A Sunday in Paris

Sacre Coeur - the church on the hill

The views from Sacre Coeur

A random statue we saw on the way from Sacre Coeur to Moulin Rouge

Another random statue, it was a giant apple with the world engraved on it

And they remembered NZ so I was happy lol

Moulin Rouge

Think this is the Academy of Music... Its a nice big old building anyhow :)

Crossing another one of the many bridges and we passed by some sprinklers next to the 'beach'

Just liked the view and the seat, same bridge as above pic

In the most expensive square in Paris

A Prince's grave in Pere Lachaise

We just liked this one :)

Missie 'guarding' my chocolate

A Russian Princess's grave

One tired girl at the airport waiting for her flight back to Edinburgh

A Saturday in Paris

Waiting for the others to arrive to the picnic, Missie decided to chill with the food lol

The archway between the Musee Du Louvre and the park we were picnicing in

The pyramid marking the entrance to the Musee Du Louvre

Random statue next to where we were chilling (yes its meant to be lying down, I checked that lol)

The Art Bridge from below

Random statue on Alexandre the Third Bridge

Alexandre the Third Bridge from below

Just a couple nice pics from beside the river

On The Art Bridge, we didn't have a padlock to leave so just appreciated all the others 

My version of a tan line, guess where my sock ended lol

A Friday in Paris

Eiffel Tower awesomeness, first sighting, well first sighting that was also a good photo op

Its a lil bit closer now 

Climbing it...

This lawn is normally green but it was the fanzine for the Euros

Enjoying the views

A few pics from the ground

Then it was on to the Arc De Triomphe where we saw this random statute...

And took more pics of Paris from above

Then onto the park with Megguy

Till next time Paris

Sunday evening:

This morning Salome and I woke up far to early for a Sunday (8am but that's only 7am Edinburgh time so it counts as early) as we had stuff to do and we wanted to get back in time for Salome to see her family for a few hours before we had to leave for the airport. 

First stop was Sacre Coeur (the church on the hill, that ain't the translation by the way just the description haha) which had amazing views of Paris and also was super pretty inside. No pics from the inside though cos photos weren't allowed, dumb rude tourists were still taking pictures though. We then wandered to the village by it and got some nice paintings of Paris for ourselves and the flat :) 

Then we wandered for a while, we took the scenic route, to Moulin Rouge. It wasn't open but it was still cool to see. I was that awesome tourist that went to the Starbucks next to it for coffee lol. 

Then it was back on the tube to go to Galeries Lafayette but sadly that was shut. Turns out Paris on a Sunday means most shops are shut. Salome explained that they only open some Sunday's not all. We did manage to find me some French chocolate and nougat which I can't wait to have but am being restrained and waiting till get home for it. 

Then we got on the bus and headed towards home, stopping at the cemetery by Salome's house. It's the most famous one in Paris, Pere Lachaise. It's massive and has some pretty cool gravestones/tombstones more like lol. Missie really loved the princess one (a Russian princess is buried there) cos it's glass around the statue inside. 

We then wandered home for lunch and a rest and to pack and are now at the airport waiting for our flight to board. Sad to leave Paris but will be nice to be in own bed and cooler weather :) 

Ah the joys of traveling, just found out flight is delayed by 1hr 30mins. Oh yay, not!!

Is a French braid done in France still a French braid?

Saturday evening:

Nope, it's just a braid, I checked that this morning after putting my hair in French braid pigtails haha. Also it turns out the sun hates me no matter what country I am in, again mum and dad seriously with the genes you gave me?? They suck arse most the time. Just saying!!!

Today we had a sleep-in and a chilled out morning as we had to make salads for the picnic. We were meeting up with Salome's friends and some cousins for a picnic lunch at the gardens by the Musée Du Louvre, very very nice gardens by the way. We chilled there for ages (all arvo and into the evening) and ate and played cards and Salome caught up with everyone while I people watched and zoned out a fair amount with some paying attention every so often. Missie napped a lot and people watched with me for some of it. We also went and had a quick look at the Musée Du Louvre, not the paintings just the pyramids and used the toilets lol. 

We (being Salome, Missie and I) also went for a wander to see the Alexandre the Third bridge which is a famous bridge, and super fancy with golden statues on each four corners. It was a cool bridge and we also liked that we got to go under then over the bridge where you can put a padlock and throw the key in the river (The Art Bridge) on way there and back. We wandered through some more of the gardens on the way back to the group and both Missie and I think it would be a good spot to read a book cos nice and shady, well not where we were having the picnic hence the sun hating me. And before you think I might have been lazy and not used sunscreen cos it ain't NZ I was regularly applying 50+ sunscreen yet half of me (the right side) is still very very pink :( stupid evil dumb sun. Just wish it would not hate me so much, ain't fun always getting burnt when others don't even have to think about it. 

After the picnic we then headed back home for a quick dinner, I had home cooked rabbit, pretty sure it's the first time I've had rabbit and I really liked it. Was surprised it's a white meat and that it tastes so good so thanks Salome's mum for having some leftover rabbit I could have :) 

We then headed back out to meet up with another friend of Megguy and Salome's and we went to a speak easy. It wasn't what I expected, I thought the music would be quieter and more chilled like jazz or blues (not sure why I thought this just did) but it was loud and hard to talk and more pop and r'n'b. The drinks were mega expensive, I expected expensive but wasn't expecting super expensive. Had a gin and tonic and it was €14, I get that we were paying for the novelty etc but still that's an expensive drink. 

Tomorrow is going to be another full on day like yesterday was, but this time in the stupidly hot weather I will be the one in jeans as legs too sunburnt for shorts or a skirt and don't want sun to see them for like ever lol

Steps, so many steps

Friday evening:

So today started with me being woken up way too early by Salome (ok so it was 7.30 and we had decided on just before 7 but still) as we had to get up and get ready cos we had a full on day ahead. 

First stop was the Eiffel Tower which we walked up after going through security (bag check like at sports games) to get in to the area under the tower then security again (more airport style with bag scanner and body scanner this time) to get access to the stairway up. Sorry pa didn't count the steps but there was more than 10 cos I ran out of fingers hehe. The first level was cool and we walked right around with Salome pointing out all the sights. The normally green field where lots of pics of the Eiffel Tower seem to be taken was more brown and dry than green due to it being the fanzone for the recent Euros (they're a football thing). Missie didn't think it was that hard to walk up the steps, somehow gotta figure out a way for her to have to do the hard work while I go along for a ride methinks. Anyhow after checking out level one we headed up to level two, it's the highest you can walk up and it's about halfway. The third level is the very top. The views on the second level were super cool, Missie was definitely impressed and glad we had gone up. She got very excited when we saw a couple of guys clipped to the other side of the fence and wanted to join in but they were maintenance people so we weren't allowed, boo, but a new potential job has been added to my mental list lol. 

After the Eiffel Tower we got back on the tube (oh yeah we took the tube there, and for most places today) and headed to the Arc De Triomphe. We had to wait in line for ages here to get tickets but when we got through and looked around the base it was super cool, it's like a giant war memorial. We then headed up this, more steps, and it turns out I'm not a fan of walking up spiral staircases, there are no levels to mark progress so no clue how long you've been walking for. About halfway up there was a floor that had a very random statue of a angry looking man with a dragon on his head, yup took a pic hehe. There was also a photo display of uniforms from diff regiments in the First World War, Missie and I agree that NZ had the coolest hat. We then kept climbing and made it to the top. The views were cool, more greenery than from the Eiffel Tower which I liked. All the streets seemed to head out in straight lines from the roundabout which went around Arc De Triomphe and when I commented on how straight the roads are Salome said it was just here they were straight. 

After we got back to the ground we met up with Megguy to get lunch and go shopping. We walked down the Champs-Elysees and then headed for a gluten free bakery which Salome found online. We walked for ages in the ridiculous heat and when we got to the bakery it turned out that they only sold a few loafs of sans gluten bread (gluten free bread), not that all the food was sans gluten. Annoying and kinda gutted but nothing we could do so we went looking for food. We were all starving so found a lil cafe to have lunch, and the food was incredible. So so good. I had some chicken something and a salad, mmmm yummy. 

We then wandered round a nearby park for a bit which was real nice. Could picture going there with a book if I lived in Paris and wanted to chill for a while. Then it was off to the mall to go shopping (took the tube not walked). Missie enjoyed shopping and I enjoyed the shopping and the aircon lol. 

After shopping we said goodbye to Megguy and headed back to Salome's mum's to drop off the shopping before heading out to go to dinner. We (Salome's mum, Salome, me, Megguy and Megguy's boyfriend) went to a local place for dinner that was having a mussels, fries and dessert deal thing. I had mussels steamed with butter and obviously fries for mains and then creme brûlée for dessert. All so yum. Missie didn't come as she opted for a nap instead. 

After dinner we wandered around Paris for a while and Megguy was my tour guide this time. We saw the 'beach' which is a big patch of sand on the footpath by the river, actually looked way nicer than that description makes it sound lol, the Eiffel Tower from a distance, Notre Dame which looked lovely all light up, City Hall which looked incredible and just general Paris at nighttime. It's a very nice city, I like it. Don't think I would fit in all that well though as basically no redheads, only seen one so far, and tattoos are very not common. Salome said they are not seen as a good thing here and I noticed only really looks like tourists have them and if a local has one it's very discreet, which mine so totally are *cough cough* lol

Sightseeing I thought Missie was silly to have picked a nap over going out but on the tube back when all I wanted was a bed I thought she was pretty damn smart. Only two days left and I can't wait but also don't want time to fly as I'm liking it here (again, just in case you've forgotten) minus the heat lol

Thanks Paris for reminding my why I hate long hair

Thursday evening:

Patience people the reason will come soon enough but until then let me tell you about my day :)

So went to work this morning, did the 7.30am start so I could leave at 11.30am to get the bus to the airport in plenty of time and only need to use 3hrs of leave, I know smart girl is me. I almost thought I wasn't going to get out of work, left my desk on time but was talking to colleague who was taking the lift and as I had my suitcase I thought might as well take the lift too. So we get in the lift and the doors shut, then it drops suddenly and stops, then slowly goes down to the ground floor while our hearts restarted. When we got to the bottom floor it just sat there, doors not opening. Wondered for a bit if I was gonna be stuck in a lift instead of on my way to Paris but we got the doors open all good eventually. 

And then there was no more drama till we got to the gate. First they made us wait in the gate lounge, but the board was saying flight on time, then we got to go through ticket control to get to stand in a corridor for ages, then we got to board the plane to be told that there was an issue with too many flights and not enough airspace so we got to wait on the plane for ages before take-off. And ok so I say ages, we were 38 mins late (or so the pilot said) when we landed but we took off about 45-50mins late which to me in airport speak is ages. 

When we got to Paris we got to stand at border control for ages, guess who does not have a EU passport so couldn't take the fast lane... Thankfully Salome waited with me so I had company (someone who shall remain nameless but is purple and a bear fell asleep in the queue, like she so often does). Salome has said she will ditch me in Edinburgh on the way home cos I get to fill in a form and be questioned and finger printed lol I am sure she was joking, I hope she was joking...

We finally got through and made it out to the train station where we met Salome's younger brother.  He met us as Salome was meeting up with Meggy (her sister) to go to the Beyoncé concert and her brother was bringing me back to their house where we are staying. Neither Salome's brother or mum speak much English and my French is rusty at best but her brother and I managed enough to get me back here and through introductions with her mum. I was going to use the google translate app to communicate with her mum but their wi-fi is down at the moment so that is out. However we did just fine communicating through pointing and using a map (we were discussing where we had been and wanted to go, she said Egypt is a must, it was on my list already and I can't wait to go some day) and through using a kids French to English book with helpful pictures to discuss most other topics. Only a couple things we couldn't work out or explain so those were left. The book actually came in very useful for saying what I could and couldn't eat (Salome had told her mum obviously), we pointed out different foods (there was a supermarket page) and I would say oui or non depending. Dinner was also real good, we had pork and veges followed by melon and yoghurt and some of the cake Salome made back home. 

So far I like what I have seen of Paris, well except for the heat. It's super warm and super muggy here, hence the comment that I hate long hair. There's too much of it for hot and muggy weather and I have a feeling that we will no longer be friends come the end of the weekend, not that we are friends really to begin with cos I put a hair dye remover through it last weekend which not only made the flat smell like Rotorua but also pretty much ruined my hair. It's super course and dry now and is like I've been swimming in chlorine and not washed it :( boo hair. Oh and it's back being ginger which is not my fav colour for it. 

You may be wondering why this is being posted at the end of the weekend and not the day as I'm talking about it, well it's cos there is no wi-fi at the moment here and I don't need my phone for anything much else so no point paying for roaming data. Just figured I would type something up as I go, maybe each day who knows, so I don't forget stuff and can remember enough to keep babbling for ya (hehe) and I will post them all on the way back to the flat when I get back to Edinburgh. Pics will come in the next week or so, I say that as my laptop ain't always my friend these days and sometimes it won't make the Internet work and most times I have a mission getting it to recognize when I plug something into the USB ports and as photos will be on my camera this is gonna need to happen for me to get them onto my laptop and then blog. I envision much swearing and a few walk-aways so I don't smash it before it all gets out onto the blog world for you to enjoy. 

Someone is ready....

.... for Paris :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Ceilidh

Went to my first ceilidh on Saturday night (it is pronounced kay-lee for those of you who are like me and don't know how to pronounce that word when its written like that).  It was mega mega fun and we (Salome and I) will def be going back.  Salome has been to a few already but I keep being busy when they are on, silly silly mistake on my behalf.

For those who don't know a ceilidh is Scottish music and Scottish dancing.  It was basically 3.5 hours of awesome music and lots of bouncing, if you don't know the steps you just bounce along in time to the music and you are pretty much doing what you have to, well that and spin, there is lots of spinning involved as well so all around my kind of fun :)

It is also real good for the ego as if you want to do one of the dances and you don't have a partner if you walk onto the dance floor a male will come join you and if not you put your hand up and say you need a partner and then one comes :) or atlst that is what happens at this one which is cool.  There are others ceilidhs around the place but all my friends who have been to them say this is the best one, its only once a month sadly but worth it.

Salome and I went with her friend Lucie who was over for the weekend from Paris so some of the dances I danced with Salome and we took turns as to who was the male, others we danced with actual males.  Some of the dances a guy would come and ask one of us for the dance while we were standing on the sidelines and other times we would go onto the floor and wait for one or find one there.  Me being the demanding kinda forward person that I am managed to tell a guy to 'come' for one of the dances.  It was towards the end of the evening and I had danced with him a couple times and needed a partner, he was on the sidelines and I was on the floor so literally just pointed at him and said 'come', which he did and then we laughed about the fact I hadn't actually said please or would you like to dance or anything even semi polite lol.  Good thing he was a good sorta guy :)

Below are some pics that I found on the clubs Facebook page, Salome and I were going to take photos of each other dancing but neither of us sat out any dances (well except one when we both needed to pee) so that did not happen.  The first pic is of us doing a ceilidh style waltz which we were pretty good at, and the rest are just random ones which I am not in but show how much fun everyone was having :)