Started off on the Battlefields tour today with a tour around Paris in a coach and with a local guide. The local guide's voice, and the enunciations, were a little grating, but she was quite informative. Saw most of the sights I saw yesterday - I don't think I could tire of constantly seeing them! We also stopped off for short breaks around the city - in particular at Les Invalides and the Bastille monument. Instead of the scheduled pit stop, I walked around the Bastille area and had a look around at the local market. Was so amazed and loved the smells of the fresh fruits and vegetables, in particular, the strawberries! The fruit and veg looks so fresh and there were heirloom tomatoes, duck eggs, live seafood on ice!
Ended up back in the Latin Quartier with the tour group for a 3 course lunch. Smoked salmon and salad, medium rare porterhouse steak and garlic potatoes and a coffee/chocolate mousse cake - that was so rich, I couldn't eat it all!
We then had some free time. This was the first afternoon, where I wasn't feeling jet-lagged, so I went back to Les Invalides and went into the Musee De L'Armee and saw Napoleon's Tomb. Massively ornate and just in awe! I then had a walk around the Musee and went into a Charles De Gualle exhibition, I was given an audio guide and headphones, but even though I asked for the anglais version, I have teheran francais version, so I wasn't able to experience the exhibition as I would have liked to. I still found it fascinating though. By that time I walked from Les Invalides and down and over the Pont Alexandre III, it was nearly 6pm.
Caught a taxi back to the hotel as I was feeling a little lazy and went into Montparnasse for dinner; where - David Dangerfield, you would be so proud of me!!! - I ordered my meal wholly and solely en fracais! The waiters were even pleased that I had tried and I had a few people from my tour group sitting bear by, saying that I had the waiters eating out of my hand lol! I am speaking a little more French now than I expected to, and have been able to order food and drink, get into a taxi, on the Metro and also into Museums without speaking much English!
Have to get back to my room now. It's after 10pm and I have to pack for an early start tomorrow as we're off out of Paris. First stop... A champagne cellar! :)
Ah the memories!!! We stayed in the Bastille District and I loved the markets. I was so amazed by the range of food and how it was presented.
ReplyDeletePhotos definitely don't prepare you for Napoleon's Tomb. It is so massive!!
I'm enjoying reading about your adventures!
Hi, Caroline good to see you are having a wow of a time. We give you A++ for your great writing. Sally and I have just come back from seeing Salmon Fishing in the Yemen but we would rather be in Paris with you. Very jealous in a nice we love you way.
ReplyDeleteJane & Sally.