Day 7 Paris

Had a wonderful sleep in very comfy beds. The heating in the apartment is very good. Feels a bit strange staying in someone's apartment as he has clothes in cupboards and feel like an intruder going through the kitchen cupboards looking for what we need. Way better than a standard hotel room though!

We went downstairs to a bakery opposite Nick's that he said was pretty good....and wow it was. It looked very posh from the outside but everything was so cheap compared to French bakeries at home. We decided to buy a selection and will have to go back each day to try them all. We got a chocolate croissant, ordinary croissant, Swiss brioche, almond pastry and a bread with sundried tomato.  Managed to order by pointing and Cam's occasional French.

Took back to our apartment and cut a piece of each to try....yum yum yum...and each item cost only just over one euro. We are going to eat a lot of pastry and bread here!  Hard to pick a favourite but the almond one was particularly good...and the brioche.

We saved a bit of each for Nick and met him downstairs to go out for the day. First stop Notre Dame cathedral.. There was quite a queue to get in but it moved pretty quickly. There seems to be extra security everywhere at the moment so they checked our bags and we were in pretty quickly. It was very impressive inside and nice to hear a service going on in French with singing as we wandered around. Not that crowded once you get in.

The Christmas nativity display was nice...this looks like a picture but was actually all 3D.

We then went wandering the Boulevard Saint Germain and came upon Shakespeare and Company (well known 2nd hand book store).

This Latin area had cobbled streets and so many places to eat...most of which looked very tempting.

Macarons....

Frogs legs, escargots....

We decided to try a savoury crepe...with ham, egg & cheese.

We shared it so we'd have room for other things...and it was delicious. Keen to try them again....and once again good value. Decided to take a look at Sainte Chapelle as it was in the area. There was of course a queue so we grabbed hot drinks and joined the line. The queue barely moved letting only a few people in at a time. It was quite a wait but we persevered & finally got to go through the security check with bags xrayed and that was just to get to the ticket booth.  Was very pleased that Nick got in free showing his student pass & then I tried to ask for a youth pass for Cam (18-25 year olds are cheaper at most places) but somehow his ticket was free too.  We then got to climb the stairs into the Chapel & it was so worth the wait.  There were not many people in there (because they were out in the queue) and we got some more good pictures...

We then caught the metro to the area where the catacombs were but the line was way too long, so we wandered the streets and came upon some more good food...

and decided to have lunch at a Moroccan place.  Decided to order 3 different dishes and share...Vegetarian couscous, chicken, pear & date tagine, and lamb,fig & walnut tagine.  

The tagines were the best..particularly the lamb one.

From here we walked a few blocks to Montparnasse cemetary. Many famous writers, painters & artists are buried here.  The tombs were incredibly beautiful and interesting....and covered a massive area.  Again too many photos & here are just some...

Despite the cold we really enjoyed the walk...but we didn't want to get locked in when the gates shut so headed home.  Passed a homeware store with a sale near our apartment so persuaded the boys to let me have a quick look & it was really cool and well priced....and just inside the door were a pair of champagne flutes with the effiel tower as the base...probably uncool but I felt I had to have them and they were half price.  Then we stopped off at the supermarket for a selection of cheeses, cold meats and bread.  I couldn't believe how cheap the cheeses were...my favourite (Port Salut) was only 3 euros for a slice 3 times the size that I get at home $10. Also a decent sized camembert in a cute box with red gingham was only just over 1 euro....incredible! Also got a bottle of rose wine (only 4 euro)...and it wasn't the cheapest.  We didn't have any idea about the wine so chose one with a chook on it thinking of mum....it was very nice too!  We took our goodies home and sat down in our apartment dining room...this is the life!

What another big day...we do love Paris!

Day 6 Munich & Paris

We had a surprisingly good landing into Munich considering it was snowing.

Excited that Cam has now touched down in Europe.

Only an hour until our flight to Paris so there was no mucking around. Had long immigration queue then to transfer gates via very very thorough screening...lots of people were given personal body scans and we even had to separate lipsticks from our bags for the X-ray machine. This time they asked if I spoke Dutch...is that a compliment? The guy in front of us got a real going over and next thing police and security took him away.... A bit of excitement! 

Arrived at our departure gate in what we thought was plenty of time but when we went through the walkway which we expected to take us straight onto the plane we ended up on the snowy tarmac and onto a bus. This bus drove what seemed a very long way to our plane...which I was a bit concerned was covered in snow.  Needn't have worried as on the way to the runway we pulled over and 2 de-icing machines gave us a  good spraying and ice from the roof flowed down the windows... A new experience. A nervous takeoff for me but needn't have worried as much better than leaving Wellington! Great views of the snow below in the dark.

The attendants on this plane are all male Germans. Flight only about an hour but still given more food...cheddar and egg sandwich.

Landed in Paris and there was snow on the ground but less than Munich. Easily found the bus but a long cold wait for the one to our area and then took almost an hour to get to Port Maillot even though it was the 1st stop. Once off the bus we easily found Nicks apartment virtually across the road.  

Lovely entrance door but less grand once you step inside... Very old and cool though! He came with us to our apartment just around the corner. Had a code to get in the main door but couldn't get to the lift area so we phoned Bertrand to come let us in. Was a bit of a wait and we really needed Nicks French skills to communicate with all the people who asked who we wanted and why were we standing there.  Eventually Bertrand arrived (looking much older than his profile picture) and let us in. Only 2 people could squeeze into the tiny old fashioned elevator but we needed it as on the 6th floor. Very excited to finally see the apartment and it was better and bigger than I had dared hope. Very relieved that the booking had worked out and we have a special place to stay for the next 6 nights to celebrate my birthday...and perfect location near Nick.

Bertrand showed us around and especially pointed out how to turn on all the lights as switches were obscure and in odd places.

After he left we took a few pictures before we unpacked and as photographing the view it began to snow.

Nick hadn't had snow here before so was excited to see it but I was less enthusiastic hoping it wouldn't last. It was time to go out and I decided to check the key worked to get back later just in case we had problems...and sure enough we did... None of us could get the door unlocked and got very frustrated. Got Nick to call Bertrand, who was very busy & tried to explain over the phone but he finally came back to the apartment and the key worked straight away for him. Both Cam and I still couldn't get it to work though....eventually we mastered it by applying considerably more force than seemed reasonable.... Dumb kiwis! 

We then went round the corner to take a look at Nick's flat.  His bedroom was bigger than I expected & probably tidier than his Kelburn room...thats not to say there weren't plenty of papers etc on the floor :)

The living room is very small & the kitchen and bathroom both compact but very modern. It's seems to me a very lucky find especially considering the upmarket area it is in.  There won't be room for any big parties though!

We then decided to go for a stroll to find somewhere for lunch heading in the direction of the Arc de Triomphe.  After lots of indecision we picked a place which was lovely and warm...and much bigger inside that it looked from the outside. Seem to be lots of twists & turns in shops & cafes here...rarely a rectaungular room. Cam & I had no trouble picking french onion soup (why don't they do it like this in NZ) & it was a bigger serving than expected & very yum!

Nick got a salad which was way more substantial than salads at home.

Feeling very satisfied we kept strolling & the buildings around us were so gorgeous...very hard not to continuosly take photos. Within minutes we were at the Arc de Triomphe - can't believe Nick lives only 15 minutes walk from this.

We went under the road to get to the monument in the centre - very cool to be here!  The monument honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolution and napoleonic wars.

Stood by the tomb of the unknown soldier & debated whether to pay to go inside the arc. Decided we could come back another timei & instead headed down the Champs Élysées...the boys looking very French casually strolling down the road.  

Not too many tourists around which was good but plenty of tacky souvenirs to not buy.

Walked down to Place de la Concorde & passed so many impressive buildings   that there was too much to photograph. Nick already seems to take all the beauty around him for granted... I couldn't stop saying "wow" - maybe it's a girl thing .

The centre of the Place de la Concorde is occupied by a giant Egyptian obelisk and surrounded by picturesque fountains.

We also took a photo here of Cam and I where you can just see the Eiffel Tower in the background...looking forward to a closer view!

The monuments seemed to continue...

But we eventually got to walk along the river seine and came upon the love-lock bridge (Pont de lArcheveche) which looked overwhelmed with padlocks... We did not add to it!

By now Cam and I were struggling to stay alert and my foot was throbbing, so we left Nick to go to his lecture and caught the metro back to our apartment. We stopped for French bread and a scrummy citron tart at the local shops

Cam was asleep by 8 (in the bedroom with the somewhat disturbing wallpaper) and I was asleep before 10. A fab first day in Paris but thank goodness we have Nick to translate!