Paris!

I am in Paris, and the time is 10:14 pm, which is 4:15am tomorrow and in Brisbane 6:14 am. We are having a fantastic time.

The British Airways flight, via London, was fine. The staff were, I think, the friendliest of any airline we've been on, and the food was good. It was just a bit cramped - completely full, so not much room to stretch out and sleep.

We negotiated Heathrow without too much difficulty, even though they have these threatening signs which say things like (paraphrased), "Don't go to the gate too early. If you take this lift now (and then the inside-airport train) it will take you 40 minutes to come back." We managed to get on the plane, and were happy to touch down in Paris yesterday morning at about 9:40.

Charles de Gaulle airport has nothing on Heathrow or Hong Kong airport. It is dingy and grubby and pokey. Customs was nothing - literally - we just picked up our bags and left. My opinion that the Brisbane International customs has an overly high opinion of its own importance has only been strengthened.... I had done a lot of research about how to find the RER (train) and although it was a long walk, we eventually got to the 'gare' in the airport. It was a bit overwhelming - so many auto ticket booths, signs going in different directions, millions of people, and to my delight, a protest! Quelle introduction to France! Apparently a lot of unions are angry at the new French president - more on that later...

We finally picked out the area we needed to go to to buy two things - a booklet of 10 tickets for travelling between CDG (Charles de Gaulle airport) and Paris and our Navigo Decouverte cards with a one week transport ticket for Paris Zoens 1 and 2. These required our photos, and from my research I had learned that they had to be exactly 2.5 x 3 cm, so I had already cut them out. There was a very long line, so the family camped out at a distant, quiet spot, and I got Rachel to come with me, since she's here to improve her French. We waited for ages in a very long line. I was quite nervous about using my French after 20 odd years.... I was amazed that the lady at the counter understood everything i said! Armed with our Navigo Cards, fully charged, we took off to find the train.

One's first impressions of Paris are not good. The CDG area is bleak and grey, and boring. We had a lot of suitcases, and it was a bit awkward in the train, which was also quite full. I had carefully worked the route we would taked, getting off at Gare du Nord, and probably taking a taxi, since I didn 't want to deal with our bags in the metro. As the train became fuller, I became nervous about how we were actually going to get out, since every square cm was covered in people. I asked a French lady near me if many people would get out at Gare du Nord. She said yes, and the train would stop there for a while. Then the lady opposite joined in the conversation and explained that there was a strike on (more true French experience!) because of the price of petrol, and that a lot of trains weren't running, and there wouldn't be taxis, so we'd better change at Gare du Nord, and take the metro down to Chatelet, then change and take the metro to somewhere else, then finally to Saint Sebastien Froissart. We did this, and it was actually a great way to become expert, under pressure. We finally got to the apartment at about 1:00, and the lady who was waiting for us was just a bit cranky at having to wait for so long.

The apartment is lovely - very old, but clean and in a fantastic spot. The stairway in the building has been 'classifie' which is like heritage-listed. It was built in the seventeenth century. We have high ceilings, and lots of windows, and a parquetry floor.

We shopped on the first day. The food is gorgeous, though it's a terrible place for lactose-intolerant people like me. Loads of incredible yoghurts, cheeses, chocolates.... We went to the boulangerie (bakery) and stocked up on a variety of things to taste:) Today after our bike ride, David started saying, "I need to go to the boulangerie," I think every one of us likes Paris. A lot.

Last night we decided to to the Eiffel Tower to watch it lit up, as that is supposed to be gorgeous. We walked around the parks, and under the Tower, and bought ice cream. We went back to the park, and sat on the grass, and waited. We were trying to avoid going to sleep early, so our bodies could get on the Paris clock... At 9:00 it was still daylight, so we gave up and came up. We went to bed at about 10, and it still wasn't dark!

This morning we got up and went to Notre Dame cathedral, to meet the bike tour people next to the statue of Charlemagne at 10am. We had a bit of time so had a quick look in the cathedral - incredible. I've been there before, but I didn't remember how huge and beautiful it is. We'll tour the towers and the crypt later.

The bicycle tour was so much fun! I had sore bottom bones, but it was worth it! A group of about twelve of us zipped about these tiny back streets, and even along main streets. We started in the Jewish quarter, and saw the old wall of Paris, built in the twelfth century - kids now kick soccer balls against it, as part of it forms a school playground wall. Nearby we saw a castle, now turned into housing, with a cannonball lodged in one of the outer walls, from around the time when the Bastille was stormed. We saw Victor Hugo's house (Hugo told me this was his highlight) and the most expensive place to live in Paris. We pedalled next to the Seine, and went to the Latin quarter. Here we had lunch - a deal of a sandwich (I had pate and gherkin - no ham and salad, here) and a tarte aux fruits and drinks for 5.5 euro (about $8 AUD) each. Delicious. We pedalled around the outside of the Louvre. I went as fast as I could near the big pyramid. Outside the Louvre, a gypsy tried to engage Rachel, but I whisked her away. She didn't realize it was a gypsy - she thought it was a young girl who needed help. She was so excited when I told her it was a gypsy! It was such a fantastic tour - I would recommend it to anyone.

Afterwards, we came home, and I thought, "I'll just have a little nap..." I woke up at 8pm! Ruined! Everyone but Hugo slept similarly! We'll never get on Paris time! Something had been the matter with our internet, and David fixed the plug. It was now about 9, and I thought about ringing mum, but then realized it was the middle of the night at home.

Paris is just beautiful. Street after street of window boxes and dainty balconies. I know we're seeing the very rich, old part, but it is so much fun!