Well we left Sheonagh and Ally and travelled to Edinburgh to catch our flight to Paris. It was about a 5 hour wait at the airport, but you do see interesting things when you people watch. Thank you so much to our British friends, Sue and Jim, Mary and Mal and Sheonagh and Ally, you were all so very welcoming and hospitable. It was lovely catching up with you all again and hopefully we will meet again before too many years have passed.
We arrived late in Paris and as Kearie told me the hotel was close to the Metro we decided to walk.... Yes I know, me with all that luggage. Well it was a mistake, big time. It was about a 20 minute walk and I was exhausted, the luggage was getting heavier and my shoulders were aching... I was not a happy little vegemite at all. Poor Kearie she coped my wrath, all of it. So once we finally arrived I at least found out they had a lift, so I almost forgave her. She keeps forgetting I am almost 30 years older than her. She actually said that she thought I would be fine on that long trek. I just looked at her and asked "Kearie, look at me, exactly what part of my physical appearance makes you think I am a fitness freak?" She had to laugh at that, I mean really? Have you seen me lately?
After a good night’s sleep and with no luggage to lug around, we actually walked into the city. We strolled down the Champs Elysees and and then went shopping and had a lovely quiet day. I had to use a bathroom on the Champ Elysees and they actually charge you 2 Euros, I was actually amazed, that is a hefty price, but when you gotta go, you gotta go. I paid and was shown into the cubicle, ti was papered to appear like a small library, I took pictures... it was amazing, but then it should be for 2 euros.
Not a great pic, but I didn't want to use a flash in case the woman saw the flash and thought I was some kind of weirdo...
We were going to try to visit Pierrefonds, but even the tourist office could not help us with directions. The lady actually asked us why we wanted to go, as she has had several queries lately, she asked if it had been in a movie. We explained the Merlin connection and thought about travelling there, we knew we had to catch the train at Gard de Nord, but once you arrive at the closest village, the bus only travels to the castle every 4 hours and we could be stuck there for hours either end, so decided against it. We should have visited it when we had the car, but then we would have missed a stage of the tour and as Kearie got signatures that stage, we decided we did make a good choice after all. We might visit in another time we are in France. We had a lovely lunch is a restaurant and a nice dinner in another restaurant, we were really living it up, eating out twice in one day, but what can you do? It is Paris....
Today we went to the last stage of the tour, neither of us were really excited about it as Wiggins and Sky have made a mockery of the race and cycling in general. But we thought as we are here we better go anyway. We were surrounded by English people, all having a wonderful time, and who can blame them, most of them do not follow cycling and so do not see the inaccuracies in the riders. Anyway I looked across the road and noticed some of our Aussie neighbours, a couple of Kiwis. It took me a minute or two, but I finally realised that they had their flag hanging upside down... I wondered if that was a mistake or a symbol of the death of clean cycling this tour.... Yes I really am that deep...
See, upside down Kiwi flag.... the New Zealanders can be very subtle when they are making a point....
The poms do have a sense of humour. I saw a little boy, in his English colours, actually wearing large side burns, I couldn’t' believe it. For those of you who do not know, Bradley Wiggins is one of the ugliest men on the planet and he has enormous, ridiculous side burns.... someone is actually selling them and this little kid was wearing them, it was hilarious.... I later saw 4 British men wearing some too, but they were more frugal and didn't purchase theirs, it looked like one of them had cut up their wives bathroom mat and shared the bits around. They do have a great sense of humour...
One of the men, I didn't want to take pics of a minor.. I don't know if I am more amused by the home made sideburns, or the fact that someone actully had a mat like that to cut up..
And one of the group..
We left the tour and came back to the hotel for a rest, standing in the hot sun all day is very tiring, we went to a small restaurant for dinner and am now in the hotel room. An early night and then we are off to Luxembourg tomorrow.
That it for now
Cheers
Lones
Not quite sure what this poor guy has done apart from winning but as you say the subtleties pass us by.
ReplyDeleteThe commentators should be shot however they certainly bore for Britain if a native wins be it football, cycling whatever.
Hope everything goes to plan in Luxembourg
Hi She
ReplyDeleteNothing passes you by, but as you don't follow cycling you would not be aware that the guy is drugged to the hilt.... his past road cycling experience is negligible and then he not only wins the tour, he wins it by about 5 minutes to the next non Sky rider, the whole team is suspect and sadly there are two Aussies in it that I used to really believe in. I am desolute
Luxembourg is lovely, we are really emjoying ourselves, what a pretty city. I have ne real memory of my last visit, so my imagination cannot have been grabbed by anything back then. I hope you and Ally can relax now, your pesky visitors are gone. Though fair warning, I plan to return one day..