Bonjour from Paris

A quick update: I am now in Paris (specifically, here)! I took a flight in from Heathrow early this morning, and I'll soon be checking into my hotel for a well-needed nap.

It seems that the aimless European backpacker is not adored by airport security! Upon arriving in London, I waited in an hour-long 'queue' at the Passport Control station before finally approaching the window. I handed the woman behind the desk my passport and information card, expecting a smile and a quick stamp. She asked how long I'd be in London, and I mentioned that I'd be leaving for Paris 'in a couple of days' - not the correct answer. Exasperated by the lack of definition in my plans, she probed a little further. When I couldn't procure the name of a hotel or an exact date of return to the UK, it seemed like she was about to summon reinforcements.

Then she asked how much money I was carrying, to which I told her the truth: 100 pounds. Her face looked nearly aghast. She asked how much was in my bank accounts, and like a good American appalled by any government Big Brothering, I answered 'enough'. At this point, I couldn't tell if she wanted to turn me back to the States, or give me a blanket and some scraps of food. In the end, I entered the country by showing her my return itinerary (proving that I did indeed have a plan to get home), and assuring her that I was about to enter the workforce in the States.

Things are looking up, though. Entering France today, all I had to do was show my American passport and renounce my allegiance to the Crown. (Just kidding about the passport.)

Anyway, I'm exhausted, so I'm going to get to my hotel and maybe later I'll post something a little more coherent. I didn't take too many pictures in London, but I posted four on Picasa. I'll post the rest when I have some more patience with these French keyboards. (of all letters to switch, the A and the Q?)