Finally...

We have uploaded a selection of photos from our week in Paris, including EuroDisney, Versaille, and that big pointy steel thing.

You can find them all in a slideshow here
Along with our entire France trip here
The Summer Odyssey here

And of course, the whole shebang here

There is over 600 shots in the summer collection, so have some spare time :)

Paris by Dots

Too lazy to reform this, so have some dot points about our week in Paris. It's taken us a while to get this up, oh well. We'll add some more photos at some point too.

Itchy and Scratchy Land - The happiest place on earth

Since I'm not a Simpson, I only got to go to EuroDisney. It's another of those things that you just "have to do". We'd pre-purchased tickets online for 47EUR each, to get access to two parks for one day. Saved us 20EUR each from buying on the day, and meant skipping the ticket line. It's unlikely you'd get time to see both parks though.

Moulin Rouge

It's one of "those" tourist attractions. You know, the place everyone knows about, and goes to see. We'd read heaps of reviews, some good, some bad, some idiotic (I mean really, complaining that it's not a place to take kids, surely you know that before?)

We reviewed a number of options, including the menus, and decided we'd be better getting dinner elsewhere and just seeing the 9pm show. And was it worth it ?

Family outing in Versaille

Ever been on one of "those" family driving trips ? surely, everyone has. Go left. No, go right. Sit down. Are we there yet. Change the radio station. Sit still. Open the window. CLose the window. Can we have Mcdonalds...

Well, today we went to Versaille. I'll write a bit more later, but for 30EUR for an hour using a 4 seater golf cart, it's much better than walking.

Paris - The Lourve and Not the Arc Triomphe

After a good night's sleep, a run to the shopping centre for some brunch, and then croissants with ham and cheese (how parisian!) we figured out that due to the weather, we would go to the Lourve rather than Versaille today. Once we got there, we figured out it's much better to pay 32 EUR for a 2day all-museum pass, which would get us into Versaille (15.50) and the Lourve (9.00) and the Arc de Triomphe, and the Musee D'Orsay and we could skip lines (priceless.) We figured this would be good value for money, even if we only did the Lourve and Versaille.

Arrival ala Paree

Despite our earlier issues with the trains, we were able to get on a train this morning at 6:08am. Well, the train was supposed to leave at 6:08. It eventually showed up at 6:28am, and left at 6:38. Still, we got into Paris on time.

Saved by the hair on his chinny chin chin.....

So we found out, by a fluke of luck this evening, at around 9:30, that many of the flights into Paris tomorrow will be cancelled due to industrial action. Turns out there is more than just flights cancelled, and there are only two TGVs running to Paris from Toulouse (our present location)

So thanks for the heads up to Rhiannon's parents, we're now rebooked on a train departing at 6:05am. We would have had no idea, and simply shown up at 9:30 for our regularly scheduled train, to find out the next one was at 4:00pm, and probably already fully rebooked.

Still, for the last few days of a 2 months stretch, we're doing pretty well if this is the only major thing that's gone wrong.

We're just hoping that getting to the airport at 4:00am will get Trevor and Judy rebooked onto a different flight.

Toulouse, weather and foosball

Had a nice sleep in. Think we really needed it. Had a look out the window to realise that it must have rained and that it was pretty grey looking. Wasn’t raining at the time, though, and we have been very lucky with the weather, so no complaining. Out we went...

TGV - a slight recant

Ok - we caught another TGV today (Marseille to Peripegnon) - and were pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't the same as the other day.

For a start, there was more room. There also seemed to be power at all the First class seats. Quite why the conductor on the last train told us no TGVs have them is beyond me.

So, yes, I recant some of my statements, notably the ones about space, and power. Actually, it wasn't overheated either, so I'll recant that too. I won't recant my comments on the stupidity of the platforms and organisation etc.

So sorry, TGV :)

Cannes (but no films)

Walked around. Through the old town area. Up to the castle and looked out over the city. Back down, grabbed some sandwiches for lunch and relaxed in a little park area near the water. Cannes is an absolutely stunning place along the waterfront.

Mini train and old, old city

There were a couple of self walking tours noted on our map. Did the first one through old town. Fascinating. Plaques along the way to read. Cute, little streets. Although, they don’t seem to clean them at all. We found the Italian ones a lot cleaner. There was one very old street (Rue Grand). Dated as around 600 BC (Marseille is France’s oldest city) with a very old cool looking building that had been literally turned to match the new layout of the street when it was changed. Hard to imagine a building being turned.

Washing machine's really do eat socks!

Headed out to a nearby laverie (Laundromat) to obviously get our washing done... and out of the way. All easily sorted out, except the machine seemed to have taken a big bite out of one of my new sock. There was a huge hole in it! At least it was just a sock. Went to a close American style diner for lunch. I ordered cheese fries, which turned out to be cheese wedges. Delicious! Andy got some chicken wings.

Caught our train to Marseille. We knew that Marseille was probably going to be a bit dirtier and less safe than other places we’ve been. There were dodgy seeming people in the main station and metro stations, but we had no problem and the metro tickets were cheap, so yay. Found our Etap easily. Nicer than the last Etap, this one even had a bath (although no plug... but we fixed this). Out we went for a walk. Up to a fort, with awesome looking stone and nice views over the port. Burgers for dinner, nice and rare-ish. Yum!

Parasailing!

Years ago (like 15!) I observed some one parasailing in Sydney, and have wanted to do it since. Well, I got my chance !

We're in Nice, on the French Riviera, and apart from the gorgeous water and pebbly beaches, they have lots of water sports, so we agreed I could do my parasailing :)



And then coming in to land:




It's not like an adrenaline sort of thing at all - you kind of float around above the water, just looking at everything. It's really quite slow and relaxing, except for the final part coming in to land. Definitely worth the opportunity !

what did surprise me was no need to sign a disclaimer or anything, just "here you go"

TGV < ICE.

Dear France,

Your train system is atrocious and disgusting. You market your trains as being the best in Europe, and are the only network that absolutely requires additional fares for railpass holders. Your additional fares are not justified. I would rather travel on Regional trains.

- Every other western country uses numerical identifiers for their platforms. Why must you use letters. It's as if you're being different for the point of being different.

- Every other western country has the same train, on the same platform, at the same time, for it's regular run. ICE1001 will always be on platform 4, at 8:30am for instance. Always. Guests can look at multiple small departures boards, or quickly glance at a big one. Having trains often departing on different platforms, and only updating your big screen at the last moment causes two major problems. 1) Every passenger for the entire train station stands in front of it, staring it at, causing problems passing through the station, or seeing the screen. 2) Every rushes at the last minute to the platform.

- Your "First Class" is backwards, and worse than 2nd class Romanian or 'RE' style trains. They are more cramped, more uncomfortable, and cause much more sore ass than any other train we've been on. The cabin is over heated, and what the hell is the deal with no powerpoints? We've been on second class RE trains that have powerpoints, yet you can't put them in first class ? Get Real. Do ANY business travelers regularly use the trains ?

- Please remember that non-French speaking people, as well as tourists, use your trains. If it's good enough for every other country to announce things in as many as 4 different languages, it wouldn't kill you. It is pure and simple ARROGANCE to not cater to German, Italian or even Dutch speaking travellers. And that's without even mentioning the language that's widely known and identified as being the international language.

- Two trains, two separate route numbers, one platform, one destination. What the fuck is this ? If your engines can't cope with longer trains, run more trains, more frequently, like everyone else. This bullshit of having TWO separate trains, going from Lyon to Nice, leaving the same platform, at the same time is stupid and utterly nonsensical.

- Reservation essential? This is just a hollow ploy for money. The carriage is not even half full (probably because your train system is so fucking useless it's not worth paying for first class.)

If I NEVER had to catch another TGV, I'd be a very, very happy little man. I don't care that the RE (sorry, TER, you have to be different again don't you) trains are slower, and stop more often. I'd prefer to be on them. At least they have power.

First day in Nice

Day to explore Nice.

Amazed by the colours of the water.

Walked up to citadel/ rocks/lookout/waterfall/ruins of old church/parts of old town, incl Place Garibaldi.

Nice Night

Arrived to Nice late. Was dark. Decided to have dinner in the hotel. Good food, especially the bread. Went out for a walk after this. Could see fireworks down near the beach, but didn't manage to get there before they finished unfortunately. There was a big promenade party! Awesome. Stages with bands singing different styles of music. We were lucky we didn't miss this. Very humid, hot night. I loved it. Wandered up and down the beach and promenade. Then somehow ran in to an old friend. What are the chances?!

Lyon

Caught the train to Lyon. Worked out how to store luggage for a 2-3 hours. Once we'd worked that out we went outside and then became confused as to how to get a tram in the city, so instead we walked. Not that far. Saw as much of Lyon as we could. Most of the main things. Saw the pretty Rhone river, which flows down from Geneva and the not so pretty other river.

Didn't go up the massive hill obviously, as not enough time. Walked through the shopping strip to a big square at the end. Grabbed some subway for lunch, as it was quick and we could eat on the go. Yum. Saw opera house and sculptures around this. Walked back to station (well, most of way... jumped a tram for the last bit), grabbed our stuff, a flan chocolat for Andy and then proceeded to wait around for them to decide where to put our train. Finally they chose a platform.

Then even more chaos, as they actually had 2 trains going to the same place. One didn't show up straight away (ours, of course) and one nervous looking conductor was standing there trying to answer everyone's questions about where they were meant to get on their part of the train, as it wasn't clear (and also cause half the train still hadn't arrived. When it did it was cramped and uncomfortable with no information. So much for TGV's being great. Speed is all they an do... and others do this just as well, if not better (railjet's)