I Love Paris In The Springtime (Part 1)

Soooooo there I was 'aving a faaaaag outside the Gare du Nord, drinking a delicious coffee at 5pm last Monday. The trip on Eurostar was painless, much easier than schlepping to the airport. I jumped into a cab and managed to get him to take me to my hotel in spite of my dodgy French which kept veering into Spanish!

The hotel was small but perfectly formed, nice big clean double bed, little balcony overlooking the street, and in an ideal location slap bang inbetween The Louvre and the Pompidou Centre. Unpacked and dashed out to explore. I headed over to Les Halles, bits of which were like the shitty end of Oxford St, but enough bars and cafes to satisfy. It was sunny and warm and as I sat people watching and studying my guide book I reflected on what a great decision I'd made.

A bit more wandering and I stumbled on a Thai restaurant, it was about 9pm so I figured I should have dinner. I went for the two course 'Prix Fixe' option - chicken satay, sweet ribs with sticky rice - tho of course it was waaaaaaay too much food for the new me. I ate two of the satay sticks, and three tiny pieces of rib along with a mouthful of rice, and that was me full up! The waiter gave me an odd look as if to say 'what's wrong with our food?' I said how good it was but I was full. He just smiled and took the plates away.

I can tell what he was thinking. If I was a size 0, you just know they'd think 'fair enough, she's obviously anorexic' but while I am considerably smaller than I was three months ago, I aint exactly skinny, and you can see them thinking 'full, yeah right! who does she think she's fooling, she'll probably stop off at Maccy D's on the way home!'

I found my way back to the hotel and put the telly on. Hmmmmm according to the channel guide there's a couple of english speaking channels available, but unless the weather's really turned since I left this lunchtime, there's nothing but snow! I ended up watching the various French channels available while I chilled out and made my plans for Tuesday. Perhaps I'll soak up some of the language via the telly.

I was up and out by 11-ish on Tuesday, and went for breakfast by the Pompidou Centre. The sun was blazing as I sipped my Cafe au Lait and nibbled on a croissant (Cliches R Us!). This american couple came and sat by me but moved when I lit a fag - we were outside ffs!!!!! The irony is, they finished their coffee, then went and watched some dodgy old street performer doing tricks with cigarettes and gave him money when he passed the hat around! They coulda sat next to me for free!

Walking down to the Isle de la Citie and Notre Dame, I was struck by just how beautiful Paris is, breathtakingly so. The church was heaving with tourists, most of whom were ignoring the 'no photos' signs posted everywhere, as well as the signs asking them to be quiet as there were people actually in there trying to pray. People's insensitivity astounds me at times. Notre Dame is a gorgeous building, the stained glass windows are amazing, I'll bet it's even lovlier when it's empty!

I left there and carried on wandering, found a great little cafe for lunch, again what would've been a normal sized portion to me before just seemed like a vast amount of food for one person. I ate a bit of it and worked on not getting a complex about not clearing my plate.

It was time to use my Metro pass and somehow I managed to negotiate my way over to The Cartier Foundation, for the David Lynch show called The Air Is On Fire. I was dead proud of myself as their maps aint as clear as our Tube maps. The space was filled with his paintings, in sets designed by him with a very Twin Peaks-ian type soundtrack thundering ominously in the background. The work is pretty much what you'd expect of him, very dark, very odd. I think he's a bit like Marmite, you either love him or hate him. I have to admit I love him. There was even a little cinema where you could watch some bizarre early movie about a little boy who grows a woman from a seed on a bed (typical) I was about halfway through it when I realised I'd seen it before at some retrospecitive at the Scala I think, but the seats were so comfy I stayed and watched it till the end.

Then it was back out into the blinding sunlight and over to Rue St Honore to see 'lifestyle' shop Collette. According to the guidebook it was the best shop in Paris. What it actually was, was a more expensive Urban Outfitters. Full of very expensive fripperies for people who have tons of wedge and dunno what to do with it all.

I decided to go somewhere more within my price range so walked over to Galleries Lafayette. What an amazing department store, its like the best of Selfridges and Harvey Nicholls and Harrods all rolled into one. I saw lots of things I could spend my dosh on but as I'd wisely left my credit cards back in the hotel safe I resisted temptation. The food hall is astonishing, jars of all kinds of delicious looking weird stuff, displays of cakes and chocolates guarenteed to make your mouth more than water, it was like food porn for me! I enjoyed everything with my eyes and not a single calorie was taken in!

I was thoroughly shagged out by then so I hopped in a cab back to the hotel for a cup of green tea and a relax before dinner. By now I was getting a bit fed up of paying 20 euros for a meal I was leaving so I ended up having a pastrami beigal and a coffee at a little pavement cafe not far from the hotel, well I say a beigel, half a beigel is the truth.

Another wander to walk it off then it was back for a much needed soak in the bath. I don't think I've ever walked so much in my life!

Part 2 to follow when I've got more time.