By the second day, I had grown a slightly thicker skin and was more prepared to take on the world... well, to take on Paris, anyway. At breakfast in the hostel I met Sheena, another Australian, and we chatted about doing a bike tour of the city together later in the evening... but more on that later in this entry!
I had heard that a boat cruise of the Seine would be a great way to acquaint myself with the city and have a relaxing, less polluted ride than Metro-ing from place to place, so I hopped on the Batobus ferry for the day. It was 12 Euros for the day (a little less than $20 AUD) and you can hop on and hop off as much as you like.
So, first stop, Notre Dame! Tourists EVERYWHERE, I battled the crowds and walked the perimeter, enjoying the architecture from all angles, and the gardens... oh the gardens were beautiful - but nothing on what I was yet to see.
Back on the ferry, I hopped off at the Louvre, just to familiarise myself with what I was to encounter the next day. I was absolutely speechless at the enormity of the building itself, let alone what it might hold inside. The Jardins des Tuileries (the gardens in front of the Louvre) were stunning. Amusing that you cannot sit or walk on the grass in most of the gardens! It was a glorious day, I was, in fact, working up a minor sweat, and all I wanted to do was lie on the grass in the shade and cool off... no such luck. I made the trek down the centre of the Tuileries towards the Champs Elysees and just as my feet gave out, I found the ferry stop by the river and hopped on again for a rest. That was 12 Euros well spent! The Tuileries were full of people enjoying the Sunday sunshine. Some, I imagine, may have been locals - they had their own chairs, bicycles, kids running around, wine, picnics, blankets, shoes tossed aside... It really was a beautiful day, and a gorgeous place to spend it. I wish I had my photos to post now! Can't wait for them to arrive...
I wrote in my journal on this day; "Today I realised just how huge the city is and how I would need about 2 weeks here... maybe next year?!"
Fat Tire Bikes Night TourI waited for Sheena under the pilier sud (South Pillar) of the Eiffel Tower and we signed up for the bike tour. The bikes were some kind of cruiser or something, they had high handlebars so we didn't have to hunch over, we could sit up straight and watch Paris from the comfort of our extra-cushioned seats! Our American tour guide was very well read, highly amusing and thoroughly enthusiastic. We rode to Notre Dame (gorgeous in the night-light), Ile St Louis (where Johnny Depp lives! I nearly fell off my bike when he told me that!), the Latin Quarter, stopped for AMAZING ice cream, the Louvre (at night, with no one else around, it was the warmest vibe there, beautifully lit and very peaceful), Jardins des Tuileries, Eiffel Tower, a boat cruise with wine and lots of great conversation, St Chapelle, Academie Francais & Pont des Arts...
This bike tour was possibly the BEST thing I did in Paris. I felt safe, I had the breeze on my face, I made friends, and I saw the city of lights at night, all lit up, with a guide explaining the history of it all to me. And his American-ness didn't annoy me one bit, and neither did my bright yellow safety vest!
