Today we decided to spend some time on the hop on hop off tour buses and only managed two of the four routes, allowing only for a short hop off lunch break. One would definitely need at least two or three days to complete the four different routes and stop to look at attractions.
The day started out very clear but did cloud over late in the morning. Sitting on top of an open bus did prove to be a bit chilly and it didn’t take long for the hats, scarves and gloves to appear. Fortunately, we were supplied with ear buds so were able to follow the commentary in English. Sights to be seen included the Opera, Madeleine Church (which doesn’t have any windows but great acoustics evidently), the Louvre, Notre Dame, the River Seine, Musee D’Orsay, Place de Concorde, the Eiffel Tower, Napoleon’s Tomb and the Militaire Ecole, the Champ Elysees and Arc de Triomph, Moulin Rouge and all the sex shops (again!) plus lots of other very interesting buildings.
After only have a typical French breakfast of croissants and a bread roll (giving the milo cereal a miss once again), a lunch break was definitely on the menu. We were in the centre of the main upmarket shopping district and the first food place we saw was called Fauchon – WOW! A gourmet patisserie, delicatessen and purveyor of fine foods – Cat insisted we buy a pastry, which was served up on gold plates (cardboard) on a fancy tray with genuine plastic gold cutlery. We then discovered their chocolate and fine food shop next door – definitely not an average Kmart shopper in sight!
After returning to the hotel to collect our cases, we decided to walk to Gare de Nord and not bother with another Paris taxi. Not the best of neighbourhoods to be dragging suitcases but we arrived safely and negotiated check-in and border securities without any hassle. The trip back to London by Eurostar went quickly and smoothly. We bit the bullet and climbed into a London cab at St Pancras and the driver actually refused to accept a tip! We are staying tonight at the Thistle Euston Hotel, which is very nice and has very nice staff – we were upgraded on arrival.
Tomorrow a proper breakfast and the start of our touring.
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