Came in to Paris by fast train from St Malo this morning. Total travel time of 4 hours! Didn't really get a feel for how fast we were going until another shorter train past on the opposing track. Just a blurr a blip of noise and pop of air pressure as it went past.
Today I left the camera at home. It's cumbersome to carry around and I figured Paris has been well covered by many before me!! Buildings are impressive though.
Coming to Paris was something Janice had wanted to do. First and foremost she wanted to go up the Eiffel Tower. She'd only got to look at it when she was here two years ago. I was ambivalent, but if Janice ws going up then no point in hanging around down below. So.. we caught a metro train into Paris and got off at Notre Dame. Wall to wall crowds! Not sure if it's always like this or if something special was on, but I found it all a bit overpowering. Sooo many people just wandering around aimlessly. So we joined them and did the same thing! Well not quite, we went looking for the Eiffel Tower. Stupid us had forgotten to get a map from the hotel before we left and we tried but couldn't find an information booth. In the end Janice spotted some American girls with a map and they pointed us in the right direction. We're guessing we covered 10 plus km going by the length of time it took the train to get us back to Notre Dame afterwards.
I hadn't anticipated being so impressed by such a hackneyed image. But we rounded a corner and there above us was the Eiffel Tower. Huge steel ediface arching away above us. The green oasis at it's feet made my senses sing after the noise and smells and crowds we'd just left behind... almost. Well we still had the crowds, but they were in orderly queues. So we did the tower, €14.50 to go to the top. For what it's worth the 2nd level is probably better than the very top. It still feels very high up and your out in the open, on a platform further out from the tower structure, or it felt like that, compared to the top.
It was after seven before we got off the tower. And we were hungry. Circumstances mean't we hadn't had much to eat during the day. So we caught the metro back to the airport and our hotel. However we got 5 stops away from the airport and an announcement came over the train intercom which made everyone gasp/sigh in unison. Janice and I looked at each other and went "what the ????" Fortunately the man sitting next to me spoke good English and he said there'd been a bomb scare up the line and the train was terminating at the next stop!!
So to cut a long story short, our helpful interpreter, who kept updating us as announcements were made, caught a taxi as he was only two stops away from where he wanted to be and, we hang around with some Americans on the station platform, also going to the airport, thinking if all else fails we'll share a taxi together. Trains finally did start up again (all comes to he who waits) but it was ten oclock before we sat down for a meal and the only photo I took today.
SUNDAY
Another train ride into town. This time uneventful:-)
We managed a fair bit of walking today. Took in The Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysee and the Army museum from the outside with it's finely sculptured 'christmas trees' and rabbits on the front lawn! My feet are now complaining from all the walking so it will be great to put them up for 20 or so hours in the plane ride home tomorrow (and the next day)
Janice and I have thoroughly enjoyed our Europe sojourn. Apart from the flat tyre and getting lost a few times while driving, and oh yes the lack of available accommodation in England, the whole trip has gone very smoothly and to plan, which was really no plan at all. The only prebooked parts of our trip, prior to leaving Australia, were the plane flights, car hire and the week in our gite in Gouarec.
So, goodbye Europe and goodbye and thanks:-) to all of you who have followed this blog.
Lyn and Janice
