Today was our Paris trip! (In fact, I'm writing this up in a word document on our train back, so I can just copy and paste this into the blog app as soon as we get back to wifi!)
Our day began with a 4am alarm so we'd be ready in time to get to St Pancras by the 5:45am meet-up time. The tube at what we've come to think of as "our" station wasn't running yet, and we haven't quite mastered the bus system, which meant...a taxi. Luckily he wasn't as creepy as certain taxi drivers, and he offered us neither the good bottle/bad bottle game, nor story time, so we arrived at St Pancras unscathed.
Our day began with a 4am alarm so we'd be ready in time to get to St Pancras by the 5:45am meet-up time. The tube at what we've come to think of as "our" station wasn't running yet, and we haven't quite mastered the bus system, which meant...a taxi. Luckily he wasn't as creepy as certain taxi drivers, and he offered us neither the good bottle/bad bottle game, nor story time, so we arrived at St Pancras unscathed.
In a bit longer, we'd gone through customs and were onboard Eurostar, ready for our two hour train ride!
We weren't expecting the train station in Paris to be quite so massively huge (nor guarded by soldiers milling about with machine guns) and found we had a bit of trouble finding our way out! Suffice it to say that their underground system (or at least, the maps/signage) wasn't nearly as user-friendly as London's. But soon enough, we found ourselves emerging from the dark of the subway to a bright-blue-and-puffy-cloud sky stretching over the Champs Elysees!
It was nearly lunchtime, plus we'd not really had breakfast other than a coffee, so after seeing the Arc de Triomphe from all angles, we sat ourselves on a bench with a lunch of granola bars, apples, and water. Oh, and of course we brought along what's left of the McVite's Digestives. Must stop at Tesco tomorrow!
Then we began our short mile and a half walk to the Eiffel Tower. Very little can prepare you for turning the corner and seeing it right there in front of your own eyes! I had to take a selfie, and I wasn't the only one doing so (in fact, there were peddlers selling selfie sticks everywhere you turned).
Then we began our short mile and a half walk to the Eiffel Tower. Very little can prepare you for turning the corner and seeing it right there in front of your own eyes! I had to take a selfie, and I wasn't the only one doing so (in fact, there were peddlers selling selfie sticks everywhere you turned).
A one-hour cruise on the Seine was included in our package, and we couldn't wait to take advantage of that. We saw Notre Dame, The Louvre, so many gorgeous bridges I can't even name them all, people sunning themselves along the banks of the Seine...the weather was absolutely brilliant and we just loved taking in the sights of Paris from the water!
When the cruise was over, we tried to see about going up the Tower, but the queue was quite long and we knew we had a limited amount of time, so we decided on a few more pictures instead and then went walking round a bit more.
We sadly weren't able to get in The Louvre either due to time constraints, but we loved strolling the streets of Paris, popping in and out of shops, and yes, even playing Yellow Car. Which Sherlock is insisting I tell you he won (he didn't).
After shopping, walking, and sightseeing, we waited in line for the one free loo in town for a good 40 minutes (and yes, I do mean "free"...there was even a charge to use a porta-potty. I will never take free public toilets for granted again). This toilet was its on own little one stall free-standing building, complete with an automatic door straight out of Star Trek, a 1 minute 13 second "auto cleaning cycle" between each use, and a toilet that barked at you en francais while you tried to do your business. Off-putting, to say the least.
And by then, it was time to head back to the station to check in! We stopped at a cafe and had a delicious ham and cheese baguette for dinner.
Then back to the station, back through customs (they are really strict...for "remaining length of stay" in the UK, if it's one week and one day, you'd better write "one week and one day" and not "one week," because they will throw you a look that makes you feel like you're 5 years old and your mum just caught you with your hand in the biscuit tin) and back to England.
Paris, you were quite a sight to behold and we had an unforgettable day...but you don't have that "home" feel that London does, and we're tired but happy to be back.
- JW