9th April 2008
Well we finally made to Paris.
We approached the flights with some nervousness in relation to how Bernie’s back would hold out on a long flight. After an initial scare there turned out to be no need to worry – we took advantage of the lounge in Singapore to get her a neck massage and that was all that was needed to turn her into a brand new traveller. We had a very nice French lady wine maker in the window seat – she and Bernadette managed to synchronise their needs for (very little) little girls room leaving relatively undisturbed. Both Bernie and I go lots of sleep and arrive at Charles De Gaulle feeling really well and ready to take on Paris. Never again (well at least for the time being) complain about airline food – we both thought it very good indeed.
We took a train to the Hotel Des Mines in Luxembourg and I must say that the graffiti artists in Paris are in an entirely different league to those in Australia – I found myself admiring that which was present on the rail line leading into Paris – It all seemed relatively tidy and fairly artistic to me but I guess I should qualify that by admitting that people often comment on my lack of taste!
The train service into town was excellent save for three unfortunate things … Firstly we were travelling in peak hour through the heart of Paris and secondly the turnstiles at French underground stations refused to allow both a passenger and their case to pass through with one registration of the ticket…. After some particular embarrassment as we held up a huge queue of anxious workers scurrying to their places of employment our significant suit cases, some lovely French people came to our assistance and help up manhandle the cases past the infernal barricades. To cap up our trip into the hotel the escalator on the way out of the underground was broken and we had to manhandle the cases up what seemed liked endless flights of stair … once again contrary to what most people seem to say about the French, there were plenty of people prepared to help.
The Hotel Des Mines is a delightful with clean but very small rooms. It is located next to Luxembourg garden on Boulevard St. Michel very close to the underground.
We dumped our cases and headed for a walk around the local environsincluding a walk through the gardens where preparations for spring were well underway.
Well we finally made to Paris.
We approached the flights with some nervousness in relation to how Bernie’s back would hold out on a long flight. After an initial scare there turned out to be no need to worry – we took advantage of the lounge in Singapore to get her a neck massage and that was all that was needed to turn her into a brand new traveller. We had a very nice French lady wine maker in the window seat – she and Bernadette managed to synchronise their needs for (very little) little girls room leaving relatively undisturbed. Both Bernie and I go lots of sleep and arrive at Charles De Gaulle feeling really well and ready to take on Paris. Never again (well at least for the time being) complain about airline food – we both thought it very good indeed.
We took a train to the Hotel Des Mines in Luxembourg and I must say that the graffiti artists in Paris are in an entirely different league to those in Australia – I found myself admiring that which was present on the rail line leading into Paris – It all seemed relatively tidy and fairly artistic to me but I guess I should qualify that by admitting that people often comment on my lack of taste!
The train service into town was excellent save for three unfortunate things … Firstly we were travelling in peak hour through the heart of Paris and secondly the turnstiles at French underground stations refused to allow both a passenger and their case to pass through with one registration of the ticket…. After some particular embarrassment as we held up a huge queue of anxious workers scurrying to their places of employment our significant suit cases, some lovely French people came to our assistance and help up manhandle the cases past the infernal barricades. To cap up our trip into the hotel the escalator on the way out of the underground was broken and we had to manhandle the cases up what seemed liked endless flights of stair … once again contrary to what most people seem to say about the French, there were plenty of people prepared to help.
The Hotel Des Mines is a delightful with clean but very small rooms. It is located next to Luxembourg garden on Boulevard St. Michel very close to the underground.
We dumped our cases and headed for a walk around the local environsincluding a walk through the gardens where preparations for spring were well underway.
