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Europe » France » Île-de-France » Paris
November 28th 2006
Published: December 1st 2006
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Tour EiffelTour EiffelTour Eiffel

The apparent "staircase to infinity"
November had flown by. Much of it had been wasted teaching 'Football 101' to wannabe Arsenal Footballers. It dawned on me that my time on these lands were numbered, so I decided to exploit the beauty of being a supply teacher… so I took the day off… and spent it in Paris.

Unfortunately all the boys I had set out with were no longer on British soils, and with Louisa’s head buried deep in the hard-covered laps of uni texts, I would - for the first time - be traveling solo. Pete was not there - so no itinerary existed. Jonesy was not there - so his new found knowledge of snails could not be exploited (Buy his Book). And Azz, his absence would perhaps be felt the most. I would miss the pressure he would have put on me to delve deeper into the history and culture surrounding Paris. More so, his absence meant I had a hell of a lot more time up my sleeve.

Time was of the essence
After arriving in Paris, I gathered my thoughts, and used what would become the foundation of my French dialect “Excusez-moi, parlez vous anglais?” I was pointed in
MagnifiqueMagnifiqueMagnifique

A stirring sight
the direction of the French Underground. A system far more efficient that London’s, with trains so quiet they can literally creep up on you. The lines were clearly labeled, so with little time to waste, and without hesitation I jumped on a train that… traveled away from the city centre. One stop later I realised my mistake, changed platform, and started all over again.

Time to See
The Eiffel Tower was by far the most impressive part of Paris. The views seen from the Zenith (also a proud sponsor of the Old Mentonians) meant I saw much of what I had set out to see in one fowl swoop. The Arc de Triomphe and Place de Concorde were about as impressive as traffic intersections come, although Vic Roads could probably make these sites more traffic friendly. Wandering around the streets of Paris, quite often not having a clue where I was culminated with a visit to the Louvre. A place even those without an interest in art can find fascinating. It may even inspire me to read the Da Vinci Code - who am I kidding - I’ll save time and see the movie.

Time to Eat
Let’s
Arc de Triomphe...Arc de Triomphe...Arc de Triomphe...

and with it an intersection very hard too cross.
face it the French do it well. Dining alone is not something to which I feel accustomed. So, on this day, a glass of French wine and a croissant were as far as I delved into authentic French cuisine. And whilst delicious, they could have easily been from a bakery and brewery in any part of the world.

Time to Shop
Anyone who knows me well, has either asked me for fashion advice or poked fun at my willingness to spend exorbitant amounts on a particular piece of cloth. Gay Paree did not disappoint with its cluster of Boutique gems stocking labels known and unknown. And if I didn’t lay claim to soon returning home to no car or no job plenty a purchase would have been made.

At the flick of a switch the flickering lights on the Eiffel Tower would once again capture the attention of tourists and Parisians alike. Nightfall made Paris all the more beautiful. However, my time in France’s capital was up.

Vive le Paris (whatever that means)


Additional photos below
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The LouvreThe Louvre
The Louvre

However, Dan Brown was nobody to be seen
LisaLisa
Lisa

... and my best attempt at getting an up close photo of her/him
Place de la ConcordePlace de la Concorde
Place de la Concorde

The place of Louis XVI death. Don't aske me who Louis XVI was.
Palais RoyalePalais Royale
Palais Royale

Presumably translated to: the Royal Palace
L'automobileL'automobile
L'automobile

Tear Shed
Bon soirBon soir
Bon soir

Au revoir


4th December 2006

Hearing ya!!!
I also made the same error entering the french capital!! although i was about 3 stations out of the city before i realised my misatke, in which i quickly exited stage left!!!!
7th December 2006

Don't do it!
Hey, have been reading your blog for awhile now and must say do not watch the Da Vinci Code. The movie is shite but the book fantastic! Happy travels and keep the blogs coming. Cheers Danielle

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