Paris paris paris

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Paris is the first Contiki site that I have returned to since my travels of 2004 and I really shouldn’t have left it this long.

In typical Contiki style we didn’t get to spend long in Paris (queue forever to get up the Eiffel Tower, a quick browse along the Champs Elysees and a mad dash to see Mona at the Louvre) so I was keen to experience as much as I could in these all too brief two/three days.

After the crazy times in Barcelona I definitely wasn’t in the mood for partying so when I got in I took a leisurely stroll to my hostel taking in the Montmarte area and the Moulin Rouge arriving at my hostel around dinner time so naturally it was baguette, red wine and cheese time (the bottle of red was in your honour Tam : -) I suppose you won’t able to drink too much for a few months).

That night I went and watched Indiana Jones at the nearby cinema and actually enjoyed the film despite the awful ending and the rather corny (and a tad absurd) story. I probably laughed more than the Parisians would have liked but scenes like the Indy v Russian bike/car chase through the anti communist parade (Stop the Reds - der !) made me chuckle.

My hostel is pretty much the best one I have ever stayed at, the location is pretty decent, it is set along a lovely canal, is modern and has all the facilities you could want in a hostel. Plus it has a really fun and friendly vibe so would definitely recommend St Christopher’s Inn to any budget travellers in Paris.

Well rested the next day I took a free walking tour of the city taking in (but not going inside) all the main sites such as Notre Dame; Eifel Tower; Arc de Triomphe; The Louvre etc. I always find these tours fun and interesting and a good introduction to a city plus you always make new friends (got talking to a guy from Canada so he was a great help with my plans for Vancouver although I was not much help with Aussie Rules which he used to watch on tele as a kid - go figure!).

That night it was more baguette/cheese/wine and then off to a concert by the lovely Feist. Situated in a lovely theatre it was a lovely way to see my favourite female singer. I was quite far back from the action but had a decent view of the stage and the sound was brilliant. I was expecting Feist (being Canadian) to speak and maybe singe in French but sadly her French is apparently pretty bad and she spoke mostly in English and didn’t even der her one song in French (damn!).

The next day I went and visited the Catacombs which are basically mass burial sites in former limestone quarries under the city. This has to be one of the coolest sites I have ever visited, the limestone tunnels themselves are very interesting (stretching 20m or so under the city and spanning hundreds of meters - the tour was a good half hour of walking) but things got really interesting when we reached the skeletons.

The walls are piled with the bones of hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of Parisians dating up to the late 18th century. The bones are stacked neatly and rather perversely some are laid out in mosaic styles including a love heart among other shapes.

Just as perverse was us all walking through the tunnels and taking pictures of and with the remains but it was too compelling not to. Sorry if anyone is grossed out by the pics.

I then made my way to Versailles and had a lovely time. The buildings themselves are nothing special from the outside (I am too much of a tight arse to pay to look inside) but the gardens are spectacular. From a citrus plantation to forest and manicured gardens, it is a truly lovely setting and I couldn’t resist more baguette/cheese/wine (sensing a common thread here?).

The weather also improved just enough for the sun to fully emerge (the last few days being mostly overcast with a little rain) so it was nice just to laze on the grass and imagine that Marie Antoinette and King Louis XV1 (not to mention all the other Charles, Louis’ etc) once sat in the same spot.

Another concert that night, this time at the lovely Parc la Villette as part of the Villette Sonique festival. Tonight’s performance by Six Organs of Admittance (a band I am only vaguely familiar with but keen to get into) was fun and the female guitarist is mesmerising to watch live (just like she was at the Primavera festival).

And that was basically Paris over and done with as my flight back to Liverpool and then onto Manchester was early Thursday morning. I could (and should) have spent a full week here but glad I at least came back and will surely be back again one day.

This weekend I’m off to London then to Madrid and Berlin next week before heading back to Manchester for one last farewell and then back to London and finally off to Vancouver - all that in 9 days …

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Comments

[Nicky]

Thanks
Hi Petey, thanks for the great read. I love reading your travel blogs, they are so in depth and a pleasure to read. Can't believe that your Europe days are nearly over. Can't wait to read all about your Canada travels. Keep well and remember to "keep yourself noice". Miss Ruby says goo goo! Nicky and Ruby xx

[tam]

ahh Paris
Pete - I missed this blog too! And I missed the red in my honour... shall I never live that night down??? :) Yes, I've been alcohol free (bar a tiny sip of someone elses drink a couple of times just to taste, and a half glass of champagne at an event) for 5 months now... 3 more to go! The poor baby though.. I did had a fair bit of champers on Australia Day and found out I was pregnant the next day!