Ah ...... Paris!

I'm sitting at the writing desk in my room of the Hotel Porte Doree. It is 8.20pm and there is still some light. The threatening clouds of an hour ago have passed and there is some color in the sky indicating, I hope, good weather for tomorrow. I am sipping on a petite bottle of French champagne that Madeleine gave me and listening to Tommy Emmanuel, as other than CNN there is no TV in English.



My view

So how was the journey to this point? I left Richmond allowing lots of time as I was concerned I'd have difficulty. Other than the cab that was booked for 10 not appearing and plan B not arriving until 10.30, all went very smoothly. Madeleine's detailed description linked with the advice I'd been given from the hotel here. The Eurostar itself a very pleasant traveling experience. I was so shocked when booking how cheap it was that I splurged and went first class. The seats very comfortable and the lunch delightfully French. Like a good Australian I took advantage of the free grog and had two wines hoping that making a cocktail with that and a few Neurofen Plus I might get an afternoon snooze. Didn't work but generally I would say it has been one of my better mouth days. Though it has started to hurt now .... It's knows it's nearly bedtime!

I struggled on various sets of station stairs between the two cities but it wasn't too bad. As I started the final and biggest set of stairs a youth, late teens early twenties came to my aid. I wish I knew how to say in French "Your mother would be proud!" but had to do lots of "Merci monsieur". So yes I survived the journey which from my tavelleing experience these linking days can be the most stressful (can't they Lisa!). Best news is that there is a shuttle bus I can get from the door here to the correct terminal on Wednesday for the return flight. Yeh!

One Metro station, can't remember which one, there was a group of baskers who filled the gap left by Covent Garden by greeting me with Pachabel's Canon.

The most interesting part of today's,journey brings me back to a concept I reflected on last year in Canada, that of perspective. Last time I journeyed from London to Paris was by hovercraft and bus. It was after spending two weeks in the magnificent rolling hills of Ireland. I thought the landscape was flat and boring and was very disappointed with my first taste of France. Six years later we flew from Paris to London and the incredible patchwork spread beneath us of the intensive agriculture of north west France was unbelievably impressive. So today with almost the same land trip as the first I was now impressed with the colors and textures before me, knowing the piece they play to create the magnificent patchwork from above. It's all about perspective!

Sadly no photos til I return :-(  (Sunday 22nd ... I'M BACK!)