Paris 6 - Travelling Home

Time to say goodbye to Paris .... for the time being!!

As we leave the station I could not help but notice how the Grafitti Artists abound along the tracks - I think every railway line in the world suffers, or enjoys, this form of artwork.  
Paris has lots of places where these artists take over.  One whole abandoned building has been given over to them for years and real artistry could be seen there.  
Unfortunately the Authorities felt the need to demolish the building, which was also a tourist site, so who knows where the artists will turn up again.


On the outskirts of Paris there are large estates built back in the fifties when the city was trying to recover from the war.






The northern part of France we travel through is very flat, compared to the south, and the vista stretches for miles


On the train, we sat opposite a young Father and his two daughters.  So well behaved and very artistic.  They spent the whole journey - all three of them - reading magazines and drawing.  After they left the train - one of the daughters stacking their papers and magazines in a neat pile on the table - I lifted the pile of paperwork.  
Ephemera don't you see??!!!

If you look closely at the 'Anous Paris' magazine, the figures have been 'embellished', there was another copy of the magazine in the pile that was as good as new. Wonderful!


The girls had been reading comics - did you know Donald Duck et al could speak French so fluently?!?!??




So back in London we found our bus stop and travelled round to Victoria Coach station.  The driver was amazing.... the traffic a nightmare - twas the 'rushhour'....  some of the questions he was asked so stupid ....  and he kept his good humour the whole time.  What a lovely man.  A credit to London Transport.
All too soon we were on the coach travelling back to good old Brum ......

Stop press - we are going back in November!!!  yeah!!!!  to La Defense area .....

Paris 5 - on to C&A

After making our magic purchases in the market, we met up with Rover 1A and we all walked to the Metro to take us into Paris central.  Rover 1A left us there and we caught the metro to Opera, to save us changing lines, so we had to walk back to Boulevard Housemann.
If you want to shop in Paris - here are all the shops you need right up to the Champs Elysee.
But I am going to C&A!!

I love this shop - did I tell you this?!?!  lol  By the way - the Golden Arch stands for Metro not McDs.
We browsed the counters, I bought a coat and a top (New York written over it!) while PJ bought a bag - more a small messenger bag, just large enough for passports and tickets but small enough to wear under a coat.
We wandered out and then turned down a side street, stopping for a coffee and slice of Tarte au Poire.


We walked on to the Tuileries, it was a sunny day and people were strolling through the gardens, practising music, sitting on benches reading......



 ..... we managed to find an empty bench in the shade opposite a small allotment type garden.





This sign, situated not far from a carousel, made us laugh - we were a long way from Castiglione!  A small village in Italy where a friend lives.




The Horse Chestnut trees were all in flower and formed long lines along the central paths.




Crossing over at one point I noticed that there was a clear view to the Arc de Triomphe - note the street pedlars selling cheap souvenirs, we didn't buy anything .... not my style!


The traffic was quite busy but it's funny how you don't mind when you are in Paris .....



The back of the Louvre was visible some way down the road but we managed to get across to the bridge.  We spent some time watching the street pedlars on the bridge selling rather large and heavy locks to gullible tourists.  No wonder the City councillors are worried about the weight of the locks breaking up the bridges!  Although the Gendarmes arrived in pairs, the pedlars were soooo quick in packing away, that they were not caught.  Another super view of Paris, this view shows the Louvre so far away!!!
We walked along towards the Metro, stopping on the way for a coffee and cake of course!  We caught the Metro back to Ledru-Rollin and walked round to Le Charolais where we met up with Rover 1A.
We decided to have a chinese meal so Rover 1A showed us to her local .... It was a very good meal and we had lots of laughs, then wandered back to our hotel.
Now I could try on my coat .......
It's red ..... surprised?
I am facing a mirror when PJ took this photo from the bed ...... want to see the rest of the room?

Behind me the bathroom .....


...... and the bed ......

Paris 4- Travelling back to the Hotel

After we left Notre Dame we carried on walking along the side of the Seine but this time we walked along the road side, sheltering under the trees until we reached La Samaritaine.
 It was still closed, and may be closed for ever even though there was hopes of opening as a Hotel so that all the Art Deco fittings could be kept.

I was getting tired by now so we found a cafe and settled down with a Croque Madame and a Coffee, or a glass of wine.  We sat there for some time, even managed to eat a Apple Crumble!
We carried on walking along the Rue de Rivoli, knowing that it would eventually finish at the Bastille.


Along the way we passed a building with some humongous statues outside .... we stopped for a better look but what they were supposed to represent I do not know.


A lady to the left and a man to the right, not very happy looking but very biiiig!!
Amazing!



We trudged on, stopping at another little cafe for a coffee and then, when we had walked some distance, window shopping and people watching, we saw this building.....



Magnificent!

C'est La Hotel de Ville.  
What a superb building and when you read about its history ....


The decoration is as good as Notre Dame ....

so beautiful ....

we spent some time just looking at it ...

Such beauty ....

We continued to walk, seeing such wonderful sights, how I love Paris!  The old buildings mingle with the new buildings, and as we walk along, loving the atmosphere, amid the rush hour, people just passing by on their way home and here we were, just strolling and we saw but they didn't.  I suppose if you live with something it becomes invisible.
When we reached the Bastille we strolled around just on our own - a group of teens were gathered together and  ..... trying out some spring loaded 'shoes'.
We stood and watched them for a while .... last time we were here there were skateboarders - grown ups -  roller bladers - grown ups.  We even saw some men with those little scooters!

Ah! Paris!

Eventually we arrived back at Le Viaduct des Arts - this time at Boulevard level.
As we walked along, I remembered that M had told me of an embroidery shop along here so I dawdled a bit...... there it was .... Le Bonheur des Dames.

Stepping inside I was transported into beauty....

I wandered around trying to find something to buy .....

.... then I found some scissors!

yes! yes!  I know I have lots of them but a girl can't have too many pairs of scissors

...... no, I can't!

..... and they are red!!

We walked back to the square and met up with M who took us to her local Chinese restaurant where we stayed most of the evening ......