015 Paris part 2

Paris part 2:

Paris is about love and this is the subject of this wall, in hundreds of languages

The climb to the top of the Arc de Triumph is less than 300, so a walk in the park!

Looking down the steps as we descended from L'Arc de Triumph

Our favourite place, this visit was L'Opera. Magnificent and we were lucky enough to be there when the orchestra was rehearing

We had dinner at Tour Eiffel. It was one of those places where you don't know if you are supposed to photograph it or eat it. As it had cost a lot, I did both. It was a 9pm seating so we got to see the lights come on but the location was disappointing as the restaurant is stuck in one corner on the first level, resulting in most tables only having a view of the structure (which is like looking at scaffolding!)

And our last day touring was at Versailles.

The gardens were immense as were the crowds. We were very lucky in that we did the gardens in the morning, when it was sunny and the palace in the afternoon, just before the rain set in.

Paris in conclusion:
It rained every day. It was drizzly and annoying but didn't last long.
It took us a while to work out how to order a good coffee: Café American + L'eau chaud.
The pastries are to die for.
The underground trains are very efficient, we never waited longer than 4 minutes, and very inexpensive. Many of the stations are dirty and tired and there are many homeless people but due to the pure volume of people around all the time, you soon realise you are safe.
Staying still for 8 days has let us charge our batteries. I was a bit under the weather for the first two days but sleeping in, sleeping in the same bed and leisurely days did the trick to fix me.
We didn't find any decent red wine or beer but I did find some very good champagne. Researching was an enjoyable pursuit.
So off to Reims, where we are staying at a vineyard.

014 Paris part 1

Paris:
A studio apartment feels enormous after a single hotel room. We are located in the 3rd arrondissment.

A studio apartment, with everything we need. However on day 1 I go out a  buy a pillow as we have had some awful ones and the ones here are flat. Frank doesn't seem to mind and is sleeping well.

View from our window. We are on level 1 over the drive entrance to the complex. In our instructions there are many many comments about keeping the noise down, so you can imagine our surprise when the neighbours have a party that goes on until 3:30; when someone came to their door, went ballistic for about 2 mins and then everything went eerily quiet. We didn't hear anyone leave, quite bizarre.  We overlook a hairdressers; there are hundreds of them and all seem to be for African-French. I'd estimate they make up about 40% of the population. Surprisingly there is next to no presence of either Asians or Indians.

We are in walking distance of many things. It isn't the most salubrious area, it is in the process of being brought upmarket (in  a similar way to Fitzroy St.), so we've seen quite a bit of the homeless but after some initial hesitancy I am feeling quite safe as it is always busy. We've been out an about just after 11:30pm.

Pont Neuf, with the locks. Each one is supposed to represent a romantic desire/wish. They have started one of these near Southbank, Melbourne and we saw another in Osaka.

Sainte Chappelle. I could show you endless photo's of amazing churches. I never tire of them.

Conciergerie. Wasn't over impressed. Underneath was where many were held, including Marie Antoinette, prior to being executed.

We queued for 90 mins in the cold and drizzle to walk the 400 steps to the top of the Notre Dame. It was on the to-do list, so we did. I thought the young obese girl behind me was going to die as she made so much noise climbing the stairs - I felt positively fit !!!!

This is a brilliant photo by Frank and later we even saw it in a postcard.

We are close to the Pompidou Centre and also to many amazing pastry shops. I need to climb more stairs to get rid of some of these calories.

In 1986 we met Vincent, a French gentleman working with us  in London. We went to his marriage, to Jocelyne, in 1989 in Paris. Like us, they have two boys. They took us to an amazing restaurant and then sight seeing. We went to Mount Genevieve (really a small hill) and the Sorbonne in the Latin Quarter and the Boulevard St Michel where they have carefully designed topless swimsuits (Peter Sarsstedt). Vincent has good English. Frank & I managed some French and Jocelyne managed some English. They spoilt us by taking us to a dessert café, that only serves desserts. A lovely evening.

013 Return to London

 

London part 2:

We returned to London and stayed in the same hotel. While it wasn't a great hotel it was good to be somewhere familiar. Frank was delighted when he found 6 cans of beer in the wardrobe. We've discovered that hotels in Ireland and UK do not have fridge's, so Frank develops a relationship with the receptionist and she puts the beers in the kitchen :)

 

We spent a wonderful afternoon with Frank's brother Keith, Kathryn, George & Angus in Kent. The weather  was glorious. Their family also 'competes' for height, it was funny when Frank & Keith vied for the high ground for the photo :)

 



 

I thought the Queen said to come in for tea, but the gates don't open.

so I sit in the garden. The tulips are magnificent.

 

There are so many marvellous gardens in London. Hyde Park is immense. We take a long walk along the Serpentine and discover we are on a commemorative walk.

This is as close to Harrods as Frank will let me get!

We visit Nelson's column. To keep the pigeons in control they have two falcons and an owl. It was amazing to watch the falcon's chasing the pigeons. This is an ingenious solution to a problem that has the added bonus of also being a tourist attraction.

The underground was amazingly efficient.

The queue for the dinosaurs in the natural history museum. I'm definitely reading the wrong book at the moment; Dan Brown's Inferno, which is about over population.

 

London in conclusion:

It was wonderful to visit London as a tourist. We were lucky with the weather, which helps. London is looking fabulous; possibly because the Olympics were last year? I think it is also a bit of nostalgia and familiarity. I even enjoyed little things like the hedgerows, familiar flowers.

 

Time to move on to Paris :)

012 The cheating homing pidgeon

Now I think this picture needs a blog to itself:

 

In hindsight we should have videoed this. You need to look carefully at the floor of the open door to see the culprit.

 

So we are waiting for a train and we notice a pigeon hop into the train on the opposite platform. Then we noticed it was walking past the next door. So we watched the third, door - but no pigeon. Ah, there it is, back at door 1.

 

And without any exaggeration, it looks out of the door at the notice board and appears to be checking it has got on the right train. Next it looks around and if a pigeon can look furtive, this one was.

 

So we think it was a homing pigeon that just couldn't be bothered flying home and was going by train. lol

011 Ireland Part 3

Ireland Part 3:
Killarney - Ring of Kerry - Cliffs of Moher - Galway

Ross Castle: This was an amazing restoration as they had rebuilt sections as they would have been. The guide made the time fly and really brought things alive. We all gave her a massive round of applause.

There are so many beautiful stone bridges. While this isn't the best example it does contain a nice addition :)

We went looking for little green men - perhaps we need to cut back on the beer?

We were surprised to find they still use Peat. 

Today, not only is the sun out but it really is warm.

 

 

When we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher there was a heavy mist, which as it started to blow off really did add to the 'feeling' of Ireland.

 

 Just loved Galway. While it was very busy, it just had a great feeling to it.

 

Ireland: In conclusion

Who could have guessed we would have sunny days every day

While the Ring of Kerry was quite nice, I wouldn't recommend it. I think I would have preferred to spend more time around Galway.

People were very friendly and while there was obvious hardship around (was surprised at how many women beggars there were), with the exception of Dublin we felt very safe.

010 Ireland Part 2

Ireland:
Waterford - Cork - Blarney - Kinsdale

The Waterford Crystal factory tour was brilliant. Just 5 of us on the tour. The factory has been in receivership 3 times. Currently the Saudi's are keeping it afloat. We got to hold the trophy that is presented at the Ashes (not the little wooden cup, obviously :)

I was totally in awe as to how manual and just how skilled the process is. 5 years apprenticeship + another 5 years to become a master tradesman.


 








The Vikings had a huge influence on the area. This is one of the more aggressive ones before the pub opens :)

 So when in Rome? Oops, it is Ireland. Here I am kissing the Blarney stone. (even though I'd been warned the locals urinate on it to make themselves feel better )
I don't think my eloquence has improved. Your thoughts?

 While Blarney House was closed to the public the amazing grounds were open. We saw an amazing abundance of wildflowers and the formal gardens were wonderful. AND it was warm.

 Now we went out of our way a great deal to visit this church. Anyone who has been to Cork will tell you it is not only a nightmare to drive around but parking makes a saint swear. By the time we parked, found how to buy a ticket, walked a mile to find a shop that sells tickets, and got to the church - it was just closing! The significance of the church? Well they actually let you ring the bells.

 I can't remember the actual significance of this building; for some reason it made me laugh. Too much beer?

Such choice.

 

We try even more types of beer, but go back to the 'black stuff'.

 

There is a heated towel rail in the accommodation where I can dry my smalls - heaven. It is amazing how relative happiness and luxury are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

009 Ireland Part 1

Ireland;
Dublin - Glendalough - Kilkenny
Our journey started Victoria station trying to work out how we convert our internet booking into a real ticket. When we eventually find the right machine everything works well. How do international (Non-English speaking) travellers cope?
We're a bit concerned that our carry on luggage is 1cm wider than the allowance. We are travelling Ryan Air and have heard they are strict - well they aren't. Sailed on, no issues.
Picked up the hire car and the Hertz guy tried to constantly upsell us, to the point of being annoying. Turned out they didn't have the standard size car we had ordered and he was trying to avoid upgrading us for free (He obviously hasn't met Frank before :))
Of note: You need a GPS, very few street signs and most are hidden!

I disappointed myself in that it had never crossed my mind that a different language is spoken in Ireland.

Dublin is not for sight seeing, it is for partying. You can easily complete a pub-crawl of more than 12 pubs without leaving the Temple Bar. Unfortunately Dublin almost exclusively caters to the Hen's night/ Stag Night clientele and the inner hotels reflect their clientele. However the Guinness more that makes up for it. It is served at two temperatures - you can have it at the same temperature it would be served in Australia or you can have it at the proper temperature :) 

We didn't know it at the time but we would see the sun every day. Sun, Guinness, what more can you wish for?

Trinity College, where we viewed the book of Kells 

The history is amazing and so much of it is such good condition. I love the churches and the graveyards. What hits you, as you read the graves though, is how many died young. We visited Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patricks, where the choir were practising. 

While it was sunny every day, the wind was seriously icy, so we bought Guinness hats; not that flattering but when you are that cold you don't care.

When in Kilkenny ....

but I was more partial to Murphy's