En vacance

A Paris!


Day One:

After the kaffufle of the lost house keys and the final check that passport and ticket are in the bag we head to the Span and then to the airport. Cheers to Kel for the lift.

The flight was good, although we had to sit on the wing (by the noisy engines). It was a little scary hearing the wheels fall and rise and the very loud whirring noise of the engine as it pushed us higher into the air (Just had to keep pushing out that image from LOST when the plane splits in half...) We arrived in Paris on time and, after discovering that Charles De Gualle Airport was the biggest place in the world and taking part in a 20 minute walk through the terminals, we navigated our way easily to the Metro. Span took the reigns on the first french purchase of the trip, replying "Si" when asked a question and then laughing at her self for having spoken Spanish by mistake (Too many holidays at the Villa me thinks) I can't talk though.. despite being the only one with an A level (albeit, a crap Alevel) in French I wimped out most of the time.

The Metro was deserted and we sat down in comfort the whole way. Instantly the architecture and colours of France signalled our arrival in a new environment as we reminded ourselves that the windows were not boarded up- They're shutters....

After sucessfully navigating the potentially frightening Metro we turned right out of the station at Luxembourg, it was only 10 minutes later that we realised that we should have walked Left! Oh well!

Eventually we found our hotel the Trianon Rive Gauche (that link actually has a picture of the very same yellow room we stayed in - minus the flowers) and settled ourselves in. It was a very traditional French place with some very interesting staff.... that'll come later.

Once we were settled we decided to go out for a meal. We hadn't a clue where we were going and by this point it was dark... So we found a restuarant called Le Depart (clue's in then name). As you all know I am a vegetarian... When we were asked "vous etes prêt ?" I pointed at the menu and said "ca c'est vegetarian?" To which I received a torrent of speedy French and the crossing out of several meals, including the one I'd asked about. Thinking that the nice man was now probably pointing at the only thing on the menu that was vegetarian I ordered what he choose for me. Matt has some snails and a steak.. He also ended up eating the PORK CHOP that the waiter served me whilst I chowed down on the mash potatoes. Hannah, Glenn and Matt thought that this was hilarious.. that was my first and only attempt at a full conversation in French. LMAO.

After the "meal" had ended we ended up in a bar in one of the side streets where the waiters were convinced that Matt was indeed John Kerry Jnr! (???) We drank Sangria (no wonder Span was confused) and Mexican beer until we noticed that it was very expensive and decided to move on! Span was twirled around in a Salsa dance on the streets of Paris by the same waiter, whilst trying to escape. She loved it really. We continued to wander aimlessly, trying to get our bearings in a strange land until we got really tired and went to bed.