Paris!!

Well the camper was put to the test even while driving through the Netherlands on my route to France. With super strong winds, it felt like it may take forever to get there, especially as the hills started to roll as I made way through Belgium and onto Northern France.

            I was happily pleased to know that the camper was working good and sound from it’s last little visit to the mechanic and was hoping that it would stay that way all the way down to Spain. It was a little stressful for the first big day out on the road battling the winds and hills in the high-top camper and what was only suppose to be a certain amount of time had 2 hours extra added on it simply because of this. This part of the trip had to be the most boring section with little to see except the highway until near the south of Belgium when it opened up a bit to see various farmland and green hills.

            Finally I got off the main highway at the last leg of the days trip towards a campsite about an hours drive away from Paris.  The campsite was called “Mont Cesar” and it was definitely a campground on top of the mountain! When I arrived the lady gave my camper a quick look and said that I may want to walk ahead and see the road before trying to get up with the camper just in case it would be too steep and curvy. So a quick jaunt up the way and a good time to stretch the legs after the days drive and I was sure the camper could do the job. Up the hill we went to a beautiful spot tucked in the trees. Because it was the off-season, there were only 5 other campers in this section of the campground, which was fine by me! Mocha was also excited to be out and wondering the grounds after being cooped up inside for the day terrified that my bike was going to come crashing down on her through the seats (it was truly nothing to worry about, but she thought so). After some running around and a quick unpack of the camper, it was time to bundle up at the mountaintop and settle in for the night.

            That night I had sent my friend Ale a message saying that I should arrive in Paris around 10am the next morning and I would see her there. With the cell not working and no Wi-Fi at the top of the mountain, how was I supposed to know that the plans had changed? Not until first thing in the morning as I was leaving did I check to see if I had a response from her, I did and it said that she wouldn’t be there to pick me up (but for very good reasons). So I continued on and let the GPS lead me to the overnight parking I had booked for Paris while I stayed at her place.

I did bank on an extra hour as knowing that the traffic would probably be bad and I was right. But I was only 15min late from the scheduled 10am check in, so I thought I had done pretty good – it had only taken 2 hours to drive about 60km and what the GPS said would take over an hour. So about an hour was spent slowly moving along through the traffic in Paris and I was very happy to arrive at the parking. But now what? How was I going to get to Ale’s house, not knowing the transit and not having Wi-Fi to see the route information?

            I quickly packed up an overnight backpack, the dog’s things and my cameras before emerging from the camper. The guy at the parking gave me the basic instructions on how the parking worked in very little English that he could speak.

First stop would be a bathroom, so around the corner I went to the closest café and while trying to figure out what to do and glaring at my IPhone, I managed to pick up someone’s free Wi-Fi in the area, hooray! This gave me enough time to log onto the Facebook message Ale had sent me and write down the very precise directions/transit instructions she had given me to get to her place and just in time as the Wi-Fi signal disappeared. But I still had no way to let her know that I was in Paris and on my way!

            Just like her instructions had indicated I made it to the first Metro station and after a few moments of figuring out how it worked, Mocha and me were in the tunnel and on the Metro. This was Mocha’s first experience on Metro and I don’t know if she enjoyed all the people, the noise and the corners as it made its way.  A few switches and off to catch the bus, it dropped me right off by Ale’s place and we had arrived!

            A highly pregnant Ale answered the door and we were off visiting and catching up as it had been 7 years since we last saw each other at the end of Canada World Youth. After catching up, I decided to head to down town Paris and see a few of the sights and let Ale rest. She had carefully mapped out my route of transit to take and told me where to see some of the popular sights. I hadn’t realized that the Arc of Triomph, the Concorde and the Louvre were all on the same road, with the Notre Damn and Eiffel Tower only being a few minutes away.

            First it was off to see the Eiffel tower. I must say even knowing that it is a very large structure, I was still surprised at just how big it was and how much time, work and materials that must have gone into it to create this masterpiece. I wondered around for about an hour in awe of the structure and of course getting caught by a street vendor talking me up and trying to sell me a weaved threaded bracelet with France’s colors on it for 12 Euro, it wasn’t going to happen, but in the end I gave him a few for it, why not I guess. I also had to laugh at the police officers that were places here. I’m sure that the officers must have hated being placed in the tourist spots, because it seemed to me that they were more of tourist info guides than actually what they were paid to be.

            Next I was off to the Arc of Triomph only a 5min metro ride away and then from there I would let my feet do the rest (even in the still very uncomfortable shoes I had in Amsterdam). The Arc of Triomph was very impressive too. Situated in the center of a massive ring road, with tunnels going under so that you could walk underneath it. Here I met a very friendly businessman visiting from Iran. He kindly asked me to take his photo of him in front of the Arc and in exchange he did so for me. Then I popped under the tunnel and out to the Arc and took in all the carvings and words that were inscribed on it. Another quick pop into the tunnel and back out onto the main road and off I went, well in the wrong direction for about 10 minutes – then off towards the Concorde!

             Apparently the main drag in Paris is the equivalent of 5^th Avenue in New York City, it’s where all the fancy stores are and the main tourist attractions too. Tons of people were wondering about on the streets and a lot of weaving was involved or scooting around the slow walkers. It finally started to get a little better as I entered the park sections and less people were around. Forgetting what time it was until my stomach told me it was waaay past the time, I had a quick bite as I sat on a bench in the park next to the Concorde. This too was situated in the middle of a ring road, but thankfully one section of the road was closed for construction so it made it easier to cross and to it. Crossing the other side of the Concorde put me into a large park that would lead to the Louvre.

            The park was beautiful, it had various art sculptures both new and old, fountains and ponds, beautiful trees, plants and flowers all intertwined through it. As I got closer to the end a very old and large building stretched up the sides leading you to the back where a glass pyramid was placed for the entrance. I couldn’t believe it, this couldn’t be the whole museum, right? I asked a man at the entrance and he said that yes, the whole building was the functioning Louvre. Too late to go in, I would have to save this museum and the Mona Lisa for another day.

            Since I had reached the end it was becoming late and night fell on the city, but I was happy to see Paris all lit up. The Louvre was hauntingly beautiful and the glass pyramid out front had red lights running through it and as you look back from the Louvre, you could see the Concorde, Arc of Triomph and another smaller Arc all lined up down the road beautifully lit, with the Eiffel tower off to the side sparkling every hour. It was indeed a beautiful time to be there, minus the over friendly Egyptian man who struck up a conversation with me and he thought that he was being subtle in hinting that he may rent a room in Paris for the night. After too much talk, I said my farewells and continued along the canal admiring the Eiffel tower and the city all lit up.  

It was pretty amusing to see the street vendors with there little trinkets of the Eiffel tower and what not walking around with there little green lights.  You know the little lights you would flash on the ground for a cat to chase and paw after, yep those same ones they would use in the dark for tourists to get there attention to get them to stop and buy something, it was hilarious!

            Back at Ale’s for the night and some late night visiting was done before going off to bed after a long day of things to see and places to walk to.

             It was up and early the next morning to meet Ale at the Luxembourg park, but first to squeeze in the Notre Damn first on the way. A beautiful church built between two canals not far from the Louvre, it was done up with stain glass, sculptures and carvings. But not being much of a church person myself, I could appreciate the beauty but it was time to head off to the park.

            I did some wondering around till Ale arrived and we admired some of the sculptures strewn about the park before heading out to run some much needed airings.  Then we parted ways for the day as I continued on my sightseeing and she headed home for some much needed rest.     I was off the Basilica!

            The metro dropped me right before this thin, busy street lined with souvenir shops and eateries. It wasn’t till almost the end did I see the Basilica start to emerge at the top of the hill. Reaching the end of the street, a large/wide set of steps led to the top of the hill where the Basilica sat. Having missed where the tram lift was, I walked up the steps to the very top to turn around and admire the view of the city below. Beautiful views were offered of the city and in the inside beautiful works of glass and carvings were found. I found this church to be more beautiful than the Notre Damn. After visiting the inside I went around the back following the curvy roads that were lined with art galleries and small sweet shops, my kind of place. After wondering through some of the galleries and picking up some of the famous French macaroons I was on my way to the next stop.

A few rides later, I emerged from the underground to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery.  This is the famous cemetery where legends like James Morrison, Olive Wilde and Marcel Proust have been buried. Thankfully I made the smart choice of picking up a map of the place before entering any further. This was the largest cemetery I had ever been in before and a bit confusing. Good thing I had the map or I could have gotten lost! The cemetery was completely surrounded by a large brick wall that kept all the sounds of the streets out and left only beauty and peace inside. Large trees emerged in amongst the grave sights and pathways going here and there mixed in the fold.

Some unbelievable head stones and sculptures had been placed at people’s burial sights, with whole families being buried in one single lot. Huge monuments for the deceased lined the paths and some smaller ones hidden amongst them. I made it to James Morrison, Oliver Wilde, Marcel Proust and Jacqueline Salvador grave sights. James Morrison’s had to be fenced off so people wouldn’t intrude, Oliver Wilde’s had glass around it because of all the kiss marks and Marcel Proust’s was lined with transit tickets. All in all it was a beautiful afternoon to wonder through the cemetery.

Heading back to Ale’s pace I stumbled upon a Friday night market at the Metro station, so some looking around I got some food and some much needed running shoes – ahhhh finally a pair of comfortable shoes to walk in! Back at Ale’s we chowed down on my market finds and enjoyed the evening.

            The next day was a bit of a sleep in and some laundry to do at Ale’s place, and then it was off to the Louver to look at some art. A 20min wait in the line up outside the Louvre and finally I was in, even though I had a map for the museum I was totally confused and I wasn’t the only one. But I managed to go through the different rooms from artifacts, to Egyptian tombs, Greek statues, paintings, carvings, jewelry and so much more.  This museum was truly overwhelming with its floor to ceiling paintings down large corridors of rooms, and then only to have the roofs painted in artworks as well. There was so much to take in and it was hard on the eyes, I think you would need a month just to see everything in the Louvre and then still have missed things. But my favorite had to be the paintings and the Greek sculptures, some how the white sculptures offered a rest on the eyes after taking in so many paintings and art. I did get to see the famous Aphrodite sculpture, as well as the Mona Lisa, Turkish Bath and many more!

The Mona Lisa was a bit overwhelming with the herds of people crammed in all around trying to get a photo of her and I think the beauty of it was a little lost on me because of this. But moving on to the third floor where less people were and cooler temperatures, I finally got to appreciate some of the works including the Turkish Bath.  A few hours was all my eyes could handle and then it was time for some fresh air and walking outside.

            Eventually I made my way back to Ale’s place and we made a delightful apple crumble, although forgotten about for a few moments and some slight burnt marks on it, it was still delicious.  It was a beautiful way to end my visit with an old friend in an old city! The next morning it was up bright and early to get back to the camper and make sure that it was still in tact and to continue the travels through France until arriving in Barcelona to see the sights!