Paris

Dieser Beitrag ist auch verfügbar in: German

20.07.2013

The night was calm and nobody disturbed us. We got up very relaxed in the morning.
Well, me first. I was out of cigarettes and couldn’t get some in the evening. The cigarette shop at the railway station, just around the corner, was also closed already. Luckily it was open in the morning already. So I went there first of all and bought my drugs. Back to the car it take a while till we could start finally.

The flat of Julias friend in Paris was just 23km away. On the way we stopped at a small Lidl. But we couldn’t get what we wanted, but a post office was around the corner. We still had postcards to send. But Julia had to write hers first of all. So we parked for an hour on the parking… without paying the ticket. :o Then we went to Paris.

The stress on the streets was luckily not so hard. I expected it much more badly. But maybe Inge was leading us good… apart from the main stream. Except of a small stop and go on the highway was there no trouble. And this in the middle of Paris. We found the house of the friend very easy (thanks to Inge) and even got a parking almost direct in front of it. Just she wasn’t at home yet. She would arrive first in the evening. So, our plan for the day was the Eifel tower.

Subway in ParisAfter a small shopping in a small supermarket around the next corner, we went to the next subway station. The nice lady at the ticket center explained us where to go and we went in the underground of Paris. Interesting subway here. Or maybe it just seems ‘different’ to me. We had to go with the line 13 to the next station and then changing to the number 6 till the station at the Eifel Tower. In the subway 6 was suddenly a young guy starting to play and instrument. In the subway and loud. But he was not bad. Of course I had to take out my GoPro and had to make a movie of it. Just before the Eifel Tower station he went around with a cup… why that was so clear that this will happen. But he was good and I gave him some coins.

When we arrived at our station I realized that the subway became an overhead railway. The Eifel Tower was just 500 meter in front of us. On the way to it I realized a lot of black people, which tried to sell toy Eifel Tower to the tourists. Of course were there a lot of souvenir shops on the way. We had here and there a look, but we wanted to see first of all THE landmark of Paris. And we arrived there a few minutes later. In the middle of the city is this metal monster standing. At the beginning of a big park.

Hugo and the Eifel TowerIt is stunning and amazing to see the famous Eifel Tower in real. To see it with my own eyes. It looks smaller in real, then it’s famous status lets expecting it. But anyway great. We sat down on the meadow and tried to realize that we are here.
After a few minutes we went further and had a look around. There are also toilets… totally crowded of course… for woman. The men toilet wasn’t that full.

Then we passed the ticket shops. Up or not up, that was the question. It was around 3pm already. I wanted to go up, I am here now already. Julia was not so interested in it. So we decided that Julia will wait down and I will go alone up on the tower.
The tower has several ticket shops and entries. At one was a very long line, at another one was it long. And then I saw one ticket shop where no line was. I was asking myself why. But then I saw that someone went there and got a ticket. Then was it empty again. Maybe it is a special ticket shop or maybe the people like to go to the crowded shops.
So I went there and asked if I can buy a ticket here … and got it. Through a side entry, which was only for people with a ticket, I could get into the staircase of the tower… took me 3 minutes to get in the tower. At the other shops I would had to wait for at least 30 minutes.

I bought a normal ticket for the stairs, not going up with the elevator, up to the second floor. I was not sure if I want to get up to the top, when I arrive at the second floor. So I went first of all to the first platform. From here I had a good view over Paris already. I went one round around the tower and made pictures. :) Then continuing to the second platform. From here was the view more better. Again I made pictures and movies. Up here are even souvenir shops. I bought a postcard for Anna, but nothing else. It was even more expensive up here.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnd then I saw the line to the first platform and rethought my plans to go up to the top. Luckily I couldn’t even find an open ticket shop up here.
I went slowly down again. The trip in the tower took me around one hour. Not really much. So I had a look first to the meeting point with Julia. She was lying in the grass there and was calculating our expenses.
I was lying down as well in the grass and took a rest from my exhausting tour. :)

After half an hour we got up and started to walk around, to have a look in the park. I wanted to go a bit further, to make pictures with the Eifel Tower in the landscape. During our tour we saw the finish of a bicycle race (Tour de London to Paris). Tomorrow is here even the finish of the Tour de France.
We made some pictures of it, bought some more souvenirs and went slowly back to the subway station. It was already half past 5 and around 6-7pm we had the date with Anais.

On the way back we passed also some thimble rigger. Julia stopped to watch them. I stopped as well and watched it as well. Looked simple. Someone always turned around the wrong one and another one turned around the right one then. It was always clear where the ball is. The point came where I couldn’t anymore… it is clear what’s next. I was 150% sure where the ball is… but it wasn’t there. Julia told me that I shouldn’t do that…
My stupidity got punished very painful. Especially because we are traveling with a low budget… it would have been a petrol filling for the Kangaroo.
I think I’ve learned something from it and will make a big circle in future around this cheater. I was really angry, mostly about myself. The nice money, what I could have made with it this evening… well, it was gone.

We arrived back at the railway station where we started from. A few meters further were the café where we wanted to meet with Anais. The café had charm. The street was very ‘French’. Like Paris is in my head. A small street with walkways on which the cafés put their chairs. And here are the people sitting and drink their coffee or whatever. The people which walk on the pavement doesn’t bother at all that they have to share the pavement with the café customers.

We went to the café, in which we wanted to meet, and was waiting on Anais. She came soon and we sat together an started to chat. :) The girls about their time in Asia, about our trip and a bit bla bla. Things people talk about.
We became hungry and relocated in a restaurant. The ladies ordered the fish menu of the day and I had a steak. And one is sure, Paris is not a cheap city. A dish cost generally 16 euro (and I wasn’t full after), dessert 8 euro generally, beer 4 euro, a scoop of ice cream 2,50 – 4,50.

Around 12 we were back at Anais home. Finally we could take a shower, surfing in the internet and more talking. We could also sleep in her small flat. And the first time since 8 weeks we didn’t slept in the Kangaroo. The girls were sharing the bed and I slept on one of our airbeds.

21.07.2013

We were alone when I woke up. Julia was already awake and Anais wasn’t there anymore. Julia was reading a note, which she left for us. That we shall send her a SMS when we are awake, so she will come back with breakfast. Totally sweet! :) She woke up earlier and didn’t wanted to disturb us sleeping and went to a café. That was very… yeah, sweet. :)

It was already half past 10am when we finally got out of the bed. It wasn’t so nice then in the Kangaroo but anyway great to sleep alone. Julia was sending a message to Anais, that we got up now and she was 5 minutes later back with a bag full of sweets from the bakery. Amazing :)
And I got even a coffee…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAfter the breakfast we started our day trip. First of all was Notre Dame on the list. With the subway we went almost until the doors of the cathedral. The line on the entrance was huge again. But this time the people went true quickly. It looked like we have to wait at least for half an hour, but at the end it wasn’t even 5 minutes. Inside it was like… in a church. Like many others as well, but still different. The atmosphere was different here. I think it’s because of the design of the cathedral. I would say the atmosphere is mystical. It has also huge mosaic windows.
But there is not much to see. We went one time through and sat down after on a bench, before we left it again.

We went further by feet to the La Basilique du Sacré Coeur de Montmartre. Another church. But before we had another plan. We took pick nick stuff with us and wanted to make our pick nick here. The church is on a hill and we went it up a bit, to sit down on a meadow. Of course we weren’t alone there. The place was full with people. The dark colored people was also ‘at work’ already again and trying to take the tourists to the cleaner (partly almost brutally). And direct in front of us were Korean musicians busy to get ready for a concert there. They just made a sound check. It sounds very interesting. We hoped that they start the concert before we leave. But after one song they left into a tent and didn’t come back. Pity.
Anyway was it a nice pick nick. The place was already a bit higher on the hill and we could watch Paris from a bit higher position.

P1000954 (Kopie)After our pick nick we went up to the Sacre Coeur. A church which I wouldn’t recommend as interesting. Only the painting at the front is interesting. At the try to make a picture of it, a guy came and pointed me rude on the fact that making pictures is forbidden here. No I’ll go to hell… if I would be a member of this sect…
We went out there immediately and went further to the place of the artists, named Place du Tertre. It is a square place at which a few artists try to sell their paintings and even paint there in public on the street. Of course are there also some bars and souvenir shops.

From there we walked to my personal sightseeing highlight. The café Les 2 Moulins. The famous café from the movie ‘Amelie’. Anais was with us the whole time, of course. And she was leading us through this big city. :)
We were drinking a coffee there as well, of course. We was anyway really thirsty from all the walking.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe café is a bit different then in the movie. At least was it not that easy to realize that this is THE café. But with a closer look… the bar, the toilets, the door to the kitchen, the entrance door. But the chairs standing different, there are many mirrors which are not that visible in the movie. (I need to see the movie again to check this details. :) ) That we was in the correct café I could realize at the people.
Sometimes came people in, made a picture and left straight away again.
It was definitely cool to drink a coffee in THE café. :)

Moulin RougeA few pictures later (from inside and outside) we went further. Back to Anais home.
After another small walk through the city, where we passed as well the famous Moulin Rouge, we went back to the subway station and back home to Anais.
Our feet where tired and hurting already.
Back home I wrote a bit, Anais was cooking a great salad, which we eat as dinner. And we went early to bed, because she had to work tomorrow again.

22.07.2013

So we had to get up very early today. Anais had to leave at 8 to work. We could stay a bit longer in her flat, to take a shower and so. But at 9 we had to be gone from the parking, because it was free on the weekend, from Monday 9am it became a payable parking.
So, we said Good Bye to our friend, took a shower and then go. Back on the street in direction to Luxemburg. I imagined driving in Paris much more badly, but it was very calm (for such a huge city). The Kangaroo didn’t got even a scratch. Good!

After a quick stop a Lidl, to refill our provisions. The rest of the day we spent on the street, until Sedan. Here we went again to Mc Donalds. We still had to write postcards, which we had to send from France, as long as we are in the country. A bit internet is also always good. After we wrote our postcards and used the internet enough, we went in the shopping center opposite. Outside was a postbox, where we left our postcards and then we went shopping a bit.

And then back on the street a bit. We came till Belgium. Around 100km was still left to our next target in Belgium. But for now we found a lonely, but huge, parking in the forest. Like made for us. We converted the Kangaroo and went around midnight to sleep.

Best regards
Gordon


Bigger map

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Privacy Policy