Parlez Vous Anglais Sil Vous Plait?

Mike trying to enjoy the picnic
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Well after a pleasant if not swaying overnight ride in a sleeper carriage (Linda couldn't face another airport), we arrived well rested for our Aussie assault on Paris.  Our first impressions were mostly positive, as the sun was shining, the streets were clean and the people friendly. With only five days to see everything Paris had to offer, we quickly dropped our bags off at our Montmatre home and went for a wander.  I was keen to see how my year 8 French lessons and 10 week French class would hold up in the world of wine, pastries, and escargot.

Our view from our Valentines Day picnic
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Our first stop as you might imagine was to take a quick look at the Eiffel Tower.  At first sight Linda was not super impressed, that was until we gradually moved closer and the massive scope of the tower could be fully appreciated.  We decided we would attempt the climb it another day as the crowds were just too much for us.

How often does a couple get to be serenaded by a lone saxophonist on the banks of the river on their honeymoon

The next day we headed to the Louvre with much anticipation on my part.  While it was great to see the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and some great Egyptian artifacts, I would have to say that overall it was a little disappointing.  It was arranged in a very confusing manner with different exhibitions being on several floors and no real introduction to some of the more famous pieces.  Oh well, we would just have to wait and see what the Musee d'Orsay would have to offer.

Next we wandered up the Champs d'Elysees along with 100,000 other tourists and dreamed of being able to afford to window shop at some of the stores.  We eventually made our way to the Arc de Triumph which gave awesome views of the Champs we had just trooped up. On the way back we eventually succumbed to the pressure of euros in our pockets and purchased some stylish clothes to help us get in to the feel of Paris.

The following morning, after preparing for the climb by consuming a couple of french pastries, we attacked the Eiffel Tower.  I have to say that all the wandering we have been doing must have paid off as we both found the climb pretty easy.  The views from the second platform were definitely worth the trek with 360 degree views of the whole of Paris, and we rewarded ourselved with...yep...a french pastry.

The rest of our days in Paris were filled to the brim with culture.  We visited three art galleries (Musee d'Orange, Musee d'Orsay and the Monet Art Gallery) which were just amazing.  As is often the case, we managed to tack on to the back of an English speaking guide and were amazed to hear the stories behind some of Monet's most famous pieces.  Our senses went into overload with the beautiful Impressionist landscapes from Monet, Van Gogh and Renoir.  We both fell in love Monet's paintings and if we had a spare 80 million euro we would have picked up one then and there.  As we wandered from one gallery to the next, we stumbled upon a lone saxophonist in a tunnel by the river playing one of Linda's favourites; La Vie En Rose. We took the chance for a little romantic interlude and have a dance, after all, how often does a couple get to be serenaded by a lone saxophonist on the banks of the river on their honeymoon (not often i'd say).  And while on the subject of unforgettable memories, it would again be remiss of me if I didn't mention a two piece jazz band which became a three piece when they asked me to join them for 'some man time'.  You see Linda started dancing to their tunes and then they roped me into playing the cello.

No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral and it was indeed impressive.  The gothic architecture and gargoyles peering down from the edge gave it an otherworldly feel and the simple size of the structure was very humbling.  There was also a trip to the Bastille (well the roundabout where it once stood anyway) and a quick day trip to the immense Palace of Versaille.  Again the size and magnitude of the Palace and grounds (over 10 football fields) were humbling and it is easy to imagine a whole city living within its walls.

As fate would have it, we managed to find ourselves in Paris on Valentines Day, and as were only poorly backpackers, a fancy French restaurant was out of the question. We decided instead to gather together a sumptuous feast and have our own little Valentines Day pique nique dinner at the base of the Eiffel Tower.  While the very thought of this conjours up so many romantic images, in reality it was somewhat different.  It happened to be the COLDEST day/night we had experienced on our trip thus far, and instead of a leisurely meal in front of the tower, it was lets eat it as fast as we can before we lose feeling in our extremities.  It was worth it however to see the tower lit up at night through the evening mist, with my wife by my side.