Notes From The City Of Light (Part One)

I’ve just spent the weekend in a blistering hot and beautiful Paris. The is part one of a two-part series of notes I wrote during the trip. In this edition, I climb two levels of the Eiffel Tower, get cast into darkness on the metro, get serenaded by George Michael, go cycling and meet lots of great people (mostly Aussies and Kiwis). Let’s go!

Friday

08h28gmt
So, i’m off to Paris again. The last time I went was two years ago. That was my second visit, which makes this my third. This time, I’m going for one thing. The Tour de France. After a three week long tour, the peleton arrives in Paris on Sunday for one last race. Having experienced the tour in person for the first time last year in London, I had to experience it in person in France. So, I’m on the train to St Pancras to catch the Eurostar. Now that the Eurostar terminal has moved to my side of London, the journey to Paris is ridiculously easy. I’m just two trains away.

09h47
Realised when I got to London that I’d boarding a fast, non-stopping train. I’m at St Pancras a good two hours before the Eurostar departs. Departure lounge is lovely. Dark, wooden floors, modern, comfortable seats. The terminal is considerably smaller than the old one at Waterloo. Hardly any shops or eateries. A fat fella and his fatter wife just sat down on the same row as me. Something went crack.

10h59
On the Eurostar. Five minutes to departure. Very tatty train. Doors have just shut. The seat next to me is empty. Hoping it stays that way.

11h05
The acceleration on this train is amazing. Zero to fast in no time at all.

11h10
Through the upcoming Olympic station, Stratford. Really long tunnels snaking underneath London at the beginning of the journey. Wafts of toilet smells in the coach. Could be the fat couple’s lunch.

11h15
Just passed underneath the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge.

11h32
Just passed Sandlings. Holds a special place in my heart. Looks as if we’re about to enter the Channel Tunnel. Some sort of alarm has just sounded. Le Shuttle terminal passing to the right.

11h36
Into the Tunnel sous la Manche.

12h00
Pop! And we’re out. Not a bad crossing time.

13h24cet
Passing through the suburbs of Lille. Lille Europe station approaches.

13h49
Zipping through Northern France. Just started to rain. It’s going to be a wet weekend.

15h41
Arrived at my hotel. Room slightly smaller than my last, but still nice. As I expected, I’ve been put next to the lift. Hoping I don’t hear it. Interesting view from my window of a road junction. Going to pop out shortly to the supermarket and to the Eiffel tower.

17h08
I’m writing this on the first level of the Eiffel tower. It seemed the best place to start. At only €3.10, it’s a steal. My only other plans are to go to Flunch for a meal and pop to the supermarket for some water. Really hot! Probably the high 20s. Wish I’d put some shorts on. Going to go up another level shortly.

19h17
In Flunch. Terrible décor, terrible music and underground, but good food at a low price. They’re practically giving it away. I’ve got Spaghetti Bolognese, a raspberry tart and a can of Ice Tea. Delicious! I’ll be coming again.

20h07
My god! I’m boiling! On the way back from dinner, the metro’s lights went out and the train came to an abrupt standtill. The emergency lights came on and the driver… You know what, this can wait. I need a shower…

Saturday

08h25
… Where was I? Ah, yes. The driver very hurridly announced something. There wasn’t much of a reaction from my fellow passengers. A murmur rose as people exchanged their collective tuts. There we stayed, in near darkness, beads of sweat dripping from our faces for about five minutes before the lights came back and the train jolted forward. At the next station, a couple of people got off, including an American couple who’d “had enough.” The rest, including me, continued with the test of endurance. This morning, I’ll be finding that supermarket I keep going on about and then going on a cycle tour. Before that though, I need to finish watching this exciting instalment of Clifford, le grand chien rouge.

10h30
Sat on a bench in Champs de Mars. The Eiffel tower looms into the sky in front of me. It’s pleasantly warm with a slight breeze. At the foot of the tower, the masses throng, yet here where I’m sat, it’s satisfyingly peaceful. I love Parisian parks. They’re so well looked after. Even on a Saturday morning, there are people watering the flowers and grass and people picking litter. At 1100, I’m heading for the meeting spot for the cycle tour. Until then, I’m very happy here.

10h36
There seems to be a trend of musicians playing on the metro. So far, I’ve been seranaded by a man with a guitar playing George michael hits (well, you’ve gotta have faith I suppose), a blind man with a casio keyboard held together with sticky tape (he was awesome), and this morning by a beree’d man playing the acordian (I afforded myself a smile at this, which he seemed to notice and appreciate).

17h59
Cool day so far. Went on the Fat Tire daytime tour of the sights. After meeting at Pilier Sud, the south pillar of the Eiffel Tower, we were taken to the Fat Tire office where we were each issued a Californian Beach Cruiser bike and a tour guide. Our tour guide was a Texan. After a short briefing, we were off, cycling through the streets of Paris. It was awesome! I starting chatting to three Australian fellas. They were your stereotypical boisterous, fun-loving Aussies. In fact, they took the stereotypes to the extreme. I didn’t think Australians actually said ‘bonza’ or ‘you beaut’ but apparently, they do. A lot! When we stopped off for a spot of lunch at an outdoor cafe in Jardin de Tuileries, the table arrangement wasn’t to their liking and, to the very obvious annoyance of the waiting staff, they dragged the tables and chairs around until they had accommodated themselves and everyone else. “This is how we do things at home,” one of them said. The scowl on the waiter’s face was classic!

18h09
Currently sat in Quick, a fast food restuarant in Gare Montparnasse. In another case of unexplainable use of English, I just had a Long Chicken meal. I could have had a Long Fish or a Cheese Supreme among others. Why they weren’t called Poisson Long or Suprême Fromage I’m certain no one knows. Off to the Eiffel Tower shortly, the meeting place for the night time bicycle tour.

23h57
Just got back from the night tour. It was awesome. I saw parts of Paris I’d have never seen otherwise and met lots of great people. I’m beginning to think the New Zealand government is spying on me though. The number of kiwis I’m suddenly encountering is worrying high. The couple I met this evening were lovely. Carlton and Jo were charmingly reserved, thoughtful and interesting. Naturally, we had plenty to talk about. They were both rugby fans. We also chatted about Switzerland. Unbelievably, they had both stayed in Lauterbrunnen earlier in the year. The night tour took an entirely different route than the day tour. This time, the tour guide was a Californian, who spoke with great enthusiasm. At one point, his wild gesturing attracted the attention of some locals who mocked him behind his back. He reacted by bowing to them. Another time, when we were waiting at a red light, a couple on a moped pulled up alongside and remarked something in French. After a pause, Andy turned around to the group with a grin and said, “I don’t speak French.” With an hour of the tour left, we cycled to a dock where we boarded a boat for a ride up and down the Seine. The boat itself was lined on each side by spot lights, so the banks were lit up as if it were day as we chugged past. And I do mean ‘chugged.’ The boat had seen better days and puffed out exhaust fumes which stank and veiled one side of the boat in a dark cloud. It was a good experience though, particularly at the end of the ride when we sailed directly underneath the Eiffel Tower. When we alighted, we watched as two men had a punch-up (which, unusually for me, made me laugh), and then cycled back to the office. If you’re looking for a way of exploring Paris without having your feet bleed, I can highly recommend the Fat Tire Bike Tours.

Now, go and read part two.

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There are 106 photos taken during my weekend in Paris, now viewable on Flickr.