Memories of Paris...

Paris 2007

Memorable Moments:

Our method of transport to France – a ferry & coach tour with mainly older people and with a lovely (and very comical) tour guide called Bev who was like a character out of Coronation St.

Driving through the red light district, past the Moulin Rouge and Bev advising the faint hearted to look away as we drove past the sex supermarket, where you could literally walk around with a trolley to stock up on your accessories.

A night out with the oldies turned out to be a real laugh, dinner at a traditional little French restaurant surrounded by accordion players.  It was here that Jamie discovered Cheese.

Jamie’s non-stop hilariously bad French impressions…

Purchasing a beret (it had to be done) and taking it in turns to wear it at the top of the Eiffel tower.

Taking a riverboat trip along the Seine in the rain (I’m a poet and I know it)

Managing to go to the toilet at the top of all the famous buildings and monuments (yes I know what an achievement) they even had a toilet at the top of the Arc de Triomphe you know.

Attempting to map read and not doing a particularly good job of it…

Seeing dogs in the windows at pet shops, I just wanted to bring them all home with me.  Little puppies jumping up at the windows like something out of Lady and the Tramp.

Architectural genius:

The Louvre, a fascinating building, some love it, some hate it.  Having just read the Da Vinci Code and watching the film we (rather sadly some might say) found it quite exciting to recognise a lot of the places that connected the story.  We even visited the Saint Sulpice.  Lovely gardens around the Louvre too, lots of places to picnic and sit & relax with a good book.  An interesting place to people watch.

The Notre Dame.  AMAZING! Also known as ‘Our lady of Paris’ a massive gothic cathedral.  Absolutely beautiful inside and out.  We decided we would climb the ridiculous amount of steps to the top so that we could stand amongst the gargoyles.  The climb was not an easy one, the winding staircase got extremely narrow and just went on and on in a dizzying spiral.  I don’t get claustrophobic but I had a few moments.  Having people walking behind you constantly as well made it difficult to stop for a break.  But it was well worth it, you could imagine the hunchback up there hiding behind the gargoyles!

Seeing the Eiffel tower by day and by night.  I loved it at night when it was lit up and sparkling.  Going up to the top and looking down at the entire city, you can’t get a view like that in many places.  Only downfall is the queuing time but you have to do it at least once, took some great photos of Paris.

Being a huge fan of Phantom of the Opera I was very excited to go to the Opera house, we didn’t see a show just had a look around inside and the staircase is exactly as in the films, so ornate the elegant ladies holding candles to light your way up the grand staircase.

 

The stark contrast of a modern department store, not far from the opera house, was the most insane store I’ve ever seen with floors looking like they go on forever, bright lights and hustle and bustle all around.

The Sacre Coeur, the ‘Sacred Heart of Paris’ sitting on the top of a hill overlooking the city in the early evening.

Culinary Delights:

Huge ice creams which we ate whilst walking along the river.

Cheeeeeeeeeeeese

Sneaking some croissants with ham and cheese out of the restaurant in the morning for our lunch on the coach home, tut tut

What the Weatherman says: (June)

Hot, hot, hot!!! Very sticky, humid heat, needed lots of sun cream and got very pink!

Arty Fartyness:

Slight disappointment upon seeing the Mona Lisa, which was tiny and in a glass box which you had no hope of getting near as there were so many tourists crammed in the room.  The Venus De Milo was more impressive.

Again the Louvre like many other huge museums was so epic that you could spend weeks in there.  We did the usual touristy exhibitions and a few others that interested us.

Artists Square in Montmartre, where we watched artists painting portraits and drawing scenes of Paris amongst little stalls selling crafty bits and bobs.

Lots of very decorative bridges over the river and interesting street lamps detailed with lions heads and elaborate designs.

Walkometer/Exhaustion Rating: 8/10

We got completely lost several times and walked the length and width of Paris until we could walk no more.  Jamie quote ‘Please can we go back to the hotel now my feet are bleeding’ There are plenty of busses and trains to get around on but with good weather it’s so nice to walk, although this is exhausting if you are intent on walking EVERYWHERE like we did!