So yes, from now on I'll be looking out for bike tours in the cities we stop at.
After our bike tour we decided to do the next required tourist's task in Paris and go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The tower itself is an interesting monument. In 1889 it was chosen as the winner of a competition held for what to put in that spot to celebrate 100 years of the French revolution. It narrowly defeated the runner-up (which was a giant guillotine), but in typical French style everybody hated the Eiffel Tower. Eiffel was promised it would be erected for 20 years, so the locals weren’t allowed to have it torn down straight away. And by the end of that period there was a world war on and the Frenchies found out they were sitting on a 300m antenna.
Eventually the rest of the world came to appreciate the structure and Parisians decided they liked it and don’t you even suggest replacing it my fine foreign friend oui oui.
It took us about an hour and a half to get up and down the Eiffel Tower. If you ever do it I think it’s quite a bit quicker to walk up and down where you can (only the first two “levels”).
Our next plan was to take a metro to Notre Dame de Paris. We started by walking to a non-existent metro station, then doubled back to walk along the river, walking completely past one station in the pursuit of another (non existent) before realising our mistake and heading back to the one we passed. Right so where are we and where are we going? The trip was only three stops, so we started to try and figure out the decidedly French (ticket?) machine there. After a few minutes of frustration someone commented on the tin shed next to where we were and how people were leaving it then heading underground to the track. We quickly bumbled inside and discovered it was an unmarked ticket office. We ordered our tickets, suffering the dissent from the ticket lady with good natured humility.
Down to the platform just in time to jump on board. As we’re pulling into the next station Peter read off our information sheet that Notre Dame was closing in 10mins. Off we jump in a rush, and over the bridge for a wander up Camps Elysees, stopping only to check out the Renault dealership and to sit in a restaurant for a few minutes before deciding it was taking too long to order a beer and leaving. Snap some shots of the Arc de Triomphe then wander back over to the Eiffel Tower for a champagne picnic dinner under it.
For some culture a few of us opted for the cabaret show in the evening. Yeah good for a bit of culture, and also for a bit of peep show too – a few of the dancers were topless for a few of the acts. But it wasn’t distasteful really and I was more disappointed with just the slight lack of polish on the production than the young ladies’ breasts.
And now this morning we’re off to Switzerland, with many a bus hour ahead.
Top Deck Coach
Paris -> Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
After our bike tour we decided to do the next required tourist's task in Paris and go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The tower itself is an interesting monument. In 1889 it was chosen as the winner of a competition held for what to put in that spot to celebrate 100 years of the French revolution. It narrowly defeated the runner-up (which was a giant guillotine), but in typical French style everybody hated the Eiffel Tower. Eiffel was promised it would be erected for 20 years, so the locals weren’t allowed to have it torn down straight away. And by the end of that period there was a world war on and the Frenchies found out they were sitting on a 300m antenna.
Eventually the rest of the world came to appreciate the structure and Parisians decided they liked it and don’t you even suggest replacing it my fine foreign friend oui oui.
It took us about an hour and a half to get up and down the Eiffel Tower. If you ever do it I think it’s quite a bit quicker to walk up and down where you can (only the first two “levels”).
Our next plan was to take a metro to Notre Dame de Paris. We started by walking to a non-existent metro station, then doubled back to walk along the river, walking completely past one station in the pursuit of another (non existent) before realising our mistake and heading back to the one we passed. Right so where are we and where are we going? The trip was only three stops, so we started to try and figure out the decidedly French (ticket?) machine there. After a few minutes of frustration someone commented on the tin shed next to where we were and how people were leaving it then heading underground to the track. We quickly bumbled inside and discovered it was an unmarked ticket office. We ordered our tickets, suffering the dissent from the ticket lady with good natured humility.
Down to the platform just in time to jump on board. As we’re pulling into the next station Peter read off our information sheet that Notre Dame was closing in 10mins. Off we jump in a rush, and over the bridge for a wander up Camps Elysees, stopping only to check out the Renault dealership and to sit in a restaurant for a few minutes before deciding it was taking too long to order a beer and leaving. Snap some shots of the Arc de Triomphe then wander back over to the Eiffel Tower for a champagne picnic dinner under it.
For some culture a few of us opted for the cabaret show in the evening. Yeah good for a bit of culture, and also for a bit of peep show too – a few of the dancers were topless for a few of the acts. But it wasn’t distasteful really and I was more disappointed with just the slight lack of polish on the production than the young ladies’ breasts.
And now this morning we’re off to Switzerland, with many a bus hour ahead.
Top Deck Coach
Paris -> Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
posted by Tim at 8:30 am
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