After a pretty unspectacular train trip to Paris we arrived in the city of love to grey wet weather. Between us we only have one jacket and one umbrella but both were packed up in our bags so the walk from the metro to the apartment we were staying in was pretty miserable. The apartments had really sweet opening deals which although they were out of the city a bit were a lot cheaper then a hostel (super expensive in Paris!). Unfortunately they were also having a few teething problems. We rocked up cold and wet wanting a hot shower and they didn't have our booking reservation. After about five minutes the receptionist found a room for us and we caught the lift up to find one lonely single bed. Back downstairs I informed them of the slight problem and asked them to find a new room that had two beds or one big bed. While we were trying to sort this out two British guys came downstairs and said there was a problem with the room they had just been given. There were already people in it. Again the receptionist dude found us both rooms and went upstairs to check himself that they were ok. Luckily we were in good moods despite the messing about and the weather and we managed to laugh it all off. I had wanted to check out the Eiffel tower lights that night but after a hot shower I was not keen on heading back out in the rain.
The next day the weather hadn't gotten any better. The All Blacks were playing South Africa and it was meant to be a really good game so we googled where it might be playing and found an Irish pub near the Moulin Rouge. Little Irish pubs always seem to be showing all the rugby games and are open even for the breakfast matches. A few other kiwis and one South African supporters cheered on with us over coffee. The rain still hadn't eased by the time the All Blacks won but we were determined to see the sights of Paris and not be stuck indoors all day. What I love about all the European cities we have been to so far is their extensive metro network meaning we were able to save ourselves from a few raindrops using the subway system. Back out on the road and we made our way across the Seine to Ile de la cite where the famous Notre Dame de Paris or 'our lady of Paris' was built. A fine example of gothic style architecture it has been partially destroyed and rebuilt many times since first construction began in 1163. We continued walking over to the left bank of the Seine checking out the interesting finds in the green booths set up alongside the river. We had forgotten to bring our spare gold lock with us to add to the collection on Pont des Arts but we walked across trying to find any names on the love locks that we might recognize (none to report).
With the rain coming down a bit harder again we jetted over to the museum d'Orsay. We had been recommended this one if we were interested in visiting a museum for a few hours and not a whole day. The museum used to be the an old Gare or train station and is a pretty impressive building itself. In 1970 it was set to be demolished until the Minister of Cultural affairs at the time put a stop to this and the station was put on the historical monuments list. It was opened as a museum in 1986 and houses a range of exhibits including art work by the likes of Van Gogh, Monet and Renoir as well as sculptures, furniture and photography. Both of our favourite pieces were the pointillisme style or dot paintings which from afar create a spectacular image and up close you can see the all the finer detailing of the dots and lines used. There was also one particular painting the L'Origina du monde (the origin of the world) which made me giggle and turn away in shock. It is quite an explicit piece and is the first thing you see when you walk into one particular room at the museum. Google it if you want to see the particular image. After a long afternoon at the museum we called it a day in Paris.
We woke to a beautiful morning and headed for the Sacre-couer Basilica. Another church but it is located at the top of Montmarte the highest summit in Paris providing panoramic views over the sprawling city skyline.
Serenaded by a talented older man on a harp with the sun shining brightly down on us Paris really did look quite romantic and pretty at this time so we sat taking it all in for awhile.
Serenaded by a talented older man on a harp with the sun shining brightly down on us Paris really did look quite romantic and pretty at this time so we sat taking it all in for awhile.
An old school friend was in Paris with his wife at the same time as us and we had arranged to catch up over lunch. The day before we had found a street full of cheap eateries which offered frogs legs and escargots so had suggested we meet near there. Jake and Nick were a bit more daring them Jen and I ordering a plate of the frog legs and a plate of the snails for their starters. When they arrived they actually smelt and looked pretty darn good. Feeling braver I went for the snail first which had been cooked in basil and butter. To get the snail out of its cleaned shell you need a special desert type fork. Pretending it was something else I managed to pop it in my mouth. Apart from a small hint of dirt it wasn't too bad- very chewy but tastes mainly of the sauce which we then slurped out of the shells. Next up was the frogs legs served in red sauce, at first glance they kind of look like barbecued chicken wings. They must have been some pretty decent size frogs though as there was a bit of meat on them. Closing my eyes and tearing into the delicate flesh again I was surprised as it wasn't as horrible as I thought. We all agreed it kind of started off tasting like chicken then left a tuna aftertaste in your mouth. The boys went back for seconds but I stuck to my cheese crepe. We had a lovely lunch chatting and catching up before parting ways as they went shopping and we headed to the Louvre. They are going to be at Oktoberfest in Munich at the same time as us so we hope catch them there for a stein.
Having already been to a museum the day before we weren't keen on another museum day so we admired the modern glass pyramids Outside the Louvre and the old palace buildings before continuing our walk on the West Bank gardens. Our plan had been to wander around the city killing some time before a picnic underneath the Eiffel tower that evening when the lights would come on. Being the beginning of autumn the sun stays up pretty late still so we had a few hours until it got dark but of course the rain clouds overhead kept threatening so we canned the romantic night time picnic idea. After wandering up the Champs-Elysees to see the Arc de Triomphe and do a spot of shopping ( I needed new shoes now as it was too cold for jandals and I wasn't keen on wearing the sneans look anymore- sneakers and jeans for those of you unsure what this travelling style is). Jake kept pointing out all the expensive name cars and this road actually houses a few car places where you can go inside and check out their latest model cars. They are not car yards rather more like tourist attractions themselves. People on the street also advertise 10-20 min rides in Ferraris, Bentleys and Lamborghinis for a fee. Jake was happy just to admire from the street (phew!). We figured with the amount of traffic, lights and pedestrians you would never get past second gear so was not really worth it.
We finished our day in the park looking up at the Eiffel tower and enjoying a bottle of wine. One of the worlds most recognizable landmarks, it's design was controversial with many artists and Parisians calling it ugly and a sight for sore eyes. I rather like the metal weaving together and would love to see it lit up at night (next time we visit Paris ;)). Originally built as the entrance arch for the 1889 world fair held in Paris it is now the most visited paid monument in the world. We were happy to not be counted in 2013's visitors, especially after seeing the line to get up, as we sat back appreciating the work of art from the park.
People say you either love or hate Paris. I am one of those people still sitting on the fence. It is a big ugly sprawling city in the most part then you find charm and mystique hidden away in alleyways mixed with old historical buildings full of character. I will leave my decision on this city till my next trip. On the last day we found a great patisserie where we stocked up on train food for our short ride to Reims. It was probably a good idea we didn't find it earlier otherwise I would have been trying out their whole range of pastry goods.
People say you either love or hate Paris. I am one of those people still sitting on the fence. It is a big ugly sprawling city in the most part then you find charm and mystique hidden away in alleyways mixed with old historical buildings full of character. I will leave my decision on this city till my next trip. On the last day we found a great patisserie where we stocked up on train food for our short ride to Reims. It was probably a good idea we didn't find it earlier otherwise I would have been trying out their whole range of pastry goods.
Next stop: Champagne and cathedrals in Reims