La Belle France

One of the rose windows in Notre Dame Cathedral

Throngs of Japanese people in the Louvre and a pervy
statue man having a look at the Venus di Milo from a distance!

I finally made it to Paris!  It is so easy and quick to get there on the Eurostar, I can't believe I haven't gone before.  I guess it is because all the holidays I have taken have been a bit further afield but I have really really wanted to go.  I think it is because Paris is somewhat of a cliched trip but I loved it.  I had a really good time and consider this trip to have been a first visit only!  I can't wait to go again and see more.  I ticked all the tourist stuff of the list in two days so I think on a future visit I would like to shop excessively.  That may also require a lottery win.  As you may know, I recently won a small portion of the lottery (£6.20) but it was not enough to allow me to retire.  That small success has spurred me on to try for a larger amount.  I'll let you know how that pans out.  Anyways,  I set off at the crack of dawn and got the first train out of London and two hours later I was out on the streets of Paris.  It took a while to find the place where we got onto the hop on hop off tour bus because I booked with what turned out to be the lesser of the two companies available.  Go green bus, not red!  The first day we got the lay of the land and went up the Eiffel Tower.  I always believe that I am not afraid of heights but in reality my stomach turns over completely when I look out the window of the glass elevator and count the number of people who are in the elevator with.  When we were in line for the lift up to the top I was hoping any fat people would go on the next car instead of causing us to plunge to our death.  I don't feel nervous coming down, it's just going up because it feels like a roller coaster.  You just keep waiting for that click and then a sudden drop.  Shudder!  We stayed in the Madelaine area at the Waldorf Madelaine.  The hotel was really comfortable, small and boutique feeling.  The staff were really kind as well.  All of the shops around is were delicatessen food shops, house of truffles, house of honey, house teas etc.  It was great window shopping.


The Eiffel Tower.  Don't look down!

Not really looking at the Mona Lisa

 The next day we fought the Japanese who were audio guiding their way through the Louvre and pretty much everywhere else.  I remember talking with a lot of my evening English classes in Japan about how Paris was their idea of a dream holiday.  We talked about the so-called Paris Syndrome that affects some poor Japanese tourists each year who cannot deal with the difference in what they have imagined Parisian to be like and what it is in reality.  Half the time when we were looking at things there were about 35 Japanese people in front taking pictures of art instead of actually looking at it.  That being said, I can only look at so much art myself and it was extremely hot in there so we retired to a cafe after about an hour and a half.  Then we had a poke around Notre Dame Cathedral and Sacré Cœur with a few meals and crepes in between.  Sacré Cœur was a bit odd in that there was a church service going on at the time but tourists were still allowed in.  It is up on a steep hill with a boys school at the base of it.  All you could hear was the sound of boys shouting and screaming solidly for the whole time we were there. There was a square full of painters near by the church and lots of great shops around there too.  Then we headed off to the train station and headed back to blighty.  It could easily have been a day trip in terms of travel time but I would have liked to spend a week there.  More pictures to follow.  And happy Valentines too!