blah blah…
Well it wasn’t all so delightful. It was my second week in the city and I wanted to go to the Musée Picasso de París but I didn’t know where it was so I started walking, following my traveler’s guide book. I still couldn’t find so I decided to ask for help, I stopped the first passerby and him in my best French: Musée Picasso de París s'il vous plait? He, as I was hoping, answered my question, he answered:
“Retour avant la deuxième place à la gauche de la Tour Eiffel, que vous voyez là. Ensuite, faire trois blocs et tourner à droite vers la droite puis vers la droite, puis encore à gauche. Enfin de huit là et puis tourner à gauche blocs (pour cela, nous vous recommandons de prendre un taxi) mon cher”
Then, no further questions he turned around and left. So I did what he said, I think. Have it ever happened to you that someone gives you indications and then you can’t remember a thing he said so you jus improvise? Well imagine it in French! I was clueless about where I was and everyone I asked answered in French. This went on a couple of heavy hours where I thought of head back to my hotel, but then I remembered, I had no idea where the hotel was! As I was saying after a couple of hours, I was getting desperate when I came across this absolutely lovely/way-to-cheesy couple, who wore matching t-shirts and all that. They approached to me with empathy looks and asked, “Are you lost?” I thanked God with a whisper for sending this English speaking couple and answered them that I was and I also thank them. They asked me with one voice
where I was going.