Hi gang hope you are all well, I'm currently in Melun with my family thats here, we are not going skiing, thank god, but are staying here for my last week in France, it is going to go so quickly i can already tell. Anyway where we left off.....
Tuesday i got up and got my self ready for my train back to Paris, i took photos of my local little places and started the long drag of my suitcase (it's way too heavy). The TGV was fine, very fast but finally no transportation problems. Then i got in at Gare de Montparnasse and navigated my way through the station to the Metro, bought my ticket and then got my suitcase jammed in the doors!!!!! Some ladies had to help me yank it out. Then i took my first metro to Place d'Italie and then had to change lines to get to my final destination Place Monge, unfortunately i had to carry my over weight suitcase up lots and lots of stairs, too many, it hurt. I started trying to work out where i was and find the hostel. I was staying in the Latin Quarter near the Universities and such, plus lots of cake shops and so on! I eventually found my hostel on its tiny one way cobble stone street, and left my bags before heading off to amuse myself before being allowed in my room. I went and bought a new novel, (Thanks so much chez i have found a new author to love) and looked in souvenir shops etc to work out what was around. Siamak wasnt arriving til later and i wasn't allowed in my room so i just wandered. Then i headed back to the hostel and stopped in the library next door to read and write 2 postcards then went and waited for Siamak to arrive.....but he was very late, so instead i got my room key etc and bribed a boy with a twix bar to carry my suitcase up the small staircase one floor to my room, a worthy bribe. I then learnt that he and his mate were AUSTRALIANS, from Canberrra (again) so i played cards with them until Siamak arrived, that was so exciting, nice to see a friendly face! We stayed in the rest of the night with the exception of going out for tea! Very nice to be back in Paris and with someone i know, is going to be very exciting!
Wednesday we set off of Centre Pompidou, the modern art gallery. We walked there from the hostel, took us about 20 minutes, maybe less. It was raining and grey but we survived. Centre Pompidou was incredible, very different to so much of the other pieces i have sen but in a good way. Some of the pieces were a little bizarre but otherwise very lovely! Then we had a very large lunch and caught the train to cemitiere pere lachaise and saw James Morrison, Oscar Wilde and Jane Avril (a dancer from the Moulin Rouge whom Toulous Lautrec liked alot). It was still raining but we survived, all grey and wet is the only way i know Paris. We had a drink in a cafe near the exit of the cemetary and then started a long walk to the Louvre, passed place de la Bastille (where the king was beheaded etc) and watched as the darkness set in over Paris. We got to the louvre, i had heard it was free for ppl under 25 on wednesdays, i was wrong. So instead we went and found Charlie at his workplace, he made us very very strong drinks (we were giggling like little school girls) and we talked and organised to go out tonight! Then we walked back to the hostel (it wwas fairly late at this stage) and got a frozen quiche to have for dinner. We sat up and watched a dodgey movie on Siaaks laptop and then slept.
Thursday we headed towards the Eiffel Tower by metro. We got out of the station and were a little confussed as we couldn't see the Eiffel Tower but then we turned the corner and voilà it was there, along with the Australian Embassy! We attempted to take photos of the eiffel tower with the flag flying but the wind did not cooperate! (NB i just go given a glass of white wine, sorry if i start making mistakes). Anyway as it was raining again we kept moving towards the eiffel tower and then to a museum i think that is opposite the eiffel tower but has a great view and is better to get photos. Then we headed to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees. We walked down the Champs elysees aand looked in the disney store and the little markets at the end. Then we continued past the Louvre and bought la sorbonne jumpers! We continued on foot to the hostel, via il de la cite, the island in the middle of the seine where notre dame is. We found a gorgeous deserted little square, it was really beautiful. Then we finally arrived back at the hostel, we think it was about 8kms of walking, we were very tired. So we stayed in again, met more Australians, this time from Victoria and Tasmania, and got dinner from down the street, we had a quarter of chicken and potatos for 2,80€ it was AWESOME!
Friday we caught the metro to Montmartre and had a very Amelie day. we walked up to Sacre Coeur in the SUN! It was the first time i think i have been in Paris with sun! Then we walked to a gorgeous steet that isn't touristique and found lunch and saw the nicer, less known side of Paris! We ate lunch looking at the Moulin Rouge and then continued to the place du tertre ( the artists square) and the streets around Sacre Coeur, more walking up hill and avoiding of people trying to force us in to fgiving them money! We then decided to take the metro to Tour Eiffel again to see it in the sunshine, it was incredible. My photos look surreal, like postcards. We got better pictures with the Australian flag flying and had a really nice time looking at paris in the sun. Then we walked by the seine towards the Statue of Liberty that is in France! It was bigger than i was expecting and on a small island in the minddle of the seine. We caught the metro back to the hostel and i started to get ready for the MOULIN ROUGE! I left at 6 to arrive at 630, should have been fine but i got lost =( so lost in fact i had walked way too far. So streesing i ran (in stillettos) through the streets of paris to get there not too late. Luckily it was ok, i had plenty of time to get myself to the dinner. I ate at the oldest restaurant in the latin qurter i believe, it was incredible. I had a salad, chicken and potatos with a cream sauce and crreme brulee, with a glass of wine! Then i headed back to the agency for the lights tour, where 3 other adelaidians were, i swear you could yell out aussie aussie aussie anywhere and youd get an oi oi oi in response! The illuminations tour was ok, my headset didnt work properly but i wasnt phased as i just wanted to get to the moulin rouge! We arrived and joined the long line to get in. After about 20 minutes of waiting we got in and got to our table. I had a great seat with perfect vision plus a glass of champagne. It was everything i was expecting and more, inside was stunning, unfortunately no pictures though, they're not allowed! I saw breasts, and lots off them, the girls all had 6 packs they were incredible. I got a tshirt, little shopping bag and programe and was surprised how reasonable the prices were! Got home at about 130 and collapsed in to bed!
Today i got up and packed my things up for the second to last time! We checked out and headed off to get photos in front of la sorbonne with our jumpers! Then we tried to walk to China Town but were running out of time so got pizzas and ate at the hostel. Isabelle, Laurine (her daughter) and Patrick (charlie's dad) arrived to pick me up but had thought i was having lunch with them...so i went while they had lunch in China town, fancy that, and had some samosas with them. They got a couple of things and then headed to a fromagerie their friend owned to get cheese for christmas (thought of you mum and nannu), i tried some too, the less strong ones anyway and then we headed back to thier house. Isabelle and the girls have an appartment in Melun. Tonight i am going to a nightclub, thats not really a night club in Paris with charlie! I a happy, tired and managing with the french! I cant believe the trip is almost over! Love you all very much see you soon!
Laura
xoxoxo
