So we made it back to Paris on Friday for me to meet up with Erin for the weekend - which I'm really looking forward to. A night in a hotel is a close second. Don't get me wrong, I love the van, but a real bed that I don't have to set up and take apart and a shower that I don't have to wear thongs in are sounding pretty good.
We took ourselves off to the Louvre and learnt several new things:
1) You can stand suspiciously close to an Australian couple while they're having a fight and still not be obvious (she threatened to punch him in the face?!);
2) Old people travellers like to dress the same; and
3) I will find probably the only painting in the whole of France with curly, red-haired children in it!
(For some reason I can't upload pics - so have pasted the FB link here) - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7667521&l=c2c4bc84ac&id=668216385
Saturday was another day exploring which ended in a pretty nice dinner with the boys and then the light show under the Eiffel Tower. We got to the Champ de Mars just as the 11pm show was finishing (it's not dark enough before that to really see it) and started playing footy in the park. Some American college footballers soon joined in, and in no time at all I managed to stack it in front of everyone on a slippery bit while trying to tackle Graham. No injuries, just a little embarrassed.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7709174&l=aecb6633f5&id=668216385
We stayed for the midnight show and left just in time to find some more American tourists celebrating a 21st. You could tell they were celebrating a 21st because there was a guy drunk to the point of falling over, and they kept chanting '21!, 21!'. One of the girls delightfully informed Erin and I that she had been in Star Magazine with the Jonas Brothers - did we have the Jonas Brothers?' We're so old.
Went to Le Sacre Coeur and climbed the Eiffel Tower on Sunday. Found a downhill mountain biking event on the lawns of Le Sacre Coeur - random!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7709155&l=345977022e&id=668216385
Tower was good, and even despite the shade of grey of Graham's face, was impressed that he made it all the way up and around. He even managed to smile for a few pics!
Was a great weekend with lots of food!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7709160&l=e473de02a3&id=668216385
Back to the van tonight - looking forward to a change of pace for the next few days!
Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Paris, Je t'aime!
Sitting waiting for George and Ross to get here in Monique so thought I'd use the time (and hotel wi-fi) to quickly post some of my favourite things about Paris.
1. The crazy, crazy traffic. Lane markers? For the weak. Traffic lights - red is the new green. Pedestrian crossings - probably invented by the English.
2. Not wanting to use your map (and confirm that you're not, in fact, cool enough to be Parisienne) and stumbling around a corner to find a famous landmark right in front of you.
3. La langue! I'm pleased to say that the last year of french language courses has paid off reasonably well, and I've managed a number of successful conversations, with minimal charades required. But really, I'm sticking to the basics, and it's not like I'm not discussing the french economy (c'est mal!).
4. Seeing how excited Graham is - once you've travelled a bit it's easy to forget how scary and exciting it can be!
5. Ross and Graham's genuine attempts to learn as many little bits of french as they can and use them in conversation (often to the amusement of the person they're talking to!).
6. The cafes. Any cafe on the street all the chairs face out - because that's really what you're there for....to people watch (and drink and chain smoke).
7. The every man/woman/grandma for themselves attitude on the Metro. It's the quick and the dead, really.
8. The puppy dogs - everywhere! In shops, in cafes, in handbags - so cute!
Just got the text to say that Ross and George are now on their way to get Graham and I! And so it begins!
Au revoir et a bientot!
1. The crazy, crazy traffic. Lane markers? For the weak. Traffic lights - red is the new green. Pedestrian crossings - probably invented by the English.
2. Not wanting to use your map (and confirm that you're not, in fact, cool enough to be Parisienne) and stumbling around a corner to find a famous landmark right in front of you.
3. La langue! I'm pleased to say that the last year of french language courses has paid off reasonably well, and I've managed a number of successful conversations, with minimal charades required. But really, I'm sticking to the basics, and it's not like I'm not discussing the french economy (c'est mal!).
4. Seeing how excited Graham is - once you've travelled a bit it's easy to forget how scary and exciting it can be!
5. Ross and Graham's genuine attempts to learn as many little bits of french as they can and use them in conversation (often to the amusement of the person they're talking to!).
6. The cafes. Any cafe on the street all the chairs face out - because that's really what you're there for....to people watch (and drink and chain smoke).
7. The every man/woman/grandma for themselves attitude on the Metro. It's the quick and the dead, really.
8. The puppy dogs - everywhere! In shops, in cafes, in handbags - so cute!
Just got the text to say that Ross and George are now on their way to get Graham and I! And so it begins!
Au revoir et a bientot!
Je suis arrivée!
Finally here after a pretty good flight. Not sure it has all sunk in yet. I think I need to see something really Paris-y before I'll realise we're really here.
We got a message from George at the airport to say that the rego papers for Monique have arrived, and he will be on his way Monday. What a relief! We're both really excited to see George, to meet Monique and get our adventure really underway :)
We got a message from George at the airport to say that the rego papers for Monique have arrived, and he will be on his way Monday. What a relief! We're both really excited to see George, to meet Monique and get our adventure really underway :)
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