20 August 2010 Paris 2nd full day

Crossing the Seine

Lyn on the cruise


Prefecture Police Boat


On the River Seine viewing the Alexandre 3 Bridge


Mick on the cruise


Lyn on the cruise with the Eiffel Tower in the background


Alexandre 3 Bridge over the Seine

Vagrants living on the Seine

Galleries Lafayette shopping centre


Galleries Lafayette shopping centre



26 shades of Cashmere anyone?


Self portrait. There is something really weird about this picture. Maybe it's because I wasn't looking through the viewfinder.


Lyn new earings. Oh, and don't mention the gold chain!



Paris is full of scooters


Coffee anyone?


Lyn at the Metro Station Nanterre Ville where our hotel is

Rail sign


Banana Split for Dessert at Le Royale



20 August 2010 Paris

This morning we awoke to a weather forecast of 30C so we were a bit apprehensive as to what that would mean for spending a lot of the day in the sun. We hadn’t brought any sunscreen with us from Australia and have now bought 2 different types which just don’t seem to work. The current stuff is rated 30+ and still useless.

Anyway after breakfast where most of the stuff on offer is some sort of bread and the only eggs available are cold, hard-boiled ones, we headed off on the train to the city.

The train service seems very efficient and clean except every time we get on a train, some ‘lunatic’ walks up and down the carriages shouting the odds like a preacher. Of course we have no idea what they are saying. This evening we had 2 people a man and a woman both doing it and it was a bit like we were being lectured at. This time there was a lady sitting opposite us with her granddaughter whom she gave a coin to which she then gave to the woman.

There are quite a few beggars on the streets and many women in Muslim dress kneeling down with cups in front of them in the middle of the pavements. They stay there for hours.

Having reached our stop we hopped onto our hop on, hop off bus, to take us to the spot on the River Seine from where the river cruises leave. We picked a cruise that was next to leave and paid our 11 euros for a 1 hour cruises up the river.

The boat was very large and would probably carry a 100 or more passengers. Fortunately there was plenty of room to spread out and walk around taking pictures. Unfortunately it had a clear Perspex top and was very hot inside despite being open at the sides and half the roof.

We cruised up the river getting a river view perspective of all the fantastic man made creations including the many bridges that cross the river.

When the boat turned around we had a nice breeze and the sun was behind us so conditions improved but it was turning out to be a very hot day as forecast,

When we got off the boat Mick suggested a ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower so we went down to get a ticket. We found the ticket office and a queue, so we proceeded to follow it backwards down the line of people waiting. And we followed it backwards and backwards and backwards for about a kilometre as it snaked around the huge area under the tower before deciding that we would grow old before we could get to the ticket office.

Having given up that idea we cooled ourselves under the shade of the tower before heading off to find a coffee.

We caught our favourite bus again and about 2 stops later we got off to have a coffee, at a pavement café, big mistake, 2 small Latte 10€, what a rip off. Back on the bus again and headed into the shopping precinct of shirt buying fame to buy Lyn some pencils as she has been collecting them at all the places we have visited thus far.

We needed another drink to get rehydrated and the airconditioned centre gave us some relief from the heat. We bought 2 coffees at half the price of the last place, what a bargain. With our thirst sated we decided to stay inside in the air-conditioning and explore the 7 floors of exclusive departments. This store reminded us of Harrods particularly with regard to the cost of things and the grand décor.

We found a whole floor of counters with very attractive, beautifully made up females selling exclusive (and expensive) perfumes from all the most famous companies. Galleries Lafayette has the largest range of Perfumes in Europe. Other floors had departments selling all the top watch brands with mind-boggling Euro prices and ladies handbags also with mind-boggling prices. People were actually buying loads of the stuff.

Lyn spotted a Swarovski section so armed with a 10% discount voucher she was given when entering the store, went off to buy some lovely Swarovski earrings that she had been banging on about buying for days. Unfortunately, the small print on the discount voucher said that shops displaying a red dot did not give discounts and you guessed it, the Swarovski store was displaying one.

Still, undeterred, Lyn purchased the earrings for 65€ and we went off to the discount counter to claim a free bag that had been promised if we spent more than 40€ on anything. Swarovski crystal items are a lot cheaper over here than in Australia.

As it was about 5pm and we were getting hungry, we decided we would head home and eat at the restaurant we had found on our first night close to our hotel at Nanterre Ville. They had served great food so we decided to go there again.

And they didn’t disappoint as we splashed out on, Vietnamese Spring Rolls (again) Char Grilled Prawns, Seafood Hot Pot (again), Vegetable Chop Suey, Fried Rice and to top off the meal for dessert Banana Split which we shared, all very yummy.

Another great day if a little hot.