Road ~ Ride Holiday 2017
Diary – Part 5
Diary – Part 5
Thursday October 5
Paris - France
We have finished our trip to Ireland, woke to a clear blue sky, little wind but very cool.
After breakfast, thankfully we were early otherwise it may have been a long breakfast, we packed then walked along the streets. We had time, the car park ticket was to 10.00am and the car wasn't due back until 11.00am. We found a hairdresser and a Nero’s Coffee, so while Paula had her hair cut Ken enjoyed a leisurely coffee.
They meet back at the room and had the car packed ready to leave just before the ticket ran out. The trip to return the car didn't take as long as expected but for the rest of the day all the travel happening were very slow. We had travelled 960 kms in our three travel days in Ireland.
Slow getting through checkin, not too bad through border security and very slow waiting at the gate to board the plane. Time enough for Paula to find some Ireland souvenirs to take back.
The plane was late getting to Dublin, strong headwinds, late leaving Dublin and even later when we landed in Paris. It was raining when we landed and they needed a bus to come and collect us from the plane. We sat on the plane for what seemed like ages!
Through customs and baggage collection was good but then a bit of drama finding a taxi. Ken got caught up with a group going Asian’s who took a return to get the buses. Ken missed the taxi sign and in his annoyance with the rude Asian's didn't listen to Paula who had spotted the sign. He kept going but eventually released he was wrong, apologised for being an ignorant old fool and listened to Paula. If he’d hadn't been such an idiot they may have saved 20 minutes and missed the Paris traffic grid lock that they encountered on the way in with taxi.
Thankfully the taxi driver had good English and knew a few ways to go to bypass most of the traffic. He took us through the Asia, Africa, China and India (Bollywood) parts of Paris. We also got to see an Orthodox Jewish man with his young son.
We arrived at the Welcome Hotel just as Paul, Beth, John and Geri where heading for dinner. They waited 5 minutes for us to settle then we went for pizza and pasta. Everyone recounted some of the things they had done whilst apart.
After dinner we walked part of the boulevard near the hotel then Paul and Beth headed for bed while John & Geri showed Paula & Ken where some of the supermarkets were.
Breakfast was organised for 8.00am at Paul's.
Friday October 6
Paris - Day 1
Geri & John had slept in so Paula & Ken had breakfast by themselves then set off to undertake the three things they had decided to try and get to today.
We walked everywhere today! Walked and walked then walked some more.
After breakfast we walked to the Catacombs, getting there before 10.00am meant we were in with the first lot of 200 people. 120+ spiral staircase steps to get you over 20 metres below ground to an old, once disused limestone mine.
You are below the sewer, water and electrically wiring of the city and lower than some of the metro tunnels. The sight of the bones of over 6 million Paris residents arranged in patterns with deliberate designs is unsettling at first but you begin to appreciate and understand the reasons why as you follow the commentary on the audio guide.
After leaving the catacombs we walked back to our room through the Le Jardin du Luxembourg getting some artisan bread to share.
A quick break and a drink then walk to the Louvre. We spent nearly 2 hours wandering the corridors seeing The Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo and hundreds of other painting, sculptures, snuff boxes, period furniture, Ancient Greek and Roman artefacts and Egyptian sarcophagus.
From here it was onto Notre-Dame Cathedral. Paula was in line and through the Cathedral before Ken had arrived after his coffee. €3,50 if you have it standing at the bar €5 if you want to sit and drink it.
After this we walked back along the river bank past The Shakespeare bookstore then down a few market streets. Shared a Nutella and strawberry crepe here. Back to the room for a toilet break and a little rest before dinner and starting our evening stroll for some night photos of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
The walk to the Eiffel Tower with the sun setting as a backdrop was nice but still a long walk. We stayed long enough to see the tower's lights flash on the hour before heading off to the Arc de Triomphe.
It was around 9.00pm when we arrived and getting cool. Paula took the 200 spiral steps (which made her a little dizzy) and then almost another 100 plain steps to the top and got some great photos of Paris at night and the traffic around the Arc itself.
From here it was back down the Champs-Élysées with most of the shops still open, across the Seine and back to the hotel. We reckon we had walked 20-25 kms for the day.
Ken was asleep before his head hit the pillow but Paula didn't sleep as well, the traffic and general noise from the street below continually disturbed her.
Saturday October 7
Paris - Day 2
Versailles visit
We had a sleep in this morning as did the others. Again everyone had planned different activities for the day and we wouldn't meet again until dinner.
With help from the concierge Paula and Ken found the best way to get to Versailles by train. We walked to St Michele-Notre Dame Station purchased two return fares and boarded the train which virtually arrived as we reached the platform. The journey was approximately 45 minutes. Once at Versailles we purchased tickets to the Palace and Gardens at the tourist information centre. We were also advised to see the gardens first as the wait to get into the palace, with security checks, was a least an hour if not longer.
The palace and gardens are overwhelming with opulence. The decadence is obscene. A small number having it all with millions of people having nothing, you very quickly realise why the French Revolution was such a powerful movement and so successful.
It's size and extravagance is just mind boggling - you couldn’t possibly take it all in, in one day and that is just the gardens!
The fountains were not all working but we did get to see the musical fountain section in action.
The palace was again just too much, it was a little like being force feed chocolate, you can enjoy the first few blocks but then it just becomes too overpowering and you almost get sick of it.
Literally the fresh air of the outside was a welcome relief.
We were back at the Versailles station by 4.00pm to catch the train back to Paris but this was to prove an adventure in itself. The train was full with visitors, most of them non French speaking. We got to Javel Station when the train stopped and basically, as we began to understand, we were being told to get off.
People in dribs and drabs started to leave. Again an announcement, only in French, and now very irrate, saying the same thing. Stacks of people got off this time! We figured the train was going nowhere so we looked at our options, figure out the tube system and possibly end up anywhere or walk the 60 minutes google maps suggested it would take - we walked!
6.45pm we arrived at the hotel after a few slight navigational detours and a break for a rest, a chocolate and plain croissant and a drink.
We met John and Geri on the stairs and quickly got organised to have dinner with them and Paul and Beth. We also treated ourselves to an ice-cream to share, just to make up for the 'extra' unintended walk. Plans were made for leaving for Orange tomorrow at 9.45pm.
Paula wandered down to a market she had seen earlier and Ken opted for bed.
Paula slept reasonably well for the first time in 3 nights, maybe all the walking had made her a little weary as well and the outside noise didn't intrude as much.
Paris - France
We have finished our trip to Ireland, woke to a clear blue sky, little wind but very cool.
After breakfast, thankfully we were early otherwise it may have been a long breakfast, we packed then walked along the streets. We had time, the car park ticket was to 10.00am and the car wasn't due back until 11.00am. We found a hairdresser and a Nero’s Coffee, so while Paula had her hair cut Ken enjoyed a leisurely coffee.
They meet back at the room and had the car packed ready to leave just before the ticket ran out. The trip to return the car didn't take as long as expected but for the rest of the day all the travel happening were very slow. We had travelled 960 kms in our three travel days in Ireland.
Slow getting through checkin, not too bad through border security and very slow waiting at the gate to board the plane. Time enough for Paula to find some Ireland souvenirs to take back.
The plane was late getting to Dublin, strong headwinds, late leaving Dublin and even later when we landed in Paris. It was raining when we landed and they needed a bus to come and collect us from the plane. We sat on the plane for what seemed like ages!
Through customs and baggage collection was good but then a bit of drama finding a taxi. Ken got caught up with a group going Asian’s who took a return to get the buses. Ken missed the taxi sign and in his annoyance with the rude Asian's didn't listen to Paula who had spotted the sign. He kept going but eventually released he was wrong, apologised for being an ignorant old fool and listened to Paula. If he’d hadn't been such an idiot they may have saved 20 minutes and missed the Paris traffic grid lock that they encountered on the way in with taxi.
Thankfully the taxi driver had good English and knew a few ways to go to bypass most of the traffic. He took us through the Asia, Africa, China and India (Bollywood) parts of Paris. We also got to see an Orthodox Jewish man with his young son.
We arrived at the Welcome Hotel just as Paul, Beth, John and Geri where heading for dinner. They waited 5 minutes for us to settle then we went for pizza and pasta. Everyone recounted some of the things they had done whilst apart.
After dinner we walked part of the boulevard near the hotel then Paul and Beth headed for bed while John & Geri showed Paula & Ken where some of the supermarkets were.
Breakfast was organised for 8.00am at Paul's.
Friday October 6
Paris - Day 1
Geri & John had slept in so Paula & Ken had breakfast by themselves then set off to undertake the three things they had decided to try and get to today.
We walked everywhere today! Walked and walked then walked some more.
After breakfast we walked to the Catacombs, getting there before 10.00am meant we were in with the first lot of 200 people. 120+ spiral staircase steps to get you over 20 metres below ground to an old, once disused limestone mine.
You are below the sewer, water and electrically wiring of the city and lower than some of the metro tunnels. The sight of the bones of over 6 million Paris residents arranged in patterns with deliberate designs is unsettling at first but you begin to appreciate and understand the reasons why as you follow the commentary on the audio guide.
After leaving the catacombs we walked back to our room through the Le Jardin du Luxembourg getting some artisan bread to share.
A quick break and a drink then walk to the Louvre. We spent nearly 2 hours wandering the corridors seeing The Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo and hundreds of other painting, sculptures, snuff boxes, period furniture, Ancient Greek and Roman artefacts and Egyptian sarcophagus.
From here it was onto Notre-Dame Cathedral. Paula was in line and through the Cathedral before Ken had arrived after his coffee. €3,50 if you have it standing at the bar €5 if you want to sit and drink it.
After this we walked back along the river bank past The Shakespeare bookstore then down a few market streets. Shared a Nutella and strawberry crepe here. Back to the room for a toilet break and a little rest before dinner and starting our evening stroll for some night photos of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
The walk to the Eiffel Tower with the sun setting as a backdrop was nice but still a long walk. We stayed long enough to see the tower's lights flash on the hour before heading off to the Arc de Triomphe.
It was around 9.00pm when we arrived and getting cool. Paula took the 200 spiral steps (which made her a little dizzy) and then almost another 100 plain steps to the top and got some great photos of Paris at night and the traffic around the Arc itself.
From here it was back down the Champs-Élysées with most of the shops still open, across the Seine and back to the hotel. We reckon we had walked 20-25 kms for the day.
Ken was asleep before his head hit the pillow but Paula didn't sleep as well, the traffic and general noise from the street below continually disturbed her.
Saturday October 7
Paris - Day 2
Versailles visit
We had a sleep in this morning as did the others. Again everyone had planned different activities for the day and we wouldn't meet again until dinner.
With help from the concierge Paula and Ken found the best way to get to Versailles by train. We walked to St Michele-Notre Dame Station purchased two return fares and boarded the train which virtually arrived as we reached the platform. The journey was approximately 45 minutes. Once at Versailles we purchased tickets to the Palace and Gardens at the tourist information centre. We were also advised to see the gardens first as the wait to get into the palace, with security checks, was a least an hour if not longer.
The palace and gardens are overwhelming with opulence. The decadence is obscene. A small number having it all with millions of people having nothing, you very quickly realise why the French Revolution was such a powerful movement and so successful.
It's size and extravagance is just mind boggling - you couldn’t possibly take it all in, in one day and that is just the gardens!
The fountains were not all working but we did get to see the musical fountain section in action.
The palace was again just too much, it was a little like being force feed chocolate, you can enjoy the first few blocks but then it just becomes too overpowering and you almost get sick of it.
Literally the fresh air of the outside was a welcome relief.
We were back at the Versailles station by 4.00pm to catch the train back to Paris but this was to prove an adventure in itself. The train was full with visitors, most of them non French speaking. We got to Javel Station when the train stopped and basically, as we began to understand, we were being told to get off.
People in dribs and drabs started to leave. Again an announcement, only in French, and now very irrate, saying the same thing. Stacks of people got off this time! We figured the train was going nowhere so we looked at our options, figure out the tube system and possibly end up anywhere or walk the 60 minutes google maps suggested it would take - we walked!
6.45pm we arrived at the hotel after a few slight navigational detours and a break for a rest, a chocolate and plain croissant and a drink.
We met John and Geri on the stairs and quickly got organised to have dinner with them and Paul and Beth. We also treated ourselves to an ice-cream to share, just to make up for the 'extra' unintended walk. Plans were made for leaving for Orange tomorrow at 9.45pm.
Paula wandered down to a market she had seen earlier and Ken opted for bed.
Paula slept reasonably well for the first time in 3 nights, maybe all the walking had made her a little weary as well and the outside noise didn't intrude as much.