10 July 2010
I am in Paris, prepare for photo overload
Despite the entire internet suggesting you will die with in 5 minutes of arriving in Paris at the hands of gypsies, so far it seems fine.
The eurostar journey was ok, it slowed down around Lille and was 30 minutes late, but that was the only problem. I am 90% sure Johnny Depp was on the train. There was a smelly dude that looked like him unshaven, big sunglasses, funny suit and hat, with 2 minders in immaculate black suits in the buffet car. If it wasnt him it was his lookalike, he does live in France apparently.
My hotel seems fine, has excellent fast free wifi, and the location whilst not the nicest part of Paris, is walking distance to the attractions.
Initial impressions, people do not know how to drive, everyone uses their horn non stop, scooters go everywhere, traffic lights are just a suggestion, it really does seem a bit backwards in this respect, worse than mainland China.
The streets are a bit dirtier than London, but the dire warnings I read are not really warranted, it is hot though, and humid, there was a brief spell of rain also.
The sheer number of boulangeries and pastisseries has me wondering why everyone isnt huge. I think I may skip regular meals and just live off baked goods.
The number of immigrants is huge, mostly african, some parts of Paris there are no white people at all.
Now onto the photos, there are too many and they are probably boring, so you have been warned.
The departure lounge of the Eurostar, the good thing is they do French passport control in London, so once it arrives in Paris you just walk off. Airports should do this.
My train on the platform at St Pancras.
The buffet car and the back of Johnny Depp (guy in suit with hat and strange boots)
First photo in Paris, african area full of yelling and screaming and guys pushing each other, the shops were mainly hair salons and the angry guys in the streets were only picking on Africans to go into the hair salons or I think by phone calling cards. They left me alone.
The market near my hotel, closing time, I will go back for cheese and bread.
This was amusing, the couch is going up the powered ladder thing, this is how you move house here. I have never seen anything like it. The guys seemed really angry I was taking their photo for some reason.
Great internet in this hotel, that access point is just outside my door, and theres 4 of them on this floor alone, 1 for every 3 rooms.
These rental bikes are everywhere, I have to work out how to use them, although I am scared of bike riding without a helmet.
Here is where I plan to eat all my meals, none of this weird french food for me, I need a meat pie and pavlova.
Gratuitous monument shot, there will be more, sorry.
There are lots of streets like this closed off to traffic, and a huge shopping mall under them, which was about 40C and non air conditioned. I found it amazing that a big modern mall had no cooling at all, it was too hot even for me to stay in there.
I think this is the outside of part of the Louvre.
More random monument photos.
Huge building with famous guy on it, the airport guy.
I think this is the museum of modern art, that is a finished building, theres a very large plaza in front with lots of buskers.
This guy is terrorising small children with bubbles, he was pretty creepy and way too excited to see small children.
Random street, it goes on forever dead straight with buildings all of the same style and height.
Arch de failure.
This is my room, on the 5th floor. No complaints so far.
View from my balcony.