When I first arrived, I loved Gare du Nord. And the 4. With the combination of the two, I could get most anywhere with the least amount of confusion. But as temperatures and humidity climb, I find myself wanting to get away from the most crowded trains and stations. Right now, the 4 is a mass of sweltering misery, body odor, confusion, germs and packed to the rafters. So today, I decided to get off at Chatelet and switch to the 7, thinking I could avoid the crowds and maybe even get a seat. Big mistake. Chatelet is also a mass of sweltering misery, body odor, confusion, germs and packed to the rafters complemented by nonworking walkways and escalators. I wound up walking about a mile underground to switch to the 7, which was just as crowded with no seats. Had I stayed on the 4, I would have been back at the apartment 15 minutes earlier and probably less sweaty. Serves me right. Paris always wins, we are just here for the ride. On a positive note, I finally started carrying a little bottle of hand sanitizer with me everywhere. Even remembered to use it!