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Morning Entry:
Start as you mean to go on...I had to be awake at 4:30am this morning! (In order to check-out and get down to Dover for our ferry across to Calais). It's strange, I was excited; obviously. But didn't really feel like I was doing anything special; that is until we boarded the ferry and I saw (for the first time) the white cliffs rearing out of the sea.
I wouldn't describe them as beautiful, but it's a very impressive sight. What a view to be welcomed with when you re-enter the country. A vast improvement on the factories you pass when you enter Calais!
Anyway - The driving on either side of the channel, and the ferry gave me a good chance to get to know the people I'd be travelling with.There are 41 one of us in total, 1 South Korean, 3 English, 3 American, 6 Canadian, 8 New Zealander's and 20 Australians. We're all roughly the same age and everybody seems genuinely happy to be here and eager to get to know everyone else, which is fantastic. The company should add to the experience.
Evening Entry:
We arrived in Paris quicker than I expected, and caught a glimpse of some of the cities taller monuments as we circled round to our base camp for our time here. (A campsite about 20 minutes out from the centre of Paris). After our first meal on the continent we grabbed our camera's and drove in to the city to check out the monuments as they light up at night.
Paris is an incredible city. Beautiful, clean, symmetrical! Everything has been placed perfectly, the Eiffel tour sits directly between the two wings of the Palais de Challot; and the Parc du Champ de Mars heads (on the other side of the tower) to the Ecoloe Militaire.
The centre of Paris is a living piece of art, everywhere you look you can see this symmetry. The best example of this is seen by standing outside the Louvre, looking at Place du Carrousel (a mini Arc de Triomphe). Looking through this mini arc, you see the gardens stretching as far as Place de Concorde (the centre of which houses a large Egyptian obelisk from Luxor), all the way up Champ-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe.
Which; because of the distance, appears to fit inside the mini Arc perfectly, that makes a good photograph. If you can take one without people walking in front of you!From here I orientated myself so I could get to all the important museums and monuments over the next few days.
Then, it had to be done. 'Tour Eiffel' (the Eiffel Tower)
Such is the size of the tower, that it almost looked unreal. There was something about the waning light, and the colour of the monument that made appear superimposed on an otherwise empty Park. When the sun finally gave up and vanished beneath the Parisian horizon, the tower took on new life as hundreds of tiny flashing white lights appearing along its entire length. The reflecting light gave the tower an orange/gold glow which looked very impressive. (Even more so when viewed from outside Palais de Challot)
The journey back to base camp took us along Champ-Elysees, which at this point had also lit up. I've heard this street be called 'the street of Ruby's and Diamonds, it was easy to see where this name came from. The entire street is illuminated as six lanes of blinking taillights snake through rows of neon lights, and table lamps from cafes and restaurants' that still out on to the sidewalks;ending in the Arc de Triomphe (which looks yellow under its nightlights).
Driving round the Arc de Triomphe is an adventure, there are no road markings (that I could see), but there are about eight lanes of traffic. Vehicles on the Arc have to give way to vehicles' trying to get on. It appears that you have to cross inward then outward again to leave at your turning, its chaos; usually.
On this particular night there were six cars on it. How disappointing! I'll have to return during the day to see the chaos in all its glory.
Until next time
Carl.
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