Day 4: Paris, France
With the original plan yesterday going out the window, I was determined to get to see the Louvre today (inside this time!)! With a bit of luck on my side, Sacha was going as well and we headed down together.
Fearing the worst about how long the Queue would be we went to buy tickets inside at the machine (no problem and headed for the inside entrance rather than going through the pyramid as I’d been told it was a lot easier and quicker to get in this way. Boy, they weren’t wrong!!!! No Queue and aside from getting my bag checked, no wait at all, just straight in!!!
So I knew the place was big, but this is just incredible!!! After deciding to go see the main attractions (or the couple we really knew about), we wound up suggesting sections in turn to go explore. There was just no way to see it all (or even half!) and not really knowing what was in most of the sections, it was pure pot luck if it was any good. The result…I’d defiantly recommend Napoleons Apartments – they’re absolute stunning and just so “grande” looking!!!
Towards the end of the visit (tiring more than anything) we stumbled upon a room with about 24 very large paintings, each following on from the last in telling a story. Unable to translate the French we must have spent a good 45 minutes trying to figure out what the story was about. Even now, I still haven’t really got a clue, but it was certainly a fascinating way to end our stay there.
So, 5 hours later and the Louvre is behind us. It feels very, very strange but I already have a sense of being a bit museum’d out! Sounds pretty silly I know after just one museum but despite wanting to go and see the Orsay, I’ll probably give it a miss and spend my time tomorrow exploring other areas!
Sacha shot off long, long after to go for a cycle tour and I decided to head back to the hostel and see what took my fancy from there.
I didn’t quite get as far as the hostel as it turned out! After a brief foray into the red light district (I was actually pretty freaked out by the amount of women that approached me, grabbing me and chasing me down the street!!!!), sorting through a few emails, and desperately trying to get in touch with Alan (a friend in Barcelona) with little success, at the internet cafe next to Abessess metro station, I opted to try a bar there and settled down to have a beer and write a little.
I’d just started my 2nd beer when I noticed a young couple chatting away in English in the sofa seat just over from me. I turned to them, introduced myself and said what I was doing and before you knew it, we were getting on just great! They (Alice and Mark) were here in Paris to celebrate her birthday (tomorrow) and had just wound up in the bar. As we were chatting a couple of guys had started playing some acoustic guitar covers and the three of us were getting into it! Singing along we were suggesting a few songs for them (I got my Verve lol) and the place was kinda swinging to our beat! The drinks were flowing (one of the guys playing joined us for Tequila slammers) and it was turning into a pretty sweet night!
And turn it did!!! Just not quite in the right direction! With the band still playing away, Alice and Mark called it a night and I decided to stay a while longer as I was really enjoying myself. Suddenly, just moments later, it hit me!!!!
The drink!! OH MY GOD!!!!
I was gone!!! Just like that! Seemingly fine and fairly sober to pissed as a fart in a matter of minutes. I didn’t see it coming AT ALL. I really hadn’t drunk all that much!
Home, I had to get home, so I did. I just got up and bolted straight out the door! I had absolutely no idea if I still owed any money for drinks and to be honest it wasn’t really a thought that crossed my mind until a little later! I just knew I had to get home, back to the hostel, into my room, into bed, in one piece!
To be continued……
Tags: France, Louvre, music, Paris, Travel
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