Saturday 5 October 2013

Paris........


Up early and drove to Heathrow, left car at a nearby parking co, and they shuttled us to terminal 4, about 10 minutes away.
The flight, Air France, is pretty much taxi, full power, throttle off, taxi, park and get off. The only thing was I think the pilot landed in Freak,n Portugal, the taxiing to the terminal at Charles De Gaulle took about a third of the flight time..

Straight away the language barrier comes into play but with a touch of common sense we managed to purchase 5 day unlimited train, bus and tube tickets, 57.75 euro, and find the right train to the centre of Paris...

Once on the tube system it was a piece of Pi- -, easy as, to find our way using the connecting stations.
Our nearest stop to our "Pad" was Goncourt and only a 6 minute walk. It was in the 10th district and only 4 stops, 12 - 15 minutes from the happening areas around the River Seine.

WOW, approaching the apartment entry was a little, are you sure that's the right street number, but it all turned out to be a safe area,









The key pad operated steel gates, entry to our accommodation...



 

But on the inside the place was pretty tidy.... Even had a late model ferrari  parked up......  



Looking back to the Graffiti gates....

 

And inside the "Pad"......



 
Plenty of room with an upstairs mezzanine floor for the double bed.....

Then back on the tube to check out some food down town.....
On the go since 3.20am so......




The food was OK, had better over the next couple of days.... But Paris is expensive....
A coffee up to 7 euro, about  12 NZ dollar,  can of coke 3 euro, had a meal, 1 chicken salad, 1 hamburger, 1 toasted sandwich, 2 coffee, 44 euro, easy to haemorage money....
 
 



 
The beer tasted good, just 1......

Then we strolled around the river area passing the Notre Dame Cathedral.....




 

Inside is not as "Flash" as a lot of the same....

Back to the pad for a recoup then caught the tube, after dark, to the Eiffel Tower, about 7 km's away......




Looks good all lit up... the biggest "pain" is all the "hustlers" trying to sell tower models, Taiwanese junk, and the don't take "No" for an answer....




On the hour extra flashing lights make the tower look "Blingeee".....


Being the "City of Love", apparently, the locals had the "Ghetto Blaster" playing....

 




And dancing to the music.......Nice.....   Reminded me of my days past and the "Soft Shoe Shuffle".....

The "French Language" is beautiful to listen to as couples talk at the cafes etc...
I reckon even if He said to Her, " Darling there's dog shit on your shoe" it would still sound "Sweet"....

Next day was down to a recommended street market, organic, which didn't have as wide a selection of goods as we expected. But getting in the "Groove" with the locals was good...

 
 

Plenty of....



Good looking.....


 Fresh vege,



And a.....
 

 



Nice bag, nice dog, nice.........

Tomorrow a bit of Sweet stuff....

Sunday 29 September 2013

Paris...

   Hi,  just a note to say Leonie , Dale and myself are doing a four day Paris trip. Taking plenty of photos but unable to load them until we return to the UK. Catch up soon...