31/08/13. LAST DAY IN GAY PAREEE BUGGER

,Slow and easy getting up , reality is it is getting harder to drag HS out of bed . Usual brekky , muesli , yogurt , tea , orange juice , fruit if we have any . Most important activity so far . LAUNDRY . Well HS clothes are getting a bit on the nose  and some of my clothes jumped in by themselves .  Did yesterday's blog while there , either that or watch the clothes go round and round and round , you get my drift . The wheels on the bus go round and round , sorry . Where was I , 

 Are you excited by this photo , how French . It was full until   HS pulled out her camera . Don't they look like bus wheels , maybe you had to be there .

 Stopped at le marche ( market for you lot ) on way back , bought lunch at Boulangerie . Bruschetta for me , Hs bagette with tuna , fish breath . Back home to eat  . 

View from our window back to market .

Another , Thai on left , Lebanese in front , very popular at night .

Off for walk , HS wanted to see a couple of coffee shops that are supposed to be famous . HS happy , ray happy . 

Closest Metro just around cnr .

Must be running out of things to show as HS running out of things to photograph . This is the street all the places HS wanted to see we're in .

 More chocolate

 

And who just had to buy some , look at grin on face will you .

Oldest church in Paris 

Sat in nice garden next to church , shared bench with loverly elderly French lady . As we had 3 pieces of chocolate ,HS offered her second piece to madam French . She was quite pleased , not sure HS was , giving up her second piece , turned out she spoke English , had a French daughter , Aussie son in law and they lived in America , go figure . Two famous coffee spots nearby with a lot of French toffs sitting there and we proceeded back .

Musos were playing , put money in and was retrieving change , didn't do this guys clarinet any good when he hit me over the head .

Headed back detoured to see where Sid and Marilyn stayed , bit swish .

Went back across that river onto the big island across to the small island , all because wanted a special ice cream , new saying , happy wife , happy life . It was worth it 

Little bit obscene looking , but tasted great .

Next , had to have drink at Long Hop , the Aussie bar .

The piece de resistance , HS was holding out for the Blue Train Restaurant ,thanks Margo  ,  it cost me a fortune . 

Don't tell HS , but it was worth it .

Back home via that river , little , island then big island then that river again then home .

And again that's all folks .

30/08/13. Withdrawals , the day after .

 Up and usual breakky . No hurry , I figure the longer we are inside the less photos being taken . Better move HS snaps is starting to get the shakes , withdrawals setting in . Down into Metro , off to Montmartre  , need to change trains , small amount confusion then were off . Sounds like a horse race , there off . Keep looking over shoulder , something or someone is missing . HS quieter than normal , or maybe this is normal . Change trains , looking over shoulder again , nope nothing . Arrived at Lamarck Caulaincourt station . Well I thought we would be above Montmartre and walk downhill to it .whats the saying , best layed plans , no we had to go up , by up I mean steep , 

Arrived at designation , still looking over shoulder , now I know I'm having withdrawals , SILLY not here , she is already in England . 

 To go down first you have to go up 

 I tried to run from HS camera but failed 

 HS let me take photo of her , actually she insisted 

 We realized last time we were here , we walked right past this without seeing it , how in hell can you walk past and not see it . Must have been watching one foot in front of other .

Continued on to see sights , went to Toulouse Lautrecs house , what a wreck . But the upside , boulangerie across road , you guessed food and drink  

 Inside photo 

 HS in window ,ps she had more than me .

Bit of story here , those that now HS history with young attractive Europeans when overseas , I don't know what she did here , but as we left and passing window he called her back in and gave her two croissants ???????       I did get to eat one , so who cares , feed Ray ,Ray happy .

 Van Gogh house , well it was when he was alive , have no idea who's now , who cares . 

 You must know where this is . Moulin Rouge of course . I did forget to point out we are walking back from Montmartre , that's how we ended up here . 

 Some sleeze  sprung trying to go in one of the numerous sex shops . He was offered a lap dance , but politely declined , 

Continued down passed Opera , stopped in men's shop to buy t shirt . Sales man started talking about Rose Tattoo and Angry Anderson and pointing at me , cheek of bugger I don't have tattoos . 

He wants me to bring back Aussie rules football if I come back , somehow he watches the game . Asking me this after he says I look like angry . I would if I could .

More walking , I think HS pointy finger getting tired , or she is missing yakking partner , withdrawals .

 In window near Louvre , wanted to bring one home , bit big to carry and some how probable more than I could afford .besides you had to ring bell for entry , as if they were going to let someone who looks like angry in .i think I'm insulted .

Back to apartment , rest before going to see Eiffel Tower lights at night . 

Metro again , change trains again , improving ,ticket inspectors called me a yank , in his words American , had to set him straight , sorry mate Aussie , they found that amusing ?  arrived at Trocadero  . What a view directly across , from Tower on other side of , what's the name of that river again . 

  See I don't look like angry .

 What a sight , HS or background  ? That's not my hair you see on edge of picture .

 Speaks for itself .

 Buying my tea on way home , well it is 10 ,30  tried hard to get him to smile , so did his partner .

Footnote      Am doing this blogg while we are doing the Laundry .

                    Also forgot to mention when we arrived back in apartment first time we were getting a snack after being there for about an hour , when I tripped over a black bag . It's so dark in the unit unless you put on the dozen or so lamps , no overhead lights , you can barely see . What did we have here , fresh linen , including stuff that wasn't here when we arrived , a towel for both of us , tea towel , bags for rubbish , were in heaven . Apart from the shortage of requirements when we arrived , the bloody lock , which I have reasonably mastered , the dark rooms except at window where we look out , the non secure Internet , we love where it is , a changing market 50 mts at one end of street . That river with the big island and fancy church on it . An Aussie pub , fruit and vegy shop , cheese , alcohol , breads cakes , coffee next to market . Met around cnr . I'd use here again . 

 My spot watching world go by .

that's all folks .

29/8/2013 O my aching ear drums .

AWe're off to see the wizard , sorry carried away , actually the Opera . Get there at 10 for opening , no queues , bloody amazing . So is the the building . I've started to realize that every time I pay an entrance fee , I relate it too how many beers or what food I could have had instead , am I obsessed .

Amazing place and if you want more info , remember I'm not a tour guide .

Sat down on stairs outside to plan ahead and what happens SILL tracks us down , how big is Paris and how big the population . Now you know the meaning of the heading . Only 2 days between , you would think conversation would be limited ? 

Maybe if I take the two of them to feed their faces  this might slow them down . Walked to Chartier , a great eating place we went to last time . I must be kidding , you could feed these two a mouthful of tacks and they would still keep yaking .

One up side is HS not taking  as many snaps as normal . 

 How embarrassing was this , the word had obviously got around about HS and SILL reputation , the waiters were drawing straws to see who was to serve our table . Never before have I had all the waiters turn their backs on us . Well this has done it the Y is being added , it is now SILLY ( sister in law Linda yakking ) .

Eventually the loser came to serve us . He was not happy . would not even let HS take his photo . 

 The duo shared these , and not to be outdone HS did the Pretty Woman thing , tricky little suckers , but the waiter was no where to be seen to catch the shell . You can take the woman out of western suburbs but you can't take the western suburbs out of the woman .

We then left to take SILLY back to show her the champagne bar at GALLERIES LAFAYETTE . (Where are my ear plugs) , the best thing to do was tune out and walk ahead ,one time I thought yes I can hear them behind me until I realized  it was French being spoken , tuned out too much . They were a block back oblivious .

Eventually got there , mostly yak not much snap .

Left them to do there thing went to try buy better Internet , ears needed rest , tried to give them the slip  back at Lafayette s , failed .

 The view from champagne bar , impressive . 

Decided to walk back , via Stohrers , more food , but how could you resist .

 Only bought one piece , could have bought shop . Walked further towards home , found a particular shop for SILLY to purchase gifts , pointed her in the right direction for her apartment , and left in other direction . Bells of Notre Dame started ringing , it's time to say good by , or maybe that was just in my head . Love ya SILLY , will miss you , enjoy your time in England . 

 The Long Hop , Aussie pub just down the  street from us .

 Entrance to our apartment , the lady was asking HS where SILLY was .

 My treat from Stohrers .

A little bit about our unit . I have stayed in places where if you dropped the soap in shower it was so small you had to climb out to pick it up .i have been where you can shower and s--- at same time , the toilet has been in same space as shower . But this is a first where you have to sit side saddle on the loo , and that has nothing to do with my size smart arses . There is no space for any ones knees .

Went back up towards Pantheon to La Petite Caffe , HS had lovely salad , and me a delicious steak , fabulous and popular little spot . That's all folks .

28 /08/2013 now I think I have it right .

Up early , all before have enlightened us about the queues at the catacombs . Metro , getting easier , arrive 45 min early . Bloody queue . South African couple in front of us inform us , that there is about 160 people before us and as they let 200 in at a time we should be right . Chatted with them while waiting . 

10 o'clock comes , open , 1hr later we get to entrance , yes 200 hundred in catacombs at same time but they spread you out . We were 170. And 171 to enter . 

 Steps down  130 of them , and was that a tight spiral . I will give up on the jokes here , not sure how I felt . 1 , i wanted to see it and glad I did . 2 it didn't seem right being there and taking pictures .

It actually was amazing , we walked 2km of tunnels out of 300k's . I will let the photos do the talking .

The South African said there dead , they won't care , another said there souls have left them , they are only bones , still not sure how I feel . One thing I know for sure is I would not like the job of the guards down there , not because its scary , but it is dark , cold and damp in some places . Only 80 odd steps to surface , disenorintated when reach surface ,off in one direction , oops wrong way , last time I let HS Leed way .

Arrive at Luxembourg Gardens , pretty good , but our botanical better . HS wanted to go to specialty chocolate shop she read about . Yep I found it for her , of course , HS happy then I'm happy . In this case I was very happy . Hot chocolate and cake .

 See the little advertising on top , sorry I ate mine too fast for HS to take photo . Everything was written in French and the loverly French lady spoke no English , but I'm sure the signs said definitely no calories . There can't be as there is only fat tourists over here , very few fat Frenchies . That was not a fat reference to this blog writer . I'm sure the more of there pastries I eat the thinner ill get .

Off to see another church , not hard in this place , there's nearly one on every corner . This one St Suplice , seen one seen them all , this one could do with a scrub up inside . 134 years to build , time for spring clean .

HS wants Pantheon next ,( happy her , happy me .) this place is in the process of a spring clean . Looking good . 

This actually the way to the toilets , how clever we're the builders , those hundreds of years back , making provision for toilets with porcelain bowls and running water , very advanced . 

 Why this photo , well HS complained about another photo I took , I didn't get her pink pants  in , well here thy are , woman .

 Here they are again happy now . Note pub in left corner , a pommy pub in Paris , well you would have to have a drink of course .

 The view to another church of course .

Returned to apartment , put together some bits and pieces and meal in .