The "I've lost track of time and day" post

Okie dokie, firstly, sorry about the long post... and again, lack of pictures, but lack of time and unreliable internet service has prevented me from updating these posts to their full potential. I promise, I'll try to upload some photos soon, cos we took some doozies. And thanks for all your comments and emails, knowing that there are at least 3 people who read this - well, it validates my life :) heheh ok, so that's a blatant lie, I'm just into using the word 'validate' at the moment... but it does make all these hours spent typing these long posts all worth it, that's for sure.

Now where are we? Where am I now?? It’s been a few days, and a lot has happened and it’s been an extremely fulfilling few days, this is what a holiday should really be like. It feels like I've been away for ages, and I'm not sure what day of the week it is anymore, my concept of time is based only on dates, no more hours nor days....

Mind you, after a very brief 2 day period where I was completely recovered from my lingering cough, I unfortunately, caught yet another cold and have since regained the cough I have been trying so hard to get rid of these last few months… oh well, C’est la vie….

So, PARIS on Wed, 18th June:

We 4 girls got up bright and early (as we do) to get ready for yet another big day out in this huge metropolis of Paris. Considering there are 4 girls using one bathroom, it’s a miracle that we are so consistent in how long we take to get ready, which is approx. 2 hours altogether, I really don’t think that’s too bad for us.

So anyways, first stop Wed, Montmartre Arts Market. A very interesting place indeed, many a famous artist had made some spare change and hung out in this area in the past, I didn’t visit this area last year with my sister, but I’m sure she would’ve loved it also. I really enjoy the Montmartre area, it’s small, cute, old and full of little tiny laneways waiting for me to discover. And even hiking up those many many steps doesn’t detract from this beautiful place, those tourist vultures who hang around the bottom of the Sacre Coeur are the only thing I don’t like about this area but that’s just a small blip on the radar.

We had lunch at a little pub in the Montmatre area, and had perhaps the best service we’ve encountered anywhere in Paris but the waiter may just be after our tourist tips, who knows. So service, in comparison to other Parisienne service we’ve had so far, was good, my Salade Nordique wasn’t bad either, although the pink spread on the bread was a little off-putting, so I didn’t eat that (I think it was some sort of caviar spread, blech)

Drinks are pricey here, 4 euros for a teensy little bottle of juice, so that’s like about AU$7.30 and I’m talking a very tiny drink, one that even children can drink in one mouthful. That’s just plain outrageous (yup, this is me, prone to exaggeration).

Next stop after lunch, one for the tennis fans, thanks to Marisa and Manda (Tennis Nuts) we made our way to Roland Garros to see the famous clay courts… I had my reservations but I must admit, it actually turned out quite interesting and very fun.

We took a guided tour behind the scenes and learnt a little about the history of this tennis centre and stadium. Our guide, Agnes, bless her, was fun, funny, knowledgeable and made the tour worth every euro that we paid. Must remember to write a complimentary note to her boss because you don’t get service like that everyday in Paris. And, yes I know, I’m sounding like a broken record now and I’m not sure how many times I’ve complained about service in Paris, but when it’s good, it’s gotta be recorded! Marisa went into a lot of detail about what we got upto there, basically, we saw where the reporters and journalists sit, we saw the main court which was being set up for some sort of concert that night so we saw rehearsals, that was good. We saw where the boxes for VIPs and families sit, we got to go into the locker rooms, we got to be tennis players for a few minutes each and give interviews in the interview room (yes, there is photographic proof!). Very enjoyable indeedy.

Then, shopping at Galleries Lafayette. However, before we get there, let me tell you about this fine specimen of a man I saw on the metro. Tall, dark haired, beautiful eyes, and a sharp suit, and he sat right opposite me, nice nice nice! I smiled, he smiled, and I looked away embarrassed.... and he looked away, oh well. It was good while it lasted, I'll always remember the 3 seconds we had together Phillipe du Roule :)

I won’t go into too much detail about the shopping, shopping is boring for me, I like buying things but only if I know I need it and I can afford it. This place, is a little like Myer mixed with David Jones but classier than both. Some stuff was really affordable and reasonably priced, but others were priced outrageously. I saw a pair of earrings at over 6,000 euros, I mean, come on! Who buys these things??? And when am I gonna meet someone who can afford to buy 6000 euro earrings for me? I have my ears already pierced and waiting : )
But, I am a simple girl with simple tastes, all I wanted was this beautiful watch worth not even a mere AU$1,000, I beg and I beg and nobody will buy this for me : (

Perhaps next time I visit La Tour Eiffel, I will finally have a somebody to be with, and this somebody will present to me a wonderful expensive gift, a la the 11y.o. girl I saw last week (15 quid is a lot of money for an 11 y.o. boy from Birminghamshire, or where ever those pommy kids were from) - not that I'm blatantly dropping hints, but if you know my Mr. Right, please let him know where I am (ahem, Milan for the next few days, then Prague, okies?)

Anyways, getting back to business…

After the little shopping spree, we decided to see Paris from a different angle, and so trudged off to find a Batobus to take us on a cruise up and down the Seine to see some of the main sights. It still strikes me that so many people use the Seine so practically and all the time. You will never see this in Melbourne, not in the near future anyway.

All along the Seine, it’s a gathering place, a place that people of all ages and cultures go to socialize. And it’s not just one or a few particular sections either, it’s all along the entire length, up and down the Seine, on both sides of the river.

You will find lonesome figures, just after a quiet place to themselves, or contemplating life, you will find couples or people on their first dates, you will find groups of friends, or co-workers having lunch, or celebrating some special occasion or just hanging out. You will also find families enjoying some time together and buddies out for a drink, you will find old people holding hands, or young people dancing or vice-versa, it’s fantastic. I love that about this city.

Last full day in Paris – Thursday, 19th June – Designated shopping day.

Not much more needs to said really….

I’m not feeling all that magnificent today, I think it was the beginning of the cold that I caught from somewhere…. I just wasn’t all that together or up for anything else, plus the weather kind of sucked, otherwise I probably would’ve gone off exploring on my own for a bit, I’d like to get to know the Latin Quarter and the Marais a bit better…. But there’s always next time: )

By night time, we all chipped in and prepared dinner and cleaned the apartment ready for departure on Friday morning. It was gonna be an early start, Marisa and I had to catch a train at 8am, so to avoid the peak hour commute on the metro we thought we had better leave very early.

Bye bye Paris 20th June

8am Paris time: we are boarding a train that will take us to Nice. Eating a pain au chocolat for breakfast and absorbing the last smell of the Paris before leaving.

Meanwhile, 4pm Melbourne time, most of you are stuck at work.

10am France time: we are sitting on a comfy train, in the middle of France somewhere, awestruck by the beautiful scenery that we are winding through.

6pm Melbourne time: perhaps you are stuck in traffic? Perhaps preparing dinner or waiting for dinner to be ready?

1pm, France time – we reach Cannes, the scenery is beautiful. The weather is gorgeous, clear skies, warm, perfect.

9pm, Melbourne time – you are probably at the footy or at home watching tv or maybe for those with a more active social life, out at some trendy bar just to be seen, but Marisa and I are in Cannes! So we win.

By the time we get to Nice, we are inundated with choices of what to eat and that’s just stepping outside of the station, we haven’t even got our bearings yet. There are so many different cafes, restaurants and fast food outlets to choose from, this place is great! Of course, that’s the first thing I would notice, where all the food places are in relation to where we’re staying : )

The weather is quite a contrast to Paris, It’s so hot and balmy. I immediately had to start stripping on the street to cool down. It’s sunny and bright, and I think it was 32 degrees when we arrived. Paris was a very Melbourne-like 20 degrees, which really suited me more I think. I get grumpy in the heat.

Our hotel is small but quaint and does the trick. It’s very central and in the new part of Nice, so not really that much charm but conveniently close to the station.

Marisa and I wandered around on foot to the beach and fell instantly in love with it, all bumpy pebbles and all. The water is so blue and looks so clean that it makes you want to jump right on in and swim. But I am too shy…. For now….

Already, there’s a noticeable difference in service-quality (I think I’m beginning to sound like a service Nazi or Service cop or Service critic….whichever suits best)
From memory I think I’ve only received poor service once, and that was at Monoprix (a huge supermarket that sells absolutely everything). The check-out-chick, which I shall call, Shazza, like any other c-o-c, obviously loves her job, decided to snatch money right from my hand!

This was the situation:
Total cost of my purchase – 8.01 euros
I gave her a 50 euro note (so I can have change) and as I opened up my coin pouch to get the 1 cent piece, she saw I had a 10 euro note, which happens to be my last small note, thus the need for change. Shazza, decided it would be ok to take this 10 euro note straight from me because you know, we are the bestest of buddies considering I met her only 10 seconds beforehand.

Ummm….. ahem, no Missy, I want to use my 50 euro note, which is why I gave it to you, merci beaucoup. So, relunctantly, she took my 50 and gave me four 10 euro notes in return, plus coins, and counted and counted and counted it over and over again. But, just to make sure she didn’t miscount four 10 euro notes, because counting to 4 may be too difficult for Shazza, she flicked the money a few times, counted it yet again, and then slowly gave me the money. I received the money in my hand when she decided to snatch it right out of my hand and again began counting it – gees! Talk about rudeness and OCD. This was way up there, she either loves counting money, or just loves snatching money out of people’s hands.

Otherwise, all other people were great, info lady was ok, train tix man was ok, hotel staff are good, postcard seller was very nice, love them all.

That first night, we went down to Vieux Nice (Old Nice) for dinner, it was cheap and atmospheric, and we avoided the touristy traps, our salad was good, the local specialty, Socca (some kind of chickpea pancake) was different, but ok, nothing too special to write about. Afterwards, we couldn’t resist having a gelato for sweets.

This Monoprix though, despite the poor service I had originally, has become my new favourite store here, they sell absolutely everything! You name it, they sell it. It’s awesome.

Oh, before I forget, I should write about the hot waiter who I thought was checking out Marisa, but Marisa reckons he was checking me out… but then again, perhaps he wasn’t checking out either of us and it was somebody else he was looking at altogether, hehe

But, there was no mistaking the ambulance driver who was on his way to an emergency, sirens blaring, who decided to slow down and smile at us. How funny, nevermind whoever is dying and waiting for your medical expertise, cute girls up ahead, must wave and smile….. great start to our few short days in Nice : )