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LadyEllen -> Paris (3/25/2010 1:37:33 PM)
In a move bound to produce envy from some quarters, yesterday my colleague and I visited Paris. We'd left at 6am to go to an industrial exhibition seeking partners to develop our French services. Its a very large exhibition so we'd allowed all day to work the room, but by early afternoon we'd finished and had 8 hours before our flight home at 9pm. So we got in a taxi. The driver dropped us at the Arc De Triomphe, which is really very impressive up close though you have to go down a subway to get to it as its positioned on a roundabout with absolutely crazy drivers careering round it non stop. Then, after unsolicited directions and assistance from a passing French lady we got on the metro and went to the Eiffel Tower. Its not as tall as I thought but by crikey the base is large - several games of football could take place underneath it without interfering with one another overmuch. Notable was that the place, for some hundred metres around was filled with gypsies and Africans hawking scale models of the tower and begging for money; this was extremely annoying because we found ourselves turning them away literally every minute. We then got in another taxi for the Louvre. Let me put this mildly - the building itself is a gobsmacking work of art, but when you get inside its simply unbelievable whats in there and you'd need at least a week to do it any justice. Very crowded though, especially in the room where the Mona Lisa hangs, on its own on a wall that only emphasises how much smaller it is than you might have thought. Time was now running out, and the two of us could barely walk another step what with sore feet, so we made for the airport to get something to eat before the flight home. Would you believe there was neither a shop to buy ciggies nor a decent restaurant at the airport? Mind you Charles De Gaulle is very large and complex so it might just have been we couldnt find either. Anyway, we had a slap up meal at Maccy D's so all was well, and landed home at Birmingham about 9pm, thoroughly exhausted. Neither of us can walk properly today! E

Vendaval -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 1:41:18 PM)
Sounds like the 2 of you had quite the metro adventure. Any plans to return with more time and money to spend?

pahunkboy -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 1:41:28 PM)
Gosh- I thought yous had bullet trains ... so you flew. wow. Im glad you had a good time. :-)

windchymes -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 1:48:01 PM)
le sigh I went to Paris 20 years ago and thought it was the most beautiful city I'd ever been to. Most memorable for me was Notre Dame de Cathedral. Always wanted to go back someday.

LadyEllen -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 1:50:53 PM)
We were going to drive, but that would have meant a three day trip instead of one with about the same cost. We could have taken the train too - ordinary down to London then the high speed to Paris, but to be honest I hate trains and every time I go to London by train, the return train is cancelled or delayed for several hours, so when I get back to Birmingham I have to pay £50-00 for a taxi home as the local trains stopped running. For me I dont think I'd go back too quickly, but I'm sure I will at some stage and take a week there - we saw next to nothing really in our few hours and even then it was at a gallop. My colleague though, well she was desperate to get to the city centre and I reckon she'll be back there with her boyfriend within the year! E

DomMeinCT -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 1:51:27 PM)
The Louvre! What a spectacular place. You managed to cram a lot in there in a very short time.

LadyEllen -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 1:54:58 PM)
It was crazy DMCT! We didnt stop from the morning till the night, apart from when we were on trains, planes and in taxis. I dont think we'd have done it without having a pocketful of Euros to get taxis as we wanted though. And I'm not joking about the sore feet either - we both wore heels to be smart at the show, and by about 3pm we were both hobbling so much we were getting funny looks from people! E

LadyEllen -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 2:10:47 PM)
We nearly went to Notre Dame - it was a toss up between there and the Louvre and the Louvre won out. My colleague really wasnt all that sure about the Louvre but you should have seen her face when we got out of the taxi and she saw where she was! E

windchymes -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 2:17:47 PM)
My trip to Paris was also a whirlwind, 12 hours on a bus tearing around the city! I know what you mean about the crazy traffic around the Arc de Triomphe.....our bus driver was a genius, maneuvering around in it the way he did! I always regretted not getting to see the Louvre, but did get to the top of the Eiffel Tower and to Sacre Coeur, so it was a good day.

heartcream -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 2:18:26 PM)
I cannot wait to go to Paris. I have dreams about it, have done for years. My knees will buckle when I get there, I know this. Your trip sounds wonderful. What was your exhibition about? I am so looking forward to getting there one very fine day.

DomMeinCT -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 2:20:37 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LadyEllen It was crazy DMCT! We didnt stop from the morning till the night, apart from when we were on trains, planes and in taxis. I dont think we'd have done it without having a pocketful of Euros to get taxis as we wanted though. And I'm not joking about the sore feet either - we both wore heels to be smart at the show, and by about 3pm we were both hobbling so much we were getting funny looks from people! E Surely the craziest trips with the most spontaneity produce the best memories.

LadyEllen -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 2:30:31 PM)
To be fair though WC - the whole of central Paris seems to be a nightmare for drivers; there is no way in the world I'd risk it in my car - if I want to get involved in that sort of thing there is a perfectly good stock car raceway near here! The craziest of all were the people on bikes and scooters - coming within an inch of death every few seconds as they weave just about through the moving cars. Completely insane. The show was the SITL exhibition HC - very boring I'm sure for anyone not in the business of freight and logistics! But in case you have a teleportation device handy and wish to check it out, its on tomorrow too! E

heartcream -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 2:32:57 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LadyEllen To be fair though WC - the whole of central Paris seems to be a nightmare for drivers; there is no way in the world I'd risk it in my car - if I want to get involved in that sort of thing there is a perfectly good stock car raceway near here! The craziest of all were the people on bikes and scooters - coming within an inch of death every few seconds as they weave just about through the moving cars. Completely insane. The show was the SITL exhibition HC - very boring I'm sure for anyone not in the business of freight and logistics! But in case you have a teleportation device handy and wish to check it out, its on tomorrow too! E Oh I really want a magic carpet. You know like a pretty plush Persian carpet. Sail safely and soundly through the night sky and the stars to arrive in Paris, Australia or anywhere at all!

LadyEllen -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 2:37:45 PM)
From what Brain tells me, Ann Coulter may be able to help you out there HC! I always liked the idea of a magic carpet, but I think the reality of it would be sheer terror E

DesFIP -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 3:03:46 PM)
I haven't been to Paris in many years. If I only had a few hours though, I would skip sightseeing and go straight to dinner. Tour D'Argent if you have a good expense account. Brasserie Lipp for a lower cost.

LadyEllen -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 3:07:06 PM)
We were desperately hungry Des - we had breakfast at 10am at the show (croissants and coffee of course) having got up well before breakfast time, and then nothing until 6pm when we were ravenous and disappointed at the airport - but it was clear that my colleague wanted the sightseeing and that if we stopped to eat then that would be it! E

kdsub -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 5:31:52 PM)
I hope you had a wonderful time...Yes I am jealous you are so lucky to be within reach of so much history…It is a draw back living in the center of a huge young country even if nature beautiful in itself. Butch

popeye1250 -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 5:36:44 PM)
LE, sounds like fun. The last time I was in Paris was about '73 when I was in the Navy. We took the train up from Toulouse(?) What I remember was all the hookers in the city parks walking around with blankets under their arms.

LadyEllen -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 5:44:51 PM)
You should visit now Popeye - those gypsy women are irresistible..............not! Seriously though they were a right pain in the arse. I'm a charitable sort - I gave the old lady gypsy a couple of Euros, but then ended up being pestered for the whole time by the hawkers and beggars. I couldnt even grab a ciggie for them begging smokes and they chased us all the way to the door of the taxi. At least they didnt have their kids with them - theyre the ones you have to watch - the adults distract you whilst the kids pinch your bag. At the same time though as we drew away in the taxi I couldnt help but think what a shit life these African hawkers and the beggar gypsies had, and how much more shit their lives must have been before they came to France if their life there is so much better. Until I rule the world though, there is only so much I can do and only so much I can be expected to do, and giving a little money to an old lady (well, ancient would be more accurate) will have to do for now. E

DarlingSavage -> RE: Paris (3/25/2010 5:47:55 PM)
Sounds absolutely fabulous. I want to go there so much!

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