Advertisement
Published: September 7th 2010
Edit Blog Post
Mr Mink on Runnymede meadow
self about to attack wooded hill to Airforce Memorial (w. wheely bag!) bon jour a tous - je suis maintenant a Paris. OK enuf French, you get the general idea!
It is about noon on Tuesday 7 September and Paris is cloudy bright and about 17° with a maximum of 22° although it was looking rather grey first thing in the morning it now looks quite reasonable with quite a bit of blue sky. As I am able to use a microphone to dictate to my laptop this will hopefully be quite quick so I can get out and begin enjoying the city. Some have complained about so I will try and keep this "compact".
Flight over? As some may know I got to the airport very late, only an hour before and was virtually on standby until he was able to squeeze me in. My aisle seat was changed in Singapore to what turned out to be an exit row. They will actually charge you extra for this usually if you particularly want one. The lack of under seat storage can be an issue -- but in this case the ability to stretch out legs to infinity was welcome, although proximity to toilets meant that my toes were later in
danger of being trampled by people queueing for the facilities. Baby bulkhead (with three young children) close did not cause any great issue, although earplugs to help, both in that regard and also by reducing aircraft noise.
Into London at 6:30 AM and it took for ever to get out of border control -- till about 8 AM I think. Not very impressed with British bureaucracy generally in the total experience. I was all set to get the 71 bus over to Egham and the Air Force Memorial at Runnymede at 9 AM but the bus driver (why are bus drivers laws unto themselves the world over?!) would not take a £20 note for the fare so I went to Marks and Spencer foodstore and bought a reasonable rice, eggplant and lentils salad for £2.15 to create some change. Was actually a reasonable value snack as I did not really get anything else until much later in Paris. Got the next 71 bus at 9:30 AM further a helpful man at airport information and a certain amount of Google Earth as to how to get there. However after 30 minute trip to Egham and with certain directions set out
to walk there. Unfortunately took a wrong turn and although the sign said "Runnymede memorials" it turned out to be alongside the River Thames and I soon realised that I could see the air force Memorial directly opposite to the left but on a wooded hillside. Having invested this time in getting so far I decided I would simply take off across the Runnymede meadow and head up the hill and hope that the woodland was not too difficult (did I mention that I had my wheely backpack due to the fact that BA would not take the bag until three hours before my Paris flight at 1:40 PM, there were no lockers and the left luggage was going to charge me 8 pounds ?!!). Avoiding the cowpats I headed across the flat meadow and then up a walking track and then up the formed path, sometimes with little steps and finally made it to the top. The simple cloister Memorial has the names of 20,000 airmen with no known grave, including my father's brother Uncle Gordon - lost 23 April 1944 in a Lancaster over Dusseldorf. A crewman of his is also commemorated there, along with my friend Bob's
Hudson JG + NZ coat of arms
my Uncle Gordon commemorated uncle. Snappies then bus back to Heathrow.
Short flight to Paris CDG, some euros out of a machine and bought a RER train ticket to downtown Paris (8.70E) then a carnet (10) of metro tickets. Discovered that changing stations on the Metro was definitely a multiple up and down stairs exercise! Hotel Beaunier in Montpanasse a 14eme relatively easily located - but on third floor walk up. Discovered a rather cheaper hotel further up the street for about €20 cheaper so may even change, but may be committed here (at €79 per night). Definitely needed a shower to freshen up when I got here.
Gastro notes: had dinner at a reasonable bistro Le Verre Siffleur (the whistling glass??) at 78 Rue d'Alesia - croustillant chevre (filo pastry envelope filled with goat's cheese + pesto etc) 7.5E +entrecote steak 16.9E + beer T 30E - not bad.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.199s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 12; qc: 59; dbt: 0.1555s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Brian of the Gerroas...
non-member comment
Good lookin' shots bro, glad you found the memorial is mustve been very interesting to finally track it down. Re airplugs on planes; how do you rate their effectiveness on flights? You reckon you cop less jetlag etc.? A good idead over noise cancelling phones?? Keep havin' fun there!