Day 1 - Paris - Tuesday 17 April

Day 1

Today, I got up and ate a very full breakfast. Normally, I would have either an Up-And-Go, or do away and have nothing. This morning, I ate bacon, tomato, mushrooms, cereal, organise juice, grapefruit juice, coffee, bread and butter, 2 yoghurts and some croissants! The dining area of the hotel was very busy and seemed quite disorganised, and they didn't refill the Bain Maries that often. The place was also filled with a lot of Americans. I am trying to get used to the managerie of different languages around me, and at times, found it a little overwhelming.

I then went to the local Metro station. I am directly across the road from Montparnasse Bienvienue Station, which makes travel around Paris easy. I have been able to say en Francais that I would like a ticket, get on the right line and get off. It was only when I got off and outside the station that was the problem and got terribly lost several times, particularly in the Cite area.

I first went to Les Halles, which used to be one of the largest open food markets in Paris. I knew that it had moved, but wasn't too sure as to where. I ended up walking around Forum Les Halles for a while - which is a multi level underground shopping centre and went into a few shops I had heard of, but we don't have back in Australia; e.g.: Habitat.

I then wanted to go to Shakespeare & Co bookshop; which is one of the best bookshops in the world. The directions for the Metro from my Hotel Concierge was to take the Metro to the Cite and get off there. Luckily, it was the same line as Les Halles; the only problem was when I got off I couldn't find it anywhere near. I ended up getting some lunch - jambon de pays and some hot chocolate. By then it was bucketing down and I didn't have an umbrella with me, so I caught a taxi.

The taxi took me into the Latin Quartier and dumped me a long way from Shakespeare & Co, so I ended up walking down the main street, crossed the bridge and saw Notre Dame. Amazing!!!! I didn't end up going inside as I go in with one of my tour groups later on, but went down into the archeological crypt underneath and saw the Roman ruins of Paris from about c.300AD.

Getting out of the crypt and walking back across the bridge, I happened to stumble across Shakespeare & Co! Went inside and enjoyed the ambience, it was very crowded, and I didn't get to look at the books on sale properly, but I went upstairs to the library and sat for a while, listening to someone play the piano.

By then, I was wet, tired (jet lag) and a bit over being lost for so long. Saw the Fontaine Saint Michel and was fascinated by such a large fountain. Went back on the Metro from Saint Michel to the hotel early afternoon, about 3pm and was in bed by 4pm for afternoon nap! Tiring day, but worth it!