triumphgal

The day began this early….

Left out of Ebbsfleet station which Nigel drove to. We were there before the shop opened, so waited to pick up snacks for breakfast. Passed through customs where the lovely guard stamped my passport as it was my first entry to France. Grabbed a double Americano, yes 4 shots to get the day going. Started to get excited out on the platform.

Settled in, read and slept. Had to clear my ears when we came out of the Chunnel and then we were at Gare du Nord, Paris!

We had decided the night before that the Big Bus Hop-On, Hop-Off was the way to go and bought our tickets in advance for 20% saving. So glad we booked it and the cruise part. By the end of the day we had covered the Red and Blue roots in their entirety!

first Canadians we met today. I scared her when I approached from behind as they’d already had a pickpocket experience. I do seem to be a Canadian magnet which is great fun.

We circled round about the city so the pictures are going to seem out of order but they are just from the next time we passed by or from my camera vs iPhone. We have had several running jokes, one being that everything is under renovation. As it happens the same is occurring in a Paris. Often I was heard saying ‘oh, the scaffolding!’

Next was a loop past The Louvre and Arc de Triomphe. That circle was far busier than it appears in my video

Next was our first view of La Seine and a route over and along and back which included our first views of the fire damage and rebuild of Notre Dame Cathedral

It is a grand city. And I loved the very jaunty Charles de Gaulle strolling by

Our first but FAR from last view of the Eiffel Tower. We caught wedding photos which is common I’m sure

And up we go! It is hard to make light of all the security we have had to go through on these day trips. Heightened security in major cities seems to just be a thing now. I was aware all day that it was 9-11 as well. The possible threat of the day sat in the background like an uninvited guest. I did entertain many a guard including the one at the loo (yep, the washrooms) when they had to search my bag only to open it to a Wookiee staring at them. Leaving smiles round the globe, that’s my job

I was not anticipating the affect of all the modes of travel, lack of sleep, change in elevation etc on my concussed brain. I soon began to feel/look like a drunk Canadian in Paris as my swishy brain took over. It was only one glass of champagne bought at the summit, honestly!

Worked our way down after purchasing my shot glass up top and wandered over to the cruise dock (first some Hearnden fun photos)

And now back to regular programming

Did I mention we saw the Eiffel Tower? Stopped for a bite along the Seine. I had St Jacque Scallops. We met a Canadian visiting her brother and kept running into them after that

Back on the bus to get close enough to walk to the square at The Louvre. I did manage to capture Rodan’s The Thinker as we went by. (Well the best bit anyway)

These ladies were along with us a lot of the way. They were equally as excited as I was about ‘having a wee’ atop the Eiffel Tower

We got back on the bus again and drove the last of the Blue line which began with a man (Napoleon) on a green stick and went through the racier parts of town that were followed by the wedding shops lol

the system of Take and Go scooters, motor and petal bikes is brilliant

Once back at the station, we purchased smackerels for the ride, assisted an older lady who’d lost her iPad and couldn’t speak French (poor dear was looking for lost and found, dare say it’s lost), paid to pee in another country and settled to wait for the train.

The border crossing left me in a different lane but we ended at the end together and once again I was allowed a lovely stamp.

It was a very quiet ride for the three of us and straight into the sack once we got home.

Of all the pictures Linda dropped to me this is the one from the other day in the Sky Garden that I love the most. I can feel my sadness of the beautiful city thrown into heightened alert due to outside forces spreading fear with random attacks in populated spaces. Having felt the same in Paris and spent time remembering 9-11 today, I am grateful to be a Canadian but wonder how long our false sense of security will last on this Little Big Planet