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Published: March 17th 2007
Side steps to Sacre Coeur
People actually live in the buildings up these steps - no lifts! Up at 5am to catch the Eurostar. Slice a chunk off my finger packing Bob’s razor but don’t have time to dwell on it as we have to walk to the Metro station to get to Gare du Nord in time to check in. We make it in time to see the railway officials cordoning off the entrances to the check in facilities??????????? Lots of people milling around asking questions and looking panicked and confused. Finally find someone who speaks good enough English to explain that there has been a fire near the railway lines in London involving gas cylinders and all lines have been closed until at least tonight. Options are to train to Calais and take the Ferry, fly (at our own expense) or re-book. With all of the panicking people who have flights to catch out of London, weekend engagements that they cant postpone etc. we decide that it would be easiest to postpone our trip to London until next weekend. Back home and back to bed as nothing is open at this time of the day.
Our day begins again at 11am. This time we visit Sacre Coeur Cathedral at the top of Montmartre. The
only decent hill in Paris but gee whiz……it’s a cracker (see the steps). The Funicular railway to the top is not working but we’re far too fit to take the bus…..gasp gasp! The church is (take a guess……) huuuuge! But the really interest part is what goes on around it. There’s buskers and a pipe band and around the corner we stumble upon the ’Place Du Tetre’ the square full of artists painting and selling their originals, sketching instant portraits, silhouettes etc. It’s absolutely enthralling. We sit outside a café watching the crush of tourists and the artistry and the entertainment such as a group of French children marching and performing with their drums. C’est Magnifique!
Bob persuades me to get my portrait done and with the artists promise of ‘plastic surgery by pastel’ I agree. But it’s very unnerving having to sit still for half an hour while people watch you being sketched, comment to each other and even take photos of you. Bob considered charging people for taking photos to cover he cost of the portrait! The result is certainly impressive - I don’t know whether it is really me, Bob swears it is, but I’m certainly
Place du Tertre
Artists at Work younger - yippee! A 50 Euro facelift!
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