Paris the City of Lights and Rugby Supporters

4 Blog updates in 2 days. Why aren't we out enjoying the sights you ask? And well you might, today is Sunday and we both have Euros burning holes in our pockets so decided after a late start to the day that we would travel by Metro to the large Paris shopping complexes of Printemps and LaFayette. Good plan you might think especially if you are expecting presents! Yes Bernie I am thinking about you!!! Anyway it was not to be because in true French style the shops ALL OF THEM are closed on Dimache so an alternative plan was hatched we would go to the Palace of Versailles using our train passes. Again another excellent plan was foiled because while the Metro seems to be back in full operation after the strike action of late last week the RER trains are on much reduced schedules. So blog updates and a drink in the sun was the final option.

This is our second long weekend in Paris and it is worth covering a few highlights none of which involve going to see any rugby unfortunately.

We are staying in a fairly average hotel in a great location with a few dozen other kiwis traveling like us and also on organised tours. They are a friendly bunch and good to share a drink with and a few "war" stories of our travels. Our hotel is located in an interesting neighbourhood right next to Gare L'Est on of the main train and metro stations. It is perfect to get around Paris.

Our first weekend we arrived by car with Michelle and Zane and dropped our car off early at the airport. Chris had covered over 3000 kms since we started out and wasn't that keen on driving in Paris, which is fair enough after having seen how mad the drivers are here.

On our first morning after meeting up with Mish and Zane and selling the semis tickets we wandered along the Champs Elyse and stopped for a coffee and juice. Warning to all traveller if it looks posh and the table clothes are real linen you are about to be ripped off!! However feeling flush after collecting cash for our tickets I decided the George V looked just the business for our morning coffee. Now we have not been converting our way around on this trip. In my view a pointless exercise but I made an exception here to show the size of the rip off. We consumed 3 espressos (those fabulously strong short coffees that we are both addicted to now) and 4 OJs Chris opting for a large glass and granted they were proper OJ but when the bill arrived for 47.50 Euro (or 95NZD) we thought they were taking the piss. It turns out that Chris OJ cost the equivalent of 28 NZD!! So thanks GV but we won't be going back anytime soon.

We travelled on the open deck bus tour and enjoyed the sights and have managed to do what most tourist do in Paris, the E Tower, the Arc, the Louvre and also take heaps of photos. We walked by the river, went to the famous and so beautiful Notre Dame and climbed the hundreds of steps to enjoy the view and visit Sacre Cour so we have done our bit for Paris tourism.

It is a beautiful city with amazing sights, the people watching is great and the roaming musicians who entertain with sax and accordion and guitar on the trains is good fun.

Apart from the sights though a highlight was discovering a tiny local bar close to where we are staying that had the most sublime jazz quartet playing last Sunday night. We are off to see if they are there again this week. It was a smoky and seedy little place that served cheap but very drinkable red wine and was a perfect place to end our week.

Yesterday the city was taken over by the English and SA rugby supporters. The English were the most obvious with painted faces, loud drunken behaviour and crazy costumes. They were drunk by lunchtime and extremely irritating to those of us who just wanted to forget the oval ball fiasco.

Interestingly haven't seen that many of the same group today, wonder why???

Tomorrow is our last day in France so we will shop and also have Moulin Rouge booked for tomorrow night. Then off on the Eurostar to Heathrow and LA for a bit of frivolous fun at Disneyland and of course more shopping........