So anyway, I need to report on our day. It started in the usual way with lots of
fruit and yoghurt with a few samples of French pastries – one could spend all
ones time eating here…. Today is to be a
big day of walking with a big gap till lunch so the kids are told to eat up.
First stop is Sacre Couer.
John does his usual great job of navigating the increasingly complex
ticketing systems and tube lines – his French is better than Toni’s and the
kids are still working on remembering to say Merci. The French telecom company has finally turned
the Data on so now we are able to navigate the streets and estimate journeys.
Off to Mont Matre and thoughts are sparked of Moulin
Rouge. Up and up the hill to the Sacre
Couer where a carousel and a harpist await.
It is so wonderful having music in the streets. I think a few more people will be busking in
the streets in Glenorchy when we get home.
Through the Sacre Couer in a throng. We’re ashamed to be tourists, as those around
walk in, dressed inappropriately, taking flash photography, talking loudly and
bashing selfie sticks. The looks from
the nuns were more resignment than resentment.
As an old bird, I concur with that feeling.
On we travel to the Arc de Triomphe. We take photos from outside the centre and
try to work out how to get there. Having
found the stairs we find that it is 10 Euros per person to walk up to the
centre – even for a Kakapo. We decide
we’ve learnt quite a lot at the Paris Story and don’t need to see the Arc de
Triomphe and head on to the Champs Elysee.
Walking down the world’s best avenue (according to the
French), Toni and Lucy are able to indulge in a little shopping whilst John and
the kids and I get bored. Having travelled
very lightly, a lot of the family’s clothes have holes and are faded. Lucy cannot resist the horse leggings and
James agrees to another shirt.
At 2:30 pm everyone goes home for a finish up the fridge
lunch, a short rest in the ridiculous heat and a quick email, accounts and
Facebook catch up before heading out on the buses towards Notre Dame. The bus is a great way to travel especially
the double decker ones. I can perch
happily and look out the window. Next
off for a walk to the birth place of Paris and Notre Dame. Much better behaved tourists in the
afternoon. We say our prayers for all
our friends with bad knees, hips and legs and Archilles and light candles. We are very thankful for the wonderful
opportunity we have had seeing the world, catching up with our wonderful
friends and spending such a special time as a family.
Next we walked to the padlock bridge. The kids were fascinated by all the locked in
love of the couples visiting Paris. Mum
and dad didn’t do this in Paris when they were last here together and the kids
find all sorts of places that they could put a padlock this time. Some people had even used bike locks. Next it was off for a ‘Paris Summer’
experience with a trip along the Seine via some of the Paris Beaches where the
kids insisted on making sand castles.
Closer than a normal beach there were people sunbathing in bikinis sat
in deck chairs next to tourists and city commuters. Great sand though and a great atmosphere with
beach games, live music and everyone in a holiday mood.
Back on the metro we went straight to dinner at the most
fantastic little Brasserie called Le Petit Chateau D’eau. The service, the food and the wines were
fantastic with a small price and a great atmosphere. We enjoyed duck pate and salmon and great
regional wines. Lovely to have the
family in such a relaxed mood even though they had to say goodbye to
Europe. For me, I want more space – a
bit more park to play in, trees to claw my way up and some good bugs to chew
on, time to leave the snails behind. So
for today and the last full day in Continental Europe, this is Maverick – over
and out.
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