Wednesday May 7th Bonjour. Today we wandered up to the Musee Picasso. It's in a huge mansion in central Paris- built by the man who collected salt taxes in 17th Century. Parisians didn't like him very much. Picasso was prolific, so many different mediums. Also a collection of photos of Picasso by Man Ray and others. This museum is a must see. On the way back we went into Issey Miyake. The gorgeous shop assistant said he loved my top. We like Issey Miyake. Dropped into many small up and coming boutiques. Met a girl who went by bus from Brisbane [View Full Entry]

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Tuesday May 6th As we float along the boulevards of Paris we have French music in our heads. Perhaps this distraction is the reason we took a wrong turn this morning and found ourselves in the wholesale area of chinatown. Wonderful silk scarves, trinkets, gorgeous buttons and souvenirs. This is where the African men buy their small models of the Eiffel Tower for .20 Euros to sell all over town for 1-2 Euros! We wound our way back to Notre Dame and went to the Crypte Archeologique. Roman ruins from the 3rd Century under Notre Dame. The street alignment has remained [View Full Entry]

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Monday May 5th Bonjour. Today is the day our museum pass starts. It's a good thing but there are 80 museums and 2 days. We have chosen L'Orangerie and Picasso Museum, and then if time the Louvre and the Royal Palace. Martin has been desparate to buy shoes. It must be all the passive watching of Sex and the City. We have been looking for days- since Espanol. He has become a shopping fiend. We walk back to the streets of St Germain. By the way, when we walked past the church of St Germain Des Pres yesterday. I thought 'what [View Full Entry]

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Sunday May 4th Bonjour Monsieur, Bonjour Madame! Did we say getting up early is our hot tip? Left at 8am and off to Louvre. It's free Louvre day so we are expecting a crowd. We were about 150th in the queue. Luckily we got to sit on the marble surround of the pyramid before opening, the first 100 didn't. By the time it opened there were 1000 in the queue (at least). We got in quickly, as we didn't take bags and headed off to the sculpture courtyard. We left 972 others in a scrum to get to The Mona Lisa. [View Full Entry]

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Saturday May 3rd Early start at 7.30am with a walk to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Heard the bell ring at 8am - no crowds, this is definitely the way to do it! Everything is clean and quiet and all ours. Notre Dame is on the Ilse de Cite, one of two islands on the Seine, there used to be five but the Seine receded. Walked past the Palais De Justice. Napoleon reformed the French legal system and this was one result. Saw St Chapelle, the Royal Palace, Tour St Jaques. So many buildings and monuments to see. Can really see the [View Full Entry]

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Friday May 2nd Up early and walked around Avignon and the Palais des Papes one more time. Lovely mist over mountains and we realised one of the castles we photographed yesterday from the hill overlooking the Rhone is the Fort Saint Andree built by Benedictine monks in 1364-68. Travelled from Avignon to Paris on the TGV train. We are staying 200m from the Seine and 200m from the Louvre, where we start our explorations tomorrow <: [View Full Entry]

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Thursday May 1st May Day and Ascension Day Holiday in Avignon. The shops are closed. But the museums, cafes and restaurants are open. May Day is big in Europe - like our labour day but more union oriented, less Moomba parade. At 10am the May Day workers march started in the square. There were thousands of people. Quite a spectacle. Their rally went on all day around the village. Avignon is packed today. There is a holiday atmosphere in the village and it's a gorgeous sunny day. We are going to the Palais des Papes. It's a two minute stroll from [View Full Entry]

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Wednesday April 30th Avignon, Provence. Martin wanted to try la Patisserie. We walked out into the Place de l'Horlogue (the clock) and la Patisserie is stunning. Martin ordered la Croissant au Pomme, I had escargot with custard and raisins. Well their goes la regime. A days calories in 3 bites - but it was sublime. Took photo of grumpy patisserie lady. All the other french people we met today were lovely. Walked through the laneways of the old town and took the train to Arles. In Arles all the sights are very close together. The Roman amphitheatre, where they still hold [View Full Entry]

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Tuesday April 29th Day 19 On the bus to Avignon. Very scenic through Girona, past the snow capped Pyrenees. Across the French border past Perpignon, Narbonne, Nimes, Montpellier. Every town has a castle and pretty 'old village'. Avignon is stunning on first impression and our 'otel l'Horlogue overlooking the city square is lovely. [View Full Entry]

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Monday April 28th Day 18 A lot to fit in on our last day in Barcelona. Up early. To train station to confirm platform details for tomorrow. 2km walk. Wrong station. This is why we wanted to check because there is no info on the ticket, no phone number. Went to Sagrada Familia. Gaudi masterpiece. The Holy Family. He worked here and lived here for 40 years. Beat the crowds. Went up to the very top of the tallest spire. Taxi to right train station. Told all trains cancelled tomorrow- when we are booked, already paid to go to Avignon France. [View Full Entry]

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