It all started on the tuesday, when I borded the train from London to Paris at 5.30pm. Once I had found the hostel I was stuffed, it's not easy carrying 20kg around on your back for long periods of time.
My first day in Paris, I met up with the other girls from the room to have breakfast, and made friends with 3 girls from Montana in the U.S. We all decided to go on a free walking tour of the city which started at St Michel. We then headed off with our very funky tour guide Adrian who made french history interesting and funny at the same time. We first walked by the Notre Dame and along the left bank of the Seine river to the Ile-de-la-cite and up to the Pont Neuf and along the right bank. We walked by the Louvre, through the Tuileries gardens to the place da la concorde. That is the crazy round about which often has numerous accidents. We stopped for a light lunch which took forever to order as I was the shortest one in the cue, and had no idea how to tell them off in french. We then finished the tour at the Grand and Petit Palais, before we strolled up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe. After 7 hours of walking around Paris we decided it was dinner time but could not find anything in our price range so Maccas it was. Once back at the hostel we started drinking Happy Hour drinks, which continued through to about 3.30am.
As I was not feeling the best the next morning, I decided to stay in bed for most of the day. But the day wasn't a total waste. as I had arranged to met the girls at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower that night. Unfortunately I couldn't find them. so I headed up alone. Luckly I met an older couple from the O.C who were great company for most of the time. It was so beautiful, more spectacular than I had imagined.
Friday morning I felt alot more awake as I had found my ear plugs finally. After breakfast which consists of cereal with warm milk and bagettes, we decided to go to Montmarte for the day. That was such an experience with the all the sex shops lining the streets. We found the Moulin Rouge, which would of been cool to check out a performance but at 100euro a ticket, it was way over all of our budgets. We then headed up to the Place du Tertre, where all the local artists hang out and paint for you. This is where I had my biggest experience yet, I bought a pineapple juice which cost me 6euro, that's nearly $11AUS, I was not happy jan. After I cooled doen we took a walk through the markets then to the Sacre Couer, where we sat all night. They had musicians playing all night on the steps. After they finished one of the guys took us on a lil tour and sung to us in a park till about 1.30am, when I decided to head home and leave the druken Montana girls with the musician. But was such an awesome Parisian experience!
Saturday began with breakfast alone as 6 of the girls had checked out the room. I decided to go to the few remaining sights I hadn't seen yet. I went back to the Notre Dame, as I hadn't seen it close up yet. I decided to not go in as the line was ridiculous, so I just ate lunch outside instead. I then strolled through St Michel to the Jardin ju Luxemberg which was remarkable. Then to the Pantheon which wasn't all that. I then caught the train to Bastille and saw the Spirit of Liberty and the Opers Bastille which is the only modern building I have seen so far, which all the Franch hate. I discovered a cute market which had some of the best art I have ever seen, if only I could of purchased a piece, but at about 500euro each I don't think so. Then I took a very long stroll along the Seine back to the Notre Dame, and caught the metro back to the hostel for a quiet night in with the girls. Which we ended up watching Point Break down in the rec room.
So today I did museum's all day, as they are free on the first sunday of the month. First I went to the Louvre, which was so hetic that I left after half an hour. I got to see the Mona Lisa but my photo turned out shit, and you are only aloud one photo each. I headed to the Pompidou, which is the art museum with the stuff on the outside ( I found it Greg, even though we couldn't figure out the name that night ) But the line was not moving to get into the level I wanted so I left, pretty dissapointing as that had work in it I really wanted to see. So I then walked to the Musee D'orsay which had a huge collection of Impressionist art, ok but not my favourite. Then the last one, which I can't rember it's name right now, was a total waste of time. Half an hour in the line to be axact.
So that was my beautiful week in Paris.. I could totally move here apart from the constant suffocation from the cigarette smoke. I'm sure i've developed lung cancer!
Well off to Lauternbrunnen tomoz for 4 days, that's in the Swiss Alps. So stay tuned for that new story. Hope all is well back home, make sure to keep me updated!
