Well, the trip home was a success, but I never seemed to make it to a computer. It's really odd that in the land of computers and technology, I couldn't seem to get near one. But really, I was just so happy being with my family and friends, I don't think I would have used one had one been made available to me.
What a perfect trip. At my parents house in Michigan, the ground was greenish-yellow on Christmas Eve, and covered in four inches of snow by Christmas morning. Here's the 7.30 am photo of their front yard. It was certainly the ideal Christmas scene. And despite the fact that my family cooked far too many cookies (which required, of course, obligatory consumption), my trip back was pretty much perfect as well. My parents are the funniest, coolest people ever, by the way. Just thought I would get that in somewhere.
In the end, I managed to make it back to Paris in one piece. It took me several hours more than originally planned due to flight and weather conditions, but I made it. I ended up getting rerouted to Amsterdam, where I spent a jolly four hours catching up on sleep in a deserted terminal. Upon arrival in Paris, I found out that one of my bags hadn't made it. Such is my luck.
Exhausted from the trip, I walked in my front door at 20.10, kissed the Beau, dropped the bag (although I should have dropped two), and he said, "We're taking the 20.55 train to Brussels." We pushed the departure back an hour, but I managed to spend yet another successful New Year's Eve in Belgium.
We pulled into Brussels-Midi station around 23.20. After wandering the streets for awhile looking for a place to eat (I hadn't eaten a real meal since noon the previous day - at the airport). We suddenly realized that everybody was kissing and hugging. It wasn't until after we sat down in a restaurant, ordered, and started our glass of wine that we realized it was in fact 0.20! Ah, well...we both had a good laugh and then a good meal. Afterwards, we went dancing in some salsa joint and then more dancing in a bar called "Au Soleil." By the end of the evening, I realized we had both managed to talk to almost everybody in the bar. Funny what champagne does to me.
Anyway, an overall successful New Year's. Excellent company, wonderful city, quality atmosphere, and no excessive drinking (unlike a lot of people seen around the city streets). Sergio and I made it to the 7.40 train (yes, to Belgium and back in roughly ten hours) and took a few quick pics. Remember, this is me after driving for three hours, sitting on an airplane/in an airport for over 20, riding a train for an hour and a half, and then managing somehow to dance for five. Youth is beautiful. But I'm not looking tip top.
I fell asleep roughly 45 seconds after taking these pictures. Slept without waking up once on the hour-and-a-half-long trip back to Paris. Had heavy eyelids the entire way back on the Metro. Struggled walking up my six flights of stairs. Fell asleep (again) at 9.40 a.m., January 1. I technically had last gotten out of bed at 7.25 am on December 30 in Duluth, Minnesota.
Not a bad way to start the year.