Paris and Le Tour de France - Part 3

After the race we all wandered off, in the same direction for a while, chatting about the day. Soon Clay had to head one way and Nadia and Hadyn the other, so it was time to say goodbye. These guys would be back or on the way back to Australia very soon, but it was great to see them again after so long and knowing that it will be while before we see each other again.

It was great to spend time with Kath and them, but I still had dinner to look forward to with my big sister.

Nik and I, being trigger happy slowed the return to the hotel greatly, so much so that Kath, trundle back by herself, don't blame her. It took us about 45 minutes to cross a bridge about 150 meters long. It is shown below and one of the ornate sculptures that adorn it.

Nik, Nadia, Hadyn, Clayton and Kath.

Nik and I meandered through the streets of Paris, relying on my inner pigeon to return to the hotel. Along the way we stopped at a cafe for a drink adn to soak up some more of Paris in the late setting sun.

The sun, wide boulevards (some tree lined) and the Parisian architecture and sandstone being the builders choice, allowed for some beautiful street scapes and a lovely feel of late summer to emmerse ourselves in on the walk. Streets such as these.


From here Nik and I made our way back to the hotel and got ready to head out to dinner with Kath, in the Latin Quater which is where our hotel was, we found a nice little restaurant just around the corner and a short walk from the Pantheon.

We ate our last meal in Paris together at the little cafe on the right of the pick below, before Nik and I headed off to have a look around the Pantheon and take far too many photo's of it, also shown below. Not to mention some of a church which the architecture suggests a number of after thoughts and different circa addtions, which make it quite a lovely church to view.

Cafe


Pantheon Unusual Church

The final day would see us have a leisurely start to the day, with a late breakfast. Say good bye to Kath, who I will see when I travel home next year. Then Nik and I first heaed to Au Vieux Campuer to buy a few outdoor items and Nik to continue her annoying and frutiless search for a climbing harness that fits. The we headed towards Sacre Coure. On the way up the hill, we stopped for a relaxed lunch soaking up the last of our hours in Paris.

Then we headed uphill through the Asrtist District and to Sacre Coure. Whilst the history of the church is extremely interesting, the church itself does not match this in any manner was the feeling that Nik and I held. It was to say, it is like any other big church in its feel and although the architecture is vastly different to many, it is not as exciting or inspiring as we expected.

A trundle down the stairs and an experience with a grumpy restuaranteur and then a nice coffee at another cafe and we where heading back to the hotel and then Garde Nord and then home.

Paris always provides a lovely relaxed break away from the everyday life, right in the middle of a beautiful and vibrant city. Something I have only experienced in Amsterdam and Melbourne, thus far. I'll be back again.