So we hit Paris at the weekend1, and we'd only been there a matter of minutes before Paris hit me. Friday, very early morning Eurostar, but nice, as it was from Ashford, which is just up the road from us. So no need to head into London, or even to get on a plane. "Seu" (that's so, but in a French accent) "seu, what is this crazy anglais doing dropping to 'is knees like that?" "Does 'e think 'e is the pope, why is 'e kissing the ground?" I fell over in a big way, tripped over a wonky paving slab, and hurt both my knees. Was lucky not to tear my good trousers, which I was wearing, as this was the only leg coverage I had with me this trip, I do like to travel light.
We walked everywhere on the first day, heading down from Gare du Nord to Opera, on to The Louvre (though not inside, it's too big and we were only there for two days) and then round and about various bars and cafes, including lunching in Pasta Papa2. This was crazy busy with swish looking French business types. I suspect we had more drinks elswhere on the way to Hotel Marceau Bastille3. This was great, a brand new hotel near the Bastille area, decorated in a cool hipster metropolian stylee. I do recommended it, and we might even return to the same spot next time we go back.
Friday night's dinner wasn't a raging success - vegetarians of the world, do not order crevettes, they are the strangest vegetable I ever had... they were only one part of the starter in one place we went to, the rest was kosher. Kosher, but a bit crap, an overpriced "vegetarian barbecue" of tinned peas and things served on a sizzling plate.
Later Friday night... no, it's gone, I can't remember where we went, it must have been good.
Saturday, we mostly got the tube around places. We walked from our hotel to one of the islands in the Seine for a coffee, then went on a boat trip up and down the river, then tubed it up to Mont Martre for a spectacular view and another great lunch.
Saturday night we sat for a while in an Irish bar (it must be genetic on Clare's part, we just can't walk past one), then ambled further East where things looked a bit more dangerous. Dinner was Italian (I really can't do trad French cuisine), then we hit a hard rocking alternative bar for a couple, and then home. It was exhausting.
Sunday, another early start, at least it meant we had some time to catch up again before work starts over again. For the wife I mean, not for me, though I did have to head into London for a meeting and for an interview.
I'm sure I picked up more business cards and menus and other things to remind me to recommend other places we went, so I may be back.
*actually two nights in Paris, just hoped to get some traffic from people searching for Paris Hilton saucy videos...
💬 RE: One night in Paris* - 9147
Paul Clarke's blog - I live in Hythe in Kent. Wed to Clare + father to two, I'm a full-stack web engineer, + I do javascript / Node, some ruby, python, php ect ect. I like pubbing, running, eating, home automation + other diy jiggery-pokery, history, genealogy, Television, squirrels, pirates, lego, + TIME TRAVEL.