Monday 17th May

Today we decided we would get going early and beat the crowds at the Eiffel Tower. It opens at 9.30am so off on the Metro, busy but only meant that we had to stand. Trains appeared to be running every couple of minutes and it is always interesting people watching, even if it's everyone else watching us!!! One thing I have noticed is hardly any fair skinned locals have short hair. I packed wet weather coats yesterday and carted them around all day and didn't use them, so didn't bother today.

Got to the Eiffel on time at about 9.10am and the lines of people weren't to bad. I had seen pictures of worse so after working out which one to get into to buy the tickets we just had to wait. Lots of young dark skinned males here trying to sell little towers and other items. You get approached a lot but a quick no or shake of the head and they are off. It filled in the time watching them work the crowd and it was entertaining listening to one young fellow doing a job one two young girls behind us. They are a little bit intimidating when you first see so many of them but have been no trouble at all.

Gates are open and the line is moving and the wind is cold and it is starting to lightly rain. Get in and up on one of the lifts, then change lifts to go up to the top. It is tall, I mean it is tall and not very wide at the top. Looking straight ahead and not down we, I mean me, we get to the top. Once up there you forget how many people would die if this thing fell over when you were on it, or how long it would take to crash to the ground if it started to fall over. You know all the type of stats you thing off when you are trying to stay calm and just wish the lift would get to the top so you could be on the way down again. Never been one for heights so I really don't know why I'm up there.

The view is just great. You can really see where most things are in Paris and you are up really high, believe me. Very cold and the whole thing reminded me of the steel mecano set I had when I was a boy. This is Annette enjoying herself at the top.

Looking down.

Can't take her anywhere, even to Paris and expect her to behave herself.

Annette spotted these and thought of the girls at her work. They were at the lower much bigger section that had food and plenty of space to walk around and the view was still pretty good.

Bugger all crowd now. And who's idea was it to get here early to beat the crowds. Yep you guessed it. (Actually it was mine.) If you had arrived here today at 11.30 you would have walked nearly straight in.

Off at last and back on the ground and I must say out of topple range. The views were great and is one of the must thing to do. We will be back at night to see all the lights of Paris.

Off to the Hotel des Invalides, Annette wants to see the Tombeau de Napoleon 1er. Apparently it's pretty impressive. I'm just tagging along. In we go, no waiting, great. Here is something we haven't seen in Hamilton for awhile.

Bloody hell, did they spend some money building this.

The French are responsible for a few things I wasn't aware of. (If you can get my meaning)

I found lots to see and Annette was stopping to read everything even if it was in French????? (Just in case, and sometimes there was, a bit in English). Time was a ticking on and we didn't get to see everything before it closed. If you are interested in armour and guns it's for you. A boys thing. This was great. It was a fold up motor bike that fitted into the tube and I guessed they then chucked it out high up. I want one. Reminded me of the scooters in Paris.

Had heaps of guns from all the wars, some were just beautiful works of art. Here is one that Trev and I used in our training days.

Speaking of Trev, here's one of a French'y girl. I had to take it after she went past. I didn't want to get punched out by the boyfriend, husband or just lucky bastard that was with her. (PS I cut him out of the picture)

What legs, nearly as good as the wheels on the 907. One clip over the ears and we were back home.

Au Revoir.