Paris Day 2
We ventured downstairs for breakfast just after 8 am and found most of our group in the dining room. Breakfast is included in our tour each day and this hotel has a great variety to offer. I found it amusing that the saucer for the coffee cup is almost as large as the plate provided for food. Paul had several ‘buckets of coffee’ with his breakfast – the cups are huge. I enjoyed eggs, fruit and then a pastry or two. Very unlike me – but they were delicious. So different to the American pastries they offer on cruises – they don’t entice me at all.
Most people were going on a shopping tour but we decided to do our own thing and explore the local area near the hotel.
We wanted to see how the Parisians live. We found lovely patisseries, butchers with aged beef on display, a large variety of clothes and shoe shops, including a bespoke menswear shop, and other outlets like a tile shop.
We did have to try a citrus tart – Paul’s favourite. Half the joy for me was the way it was presented on a gold card with a thin row of meringue. The 6.5 Euros converts to $10.25 Australian. An expensive but worthwhile treat for such a small piece of tart. Delicious!
We just don’t know how people get to these shops as all the parking is taken so early.
About midday we chose a corner café for a light lunch and just watched the world go by. The traffic is like rock and water and people just flow around each other. Not like Australia where it is more like rock meets rock with people demanding their right of way.
The majority of cars driving by were Mercedes (almost all black), followed in number by audi and then a mixture of Madza, Toyota and tiny ‘Mr Bean’ type vehicles. Most cars have minor dints indicating the rock and water collide at times, but we haven’t seen an actual collision, although we have witnessed multiple close calls. I do like to have my seat belt fastened each time we get in a taxi as we seem to go through such tight gaps and get very close to other vehicles every time we go anywhere. There is no leaving a gap for error – it is filled immediately.
We had a short bridge session at 4 pm so we met some more people who a have arrived to join the tour.
At 6pm we headed out to have dinner at the oldest restaurant in Paris, Le Procope, originally opened in 1686. Our tables were on the ground floor with windows open to the street. There is no air conditioning, but a fan was directed at our tables (until the waiter moved it to get to the till.) We had a set menu with 3 choices for each course. The food was OK, but nothing to rave about. This time the focus was the history and culture. The building has 3 floors of restaurant seating, with separate rooms for private parties. There are a lot of historical items on display and the top floor still had the original wooden beams across the ceiling.
After dinner we walked towards the Notre Dame Cathedral to catch the night time bus tour of Paris. This went from about 9.30 pm – to 11.20 pm. For the first time ever the ear plugs fitted in my ears so I got to hear the whole commentary. Paul focussed more on videoing the scenes, while I sat back and relaxed. Quite a good arrangement really!
This tour took us past all the famous landmarks and we stopped in a perfect location to enjoy the 10 pm lightshow on the Eiffel Tower. The weather was perfect – no sign of rain, so it was very pleasant on the open top deck of the bus.
At 11.45 our local Ton Tons bar was closed, so we went half a block further to get Paul his long awaited beer!
When we returned to the hotel at about 12.30 am the lift was not working, so we wearily climbed to level 3. All good. Another day in paradise!
Ahh gay Paris! Landmarks are all very well but the best thing is trying the food, experiencing the culture and observing the people. It has been lots of years since I was there but still remember those buckets of coffee.
Trivia was a success last night. We finished 1st, one point ahead of Already Taken, but alas we did not win the jackpot but they did. We had lots of laughs, Kate picked up Pam and everybody was very pleased to see her.
Pizza Pairs Sunday, Pam will be coming, playing with Anna. You will be missed.
Have fun, Di
Hi Di,
I agree. We are trying to do the ‘life’ stuff. We are a bit disillusioned with the cafe scene as we hoped to sit and drink a red wine and enjoy cheeses, but the smokers dominate and we are constantly in a haze. Not good for my asthma. So glad Australia got it right with our smoking rule in food venues. We are hoping to find different venues when we return and stay near the Eiffel Tower in a few weeks.
Great trivia result. Please say Hi to Pam for us as I don’t have her email.. Could you forward one of my emails to her if she is interested.
Cheers
Ruth
Glad your enjoying your trip…
Thanks Shelly. we are. Hope all is good at home. Please email me for any home issues rather than using the blog. Thanks Ruth
Salivating!!
What a great day for you both. Paris is the city of dreams and beautiful pattiseries.
What a great day for you both. Paris is the city of dreams, romance and beautiful pattiseries
Thanks Kate. Hope you enjoyed trivia. Ruth
Yum. The cakes look so good but so expensive
You are having a great time I can see & very busy
It is certainly a wonderful city & the surrounding countryside is beautiful
Enjoy, ?
We are heading into the countryside today. It was beautiful flying over the farmland as we arrived in Paris. I don’t know what the crops were – many different colours. I will need to do more research. We are being bussed to Normandy today via Monet’s garden….
So pleased you are enjoying Paris. It is one of my favourite cities to visit. Your photos and videos are great and brings back many wonderful memories. Enjoy every moment xx
Thanks Lynda. Hope Andrew had a great birthday. Say hi to your mum for us. Ruth
Yum those pastries look good! Loved the video commentary Paul and glad you got your beer in the end. I had a little giggle….. beats what I’m doing ATM. Some sad news lee’s mum passed away this week. Very sad for her.
Keep your blog coming guys. Xx
Hi Karen, please give Lee our best regards. Yes, he is much happier when he gets to beer o’clock. That night was a very late version after our bus ride around town! Cheers Ruth
Spoke to Kay today. She loves your blog but hesitant to leave comments. Have loads of fun.
Have you come across the dogs in the restaurants yet? We were amazed to find so many in there enjoying a meal as well
Hi Lee, no dogs. Just smokers! Dogs may have been the end of me! Hope you are well.
Loved the video of Paris. So beautiful at night, perhaps even better than in the day.
French patisserie tempts me too. Jerry and I were only saying that last night having just returned from 5 weeks in France. Xx
Hope you had a good flight ‘home’ to Australia. Had another pastry this morning for breakfast….have to be careful to get the sultana ones instead of the chocolate/nutella ones. Cheers
Enjoying all your videos Paul, it is such a beautiful place. Have a great cruise around the British Isles.
Best wishes, Julie.
Hi Julie,
just sorting more internet for our cruise now so will get back up to date. Hope Peter is going OK. Say hi to your parents for us. Glad you liked Bruges too! Ruth
Already replied this to another Julie who was anonymous on the blog – sorry for mix up. Ruth