Day 43

Well, last night I finished at the internet cafe after 4 hours at around 10 and started to walk around Paris at night. This was gorgeous ay!! And I have to say.. apart from the Luxembourg palace I hadnt found France or the sights super romantic etc as Paris is made out to be.. but walking around at night had some serious romantic vibes ay.. It was so beautiful.. Anyhow, first stop, the Eiffel tower which was totally great!! All lit up in yellowy lights and a light tower type thing porjecting from the top. I took a few photos, ( Im SO buying a tripod asap!!) then started walking off when it started glittering with all these tiny lights. So I joined a few other people in a run back to a good vantage point. I actually ended up right under the tower which was cool. After some more photos I walked off to the nearest train station (passing a group of automatic machine gun guards on the way ha ha).

I caught a trai to the Arc du Triomphe and spent a while there admiring and photgrphing too. And then I considered going to the Moulin Rouge.. but decided against it as I didnt know if I wanted to be in that neighbourhood at that kinda time!! So I trained out to concord and took a few (blurry... grrr.. no tripod..) photos, then started heading to the Louvre, however it was getting late (midnight) and I didnt know when the metro stopped running. and with no metro I was a pretty lost hope. So I decided to head back home, and finally got to my room about 1 where I met the American and Brazilian roommates that were already there.

In the moring the American had already left and caught a train, and the Brazillian was still asleep so I snuck out to brekky where I saw the two aussies I met on the first night. We had a good yarn for around half an hour, and then finally left and they headed off and I went back to my room to pack up. The Braziallian guy had now woken up and we had a cool chat for a while before he went to breakfast and I had a shower. After this I finished packing up while chatting to him then left to go catch a train to finish off the sights I hadnt seen (or hadnt seen the outside of at least). On the train I met the aussies again and then we said our farewells and I went to the Pompidou. This was OK, and was pretty cool to look at for a while.. but after a couple of photos and looking at a strange nearby fountain I pushed on and came to a church that I think is called Les Halles. This was huge and also very cool, up there with my favourites so far anyway!

After this I called home and had a chat and found out some info before moving on, passing the Bourse which was average, and went through the Place Vendrome which was a big square with a large pillar and statue in the middle. I dunno what it was for but it was cool anyway. i then hit the Opera House.. which I thought was stunning from the outside.. but was then blown away by the inside. Unfortunately the photos are darker than I thought.. But take my word for it.. amaying!! Like a luxurious royal castle or something!!

I started walking to the next place and saw this girl around my age with her dog who was playing with this teddy bear. It was so cute ay!! he was licking it, and playing with it.. gorgepus! I whipped out my camera and as soon as the dog saw it he dropped the teddy and posed hardout at the camera and wouldnt take his eyes off it!! It was so funny!! Eventually the girl got a little of his interest back on the teddy and I took a picture and said thanks.

I then had a Doner Sandwich before going into another unknown church (stupid map!!) I think it was the Trinity church or something.. Anyway in here it was pretty as usual. and I met a friendly as guy who showed me around in French (I understood some too!! like when he said the brochures were free and stuff). I then walked pâst a main trainstation and to Saint Augustine Chutch, which wasnt too bad, but nothing super special compared to the other churches around, just similar really.

From here I caught the metro up (how do you spell it...) monte marc? Anyway.. Up there is the red light zone (Moulin Rouge) and the Sacré Ceur. I first went to the Loulin Rouge and boy was I glad I didnt go last night!! It was sleezy as ay!! Broad daylight and I got approached 3 times by very attractive women who were 'secretatire' at a nearby sex place and wanted to take me in and show me around for 1 minute for free.. I dunno their tactis, but I spose during that minute you meet a prostitute who trys their best to get your money.. Well I pulled a Proverbs 5:8 pretty promptly, and starting winding my way up some gorgeous narrow streets towards the Sacré Ceur.

While waiting outside I saw someones phone ring and the caller ID was 'ma Chérie'. Ha ha I thought it was cool that people in France actually used that.. not just the overblown stereotypes on TV ;). Inside the Sacre Cuer was so majestic.. but no photography allowed, so I cant prove it, but if you have been there you will know what I mean. From here I looked out over Paris for a while then walked around in the awesome narrow streets again for a while back to a metro station. On the way I passed a painter in the streets painting with watercolours. I watched her paint for a bit, took a photo then got to the metro and headed to Notre Dame.

Outside the Notre Dame is 'point zero' where all distances in France are measured to. Its really easy to miss.. and if I didnt already know about it and ring home and ask mum and dad to find out where it was I woulda never seen it.. But I did so that was cool!! I then started walking towards the Pantheon which was open.. but I looked inside and the little bit I saw was kinda average.. so I didnt pay to go in.

I then tried to find a big double steepled church that was on the map and id seen before.. but when I got to where it was on the map it was nowhere to be seen!! That kinda sucked. And all buildings everywhere in paris are like a minumum of 7-8 stories high; so you cant really look out for landmarks easily. I have seen heapsa churches though so I wasnt too upset, and I headed in the direction of the old observatory where the'rose line' from the Da Vinci Code is. But a security guard told me once I got into the grounds that public arent allowed in.. LAME!!

I had now seen all that was starred on my map (beside an arch in La Defense and a couple of high buildings) and walked back up through the gorgeous Luxembourg Palace gardens. I was a little peckish so lined up for a Crépe.. but it was taking forever so I went over the road to maccas and had another of those DELICIOUS peach and nectarine crumble sundays.. Was served by a really cute employee who I asked if she spoke french, and she said 'a little' like everyone does.. but she was so shy and had the cutest little voice :). Anyway, I enjoyed ly sundae and then came here to the Internet café. Ive got fickr fully up to date, and from here im off to pick up my bag then go to the airport (80km outa Paris!!! stupid Ryanair... germanwings rules!) and then getting into Milan around midnight. I hope it doesnt take too long to find my hostel this time!!!!
Oh, and if you have been to France.. dont you think french people park so crazy.. just do it any old place, and double park.. often ill cross a crossing and think a cars about to head over it.. but no.. its just parked there :).

Anyways, Paris was totally amazing and Im already looking forward to my next visit (maybe with someone next time tho!). I couldnt go to the Louvre again coz I gotta leave so muvh earlier than I first thought cozza the dumb 'Paris' Airport 80km away.. :) but its not gonna run away.. so thats cool.

C ya all later!!!