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Published: October 15th 2012
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Paris
Arc De Triomphe - whatever you do, DO NOT CROSS THE ROAD! Europe and United Kingdom
Paris - May 1993.
When we planned our trip to Europe we decided it was best to use a tour company. We only had about two weeks at our disposal and felt we would see so much more of Europe by doing a bus tour. The tour company was Trafalgar tours and the tour would last for 12 days, driving through 8 countries.
Early start – up before the crack of sparrow’s fart for five o' clock departure from London. We headed for Dover to board a ferry to Calais. We had breakfast on the ferry and before we knew it we touched the shores of France. After we docked at Calais we drove to Paris where we were going to spend the first two nights. I remember seeing old war bunkers and poppy fields while we were driving through the countryside. The excitement of travelling through a foreign country slightly marred by the reality of dreadful wars during the early to mid 1900’s.
When we reached Paris we were shown some well known sights: Notre Dame, Military Academy and the Eiffel Tower. Our tour guide arranged
En Route to Paris
On the ferry at Dover, ready to depart for Calais that we could go up the tower late afternoon and it was a brilliant plan.
We went to the second viewing platform, which was almost half way up the Eiffel Tower, just as the sun was setting. It was so beautiful watching all the lights of Paris turning on as it got dark. Another dream ticked off - I always wanted to see and go up the Eiffel tower and I could hardly believe that I was actually there!
The next day we saw more sights of Paris: the Louvre and of course saw the infamous Mona Lisa painting. At the Arc de Triomphe we needed to cross the road and as inexperienced travellers we dodged the traffic to get a closer look, only to discover there was a far more civilized, proper and safer way to get across - you could walk in a subway under the road! The French drivers must have cursed and thought: crazy tourists!
Another highlight was a cruise up the river Seine and guess where we embarked - a Pont of a conspicuously similar name to mine! I felt so at home, seeing that some of my
En Route to Paris
White cliffs of Dover in the background ancestors came from France.
We had to find our own way back to our hotel that was on the outskirts of Paris, so we took a train and managed to get off at a station fairly close to our hotel. The only problem was that to get back to our hotel, we had find a way to cross the railway line as we were on the opposite side of the railway line and it was fenced off. We had to walk for what seemed like miles till we found a spot where we could cross.
We decided to have dinner at a restaurant close to our hotel. Of course we couldn't speak a word of French and the waiter couldn't speak a word of English. After looking through the menu which didn't make sense to us at all, with the waiter hovering around us like a fly, we just pointed to our neighbouring table and gesticulated one of those, please! If we were right it was one of the cheapest items on the menu that we could afford. We must have had a famished look on our faces because the waiter brought us two
Paris
Military Academy of the biggest omelettes ever! The dinner plate was extra large and the omelette filled the entire plate with the edges of the omelette folded over. It was delicious and we certainly didn't go to bed hungry that night!
Two days in Paris was better than only one day in London, but it still wasn't enough. It is such a beautiful city, although we found it very expensive, especially after converting from South African Rand. We learned a trick, to buy supplies from shops that weren't in the main street, as they were not as expensive. We still do that on occasion these days, to save a bit of money while travelling.
Au revoir, Paris! Hope to see you again some day.
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