Kings Cross Square looking over to St Pancras:
We went through security, customs and Passport control. The excitement was palpable!
Finally, we were boarding the train and all ready to go...
Until we realised that our seats were facing backwards and there was no wifi aboard. I thought I had paid for wifi and seats with power sockets. Nope. I have a feeling that those privileges were for our trip into London from Peterborough, but we never got to enjoy as they had cancelled our booked train and we had to hitch a ride on the next train 20 minutes later.
Sequoia before we realised which direction the train would be travelling in:
Oh well. At least it was a fairly quick journey and the countryside was really pretty, even though we were watching it go say backwards.
Before we knew it, we were in Paris and navigating our way, avec luggage, through the busy terminal which is Gare du Nord. We considered the options of walking (laughable!), taking the metro (subway) with all those super happy to see us French commuters during the end of the day peak rush hour. Taxi it is, then! I'd never considered I'd be riding in a horrendously expensive Paris can, but I must say this was one of the best €15 we have spent so far on our trip. I checked with the tourist booth what would be the expected price for the trip to Abbesses, where our apartment is, so I would know if I was getting terribly ripped off. To not have to navigate our big bags in an unfamiliar place when we first arrived was absolutely priceless.
Our little apartment is located in Montmartre, the very fun and arty part of Paris, only a few streets from the famous and gorgeous Sacre Coeur Basilica.
When I say little apartment, I actually mis-spelt the word tiny. I'm deadly serious. If Sequoia and I breathed out at the same time, we'd be likely to find ourselves in huge trouble!
However, I really cannot complain. Here we were, Sequoia and I, in our own little place with 4 whole days ahead to explore and enjoy Paris together!
The doorway off the street that leads to our apartment:
Through to the courtyard:
The scary lift up to the 6th floor:
Our little piece of Paris real estate during our stay:
Yep. The couch folds down into the bed, and to the left out of the picture is what I can only describe as a stick-person sized bathroom/toilet. I accidentally dropped the soap at one stage, and it was game over...there was absolutely no way that soap was making an appearance again during that particular shower. There was barely room to turn around let alone any fancy contortions required for shower item retrieval.
Once we'd settled in, we set out for some delicious French cuisine and a little explore of our new temporary home. We stumbled across a sweet little boutique restaurant the next street over from us and decided to take ourselves in for a special treat.
What ensued was a culinary dream. We decided to do one of their fixed price menus where we would have our choice of 3 courses from the impressive menu.
Before too long, we were sharing a carafe of wine and brandishing one of those contraptions that Julia Roberts had so much trouble with during the restaurant scene in Pretty Woman, preparing to dine on snails for the first time. Now, I must say the garlic sauce they were cooked in was devine. However, for any other novices out there new to the whole eating garden slugs thing...they weren't too bad - if you don't chew! Just trust me on this.
Photographic evidence:
My Camembert Chicken main:
Créme Brûlée to die for:
We ended up chatting to a rather outgoing and lovely lady sitting next to us (after the waiter knocked the red wine off our table in her direction) named Jo and ended up having a fantastic first night in Paris!
After dinner we decided to go and walk off some of the excess deliciousness we had just consumed and tackled the famous Montmartre stairways right up to the amazing Church. There was a Mass going on when we made our way insid, complete with choral singers and candles everywhere. It was quite awesome to be there in this amazing, quite reverent experience...well until I remembered the bottle of wine I was cradling in my arms that we had bought on the way up the hill to enjoy overlooking the city of Paris! Oops.
Even though it was only a Thursday night, the steps out the front of the church were crowded, with musicians singing and playing guitar and a gorgeous chilled vibe in the air.
The photos certainly don't do the experience even remote justice.!It was just so lovely to be sitting there, looking out at the lights of Paris, sharing a bottle of vin.
I would have to say that it was a perfect first night in Paris.
No comments:
Post a Comment