Wanderings in the city of amour

Anna and Christine leaving their mark on Oscar Wilde's grave.
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Arrived at Gare de l'est in the evening. Anna (high school/uni friend currently working in Paris) met me and we went back to her apartment (5 flights of steep stairs! Oh dear) for pizza.

In the morning we went out for coffee and then I walked to the Montmartre Cemetery (wow, walking distance from the apartment.) Saw the graves of Degas and Truffaut (my favourite French New Wave director) amongst many others. Next I had a look in St Jean, then walked up to Sacre Couer for a look. The weather was perfect so the views over the city were amazing.

Moulin Rouge... no we didn't go in.
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Around the corner (once you fight your way through the crowds of artists drawing tourists) is the Dalí museum, which is small and interesting, packed full of sculptures and sketches. I fell in love with the melting watches in the shop but managed to resist. After checking out the only two remaining famous windmills and the little vineyard, I came back down to earth from Montmartre and had a look at the Madeleine and the Obelisk. After that I went to the Palais Garnier (where the Phantom of the Opera was said to reside.) It is really stunning, especially the ceiling painted by Chagall.

Sacre-Couer.
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This being the longest day in history, I met Anna after that and we went to the Eiffel Tower - took photos but didn't go up this time.

Friday morning got going slowly... had a look at Notre Dame and St-Severin, then wandered around St Germain a bit before heading to St Sulpice to meet Anna. Sulpice was a location in the Da Vinci Code so the pop culture junkie in me was quite stoked to see the Rose Line etc., as well as the posters on the wall from the church denouncing the book and movie. Across the road there was a phonebox used in an episode of Sex & the City so that was kinda fun as well.

Sacre-Couer from the alleys of Montmartre.
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After pizza at a corner café we walked to the fmous Shakespeare & Co bookstore, then took photos at the Tinguely/St-Phalle fountain at the Pompidou. After a little shopping we met Christine (uni friend who was coming over from London for the weekend) at Gare du Nord then the three of us headed out to have a big catch-up over Mexican food. We took the obligatory photos outside the Moulin Rouge then went to an Irish bar next door.

Saturday morning we were off to the Pere Lachaise cemetery - highlights for me were Melies (pioneering filmmaker), Oscar Wilde, Chopin and Jim Morrison. After lunch we checked out some music shops then walked along the Promenade Planteé which is a raised garden. It was drizzly but really lovely and we had a great vantage point of a cycle protest on the street below.

Street art in Montmartre.
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As the rain got heavier we ducked into a cinema which was showing Sex & the City in English. We went home and made enchiladas for dinner, then went to Harry's New York Bar, where the Bloody Mary and the Blue Lagoon were invented, and where Hemingway used to hang out.

Sunday morning we were off to the Catacombs. Apparently at one point cemeteries were getting too full so bones were exhumed and arranged in underground tunnels. Go figure. Anyway it was a fascinating if slightly creepy place to visit. After Chinese for lunch we wandered, sat, pondered, ate icecream. Then back home for salad, fries, and 'Paris, je t'aime'.

Metro station.
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Christine left in the morning; I headed to a point near the Eiffel Tower then walked along the Seine to the mini Statue of Liberty. She's very small compared with her New York sister but still nice to see. Next up I headed to La Defense, the financial district to see another side of Paris and the Grande Arche which was very impressive. Had a quick look at the Arc de Triomphe then home for pizza.

That evening we went to Bercy to see Radiohead. It really was amazing. Highlights for me were Lucky, Street Spirit, Exit Music, but espeically Paranoid Android. I nearly cried it was so mindblowing. The lighting was great too, there were these huge light sticks all over the stage, and screens at the back showing the band members but in distorted ways. Hard to describe!

From the Promenade Plantee.
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In the morning I went to Jeu de Paume which is a small photography museum at the Place de la Concorde. It has no permanent collection but I was lucky enough to see an exhibition of photos taken around the US which I could really relate to. After that I spent most of the day reading, taking photos and people-watching in the lovely sunshine of the Jardin du Tuilieres.

Wednesday was finally my day for the Louvre. I went armed with a guidebook Mum and Dad had loaned me and crammed in as much as possible in 5 1/2 hours. Was great to finally see the Nike of Samothrace which I missed last time. I think I sat staring for about 20 minutes. The Greek vases were another highlight, and the Vermeers.

Me with drizzle and graffiti, Promenade Plantee.
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But after such a long time with the oldies I was desperate for something modern so headed across town to the Pompidou Centre which was lovely.

In the morning after a few dubious hours of sleep I got a taxi at 5am to the bus which was to take me to Beauvais Airport. It broke down on the motorway and we had to wait for another bus.... then had to line up twice to pay for stupid excess baggage! Anyway I made it to the plane (just) and was on my way to España....