This was the view of St Pancras/Kings Cross station in London from our room at the YHA.
Today we left London on Eurostar, a very sunny and cloudless London....the first full day of sun in 3 weeks and we leave ! the train trip was uneventful and even crossing the channel almost passed with no one noticing. I felt the train tilt forward a bit and then level out and it was dark but that was it, no announcement to say we were about to go in the tunnel, no welcome to France etc....i thought that maybe i was just being picky/whiney but an American couple behind me commented on the same thing so it wasn't just me.
The countryside around Calais, France looked the same as England, green fields and lots of water laying around. Our arrival at Gare Nord train station was a bit scary. No one spoke English and we were immediately set upon by beggars, there were soldiers walking around with guns. In the end we stood in the taxi line and i showed the driver the address for the hotel and 20 mins later we arrived, i know it would have been cheaper to go by Metro but i was stressing so we got the taxi. Our hotel is a 10min walk from the Eiffel Tower.
We had a quick look at it today but tomorrow we will do the hop on hop off bus thing which seems to be the best way to get around the place. The kids are busting to go to the top of the tower but I'm staying on the ground....too high for me. There are people at the Tower trying to sell you souvenirs constantly, i know they are trying to make a living but its really annoying....this is all new to me remember, I'm not a world traveller like the rest of you, i do not like miniature Eiffel Towers shoved in my face all the time ! the Eiffel is huge, a huge mass of steel painted an ugly brown colour, Mia was thrilled to see it. Paris is huge and packed with people, lots of tourists here I've noticed, a lot of Americans.
Anyway the hotel is lovely, very clean and old world in a quiet back street, the taxi ride here was....lets just say its a wonder we're alive !!!! i scared the kids when i said i might hire a car and drive around Paris hahaha they went pale. The weather here is very cloudy, no sun but at least it didn't rain and its cold but not as cold as London...no cold wind. I will try to update tomorrow but the Internet here is not good so it may be the next day. Till then night night from Paris.
The countryside around Calais, France looked the same as England, green fields and lots of water laying around. Our arrival at Gare Nord train station was a bit scary. No one spoke English and we were immediately set upon by beggars, there were soldiers walking around with guns. In the end we stood in the taxi line and i showed the driver the address for the hotel and 20 mins later we arrived, i know it would have been cheaper to go by Metro but i was stressing so we got the taxi. Our hotel is a 10min walk from the Eiffel Tower.We had a quick look at it today but tomorrow we will do the hop on hop off bus thing which seems to be the best way to get around the place. The kids are busting to go to the top of the tower but I'm staying on the ground....too high for me. There are people at the Tower trying to sell you souvenirs constantly, i know they are trying to make a living but its really annoying....this is all new to me remember, I'm not a world traveller like the rest of you, i do not like miniature Eiffel Towers shoved in my face all the time ! the Eiffel is huge, a huge mass of steel painted an ugly brown colour, Mia was thrilled to see it. Paris is huge and packed with people, lots of tourists here I've noticed, a lot of Americans. Anyway the hotel is lovely, very clean and old world in a quiet back street, the taxi ride here was....lets just say its a wonder we're alive !!!! i scared the kids when i said i might hire a car and drive around Paris hahaha they went pale. The weather here is very cloudy, no sun but at least it didn't rain and its cold but not as cold as London...no cold wind. I will try to update tomorrow but the Internet here is not good so it may be the next day. Till then night night from Paris.
Karin and Alf you are kidding about the snow ? Mia groaned. I read in the London paper today that Wales had snow in Snowdonia National Park nearly 2 inchs and the odds on London having a white Christmas are now like 8 - 1. No bedbugs yet Suzanne and there wouldn't want to be for the price I'm paying for this room. The cheap accommodation is out of town, 20mins on the underground train each way, I'm paying to stay in town because i don't want the worry of trains just for 3 days. Thanks for videoing the Xmas concert Mia was happy to read that. Has the rain competition ended ? 10mm yet ?
3 comments:
Hello Adventurers,The french are quite reluctant to speak English until they want to sell you something- those words from Linz.Tell the beggars to move on ,they were there 35 years ago and should have got a life by now.Dont forget snails and frogs legs for lunch.xxxx
Hey you world travellers
Have a great time in Paris - don't forget the photo! The rain competiiton is still going - only had 6mm of rain. Last year the comp went off on November 14 - so here we are December 2 and still waiting. We have airconditioning! It is sooooo good!
Have fun and take care.
Hi all,
arriving in France sounds a bit like arriving in katherine on the bus, a bit grubby, beggers everywhere and no-one speaking english. I am having my first squiz at the blog for about a week, Katherine is full into the christmas season and we have been non stop, should be all done and dusted by next tuesday
cheers
clare
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