Paris: France

Bonjour, from the most beautiful city in the world (second best in the world behind Melbourne!).  Yes, we have returned to our base in Paris where we are accommodated within the delightful Opera district, ensuring we have walking access to all the amazing sights that Paris has to offer.  Already we have indulged in ’tarte citron’, the BEST lemon tarts one will come across, JB has been all over the chocolate eclairs which he assures me are incomparable to any sampled prior, and today we found this little pasta joint that makes it better ‘than mama ever did’!  (Ha, only joking Ida).  Seriously, Paris is just phenomenal.  Even as we arrived at about 9.30pm on Tuesday evening (we had boarded in Munich 8am that morning) and were stuffed from being in transit, our eyes were widened to the lights and sights of ‘gay paree’.  So far we’ve visited Notre Dame Cathedral, The Eiffel Tower, the Paris Catacombs, Arc de Triomphe and of course the ‘chumps elise’ or the Champs Elysee for those with French accents.  It’s a little damp with the heavens opening upon us yesterday and for a better part of this morning, although we’re entertaining ourselves with indoor activities such as Quantum of Solace, the latest in the James Bond series, which we’ve only just watched.  JB is so pleased to have finally had a ‘movie fix’ (in Paris too!) and although action flicks are not really my cup of tea, it was great fun.  (Beat that one, Fonzie!) We are having an amazing time traveling; even though each city has had something different and wonderful to offer, Paris is a stand alone.  There’s so much to do; endless things to do and see and eat!  We’ve both heard people rave about Paris in the past, but I think you don’t really get how wonderful this city is until you see it for yourself.  There is no way we’ll get to see everything we want to in this visit, although we do return at the end of this month for another few days, so hopefully we’ll see more and catch up with little leighroy who will be here for a few days.  Some pics.

Notre Dame Cathedral

 

Inside Notre Dame Cathedral

The Seine

The pyramid outside the Louvre (where's Robert Langdon?)

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

Garden on the wall (next to Musee de Quai Branly)

 

From the Eiffel (awful) Tower

More from the awful...

The happy couple at the awful, freezing...

Bogans at the Arc de Triomphe

   

The Grand Palais

Grand Palais: nothing in Paris is purely functional, everything is decorative - check out this little guys guns...

Bogans again! At the L'Obelisque, Concorde this time - 3,300yrs old!

The Opera House (not as cheap as Vienna...)

JB is in love with French women because last night when we went to collect our little treats from Artisan Boulanger (on every corner), he opened the door for a lady exiting the store and she chirped a little ‘Merci Monsieur’ a couple of times; he’s so chuffed to be genuinely referred to as ‘monsieur’.  Never mind she was about 60… 

We’ve had a couple of dodgys try to scam us with a golden ring, we’re not sure what the deal is other than they seem to be trying to distract us by saying “you’ve just dropped your gold ring” or “here I just found this gold ring, is it yours?”.  Both times it’s been near the awful tower, and we’ve pretty much just gotten out of there asap.  If anyone has heard about this one or been duped by it, what’s happened?  They seem to be on their own, we’re not sure if a second person is watching from close by to pickpocket or whatever.

So, it’s a little on the chilly side, (fortunately we bought super weather coats just before we left Munich!) but we’re still having an ace time.  Internet access here is the most expensive we’ve come across, so we probably won’t post again until we Eurostar to the UK next week.  Until then, Bonsoir!     

       

Pont Alexandre III