Well a terrible night’s sleep ! Got up and then went down to petit dejeuner, a great selection of pastries, breads, juice, cereals, cold meat and cheese!
We all headed off in different directions – I went with Alison and Shirley to find the stop for an open air double decker bus to take us around the main sites with commentary – the type where you can hop on and off as much as you like – Perfect! Our feet certainly needed the rest – my feet were all really swollen from the flight.
We found our way to the stop – Les cars rouges! 24 Euros for the tour – not too bad, it was also valid for 2 days! But since we only had a day I thought it would be a great way to just get myself orientated around the city and to get a feel for Paris! Plan was to stay on and go around first.
First stop – Opera, a grand Opera house,
then onto the famous main drag – Champs Elysses –Etoile, what a sight – magnificent, busy and very famous, and no doubt, expensive shops. Looking up to Arc de Triomphe is impressive – not sure how people drive – no lanes and a lot of honking!
Motorbikes and scooters everywhere – I think you can park them where you like, or looks like it to me! Many people on the hire bikes – velocite – what a great idea – there are heaps of “stations” you use the bike to get to where you are going and drop off again at a different station. It costs but not sure how much.
When we go back to Paris I want to climb to top of the Arc de Triomophe and understand more of its’ history.
There were times on the bus the emotions overwhelmed me – it really is amazing – it deserves the reputation it has got! A very romantic city that is beautiful! Apparently during the war the Germans gave the order to destroy it –but the general in Paris refused to do this as it was so beautiful and made a trade off somewhere.
Onto Grand Palais and then Trocadero before the infamous – Tour Eiffel.
Off the bus to see this giant structure – it really is huge! Another thing on my to do list – go up next time!
Champ de Mars, past the Hôtel des Invalides, where Napolean’s tomb is, and the êcole Militaire –(Military academy), and the Rodin museum.
Musee de Louvre – Another on my to do list –the infamous Mona Lisa etc… Da vinci Code…..
Notre Dame – Another architectural marvel, I kept getting blown away by how old these buildings are and how many famous people have trodden these same steps before me.
Last stop –Musee D’Orsay then off back to the Opera.
Lunch time – We went into one of the many eateries near here – had a very average, even for NZ standards lunch, a water, cost me $11! Couldn’t believe it – no such thing really as having cold ice water for people – it is all bottled!
We make our way slowly back towards our hotel, we pass La Fayette – huge department store with very impressive architecture –again! Inside has a magnificent stained glass dome – just looked, couldn’t afford anything! Back to the hotel where we met up with everyone – decided on a 90 kinute rest and then meet for tea!
For tea we went to a very famous Parisian restaurant – Chartier - It has been a restaurant in the same location for o9ver 100 years – it is very traditional – NO female waitresses have been seen at all in Paris – only traditional black and white waiters, it is considered a very important job!
Our waiter was a terse man, who wrote your order on the tablecloth then must go back and shout it to the kitchen – an amazing memory! Wine arrived in the pichers – 1 red and 1 white – bread just keeps getting replaced. Menu was very traditional – lots of food never heard of, it was great seeing plates come out to other tables and trying to work out what it was. There was raw mince - huge pile of it and raw steak, of course snails, plus other gems!
I had salade de tomates to start which was just a plate of chopped up tomatoes with a drizzle of dressing! 2;20 Euros. Salad over here is different to our meaning of salad. I also had some sort of steak – no surprise there – it was covered in onions and a sauce with fries – but not like at home! 11 Euros.
Wine 2 euros!
1 thing that has amazed me is the prevalence of French fries everywhere – didn’t think it was really traditional – even though the name suggests it is!
At the end of the meal our waiter comes along and adds it up on the tablecloth and we pay him direct – as with all things over here you just pay at your table, never go to the counter! Also it isn’t in the French nature to “go Dutch”. Normally if you are invited out you don’t pay, but if you ask someone to join you then you pay! The restaurant had a large queue outside waiting to get in -the norm every night - it is very popular.
After our big night at the restaurant we tried to call in to a cabaret but we were too early – we couldn’t be bothered waiting so back to bad.
This is the Ritz in the background with white verandah covers. Last meal of Diana!Internet in Paris 2 Euros for an hour at a internet café.
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