Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Tuesday 18th May

Bonjour all.

Our time in Paris is nearly gone and we are not going to see anywhere near enough. We seem to spend too much time just walking around taking in the ordinary streets that the people live in. Today we got up and tried to work out when we were going to leave France and how, as we have not been able to purchase the maps we required to enable us to walk out. It seems the earlier you book fares the cheaper they are. It was great to be interrupted by mum, Barbara and Rodney and Felicity via skype and have a chat to them all.

Decided that we would catch the train to Vernon and see Monet's garden then on to Rouen to stay a couple of nights. Then train to Dieppe and the ferry across to UK and then play it by ear when we get there. Had an early lunch and off to visit the church on the hill Annette has been pointing out to me every day. You know, the one near the Moulin Rouge. First we stopped at a shopping centre on the way to check out a store that had maps. No luck with the scale I wanted but it also had a huge electrical section and I was able to purchase a spare battery for the camera. Then back on the metro off to the church on top of the hill, the Sacre Coeur. Walked out of the metro station at the bottom of the hill and I thought we had entered a Caribbean city. Anyway, made our way up the hill to the church.



Lots of steps up and down.


These fellows were taking it in turns to carry each other up and then down the sections of stairs. I had to keep Annette on a leash. She wanted to ask this one if he would carry her pack.





We then had a look around all the old streets on the side of the hill around the church not far from where Sue and Vince were planing to stay (I think). We went past one of the old Metro stations.



Saw two old windmills. Apparently there used to be lots on and around the hill.



Finished there and decided to go back to the Arc de Triomphe and climb up to the top and have a look around. Lots and lots of steps to get up to the top. Annette was busting to go to the loo and the steps nearly killed her so I left her sitting at the top of the first (Main) steps and I went off to the loo just off to the left. Got out and Annette not about so naturally thought she was in the loo. Waited, waited, waited, until I thought I would get arrested for loitering, no Annette. Bloody hell she would have to be finished by now, so I went up to the top and here she is looking for me, still busting for the loo. Teach her not to look and to think I would up and leave her. Once there the view was so, so. It was fun to watch all the traffic going around the Arc and I would suggest that you go during peak hour or not at all. It was going on dusk so we decided to walk down to the Eiffel Tower and go up it and view the lights of Paris.



Took just six minutes to line up, pay and get to the lifts. Then ages to actually get in the lift and then to get to the second left and again to get the lifts down. Packed to the rafters with people. Again the view was well worth it.





Arrived back at the apartment after midnight (again), with a couple of freshly cooked treats from a street vendor for dinner.

Au revoir.


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