Paris

Claudia and I woke up around 2 and got ready for a day in Paris by ourselves, since ThiThu was still sleeping. To the Metro we went, a little tired, but in good spirits, excited about our day ahead. Our first stop was the Sacre Coeur, a pretty big church on the top of hill. Apparently this was where all the artists gathered, but we found no artists, instead we were greeted by very friendly young men from Senegal who abruptly requested our little fingers on which to begin making cotton bracelets for each of us. While Claudia discussed price, I was ready to tackle them be it they wanted to grab and run off with a our wallets. This was not the case, they simply wanted ten fucking euros for these pieces of cotton string. Claudia talked them down to 7. We had a laugh about it later, especially since the Cops started walking after them just after the money was handed over. We hung around to see if we were going to get our money back, but soon forgot about it and headed up the stairs to the church. The church was filled with tourists and the line to get it was insane. We decided to enjoy the view which looked over the rolling grey carpet with little orange chimmny etchings of which was Paris. Down the hill we found another Häagen Dazs, consummed and continued down side streets, little valleys and canyons below old apartment buildings labelled with signs indicating the historic people and purposes once occupying them. Onto the Boulevard de Rochechouart we found another Metro and descended to that other level of the city where networks of trains pass under streets and buildings carrying nearly as many people as the streets above. We came out of what was now seeming like little worm holes through hyperspace, to another part of the city in very little time, under Notre Dame, another impressive monument. It was now dark and getting colder. We decided to stop and eat something from the food we had packed in the bag, I had salami in bread, quite nice actually, better than the prices of food everywhere in Paris. Around the back of Notre Dame was a little park which we stopped again to continue eating, but soon got kicked out because it was closing. We cruised across a little bridge and down a cute little street called Saint Louis En L´ile passing cosy shops and cafes specialising in cooking oils, chocolate, spices, crafts, art and wine. We got on the Metro and jumped off only a small way across town near Musee du Louvre (about nine blocks away). Here we found a nice restaurant and decided to come back to it after visiting the Louvre. The courtyard on the east side is completely enclosed from the street and blocked out most of the noise and created a peaceful and awesome moment as we stood in the middle near the pond, watching couples and small groups pass by in similar quiet appreciation. Through the west side exit we could see the glass pyramid which was the entrance to the Louvre. Another very impressive location, especially with all the night lighting and peaceful air now that the daytime tourists had departed and gentle rain kept others in the shelter to the sides. Now we walked across softly crackling white gravel pathways, under the Arc de Tromphe du Carrousel and down towards a large and beautiful park, Jardin des Tuileries. At this point we decided to head back to the restaurant, Café du Pont Neuf. Claudia ordered a very nice salad, and I ate an average roasted chicken with fries. We shared some Rosé and later, some Samura. Claudia drank about half a liter all up, and I had about a full liter. We were shitfaced and after much laughing and toilet trips we thought a nice stroll through that big park we had seen would be a good idea. The rain had poured down during dinner, but was now just sprinkling. We we got to the park the gates were closed and we headed north west down Rue de Rivioli in search for a Metro. It was at this time that it got colder and more windy and being drunk was not helping, but we were laughing our heads off. I pretty much had to hold Claudia up, although I had drunk twice as much, and reassure her on the train ride home (which was surprisingly easier than New Years eve) that everything was going to be alright, which it turned out to be anyway, we even remembered the short cut from Carrefour Pleyel to the hotel. A totally successful and happy day and night in Paris.

Louvre at night

Notre Dame

Notre Dame from the rear

Paris from the Sacre Coeur

Sacre Coeur