Day 24 - Paris to Melbourne

Au Revoir!

See Ya!

Day 23 - Paris Goodbyes

Today we said goodbye to Paris for the final time. Up early and showered and enjoyed a petite dejeuner in the dining room here at the hotel. The old world charm worked a treat and before long we were on our way.

We ended up doing a complete loop of the right bank today, all on foot. Started with a walk down to the end of Rue de Rivoli to Place de Bastille and then walked along Rue de Lyon until the start of Avenue Daumensil where the Promenade Plantee begins.

The Promenade Plantee is a 4km long garden built on top of a disused 19th century railway viaduct, and highly recommended in a recent article in The Age. The Lonely Planet guidebook adds "seduction springs up in the most unlikely places, and perhaps none more likely than this viaduct carving through the busy Bastille quarter". True, the garden was very nice - cherry trees, maples, roses and lavender, but the abundance of homeless men sleeping on pieces of cardboard and the overwhelming stench of urine was too much for us. Nothing seductive about this place in our opinion. A clever idea, but not quite working as it should. We feel tempted to tell Lonely Planet to take it off their Top Ten things to do list.

So, we took a detour and sought out the "Le Pure Cafe" used in the film, Before Sunset. With a bit of map-work, we found it and took many photos - very stylish and very quaint.

Then it was back off into the city, walking along Bd Voltaire, through Place de la Liberation and eventually Bd Haussman, which houses the big department stores in Paris, Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, H&M and others. Had a little look through these (and made a few purchases), then made our way through the Madeleine area down to the Tullieries Gardens again and sat beside a fountain for a while, to give our feet a break. Then we met up with Rue de Rivoli (at the other end) and walked and walked all the way back to the hotel.

Tonight we had a most marvellous dinner for our final night in Paris. Kym had full say in the restaurant selection. We traipsed all over the Marais area looking at the menus and eventually selected a nice little restaurant just one block from our hotel where we had the most delicious meal ever. The restaurant was called The Mauvais Garcons (The Bad Boys) and it was a knockout. We sat at one of the three tables on the front courtyard. We both enjoyed the grilled camembert and green salad with caramel porto (a caramel and port wine dressing) to start - OMG this was so scrumptious - we could have left after that! For the mains, monsieur had the lamb with thyme and potato au gratin and legumes, whilst madame had the duck with caramelised honey pear. So delicious, without being over the top. To finish, perhaps a raspberry cake with coulis was enjoyed by madame, whilst monsieur may have devoured a hearty slab of apple flan dusted with icing sugar and drizzled caramel sauce. Well worth it. We tipped handsomely to show our gratitude. The restaurant was extremely busy by the time we had left. Highly recommended, and a fitting way to finish our stay in France.

Our bags our now packed, ready for departure tomorrow and the long haul flight back to OZ. Gosh, that flight is awful, but it will be nice to return home after a very exciting time here in France. As they say in the classics, "the honeymoon is over". Bon soir et a bientot!

Day 22 - Paris and it's Islands

Our hotel here in Paris is typically old-world Parisian. Positioned right opposite the Hotel de Ville, it has a lovely charm about it. An old wooden circular staircase is central to the building. Entrance on ground level, reception and salle de manger/lounge on the first level and the hotel rooms on the floors above. The hallways are lined with wallpaper and there are hundreds of framed paintings, old maps and drawings throughout. I am the last member of my family to have stayed here at the Hotel de Nice (Paris). My brother Andrew had recommended it as a taste of what Paris used to be like, before much of the modern accoutrements of today (save for a split system air-conditioner and flat-screen TV). My parents have also stayed in this hotel.

All the rooms are styled differently and, as if planned, our room is a rich red colour. Red drapes, red and gold bedspread, red and white wallpaper, red carpet. It looks like something from the 18th century (today's featured pic is of our room). Someone must have known that we both have a penchant for Red. Very appropriate, on the honeymoon and all.

The room we have been allocated looks out onto the busy Rue de Rivoli. We have two little balconies that overlook the street. It is a nice, vibrant area here. A large gay population, Jewish population and heaps and heaps of restaurants and cafes. On our walk yesterday, we noticed how busy all the food places were. Even the fast food places were overflowing. McDonalds, KFC, Quick had every aisle open and people queuing onto the street - why aren't Parisians fat? Maybe we should open a fast food business in Paris and retire off that? Yeah right, we couldn't even afford the rent!

Today we concentrated on the two Iles (islands) which are the geographic and historic heart of Paris. We started with a visit to the famous Shakespeare and Co bookstore featured just over on the Left Bank. A tremendous experience to wander through the new and second hand books on display. Very good indeed. Then we got caught looking at souvenirs for a short while, as you do on your second-last day. Had a nice lunch in Rue de Rivoli - Quiche Lorraine. Delicious (and some rather nice desserts too).

We then headed back to the two islands to do what Rod's brother Andrew had suggested. Thanks for the great tip, we followed it exactly. A nice stroll down Rue de Barres (from R de Rivoli), down some cobble-stoned steps, across Pont Louis Phillipe and onto Ile St-Louis, where we descended some stairs to the banks of the Seine - just delightful. We loved Ile-St-Louis - and much of the exclusive Paris apartments are here. There was one on sale with no view of the Seine for just over 2,000,000 euros, but it looked very nice. So we have started to save up.

Loved wandering around the streets of Ile-St-Louis and then we headed over the bigger Ile-de-Cite which houses the famed Notre-Dame cathedral (which we were lucky to get into at evening with no queues at all) and we also had a delicious caramel-flavoured glace from the famed Berthillon ice-creamery. Yummo. We continued to wander through the streets and did a lot of window-shopping looking at all the up-market shops, which are very different to their counterparts on the mainland.

Not too late tonight, as tomorrow is our final day in Paris and our final day of the trip. So we intend to make the most of it. There are a couple of places we wish to revisit and will finish with a nice dinner somewhere - there are so many options. Bon soir for now.

Day 21 - Nice to Paris

Not a great deal to report today. We checked out of the hotel in Nice and headed via tram for 1 euro each to the Nice-Ville station and waited in the general hall for the platform details to come up on the departures board. Rod had booked a duplex table on the TGV for this trip, in which one person sits facing one direction, and the other sits in the directions both facing each other with a little fixed table in the middle. Kind of like a table for two in a restaurant. Very cosy - but it guarantees at least one person is facing the right way for the whole journey, even if the train changes directions.

And there we sat for six hours. The first three hours was spent meandering back through the magnificent Meditteranean coastline through Cannes, St Raphael, Toulon and back through Aix-en-Provence TGV and then Avignon TGV. Once clear of Aix, the driver was able to show off the full capabilities of the train and we hurtled all the way to Paris at extremely fast speed. Every so often, the speed would drop a fraction and you could feel your back come away from the seat. The most terrifying part was when another train passed us in the opposite direction (also at high speed). We travelled through some truly magnificent countryside in the process and arrived in Gare de Lyon, Paris mid-afternoon.

Checked into our lovely little hotel here in Paris for the final few days of our journey. We then walked around the Marais area, where we are staying, right next to the imposing Hotel de Ville. We now have our bearings and will be back at it tomorrow.

Day 20 - Nice and Bastille Day

Started today with the Nice Le Grand Tour which was the double-decker bus that takes you around Nice for a 90 minute round-trip showcasing the sights and historical features of the town. It was run by the same company that runs a similar deal in Paris. There is an audio commentary via headphones in eight languages. We tried a few languages, but English seemed to be more our speed. The pre-recorded English narrator, however, was decidedly pompous sounding with very clipped English, which was tedious. However, the bus was the perfect way to see the town (including climbing all the hills) with some breathtaking views looking back down on Nice from up high. You can get off and on the bus as many times as you like throughout the day.

After we did a round trip, we alighted the bus and sought some refreshments in town. Just a couple of baguettes and soft-drinks. Then we headed back down to the bus to go and inspect the Chagall Museum. We were sitting near a very annoying American woman from New York who seemed to be rather well read but yet so dumb with the simple things. She was one of those people who felt the need to articulate every random thought and even asked whether we were still in Nice whilst on the Nice bus tour. She was barking mad.

We made the mistake of letting it slip that we were visiting the Chagall Museum, which she instantly latched onto and declared she would visit it too. Rod tried to talk up the Matisse Museum in an attempt to get her off the bus early, but to no avail. So she accompany ed us into the museum where we promptly urged her to enjoy the displays. She didn't take the hint. Anyhow, we managed to lose her in the museum and then carefully manoeuvred our way around the paintings without her spotting us again. We enjoyed Chagall's works very much. Some very bright colourful paintings with an almost Leunig quality about them. Bought a couple of souvenirs in the gift-shop and then hopped on the bus back down the hill.

The bus did not return to the Promenade des Anglais however, as the police had closed it off in readiness for the Bastille Day celebrations that were to happen that night. The bus seemed to go around and round in circles - we think even the driver got confused/lost and we eventually got off somewhere near the Port of Nice.
Off to the supermarket then to buy some cool drinks and a spot of food for dinner, as we felt like something light. Showered and devoured half a slab of brie avec bottled water. After a little viewing of another Ghost Whisperer episode in French, we headed down to the Nice foreshore to soak up some of the vibe happening for Bastille Day.

Not much actually happened during the day, other than most shops being closed, but the real party was saved for the evening. There were bands and street performers, police, and people swarming around the place. Every street corner had some sort of event occurring and there were roving bands and even a motorised moving white grand piano being played by Amadeaus with a ballerina pirouetting on top of it - c'est incroyable!

The great mild night was dampened a little by the obvious search for someone missing out in the sea. There were police, ambulance, search and rescue and a helicopter obviously looking for a body. It was either a swimmer or a deep-sea diver they were looking for. A little unsettling.

The crowds got bigger and bigger and we positioned ourselves almost on the beach when it was near dark (about 10pm) here to watch the fireworks display, which was most impressive. Rod thinks it was the best fireworks display he has seen. Kym thinks it was second only to Sydney 2000. But it was a really great display. Done in tune to many songs, but Elton John and Mack the Knife were among them! The event was very family friendly, alcohol-free and really, really enjoyable.

Carnival atmosphere ensued and the bands and acts started up again on the promenade. Our feet were killing us, so we slowly made our way back to our hotel in the sea of people. Kym even went shoe-shopping after 11pm - not too many places you can shop for shoes at that hour. It was a real party atmosphere and a really enjoyable night. Thanks Nice. Happy Bastille Day!

Day 19 - Nice - The Old & The New

Slept in a little this morning, after our huge walk along the full length of the Promenade yesterday evening/night. We needed to move all our bags from one room into another this morning, as the room we were in was needed and we had received prior warning. Once we moved our stuff, we had a nice petit dejeuner in a cafe right near the hotel entrance.

A good look at the old town of Nice (Vieux Nice) was on the agenda today, and we certainly succeeded in that department. I don't think there was a nook, cranny or Rue that we didn't see in the old town. Our feet are killing us tonight, but it was worth it. Started the day by walking up the other end of the promenade towards Quai de Etats-Unis and right around to the Port de Nice where there were so many boats moored. Many huge yachts and many, many boats.

We walked right around the perimeter of Vieux Nice before tackling the middle part. Sort of like starting a chocolate from the outside, before hitting the gooey, soft centre. Down by the port, there were a lot of antique shops which are all located in the one area. We only window shopped, but a lot of euros were required to buy here, and we don't have that many euros left :(

At the end of the antique strip is the wonderful Place Garibaldi - a huge square or piazza, with a fountain, statue, shops, trams and some lovely old trees providing welcome shade from the searing heat. We sat here for a little while and watched all the people go about their business, shopkeepers setting up for lunch, children playing with the fountain's water, dogs sitting in the fountain, vespas scooting around. A nice, relaxed atmosphere.

Then it was in to the wonderful labyrinth of streets and alleys that make up Vieux Nice. The streets were small and narrow, very intimate and a little hilly in parts. Lots of vendors selling their wares. A good mix of traders - food, souvenirs, flowers, toys, books, homewares. The whole area had a nice feel. Needless to say, a few more euros left our wallets here, but we don't get the chance to visit often, so why not? Here we bought a huge baugeutte (jambon club sandwich) which we split in half and ate together for lunch. Kym can be seen in today's feature pic delicately ripping the baguette in two in readiness to devour. How terribly rustic. How very delicious!!

We finished off our tour of the old town after about six hours all up. Our feet were killing us by now, but we went into the new town area and walked around the indoor shopping centre for a little bit - again to cool down more than anything and buy a few things to eat/drink back in the hotel room.

Having concentrated on the old town today, we will tackle the rest of Nice tomorrow. We are going to buy a ticket for the open top bus as many people have said it is the best way to get around and learn some more about the city. We can hop on and hop off wherever we like (just like we did in Paris). Rod is particularly keen to inspect the Cimiez area, right up on top of the hill where all the posh people stay. We are hoping for an early start, to make the most of Bastille Day, our last day in Nice.

Day 18 - Aix to Nice

Well hello from the busy seaside town of Nice.

It is after midnight as we write this, so may have to finish it tomorrow...

We set off from Aix fairly early this morning and caught a bus that was about 90 minutes earlier than we had booked, but they were very flexible in allowing us to get on the earlier one. We felt the need to leave Aix early as we needed to bus it to the TGV station during peak hour traffic and then find our platform and car number, so we felt more at ease at least getting to the TGV station nice and early. Had a pleasant train journey to Nice, stopping at several stops along the way, Toulon, Saint Raphael and Cannes, much of the journey hugging the Mediterranean coastline. Was very nice indeed.

Pulled into Nice in the heat of the day (as per usual) and quickly found our way to the hotel we had booked. When we arrived at the hotel, we discovered the proprietor was out and left a phone number on the door for people to contact her on. We don't have a phone with us, so that was no good. Kym went searching for some lunch while Rod guarded the bags. Eventually some girls came back from shopping and let Rod into the hotel via an entry code. Whilst in the lobby, Rod discovered the room number and found the doors to the room wide open, and so had a quick look around. It really was not up to standard (and our standards aren't too high), but this one failed the test big time. So, just as we were about to check ourselves into the hotel, we checked ourselves straight back out. We might lose the first night's tariff, but we weren't going to sleep in what was something akin to a youth hostel but with our beds backing onto the other side of the front door (which we assumed would be opening and closing ad banging all night). The front door probably wasn't the only thing that would be banging all night. That hotel was not air conditioned, which ordinarily would not worry us, but during this heatwave, was a necessity. Tripadvisor.com has for the first time let us down (it seems).

So, we put the packs back on and walked around a bit and have now found a 3-star hotel which is not too bad at all - Hotel Lafayette. The biggest selling point was the room was icy cold when we inspected it. We were sold. Our Aix hotel had cooling, but it struggled. This cooling was perfect. So, a good night's sleep is anticipated tonight.

Went for a big long walk tonight right along the Promenade des Anglais which was really, really nice. The weather was extraordinarily warm and so heaps of people were out - this was still about 11pm then. The only slight disappointment with the promenade today is that they have chosen to use energy-efficient light bulbs along it, and it has lost a lot of the old charm it used to have. Not being negative, just a mere observation. Kym quite rightly suggests there is plenty of sun here most of the year to generate solar power anyway.

The time got away from us and it is now well after midnight. Have a full program tomorrow and Susie L, I have sent a note to the Parfumery you kindly suggested. We are trying to get in tomorrow, even though I sent the email after business hours and hence after the cut-off, as the following day is Bastille Day and they may be closed. Thanks so much for the suggestion. Kym LOVES the idea of being able to make her own perfume. I hope we get the chance.

Bon Soir to all!