6 August 2009 We’ve had an introduction to German culture with an evening of beer steins, pork, sauerkraut, music and dancing at a fabulous little restaurant called Ziko’s. Our little tour group has turned out to be lots of fun, mainly Aussies with one couple from the USA. The evening bus tour after dinner was accompanied by an American expat who has spent 42 years in Berlin teaching (this would have been in the height of the cold war so I think she has seen some interesting things). Berlin has proven to be an unexpected surprise, there is a lot of [View Full Entry]

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Up bright and early to start our tour. The Mostyn ‘Fawlty’ Towers was very conveniently located directly across the lane from the departure hotel. Still didn’t prevent a cabbie asking us if we needed a lift. Fawlty Towers was true to its early form, cold showers helped get the day going but at least they were again aghast and apologised. We’ve set out under sunny skies travelling two and a half hours out to Dover for the early ferry where we walked on to the ferry and our bags followed in trolleys as the tour bus was waiting in Calais. The [View Full Entry]

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With heavy heart we packed up our little apartment in Paris set for the next stage of our holiday. We used the EuroStar for another taste of travel. Train travel is certainly at a different pace, and for the trip between Paris and London it is a lot more direct, starting and finishing in the centre of town and avoiding the transit to and from the big airports. Only a half hour pre-arrival, not two. The train may not have the sophisticated airline in-flight entertainment but today we watched a real life comedy unfold before our very eyes. We had what [View Full Entry]

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We spent the day at a steady pace, targeting the arcades (or passages to the French) that during the early 19th century were the covered shopping malls for the social set. These proved to be a real treasure trove of exclusive designer boutiques, shops for curiosities, coin and stamp merchants, beautiful hand made toys, pre-loved fashions, pastry shops and chocolatiers. Intermingled with these curios are exquisite French cafes and restaurants that we found eager to please our now discerning taste buds. It turns out that we are not the only people to take advantage of the obscure plant calle [View Full Entry]

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Today was the opportunity to answer one of the biggest mysteries in Australian social culture - the “t” in “Moet” CAN be heard. There, my work is done. The day was more fulfilling than just this breakthrough in pronunciation. The Champagne region is to the north east of Paris on the border with Belgium and perhaps one of the most beautiful regions of the country. After a two hour drive our first stop was in Reimes, the centre of the champagne region. The weather, soil and technique are the things that make the sparkling wine from this region distinctive. I&rsq [View Full Entry]

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Today was the first day that we hadn’t planned within an inch of its life so we thought we would have a sleep in and later a wander around our own little area. The Paris City Council had other plans though and they started with their jack hammers under our lounge room windows at 8 am (nothing starts early in Paris). The double glazed windows and foot thick walls kept out a lot of the noise but the vibration in our apartment was interesting to say the least. (Best laid plans of mice & men). Allan pulled out the city sites [View Full Entry]

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Well today we have decided to never coming home sorry Kids, family and friends. We have officially fallen in love with Paris. Well, we may come home for winter as we hear it’s bitterly cold here. We set off very early this morning for Versailles with a tour group (the only way to not spend the day in the court yard for tickets and waiting to get in). I won’t say much more and let the pictures do the talking….. Tres Magnifique……. When we returned at lunch time we set off for to use our Museum passes. First we went to [View Full Entry]

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Well today was epic, we went on a day trip to the town of Chantilly on the train and walked from the train station to the Chateau. (It rained today as well as a little thunder storm) The Chantilly estate began in 1484 when Chantilly came into the possession of the Montmorency family. The first mansion was built in 1528-1531 for the Constable Anne de Montmorency. The Petit Château was also built for him, around 1560. We went through the Petit Château on a guided tour. The Château is actually made up of two châteaux (yes that is the plural) that [View Full Entry]

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Well everything that we learnt in art class at St Rita’s was true the Louvre was incredible. Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures to prove it as all the information I read before leaving and at the entry of the museum said no camera’s (but I now think they meant flashes) it seems that I was the only one following the rules (again). 85% of the people at the Louvre when I arrived were Asian and they were going hell for leather with cameras and video machines (flashes too) and because of the crush nobody stopped them but it was funny [View Full Entry]

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In what resembled a pilgrimage I joined thousands of others descending upon the Champs Elysees and all the points around the 7 kilometre finishing circuit in Paris. There were cycling fanatics from all corners of the globe and all walks of life in a giant festival atmosphere. The lead up to the riders arriving is a bit like a footy grand final day. There’s a series of processions, excited commentators talking about the events of the three weeks, junior racing over the last kilometre up to the official finish line and the arrival of the carivane publictaire about two hours before [View Full Entry]

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