Last night in Paris!
The last few days have flown by so fast that I haven't had the time or the energy to blog about it. We've done so much that I'll have to summarize it in some awesomesauce dot points:
- Strolled through the Champs Élysées to the Arc De Triumph. The money being thrown around down that strip is scary. On that note, so many people told us how expensive Paris is, but it couldn't be further from the truth. If you keep your eyes open and don't go to the tourist centric cafes then it can be very cheap. Groceries and public transport are much cheaper than in Brisbane, as are the coffees and take away stalls.
- Walked to the Eiffel tower. The others seemed to think it was smaller than they thought but it was much bigger to me. Absolutely massive.
- We hit the mean streets on the Friday night and stumbled into an Aussie bar... How sad, but it was nice to hear the familiar accents and throw back some cheap cocktails.
- We travelled on the metro, which is the subway that runs through Paris. Very fast, cheap and frequent. If you're planning to come here make the most of it. We waited a few days before we used it but it would have made life so much easier for the first few days.
- We attended mass at the Notre Dame cathedral. You all know im a complete heretic, but it was really cool to experience all the tradition and ceremony that goes into the mass there.
- We very nearly got hussled by some shithead gypsy kids. We were having a baguette at a small restaurant and they came through with maps shoving them onto our table. The head honcho put her map on mums purse and tried to snatch it but we were on to them and scared them off before it got out of control. Paris is quite safe if you keep your wits about you. When strolling the streets and back alleys at 10-11pm we saw middle aged women walking by themselves without a care in the world.
Theres probably much more I've forgotten so I'll update you all when I remember.
Tomorrow morning we leave for Belgium bright and early by train. We'll be visiting an uncle I haven't seen in 20 years! Hes promised us some traditional Flemmish food that we're hanging out to try.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Wednesday 23rd PM
You can't give justice to the Louvre in photos. The size and majesty of the place just has to be experienced, like most of the architecture in Paris, seeing it roll out in front of you is almost shocking.
We walked from our apartment in the morning and took our time getting there. We're in the low season for tourism but still the volume of people moving through that place was extreme. I know that theres alot of talk about the French hating tourists but without tourism france would choke on its own poverty.
We decided just to stick to the wing containing the Renaissance artwork, because although none of us particularly love the Mona Lisa, its just so famous that we had to have a look. Everyone else had that idea too. Cesspool! It took us about 3 hours to walk through that wing and while some of the pieces took our breath away, we just couldn't keep moving on through the wings because we just weren't taking it in anymore. We plan to go back there towards the end of the week to see the Belgian and Egyption work.
The architecture im enjoying the most is the smaller, semi delapidated cathedrals that are littered throughout the city. The look and feel that they have when they've been let go a little really lets you take in the history of it all. I think we all miss home a little but we could all see ourselves living here, its simply stunning.
Dinner last night was a beautiful little local restaurant by the Siene river. Most people spreak a little English, and they just seem to appreciate it when you try and converse with them a little in french. My appetiser was Salmon and scrambled eggs + tomato and goats cheese... Tasty :)
Some more funny observations-
There are just as many scooters on the road as there are cars.
Very few motorcycles like you would see in Aus, no racers or harley style bikes.
Sedans are very rare.
The only proper overweight person i've seen was American.
Coffees are cheap (2euro) but cappucinos are rediculous (5.50ish)
We walked from our apartment in the morning and took our time getting there. We're in the low season for tourism but still the volume of people moving through that place was extreme. I know that theres alot of talk about the French hating tourists but without tourism france would choke on its own poverty.
We decided just to stick to the wing containing the Renaissance artwork, because although none of us particularly love the Mona Lisa, its just so famous that we had to have a look. Everyone else had that idea too. Cesspool! It took us about 3 hours to walk through that wing and while some of the pieces took our breath away, we just couldn't keep moving on through the wings because we just weren't taking it in anymore. We plan to go back there towards the end of the week to see the Belgian and Egyption work.
The architecture im enjoying the most is the smaller, semi delapidated cathedrals that are littered throughout the city. The look and feel that they have when they've been let go a little really lets you take in the history of it all. I think we all miss home a little but we could all see ourselves living here, its simply stunning.
Dinner last night was a beautiful little local restaurant by the Siene river. Most people spreak a little English, and they just seem to appreciate it when you try and converse with them a little in french. My appetiser was Salmon and scrambled eggs + tomato and goats cheese... Tasty :)
Some more funny observations-
There are just as many scooters on the road as there are cars.
Very few motorcycles like you would see in Aus, no racers or harley style bikes.
Sedans are very rare.
The only proper overweight person i've seen was American.
Coffees are cheap (2euro) but cappucinos are rediculous (5.50ish)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Tuesday 22nd PM
Jet lag is a bitch. Again I'm awake at 4am because my body thinks I've 'slept in'. Its not too bad though since the morning is so beautiful here.
Yesterday we set out from the apartment as the sun was rising at 8am and stopped for a coffee at our local cafe. The lady there could speak english but i still tried to practice my french on her. Its so much easier communicating with someone who has terrible english skills to match my terrible french skills. We sat by the window and watch people go by on their way to work, breathing smoke into the cold air.
Some observations-
Everybody smokes
Everybody drinks (start early too)
Old ladies are all angry chimney sweeps
We have not seen a single insect. Not one fly, mossie, spider or ant. Weird
After a beautifully strong coffee we started wandering over to the Notre Dam Cathedral. Im not religious in any way shape or form, but it was a beautiful experience. I have plenty of photos but we'll have to post them when we get home.
The beauty of our trip so far is that we aren't doing any tours. We're on our own time and aren't rushed anywhere. It feels like so much more of an achievement when we find something we're looking for, discover something great that was unintended or manage to communicate to someone with our formidably poor french. Id take that any day rather than being lectured in english and being hustled around on a bus with other tourists... No thanks.
We wandered from the cathedral to the south, heading towards the pantheon. The wandering was half the fun, we discovered so many little restaurants and shops. By 2:30pm we all started to feel jet lag set in, it was getting towards mid night in brisbane so our silly heads kept telling us to sleep.
We found a great Japanese take away joint and got some sashimi, i promise ill start eating french food soon, i just keep coming back to the old favorites. Speaking of which, theres so many great street side vendors and they're cheap! Lots of cheese on just about everything but i think i can put up with that for the time being ;)
Yesterday we set out from the apartment as the sun was rising at 8am and stopped for a coffee at our local cafe. The lady there could speak english but i still tried to practice my french on her. Its so much easier communicating with someone who has terrible english skills to match my terrible french skills. We sat by the window and watch people go by on their way to work, breathing smoke into the cold air.
Some observations-
Everybody smokes
Everybody drinks (start early too)
Old ladies are all angry chimney sweeps
We have not seen a single insect. Not one fly, mossie, spider or ant. Weird
After a beautifully strong coffee we started wandering over to the Notre Dam Cathedral. Im not religious in any way shape or form, but it was a beautiful experience. I have plenty of photos but we'll have to post them when we get home.
The beauty of our trip so far is that we aren't doing any tours. We're on our own time and aren't rushed anywhere. It feels like so much more of an achievement when we find something we're looking for, discover something great that was unintended or manage to communicate to someone with our formidably poor french. Id take that any day rather than being lectured in english and being hustled around on a bus with other tourists... No thanks.
We wandered from the cathedral to the south, heading towards the pantheon. The wandering was half the fun, we discovered so many little restaurants and shops. By 2:30pm we all started to feel jet lag set in, it was getting towards mid night in brisbane so our silly heads kept telling us to sleep.
We found a great Japanese take away joint and got some sashimi, i promise ill start eating french food soon, i just keep coming back to the old favorites. Speaking of which, theres so many great street side vendors and they're cheap! Lots of cheese on just about everything but i think i can put up with that for the time being ;)
Monday, November 21, 2011
Monday 21st PM
We've arrived in Paris! Our pickup from the airport was a bit of an eye opener. Once the guy saw us he walked so fast towards his car we couldn't keep up. The roads in France are fucked up. We saw one bungle on our way out of the airport and many more near misses. Very aggressive drivers + narrow streets + shitty infrastructure = one hairy ride into town.
The apartment is nice but very small. The building would be around 100 years old but the kitchen and bathroom are new, a swell as all the light fitting etc. it's in the heart of the 4th and it very close to many of the big landmarks. We can walk to the Louvre quite easily and the Notre Dam cathedral is only a block or two away.
We dropped into a little grocery store akin to a dodgy 7/11 and bought some things so that we didn't have to eat out every meal. I bought a sack of bananas for 1.69eu... C'mon, they probably ship them over here from qld and they're still heaps cheaper!
We're all jet lagged like crazy but we're staying up just a little longer to try and straighten up the ol bio clock.
The apartment is nice but very small. The building would be around 100 years old but the kitchen and bathroom are new, a swell as all the light fitting etc. it's in the heart of the 4th and it very close to many of the big landmarks. We can walk to the Louvre quite easily and the Notre Dam cathedral is only a block or two away.
We dropped into a little grocery store akin to a dodgy 7/11 and bought some things so that we didn't have to eat out every meal. I bought a sack of bananas for 1.69eu... C'mon, they probably ship them over here from qld and they're still heaps cheaper!
We're all jet lagged like crazy but we're staying up just a little longer to try and straighten up the ol bio clock.
Monday 21st AM
Now that we're on the final leg of the journey to Paris the plane seat doesn't seem so foreboding. In fact, they're looking after us quite well, I'd almost say its 'pleasant'. No screaming kids this time, and with the day light streaming in through the cabin we don't feel any pressure to sleep, so oddly enough it seems to come more naturally.
My poor stomach doesn't know how to deal with all the new food. I'm so used to meals with massive lean meat portions, loads of veggies and other basic foods. All the meals I've had over the last 24 hours have been quite different. I've had cheese of some incarnation at every sitting, small delicate meats, lots of sugary side dishes and we even stopped for some burger king action at the Dubai airport.
When we arrived in Dubai at 4:45am the sun wasn't breaching the horizon but it was still a mean 24 degrees. Kinda felt like home. The airport itself was gargantuan. It was a 15 minute bus ride from where the plane landed to the terminal. By the time 5:30am hit the place was packed. Wall to wall with people, every duty free shop filled (and every toilet cubicle too..). The amount of cultures that were represented there was something I've never seen in the one place before. Sure we have our ethnic districts at home, but not all the the one place like Dubai.
We're now flying over Baghdad and the monitor we have in front of us gives us a birds eye view of the landscape. Very cool stuff. Even though we were served breakfast at 4am on the previous flight we had a second breakfast at 10 on this connecting flight. Smoked chicken breast, cured beef, cheese, fruit, oats, croissant, coffee, OJ... And it looks like we'll be getting in some lunch before we arrive in Paris too.
January is going to be fish and broccoli month.
My poor stomach doesn't know how to deal with all the new food. I'm so used to meals with massive lean meat portions, loads of veggies and other basic foods. All the meals I've had over the last 24 hours have been quite different. I've had cheese of some incarnation at every sitting, small delicate meats, lots of sugary side dishes and we even stopped for some burger king action at the Dubai airport.
When we arrived in Dubai at 4:45am the sun wasn't breaching the horizon but it was still a mean 24 degrees. Kinda felt like home. The airport itself was gargantuan. It was a 15 minute bus ride from where the plane landed to the terminal. By the time 5:30am hit the place was packed. Wall to wall with people, every duty free shop filled (and every toilet cubicle too..). The amount of cultures that were represented there was something I've never seen in the one place before. Sure we have our ethnic districts at home, but not all the the one place like Dubai.
We're now flying over Baghdad and the monitor we have in front of us gives us a birds eye view of the landscape. Very cool stuff. Even though we were served breakfast at 4am on the previous flight we had a second breakfast at 10 on this connecting flight. Smoked chicken breast, cured beef, cheese, fruit, oats, croissant, coffee, OJ... And it looks like we'll be getting in some lunch before we arrive in Paris too.
January is going to be fish and broccoli month.
Sunday 20th
Evening true believers.
It's about 4am local time on our flight from Brisbane to Dubai. We've just passed India and we're on the home stretch. Neither Steph (Steph's been to Japan) or I have ever been on flights this long and it's a bit of a struggle. I've dozed off a few times after a mix of red wine, scotch and champagne, but it hasn't been for longer than 10 minutes.
Emirates has been great, the meals are good and for coach class the seats and entertainment are great. I'm watching Family Guy right now actually...
Although its 4am local, it's 9:20am Brisbane time, which means we pretty much haven't slept. It's all worth it though, we can wait to land in Paris and feel the icy air slap us in the face, makes it all worth while :)
It's about 4am local time on our flight from Brisbane to Dubai. We've just passed India and we're on the home stretch. Neither Steph (Steph's been to Japan) or I have ever been on flights this long and it's a bit of a struggle. I've dozed off a few times after a mix of red wine, scotch and champagne, but it hasn't been for longer than 10 minutes.
Emirates has been great, the meals are good and for coach class the seats and entertainment are great. I'm watching Family Guy right now actually...
Although its 4am local, it's 9:20am Brisbane time, which means we pretty much haven't slept. It's all worth it though, we can wait to land in Paris and feel the icy air slap us in the face, makes it all worth while :)
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