More Travel, Less Travail

Sooooo last week saw me taking a wee bargain break in Paris. I got a very cheap deal with Eurostar and my Priority Club points had mounted sufficiently to get me three nights in a half decent hotel for next to nowt. Basically it would've been more expensive to stay in London for the week.

I headed out on Tuesday and could walk from the Gare du Nord to my hotel. I was too early to check in, but I left my case and set off towards the Louvre. I'd bought a three day travelcard thing at St Pancras and right outside my hotel was a Metro and mainline station so all of Paris was within my grasp.

The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays but of course I wasn't there for the art. I was there for the shopping centre under the Pyramid where they have an Apple Store.

After many dramas and much deliberation I weakened and bought an iPad, and I wanted the little thingy that connects your camera to it so that you can upload photos. There were none to be had in the UK but I was hopeful for Paris, sadly not to be, but I still got to see some amazing sights.
Even the Starbucks are blinging here!

Whenever I visit a place for the first time I have a pretty rigid agenda, but I've done a few trips to Paris so there were no "must sees" - I'd seen them all! - which meant I could do what I love most, wander about, drinking coffee, watching people and getting lost. I'm rather an expert at that now!

The sun was out so I was able to stroll for miles, Galleries Lafayette wasn't far and it was the last day of their sale, so it would've been rude not to have a look for a couple of hours! Didn't buy owt tho! I really don't need any more summer stuff and the new season clothes were just a bit depressing. Winter will be here soon enough!

I went back to the hotel and checked in - taking the opportunity to have a little disco nap before going out for dinner in the Chatalet/Les Halles area. Lovely moules and frites, plus a little look at the Pompidou which still amazes me after all these years.


Wednesday saw me in a Left Bank state of mind as I took the Metro to St Germain de Pres. It ended up being a bittersweet experience as the names of all the streets brought up memories of my mum and dad. Before I was born they were stationed in Fountainebleau and used to come up to Paris at the weekends for dinner and nights out. Streets like the Rue de Bac - where I'd never been before - brought back memories of the stories my mum told of those times.

It made me quite emotional to think of this young woman (she'd have been in her early 20's then) who had sailed from England to Canada to marry my Dad and then flown across the ocean and dumped in a country where she didn't speak the language. What an extraordinary woman she was! That period of her life was one where she was exceptionally happy too.

I had a delicious brunch in Cafe de Flores. It was the most expensive omelette I've ever eaten but worth every penny to be able to sit and watch the world go by for a good hour afterwards. Then I did some more wandering and found myself in my new favourite department store Le Bon Marche. I succumbed to temptation in there big time, buying some Byredo Rose Noir perfume which is the most divine smell I've smelled in a long time. I also fed my handbag addiction with a gorgeous Jamin Peutch across the body bag in a fabulous glittery taupe leather which sounds vile but isn't!

I spent two hours in the gourmet food shop next door too, buying nothing more than a bottle of shower gel! Bliss!

The evening saw me take a Seine cruise which I timed beautifully, the lights came on along the riverside and all the bridges as we set off. This really is a beautiful city, and the Eiffel Tower is especially magical when it begins to sparkle as it does on the hour once night falls!

The next day saw me just walk and walk until I got to the Tuileries. The sun was out and there were chairs provided so I sat and soaked up the rays while I had a little picnic lunch. It felt like I lived there rather than being a tourist!

Sadly by night time the lupus symptoms had kicked in big time and all I could do was sleep, but still, what a cracking little break!