Paris 2012 - Day One

I thought it was time to resurrect my seldom used and never completed travel blog. To be honest, I started it before I had the technology to blog directly onto the web day-by-day, and then I forgot about it! So many wasted opportunities!

New leaf now attempting a turnover.

Day One

I've never been to Paris before.

In 1994 (the 50th anniversary of the D-Day Landings) I did a tour of Normandy as part of a history course and in 2006 I visited Strasbourg as part of a law course.

My chance to finally make it to Paris came via rugby. But more of that on Sunday when I actually go to the France v England match.

Summary of trip here: 7.53 Birmingham New Street to London Euston, uneventful. Eurostar from London St Pancras (or St Pancreas, as David insists on calling it) also relatively uneventful.


I did end up sitting next to two dinosaurs on Eurostar. Not in age, in attitude. They were English and kept referring to the other countries in the Six Nations in derogatory terms. Not just that, they made it clear to each other that the wives were home looking after the kids because they know their place.

Oh, they are so under the thumb at home!

Worse yet, there was an empty seat at the table I had to share with them, and they were complaining about the bloke who was supposed to be sitting there. Apparently he had just flown back from Afghanistan that day after several months, and his mother delayed his departure because she wanted to see him.

How very dare she.

Needless to say, I was glad to see the back of those two!

"Landed" safely in Paris this afternoon, long walk through Paris Nord Station to the Metro, walk to the hotel. First impression of Paris: much like other big European cities I've been to but reminds me most of London with slightly different architecture.

We made it to the Arc de Triomphe after a long walk.


Very impressive.

One of the things I wanted to do on this trip is to have a coffee in a cafe on the Champs Élysées.

Very disappointing.


The Champs Élysées was just a busy road with lots of shops. I did, however, have a quick look in the window of Cartier. I would have been happy with anything I saw there!

I'm probably tired and grumpy from a long day. I feel like I'm half Pollyanna, half Victor Meldrew. Perhaps tomorrow, my first full day here with no travelling involved, will seem less disappointing.

It is still a beautiful city.


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