Shopping Trips and River Trips

Well the blog is almost at the end now and here are the final images.

These two photos show La Defense, a large business and shopping centre outside Paris

 



 

This is the Place de Republique, just outside my hotel. The square is huge and has been the centre of many protest and demonstrations. After the Charlie Hebdo attack which happened close by people started congregating at the square. The candles, posters and graffiti still remain there weeks after the attack. In the last photo even one of the stone lions looks affected by the attack.

 

Two views of the Eiffel Tower in daylight. On the second one you can see French soldiers guarding Paris's most famous structure.

 

Near to the Eiffel Tower a cycle taxi weaves through the traffic.

 

 One of the bigger river boats on the Seine

 Ons of the many bridges crossing the Seine

 

This is the famous bridge where lovers fix a padlock to the railings to signify their love for each other then throw the key into the river. There are so many locks on the bridge that the council is having to remove them as the weight is affecting the bridge.

One of many river boat companies competing for business on the Seine.



Moving, Shopping and Eating

 

Question. You are a removal firm in Paris and you're helping someone move house. You know you are going to be carrying washing machines, 3 seater sofas etc up a winding apartment staircase. What do you do? You use a fireman's rescue ladder to move everything in.

 

 

 

 

It's Sunday, you're in the Jewish neighbourhood, what do the smart set eat? Falafel of course. It's a Middle Eastern takeaway food and no, I didn't try it.

 

Still in the Jewish neighbourhood notice that the door for Micky's Deli says it has been open since 5755. No, I wasn't in a time warp. It's the way that Jewish people count their years. It's actually been open since 1995.

This is what a traditional Parisian restaurant should look like. Eating outside with traditional uniformed waiters. And no, I didn't sit down, it looked too expensive.



Sign of the times. Sadly since the Charlie Hebdo attacks French soldiers patrol the Jewish neighbourhood protecting schools, synagogues and businesses.

 

If you like seafood (in French, Fruit de Mer) then go to this restaurant.

 



If however like me you prefer sweet foods then come here instead.

 

 

If you like fruit (or radishes) then there are plenty of open air markets to satisfy you.



It's a grey, damp Sunday afternoon. You've brought your kids to the Pompidu Centre modern art gallery. You want to amuse the kids? Ask the Soap Bubble man to keep them entertained.

Pompidu Art Centre

 

 

Arts de Metiers - a Metro station that looks like it was made of metal. It was transformed into a 'Steampunk' in the style of a Jules Verne story.

 

And finally, last meal of the day and what a meal! This is what the waiter recommended. I thought I was getting a shish kebab style meal. As this was a German restaurant what I got was a mixture of duck, beef and smoked sausage suspended over my plate. I think I was supposed to pull down one item at a time onto the plate so that is what I tried. Délicieux!



Best Day in Paris So Far

The day started really well when I joined one of the free walking tours of Paris

 

 

 

This is the famous Moulin Rouge (Red Windmill) in Montmarte

 

Our guide (wearing the pink vest) showed us round Montmarte in the North of Paris which has kept its village atmosphere

 

This is a statue of a famous Parisian singer. The guide told us if you place your hand on her breasts it will bring you seven years of good luck. One of the walking tour made sure he got his seven years.

 

Elsewhere in Montmartre the guide showed us the short bus which was specially built to negotiate Montmartre's narrow streets.

 

This is a dramatic moment. Just as the guide was pointing out a local landmark a small boy (not the one in the photo) ran down the street and straight on to the crossing just as a car was speeding down the hill. The guide grabbed the child back just in time. Cue one very grateful parent.

 

 

This is the end of the tour where you can see the beautiful Sacre Coeur church.

The guide had mentioned three really good restaurants down a side street where the tourists didn't go. I went down there and met up with a really nice couple from Brighton who had been on the walking tour and we had a lovely meal together. I told them why I was in Paris and all about Eileen and they thought it was a wonderful idea. The tour guide walked past, saw us inside and joined us for a drink.

 

On my way to a photography exhibition I came across these wooden sunbeds that the council had left out for people to use. Sunbathing on a cold March day? That's Parisians for you!

 

While waiting to go into the exhibition I spotted this gentleman giving his little dog a lift in his wheelchair.

 

 

After going back to the hotel for a well-earned rest I went out at 10pm for a meal. I came across a nice little restaurant just around the corner from the hotel. At the next table was a family group with a little girl the centre of attention. After a few minutes the little girl came over to me and started speaking to me in French. I managed to get from her hand gestures that she was now three. I asked the mother if her little girl had ever seen a man in a kilt before. I passed my phone over so she could see my kilt selfie. The girl giggled, put her hand over her mouth and then indicated with her hands what a big belly I had. I tried to point out to her that it was really camera distortion but her English wasn't very good. As they were getting ready to leave the little girl rushed over to me, put her arms round me and gave ma a kiss! I asked the mother if I could take a picture of her and her daughter and she agreed. Like almost everyone else I had met I told Eileen's story to the parents and they were very happy for me. A perfect way to end a perfect day!

 

 



Eifel Tower at Night

Four views of the Eifel Tower taken after I walked all the way down from the top.

That's why some of the photos are a bit shaky

 

The last photo shows the tower when they turn on the twinkling lights.

It happens every hour and makes it look like a giant Xmas tree.

The photo doesn't show it well, you really need a video to see it.

 

 

 

 

 

Photography Tour Day 2

After paying for a photography tour around Paris here are three of the photos that my teacher said she really liked.

This one is in a courtyard shot through a carving

 

 

Nice sky, nice statue, what more can I say?

 

 

 

 

Expensive children's clothes displayed in a shop window