July 5-10, Paris

My Paris debut was as dramatic as one could be! I had booked a Thalys hispeed train from Amsterdam to Paris and rolled into Amsterdam Central Station early on Monday morning to assure that my bike wasn't going to be a problem. After some confusion at the information desk and still waiting for help 15 minutes before my train was to leave, a surly ticket agent told me my bike wasn't allowed on the train unless it was in a box! Also, I couldn't refund my very expensive ticket without a 50% penalty and the lady was not at all interested in helping me book a ticket on the regional trains that allowed bikes. I became increasingly obstinate and panicky, telling her that the Thalys website had none of this information, so the lady said I could try talking to the conductors on the platform when the train arrived. The conductors had the same story about boxing the bike but as I was expressing my frustration, I couldn't keep the tears back and totally lost my cool. One of the conductors starting telling his colleagues 'lets find a solution' after patting me on the back and saying 'oh, put on a happy face!' My goodness, what a crazy moment. After being told to go here then there, they finally found a place for my bike and were really helpful. I sat down and managed to calm down enough to enjoy the pastoral scenes passing by - quickly - as the hispeed train left Holland, entered Belgium, and then France. We passed beautiful farmland dotted with hay bales and a few grazing animals - but not nearly as many as in the UK. What luck! I just happened to sit beside a girl from Toronto called Romy and we had a great time talking about our travels in Amsterdam and beyond. Romy, her friend and I decided to have dinner together that evening which was a nice beginning to my time in Paris. We arrived at the busy Gard du Nord train station and I made my way 'par velo' to my hostel, through ethnic neighborhoods and busy streets. The hostel was a bit far and northeast of the touristy bits like the Louvre. After checking in & freshening up, I navigated the metro system from Hoche to St Michel to meet the girls in front of Notre Dame Basilica. As I emerged from the metro station, I finally saw the Paris I had heard about and, wow, it didn't disappoint. The grandeur of Notre Dame in front of me, couples strolling hand in hand, French words en l'air, small shops and cafes down narrow side streets, and the setting sun over the Seine. It was wonderful! The bells of Notre Dame struck seven times and I met the girls soon after, which was no easy feat since there were myriads of people in the square in front of the basilica. We went to a nearby restaurant for dinner where the waiter proved to be a street comedian as well! After our French onion soups and creme brûlées, we walked on the stone walkway along the Seine (as seen in Ratatouille...!) towards the Eiffel Tower as the sun set. There were colorful old boats tied up along the river servicing as restaurants and bars. We walked until we could walk no more then took a cab the rest of the way to the tower. Wow. That's all I can say. I couldn't beleive I was actually here and seeing the Eiffel Tower - the icon of Paris. Looking up, I got goosebumps and, as cheezy as it sounds, made this storied city come alive for me. It took us the rest of the night to go up and down the tower due to the crowds of people at every elevator, but it was worth it.

The next day (Tuesday), I was still recovering from my week long cold and bought a two-day sightseeing bus tour ticket so I didn't have to do much. I passed by places like the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Hotel des Invalides, Champs d'Elysee and Place du Concorde - the last place being where King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were beheaded during the French Revolution. I have re-learned so much French history on this trip to Paris! I think it will finally stick now - sometimes you have to visit a place for these moments in history to have meaning. I got off the bus at the Musee d'Orsay. My favorite part of this museum, besides the amazing Impressionist collection, was an area with intricately and organically designed Art Nouveau furniture - stunning! By then it was lunchtime so I bought a baguette, cheese and few other things at a supermarket & ate it on one of the many bridges over the Seine. This is the life! The rest of the afternoon/evening was spent getting more sleep & taking more Tylenol Cold & Flu medicine (thank you Ilana!).

The next day (Wednesday), I visited the Louvre and saw the required pieces of art alongside mobs of tourists - the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo - but also many others and was pleasantly surprised that, even with the loud crowds, I had a good time. After, I bought a ham & cheese sandwich at a nearby 'fast food' shop for lunch before hopping on the tour bus. The baguette bread here is so good and for some reason, many dishes/food items have ham in them, not that I'm complaining! Day two of the sightseeing bus tour was much more enjoyable - I saw more on the upper level and absorbed more of the tour narration since I was starting to feel better. Later in the day, I walked through Le Marais, a neighborhood that seemed like quintessential Paris. Narrow cobblestone streets with cute cafes and eclectic shops and - even better - no crowds. Ahhh! I stopped at the cafe Les Philosophes for a 'pression' (beer) then visited Place Les Voges (where you can see Victor Hugo's house) and Le Bastille.

The next day (Thursday), I spent all day planning the next leg of the trip (après Paris). It was a bit tricky because the following week was going to involve biking between towns in southern France. I had found good regional maps but none contained recommended cycle routes like the Castles and Coastal route I did through Scotland and northern England. First item of business was of course to change my hispeed train ticket from Paris to Lyon to a regional train ticket! By the end of the day, after a much needed emotional and practical consultation with mom & George, I had settled on a week-long (July 11-18) bike route that I was happy with, from Valence (south of Lyon) to Nimes. That night, I met three rambunctious Australian ladies - Lorraine, Jan, and Bev - at the hostel on a two month tour around Europe like me. We had a wonderful time the following couple evenings hanging out at the hostel & sharing food and stories with several other travellers, including Johannes and Valerie from Germany, Consuelo from Mexico, and Christina from Portland.
For Friday, I booked a guided tour of the Versailles Palace, located just outside of Paris. It was definitely worth the trip! The palace was impressive - the front gates had just been rebuilt in 2008 and decorated with original goldleaf foiling, making it look brilliantly gold and luxurious. After an interesting historical tour of the apartments of King Louis the XIV, XV, and XVI and their queens, I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the gardens, the Trianon, and Marie-Antoinette's estate with a couple from California I met in my tour group which was really nice.

On Saturday, my last day in Paris, I visited a neighborhood that I hadn't yet seen, Montmartre. This was a cheap, less refined area in the 19th century that became a haven for artists. I went on a three hour guided walking tour that started at the Moulin Rouge, in Paris' red light district, Pigalle (also pronounced Pig Alley). We then walked past the apartments and local haunts of people like Van Gogh, Picasso, and Toulouse-Lautrec. We also walked by many of the places filmed in the movie Amelie. At the top of the hill sits Sacre-Coeur Basilica, where we took in a view of the entire city of Paris. Montmartre, like Le Marais, was quintessential Paris. At the end of the tour, we all had a complimentary glass of wine at a local bar and I picked up a baguette and Brie from some reknowned shops nearby as I made my way to the metro. I had an early train the next day (Sunday) from Paris to Valence, so I needed get back to do laundry and pack (ie. deal with the clothing explosion from my bag). I know I didn't do everything there was to do in Paris, but to do that would probably take a lifetime. I felt I had seen a lot and now understand why Paris draws people again and again. I will love coming back, as I'm sure I will, again and again. Pour maintenant, bonsoir!

 July 5

 

 July 6

 

 

 

 

 July 7

 

July 9 Versailles

 

July 10 Monmartre

 

July 11 Gard du Lyon... heading out!