Paris.and.London.in.24h.
After a 5 hour train ride through some awesome French countryside and some nice little villages, I made it to Paris. It was definately refreshing to be able to understand the signs and what people were saying around me. Lucky for me, Paris Est train station was under construction. So it wasn't until a walk through the station, across the street, past the taxis, around the corner, that I finally made it au metro parisien.
I got to my friend Geoffroy's (met him in Budapest) appartment and our Japanese friend Takuro was staying too. The three of us walked around for a bit, I picked up a good baguette sandwhich and we walked to le tour Eiffel. Conveniently Geoffroy lives really close. Took the steps up the tower which was pretty cool, and pretty funny watching Geo do it like a zombie 'cause he's so afraid of heights. After we checked out the new Jean Nouvelle building nearby- musee du quai branly. A really cool building that has a living green wall and a couryard space that really frames a view of the eiffel tower. We were there in the evening so we got to see the tackiest attraction of Paris- the eiffel tower with sparkling lights on the hour.
Then we picked up some french dessert for snack-moelleux for me, and headed out to student party with cheap kronenbourg and to a small pub later. Had a good crepe off the street with cheese mushroom ham and egg on the way home for a late supper, and crashed for the night. (or rather for a few hours before my early train.)
I was up to catch the first metro at 6am and went to the train station to get my Eurostar train into London. It was really strange- like being at an airport. They take your ticket, then put you through french customs (where i finally had the passport checked), UK customs (visa ok'd) and then security. And you wait in a big waiting room with shops and stuff waiting for the gate for your train to open. strange but cool. It was a direct train. Left Paris in the dark so didn't get to see much, then a lot of the ride through the chunnel, then into london it was all covered with fog- so not really a scenic 2.5 hr journey, but a good chance to catch some sleep.
My old boss Andrew (a Londoner) met me at Waterloo station, which was just starting to be a zoo because of all the cancelled flights. He took me on a tour for a few hours of South Bankside which is a really cool area- millenium bridge, the Tate modern, across the river to St. Peter's, a cool market and some ugly foster buildings then a few nice theatres. We had a good chat over a Pint of ale then I was off to the station again for 1300.
Made it there, and took a suburban trainline to meet my cousin Nina in Derby (they say it like Darby). Had a good bite to eat at her place and a little catch up, then Shane got home, we packed the car, and headed north to the Highlands of Scotland.
So I'm here now in Tain for Christmas, enjoying some quiet time and no travelling till after christmas. Not sure about new years yet.
Cheers.
I got to my friend Geoffroy's (met him in Budapest) appartment and our Japanese friend Takuro was staying too. The three of us walked around for a bit, I picked up a good baguette sandwhich and we walked to le tour Eiffel. Conveniently Geoffroy lives really close. Took the steps up the tower which was pretty cool, and pretty funny watching Geo do it like a zombie 'cause he's so afraid of heights. After we checked out the new Jean Nouvelle building nearby- musee du quai branly. A really cool building that has a living green wall and a couryard space that really frames a view of the eiffel tower. We were there in the evening so we got to see the tackiest attraction of Paris- the eiffel tower with sparkling lights on the hour.
Then we picked up some french dessert for snack-moelleux for me, and headed out to student party with cheap kronenbourg and to a small pub later. Had a good crepe off the street with cheese mushroom ham and egg on the way home for a late supper, and crashed for the night. (or rather for a few hours before my early train.)
I was up to catch the first metro at 6am and went to the train station to get my Eurostar train into London. It was really strange- like being at an airport. They take your ticket, then put you through french customs (where i finally had the passport checked), UK customs (visa ok'd) and then security. And you wait in a big waiting room with shops and stuff waiting for the gate for your train to open. strange but cool. It was a direct train. Left Paris in the dark so didn't get to see much, then a lot of the ride through the chunnel, then into london it was all covered with fog- so not really a scenic 2.5 hr journey, but a good chance to catch some sleep.
My old boss Andrew (a Londoner) met me at Waterloo station, which was just starting to be a zoo because of all the cancelled flights. He took me on a tour for a few hours of South Bankside which is a really cool area- millenium bridge, the Tate modern, across the river to St. Peter's, a cool market and some ugly foster buildings then a few nice theatres. We had a good chat over a Pint of ale then I was off to the station again for 1300.
Made it there, and took a suburban trainline to meet my cousin Nina in Derby (they say it like Darby). Had a good bite to eat at her place and a little catch up, then Shane got home, we packed the car, and headed north to the Highlands of Scotland.
So I'm here now in Tain for Christmas, enjoying some quiet time and no travelling till after christmas. Not sure about new years yet.
Cheers.
posted by Koby at 13:29
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home