Gais Paris……what can I say? People can be really rude or particularly nice, gypsies hassle you wherever you go and dogs are sit next their owners in restaurants….at the table.

Got the Eurostar to the city of lights from recently revamped St Pancras in Kings Cross instead of flying and might I say if I could catch trains everywhere I would. The fact it has Europe's longest Champagne Bar at a little less than 300ft made it quite an attractive option although I do wonder where in the world has one longer than 300ft? First person to tell me I'll give a prize too!

Got into the city easy enough and found our place of accommodation although having it posted as a hotel could have been classed as loose intereptation of 3star hotels and quite derogatory to hoteliers around the globe. This place was a dump, even though it cost me my first born child it failed to live up to its lavish write up online. Needless to say when asked to give my opinion online post stay it was given an absolute bath in the ratings followed by some scathing criticism in the 'comments' section most of never fill out giving me small amount of solace/revenge.

Anyway if you haven't noticed in the pics it flat out rained for 3 days in Paris. Varying types of rain too….heavy rain, drizzle, sleet and even a bit of sideward stuff. So much for my dreams of strolling the Seine in the sun they were dashed by Huey although I'm sure his terrible weather was best intentioned to experience undoubtedly some of the finest gallery's and museums in the world.

Without wanting to really bore you all my fave's were:

·The Arc de Triomphe and the views it offered

·The Lourve which is unbelievably big (you could spend all weekend in their and only see 2 of the 4 floors)

·Chateau de Versailles with 17th century opulence and beautiful gardens

·The Invalides, a huge 1700th century ex hospital built by Louis XIV (yep I can do roman numerals) to house 4000 terminally war vetrans. Now it houses Napolean in his 6 coffins and an impressive museum on Frances war ….ummmmm victories *cough cough**

·The catacombs, a disused quarry used to solve the issue of Paris' over flowing cemeteries of the 1800's whereby all bones were exhumed and put below the ground. Aesthetically pleasing and with the pleasant odour of the sewer one not to be missed!

In summing up I ate next to a poodle in a restaurant, almost required a tetanus booster after being touched by numerous filthy gypsies, saw peoples bags get snatched in broad daylight at the Eiffel Tower and stayed at the most appalling hotel this side of Minsk yet has an awesome time. Could babble forever about Paris but my ramblings wouldn't do the place justice. People who've been there would know what I mean; those who haven't have just got to keep dreaming about it.

On a final note I'm off to Turkey for Easter then Iceland in early April for Northern lights, whale watching and hot spring baths with hot locals in springtime! Jealous?

Laters

BP out