Monday 24 May 2010

The Awful.....The Eiffel Tower














Yesterday we finished our journey from Annecy on a picturesque train journey back to Paris. After our first 5 days in Paris earlier in the month, we realised we needed to come back and spend some more time in the 'city of lights', so we organised another apartment in the 4th Arrondissement. We arrived in the Gare de Lyon train station after a 3.45hour journey, where Kate was greeted by a disgruntled local who decided she was the cause of his angst, and would receive a 2L bottle of water poured over her head and luggage along with some unkind words in French (its probably better she didn't know what he was saying). Lets just say that didn't put Kate in a great mood for our arrival in Paris!

Myself, Kim and a soaking wet Kate got a cab to our apartment in the gay district of Paris, very noticeable by the nightclub downstairs named Rainbow and the one on the opposite side with no name, but detailed illustration. We dumped our luggage at the apartment, it was 9:30pm by the time we got there and we were famished! We strolled the street and found an amazing area full of life so late on a Sunday night. We decided to eat in a Moroccan jazz club, where we ended up having a feast to the sounds of a double bass and electric guitar! I had a vegetarian cous cous which was big enough to feed a small Moroccan village after a 2week fast. Kim had slow roasted lamb shoulder with cous cous, she left only the plate and 2 shiny white bones to spare. Kate had a salmon fillet cooked with pesto and pastry (Moroccan?), which was consumed along with the enamel off of the plate!

After a good sleep in we decided to walk in the nice weather (28C today!) to the Eiffel Tower. A few wrong directions and an exhausting walk in the heat, we ended in a rather undesirable neighbourhood. With very undesirable people. It seemed we were the only white people in the world walking down that street and everyone knew it! After being approached by several people, for such items and hair weaves, drugs and other requests (we were walking much to fast to stop and hear them out), we hailed a cab and got out of there quick smart! Wiping the sweat off of our foreheads, we were dropped on the banks of the river and walked the rest of the way (what we thought would be a 10min walk turned 45min walk).

Eventually we arrived at the Eiffel Tower, and lined up with the people to get our glimpse at the summit. A slow and hot 45mins later we made it to the top. I was hesitant as we approached the top floor, as vertigo set in and my hands automatically clung to the bars and wouldn't let go. Not even a champagne at the top eased my nerves. We admired the view and made our way back down. Another line up and frustrating wait for the lift down (as people of a particular race constantly pushed and shoved in front of you after you had been waiting in the sun for 1hour to get the lift), we were packed in like sardines and eventually made it to the bottom. Not quite the romantic pilgrimage you would have thought.

We were so exhausted after getting out of the tower at 9pm, we made our way home and settled for a cold Heinekan and an ice-cream each for dinner.

3 comments:

  1. If variety is the spice of life you should be feeling full of zing! Keep up the good work - very enjoyable reading. xxx joy

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  2. I've promised Kristina dinner on the tower for her 50th - can you go back and make a booking for me - I think we need to book pretty early by the look of it!!

    Cheers,
    David

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  3. Hi you three! Love, love, love your postings. I especially love your videos today. Ros, you're looking a bit thin but I enjoyed your "Dance & Flute" number. Hope you got enough euros in the hat to pay for dinner! Be safe. Love, Jo

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