What a "GRAND" day we had in Paris. After a quick breakfast (croissant, orange juice and tea) we hopped on the underground to the Opera Garnier to check it out.
It was very lavish and in a majestic building. The hall way at one end was very ornate and covered in gold everywhere.
From there Fiona wanted to get some patchwork fabric from Paris, so we walked around the corner to Galleries Lafayette. We spent 45 minutes there but couldn't find anything to suit. I suggested we ask if they could recomend somewhere else - something I would later regret! They suggested, Le Bon Marche, another similar department store that was a double train ride away (no problem, we're pros on the underground now).
We found our way into this hell hole at about midday with me already feeling peckish.
We eventually found the right floor and Fiona found her own piece of heaven - the haberdashery department.
I left her alone and looked at luggage for 30 minutes while she decided what to buy. As if that wasn't bad enough we then had to try and get served. First we stood at the counter for 10 minutes waiting but no one came, and all the while I was watching this lady being shown buttons by one of the assistants. Some woman came up to us and told us we needed to write our names on a list to get served and showed us were to do this (I am getting very profficient at pointing and nodding in French).
After we put our name on the list Fiona left me to wait while she went off browsing again.
For half an hour I waited and still this woman was asking to look at more buttons - why couldn't she just pick some buttons and leave. Another 10 minutes went by and the lady sitting next to me
looked over at the button lady and back at me and we both rolled our eyes (I liked this lady!).
In all this time only one name had been crossed off the list and we were fourth in the queue and I was going out of my mind.
Fiona came back with some patterns to add to her booty of material rolls tucked under her arm and sat next to me. A few minutes later an assistant walked buy and said in French we were waiting in the wrong area - I understood and so did the nice lady next to me who exploded in protest. I didn't understand a word she said but I new exactly what she said because I was thinking it. She looked at me again and we both rolled our eyes and went to the other counter. Within minutes Fiona had her material cut, all the while the nice lady was talking to me in French and I was smiling and nodding at her knowingly and I could still see the buton lady asking to see more buttons.
After We paid at the register and turned to leave I gave the nice French lady a wave and now some 60 minutes after I first noticed her, the button lady was still looking at buttons.
Feeling very hungry (and frustrated) we decided to catch a train to the red light district and get some lunch. We both had a craving for crepes so we ordered cheese crepes followed by a nutella filled crepe for me and a sugar fiilled one for Fiona. Crepes are very very filling! We both felt like we would explode after we finished so we started walking up and down the strip where we saw the famous Moulin Rogue.
I had looked this up and it's literal translation is Red Mill - which kind of explains why there was a giant windmill on top of the building. Shows here start at 80 euros to watch the caberet from the bar and go up to 180 euros to have dinner as well.
We then visited the Musee de l'Erotique - finally a museum I didn't get bored in!
We left there and returned to the hotel in the late afternoon to pack for tomorrows early trip to Venice.
Our train leaves at 7:45am and we have to travel to the Gare De Lyon (Lyon Station) by bus from our hotel meaning a very early start.
I'm not sure what the internet service will be like from the hotel in Venice but I will post agin as soon as I can can.
Paris Hotels
Send a message
3 votes 
