Saturday, June 24, 2006

Surprise

Been a away a few days. thewife and I celebrated our 5th Wedding Anniversary and where better a place to spend it than in Paris. She didn't know though until pretty much the last moment. She thought we were going to London, spending a few days at Reidski's new pad and most likely having dinner at some fancy restaurant. That would have been nice and we'll do it soon I expect, but Paris on a cheap Ryan Air flight was too good to miss. Thanks to Reidski and Lady El, thewife had no idea until check-in. Face was an absolute picture when I showed her the confirmation slip. "That says Paris!" she said, with a look of Oh my god. Had to stop her running around the airport screaming, because we needed the time to change currency and stuff.

We go there, about 8 0' clock which was earlier than expected and made our way to the Hotel Marignan. We emerged from the RER into an extremely bustling Boulevard Saint Michel. Bustling is actually not the word, it was positively heaving as we had arrived amidst the Fete De La Musique in the heart of the Latin Quarter, right next to the Sorbonne. I explained to thewife that Paris wasn't usually this busy and also they didn't normally have a band playing in practically every street corner. Nor were the streets normally filled with drunken students dancing in the rain. We trudged a few blocks, found the hotel, were warmly welcomed and discovered our room was on the 6th floor of an elevatorless building. Still the exercise would do us good, and ensure our memories were keen if we were to keep the climbing and ascending to one of each per day.

Quick change and off to join the students in the streets. We headed off to a Vietnamese restaurant where we had incredibly good affordable food, and then to a night cap where we watched a previously interesting band disintegrate into a bizarre metal-disco cacophony.

The following morning it was bright, as were we as we took a lengthy walk to take in Notre Dame, the Beaubourg, The Louvre (Just the buildings), The Orangerie which was well worth the queue, The Tuileries, and thence back to the hotel to make our way to Le Bilboquet, which I had booked for our Anniversary dinner. Well I thought I had it booked but they hadn't got my return email, they gave us a table nonetheless, good location and we had a brilliant night with good food, good wine and excellent music. Expensive, but well worth it we thought. The only downside of the evening was in my heart stopping, stomach churning, terror filled moment when I thought I'd lost my wallet, as I got ready to pay the bill. As it turned out I had taken it out my pocket and put it on the table. Pheww.

A night cap and then home. The following day we did a whistlestop tour of Montmartre, The Sacre Coeur, Pigalle - really really seedy - The Arc de Triomphe, The Champs Elysees and The Eiffel Tower. Before heading home to pick up the bags and head for the airport bus.

Busy few days that both I and thewife will never forget, especially the steps.
posted by timesnewroman at 12:06 PM  

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