Montparnasse Tower Day 4 Paris

Today we woke at about 9 am, breakfast at 10ish and then we took the metro to Montparnasse Bienvennue to go up the Montparnasse Tower.  I was a bit concerned it would be packed, it has the most incredible view of the city of Paris.  If you ever get here, it is certainly worth a visit. Approx $13e and no queues, unlike the Eiffel.  The ease of wandering around on the 56th floor, which you get to in 38secs in the lift is wonderful.  Interactive computer screens give information about all the buildings you can see.  You then walk 3 flights of stairs to the 59th floor, which has a champagne bar and for $12e you can enjoy a glass of bubbles as you take in the view from here.  

It is amazing to see the roof top gardens and the little courtyards in between the buildings. This is such a different lifestyle to our huge blocks at home.  So many apartments everywhere.

Shuttered windows to keep the cold in winter and the noise out I would guess.  Here where we are our windows open on to a very busy maze of streets.  Late at night tourists and local alike can be heard partying down stairs in the street.  Last night some of the Lebanese community decided to have a street party, turn up the radios in their cars and dance in the street.  Adrian and I slept through that, unfortunately Ashleigh and Danielle did not.  It's all a part of what living in the heart of Paris is about.  Today in the Montparnasse district though you got a better sense of what it would feel like to live locally.

We sat after our Metro ride, our tour to the top of Paris and our walk through the true artist market we stumbled upon at the foot of the tower, and had a cappucino and creme brulee, we felt like this was a real little bit of Paris.

Till Tomorrow

Tour Eiffel and The Trocaderro

Our 3rd full day in Paris was spent wandering around the Tour Eiffel and the Trocadero. We aren't early risers at the moment, I guess eating dinner at 9 or 10 at night and then roaming over to the Notre Dame to watch the fire twirlers and roller bladers, the young people hanging out along the banks of the Seine, and all the other late night attractions, isn't helping.  Most nights it is after midnight before we put our heads down.  The twilight lasts till nearly 10 every night and it is hard to eat dinner at 6 or 7 when it feels like midday.

We have all been to the Tour Eiffel before, not together though, so as you do when you are in Paris we went again.  We had tried to book tickets to go up the tower some months ago, but they were booked out.  The queues today were long and I am happy not to have gone up again.  You can obviously still go up the tower even if the online booking says it is booked out.  We headed over to the Trocadero for a better look at the tower.  It really is the best view of all.  From close to the tower you are literally surrounded by hundreds if not thousands of people.  The photos are really hard to get, we actually had an old Italian photo bomber do some bombing of our shots.  Ha ha cheeky bugger.  From the Trocaderi you get a brilliant view of the entire tower.

The BB's(bad boys) are out in droves, hawking there tinny gold and silver Eiffel Tower key rings and models.  They are there in the dozens, 5 for $1E they say rattling the dozens of trinkets at you, just walk on by.  The gypsies are out near the tourist attractions, the girls with their clipboards and a piece of paper they want you to sign.  They are rats, sorry but they try and shove the board in your face and apparently while you are distracted by the board someone else will try and pickpocket you.  I growl at them, they don't like it and leave.  Then there are the men with the three up turned silver cups and the ball underneath.  They have 3, 4 even 5 off siders making bids on where the little ball will be when they have finished shuffling.  The make it look like they are winning and con you into having a try, of course you will not win.  We saw a tourist yesterday lose $50e seriously what a dill.  They take off like scalded cats when the police come.  It's actually fun to watch, and we have not been bothered by them.  We actually don't spend much time at the tourist places so haven't been troubled at all.

Tips for travel in France:

1.  You will need coins or be prepared to use your credit card for tickets on the metro.  So if you are arriving for the first time have about $10e in coins on you.

2.  Nothing opens much before 9am, the boulangerie and Patisserie may be but that's about it.  The markets (marche) wont be open for milk etc till near 9am.

3.  The pharmacie may not be open on a Sunday.

4.  Wine in a restaurant will be on average $20e.

5.  Read the prices on the menu board before you go in if possible.  

6.  A beer in a nice restaurant will cost approx $12.50 ask Adrian he found that one out himself.

7.  $12.50e is about $18 be warned hahaha.

8.  Wear socks with your walking shoes not stockings, my feet coped much better yesterday with socks.

9.  Go wandering at night so much happens when the sun finally does go down.

Fire Twirlers near Notre Dame, it was near midnight.

Till Tomorrow.

Day 2 in Paris - La Cuisine Paris and Jardins des Tuileries

 This morning we walked to Monge Place to meet with our chef from La Cuisine Paris.  Emily and Brittany then took us for a walk through the local market place and explained how to choose the cheese, meat, vegetables and fruit for the meal we would then make.  I love the French food markets, the smells and the colours are amazing.

We were making clafouti with apricots and cherries for desert.  Duck breast with peppercorn cream sauce, pureed cauliflower (OMG that was amazing),glazed turnips, and roasted carrots, radish and baby onions.

We each prepared our own desert, then shared the preparation of the rest of the meal.

Now I know you want to see the finished dinner but I forgot to take a photograph in my eagerness to devour it oops!!!!

I did get a picture of the desert though.

Yum it was so nice.  The duck was delicious too.

Then off to the Jardins de Tuileries, crowded a long walk from the cooking school and hot.  The temperature here is much more than I thought it would be.  My feet are still sore, I am struggling a bit.

 This is the view back towards the Louvre

Pigeons always manage to get the best vantage points.

Til Tomorrow

Parisian Life - Day 1 in Pari

Day one of our time in Paris found us wandering around from shoe store to shoe store trying to find Birkenstocks, I thought this would be the solution to my blister problem. We went to the address that was supposed to stock Birks and no they didn't, it was a rather classy men's store, so we went from store to store until I found what hopefully will be a more comfortable pair of shoes.  Then over the Pont de L'Archeveche for a look at all the love locks, OMG there are thousands of them.  And recently one of the panels on one of the bridges was so weighted down it fell off into the Seine River.

There is a lot of talk at the moment about whether this tradition should be allowed to continue, honestly I just think it looks tacky and I think once again for the locals, it must be so annoying that tourists come through and continue to add to this mess.  Anyway lets see how things go.

Walking to the Jewish Deportation Site behind the Notre Dame there is a splash of colour and a little touch of nature.

Notre Dame of course is still beautiful, and it is surprisingly quiet in this part of the city at the moment. 

Last night the girls and I had dinner, and walked over to the Notre Dame very late, we sat and talked and watched rats, yep rats, bloody big ones scurry across the pathways.  Eeeww!!!!! The would run out to the puddle in the middle of the paths, have a drink and scurry back.  Obvious to me now why the made the film Ratatouille be set in Paris, there really is a world of rats out there.

We had a nice catch up with 2 friends from Boise Idaho yesterday afternoon. A few drinks and some market food, we have mad plans to cook a meal together the night before Ash and Nelly leave to go home.

Till Tomorrow

On The Road Again - London to Paris

We left London this morning from St. Pancras Station and made our way via the TGV to Gare De Nord Paris.  2 hours on the train it was quite comfortable, a small bottle of champagne cost $22gbp because it was champagne, not sparkling wine. The country side rolled past and then throiugh the chunnel and out the other side and Bonjour we were in France.

So was it the easy 5 minute walk from St. Michael station to our apartment, that Alexandre our landlord said it would be, what do you think!!!!!! About 45 mins later we found the apartment and poor Alex had been waiting outside the whole time.  Wrong way Feldsman had done it again.  It is actually 5 mins if you leave the metro from the correct exit, which one is that you ask we still don't know.  So I imagine we will be lost every time we leave the apartment.  Oh and that is a task in itself, we are on the 3rd floor no lift this time and lots and lots of winding stairs. 

Our apartment is amazing huge open space in the living area and a view to Notre Dame yep we see the tower from our living room.

My feet are giving me grief though, I am in serious pain.  Blisters from shoes that I have been wearing for weeks at home no problems, and they have gotten really nasty.  Adrian had to buy me some antiseptic stuff last night and I didn't leave the apartment last night, we ate chinese take away instead of going to one of the dozens of restaurants down stairs.  I am really annoyed by the whole thing.

So as I sit here this morning looking out our window onto Rue Galande I bid you adiou or however you spell it,

Til Tomorrow

Oh We Had A Lovely Day The Day We Went To Brighton - Day 10 London

 Our last day in London was spent riding the FCC to Brighton for a day at the beach.  I wanted to visit a British beach.  I had seen the pictures of those rocky shore lines and I wanted to see for myself, well it was everything I expected and then some.  I loved it.  I loved Bath a few years back and the Cottswolds and I loved Brighton.  Where the Royals to holiday, she is a little worse for wear now.  The buildings all showing signs of age.  Rusty trails on most of the facades and somehow, everything is just a little tired.  The pier is brilliant, the music from yesteryear playing as you walk along it.  Oh and those rocks well take a look for yourself.

There is no such thing as a quiet moment on the beach, the noise is amazing, these rocks crunch together and seriously you could turn an ankle walking along this shoreline.  Ha ha it was a hard slog just walking the little bit we did.

Maybe that's why they hire out these gorgeous deck chairs at $2 a pop.

I love the way in England they leave the old buildings, it really is a trip back in time.

Our hopeless attempt at a selfie.

The Royal Pavillion is rather beautiful, a strange mix of Indian architecture in the midst of the old English surrounds.  The grounds are beautiful and very busy in the summer.  I will say I have never seen such blatant displays of public sleeping as I have here.  In the parks, on the buses and in the tubes, people just sleep.  Me oh my goodness, I hate sleeping in public, even in front of family, the mouth flops open the soft puffs of air come out and everyone is laughing their heads off.  But not here, I have nearly tripped over young men fast asleep in their suits at lunch time, sprawled out in the sunshine on the grass.  It amazes me.

And every park is overflowing with people sitting on the grass, summer is much loved in England.

So this morning as I sit about to get ready to head off to Paris what are my travel tips for a week in London.
1.  Wear in every pair of shoes you are going to bring my feet have been a major hassle this week.
2.  Definitely catch the underground from Heathrow for $3 or $4 gbp its the cheapest way from the airport to town.
3.  Try the buses instead of the tube, you see so much more and one day just hop on one and go to the end of the line.  
4.  Get of said bus once you hit the traffic, that's when the tube saves time.
5.  Read the signs for the tubes, some stops aren't always accessible they are doing a lot of maintenance and you will be backtracking and swapping trains a lot if you don't.  Been there done that, got the I am lost on the tube t shirt.
6.  Eat at Steak & Co in Leicester Square it's brilliant.
7.  Bring a brolly, you never know when it is going to rain and those brolly's cost a fortune when it does.
8.  Do the boat ride to Greenwich, it's fun.  
9.  Have a blast
Till tomorrow.

London Day 9 - Abbey Road and Portobello Market

 Today we set out for Abbey Road, we thought we would all go together, but the girls are meeting Ben a friend from their first time in England.  So Adrian and I headed out and I was surprised how busy this spot is.  When we first arrived we were about the only one there, a few minutes later a tour came and OMG people are so bloody rude.  Tourists seem to think they can just ignore any laws that are set so they can get a freakin picture seriously!!!! Get a grip people!@!  The picture above is one with the least traffice being held up so dozens of people can get their bloody photo taken crossing a zebra crossing.  Rude Rude Rude and who are most of them Italian and Americans of course!

 Adrian did his walk of fame, but did not disrupt the traffic TRULY!!!!

 

When we travel I try and consider the locals who live there and have to put up with us visitors on a daily basis.  The tourists I saw today were disgraceful, standing in the middle of the road just to get a picture that they think looks like a picture taken many years ago, to me it's just plain rude.

I have to add this pic of the Ginstitute, just for you Laura.

Next on to Portobello Road, which today is approachable.  On Saturdays, you can not swing a cat here, been there done that, not going back for more.  Today Monday it was nice to stroll down the streets, see the stores, see the wares and enjoy the lovely setting.

Lots of nice things to look at, buy or pass by.

Then with very weary bodies and very tired feet, we headed to the wine bar at the end of our street,  Gordon's Wine bar is apparently the oldest wine bar/cave in London. 

There are older pubs but Gordon's sells only wines and fortified wines/ports.  It sits along side the Victoria Embankment Gardens. 

A cold glass of Fat bastard and some nice cheese.

Till Tomorrow