Oh Paris

So the train from Florence started with some time taking in the sites along with the millions (okay, I might be exagerating slightly) of other tourists. After dumping our magically growing number of cases at the left luggage depot (what's a girl to do with all her shiny new things!?!) we set off into the centre where I spotted Harry Potter in English at a book shop. I have been fighting the urge to stop sight-seeing so I can read it all. Florence was mobbed and after our laid back time in Lucca it was something of a shock. Still, I managed to find some beautiful leather gloves and boots which helped ease the pain. LOL

Arrived back at the station and looked at the ticket in horror as I realised we were at the wrong station and needed to be at the other one in 40 minutes. Quick taxi ride and we were met with the news that the train was delayed by 40 minutes! Train finally decided to arrive 80 minutes late so it was straight on, changed and into our beds. Slept well but was thrown when I looked at my mobile phone and it said Swisscom. By 7.30am we should have been well into France but nope, looking out at the very quaint station with classic swiss chalet style roof confirmed it.

Arrived in Paris 4 hours late, checked into the hostel but we couldn't use our room yet. By that stage we had hit sugar lows and I was asking Euan to stop the world as I wanted it to stop moving so food was called for. With that sorted we discovered that our hostel room had ripped curtains and a hole in the ceiling and when I had a shower I had to keep hitting a button to get the water to flow. At this point I had my holiday moment where things just get a little much and you have a little cry. Euan decided to laugh hysterically instead.

We had picked up a brochure in the hostel for Fat Tire bike tours around Paris so we headed off to check out the night tour. This was just what we needed to shake out the cobwebs as we scouted around Paris on cruiser bikes. Our guide Austin was a gutsy Texan who took us confidently down some very busy streets past some brilliant scenary. It felt a little like a Critical Mass and some of the requirements were the same, be confident, stay together, etc. Ice cream on the Ille-de-Cite and a boat ride on the Seine made the trip very memorable as did Euan getting a flat tire then later losing his chain and nearly the group.

The next day was another bike ride, this time seeing more of the traditional sites like the Eiffel Tower, Napoleon's Tomb, the Louvre, Ecole Militaire, Les Invalides and Place de la Concorde. Euan was the arse man for the day trip as he was now a veteran having done one tour before! His job was to make sure we didn't lose anyone and he did a great job. Stopped for lunch in the Tuileries and enjoyed a chat with some well travelled Californians.

We were pretty tired that night so asked for a recommendation for somewhere French and local so how we ended up trying to order Italian food from a menu in Italian with French translations is anyone's guess. We must remember to ask for non smoking next time. It's been so long since I ate with people smoking around me that I had forgotten how disgusting it is. The Italians have banned smoking at a lot of indoor places and the sooner the French follow suit the better. I should mention that despite the hideous decor of the hostel the bed is comfortable and we slept well.

Today we decided on a change of pace and headed to Montparnasse for the Montparnasse 56 Tour which is a quicker and I think no less stunning view of the city. Spent quite some time there as there is plenty to look out at. Everyone has recommended the Musee d'Orsay and I understand why, it's far more managable then the Louvre and has some glorious Picasso, Cezanne, Rodin, Monet and other Impressionist works. The building is also stunning.

I should mention the lovely cake shop we passed on our way there. I had the most amazing pistachio meringue with pistachio cream, jam and real raspberries. I meant to take a photo but I ate it before I remembered... oppps.

With weary feet we headed back to the Metro however on the way we spotted this rather short but very ballsey lady traffic cop doing her duty as the lights were out. When we sat down to watch the guy on the seat commented on Euan's new Fat Tire bikes t-shirt. Turns out he does all of the walking tours for the company. Honestly, what are the chances of that happening!

Back near the hostel the Tour was approaching the end for the dqy so we sat down for a Tequila Sunrise for me and a Chimay Grand Reserve beer for Euan which made our visit to the laundromat infinitely more exciting. I should point out this beer was the source of the drunkness that ended up with one broken leg for Euan so I am watching him closely. Quiet night in front of the computer catching up on all the news (Bracks, Thwaites, Sheedy, Rasmussen all out!!!) then an early night.