Well I finally got there, packed up my things and on Friday night headed out of Waterloo on the Eurostar to Paris. I don't know where to start...it is truly the most beautiful place, romance central, it is magic and I had an absolute ball.
Arrived at eight to find Natalie waiting for me at the Gare Du Nord and we dragged my very heavy bag to our sweet hotel (which was so cute) then it was off on foot to see the city and her lights. We strolled to the Arc de Triomphe first and go so lost, ended up going round in circles until finally we were under it. Had a lovely conversation with Mum and Dad..standing in the middle of it. Classic. My gosh. Beautiful - this blog and the words I can write will never match how very cool it all was. After that it was down to the Eiffel tower where we ate crepes by a merry go round...then wandered down the river to the Concord. Me, Nat and pretty much no one except cars zooming about. Magic. And at this stage (2 in the morning) rather surreal.
The next day after getting to bed at 3 then up at 8 The Lourve. Yep very cool. Very cool. Apart from the thousands of people who were also finding it cool...we headed in with our passes (meaning we skipped the queue) and went exploring - saw ole Mona (still as small as I remembered), the Raft of the Medusa (I got it this time Dad), and the Madonna. Wicked. The coolest part though, was wandering through and archway outside and seeing the pyramid made of glass for the first time. For so long it was my screen saver and then there I was. I am so lucky.
After the Lourve we wandered through the gardens (you feel like you are in a James Bond, Bourne Supremacy, Amelie, Before Sunset movie all muddled together) to the gallery that Monet had designed himself to house the waterlilly paintings. WOW. It had huge circles in the roof to let in the light and the paintings curved around the walls and were so very beautiful.
After that it was off to the the Musee d'Orsay. Wicked - all the Renoirs, Dega's, Van Gogh's etc..in this wicked building on the Seine. Cool cool cool. Then we collapsed into another coffee shop headed in COMPLETELY the wrong direction and finally got back to our hotel. Where we lay in silence after all the walking until we muddled the energy to get up and get dressed for out night on the town.
Nat had booked us a cruise down the Seine where you watch Paris turn on her lights to beautiful french music and cruise past all the cute couples lovin it up on the river bank, red wine and bread, it is everything you think it will be and more. I honestly can't describe it and the pics don't do it jusrtice. Past the Notre Dame, The Lourve, the Musee d'Orsay, the bridges...ahhh. Wicked.
We were in a tour so we got on our bus so funny we were so over dressed (been in Paris and all) and the rest of the tour party were crazy aussies and americans who were less excited about Paris and more about the fact that quote, we were "going to see some boobies" and yes we did see boobies. At the Moulin Rouge (yep Evie I can hear you) it was so amazing. The show and the boobies. haha. There was this couple and the guy balanced the woman on his head and then lay down with her still there - un human! and a tank with a lady and snakes. lots of feathers, lots of lights and sets..man. After all the bubbly and boobies we collapsed into a cab and got home at 3. Phew!
The next day we pottered had breakie in the cellar restaurant at the bottom of the hotel and the headed to the Centre Pompidou - where all the structure of the building is on the outside. We travelled the mad tunnel esculator surrounded in glass to the top of the building which over looked Paris.
By this stage we were so tired so bailed on going through the galleries and wandered to the Notre Dame, where it started to rain (surprise surprise, it is me) and sat outside ate crepes, drunk Rose and watched the world go by.
All in all it was one of the most perfect weekends I have had in a long time. Fell asleep last night to the rain in London a happy girl. Shattered today.
Off to Rome on Sat wheeee! I need a lot of early nights before then. Then that will be me for a while till I leave on a jetplane and head to the land of the long white cloud. 74 days people.
Anyway hope you are well...I can't wait to see your beautful faces,
Love you.
Moi. xxxxoooo
