Hot Shots Part Deux

So here we are in Paris.  Annie's filled you all in on what happened leading up to our first day as temporary Parisiens so now it falls to me to bring you up to speed on our Mai Day aventure.  Pardon me for slipping into a bit of Francaise here and there, but it's becoming harder and harder for me to speak (or think) in English as the jours go by, what with having scored a solid B in HSC French.  Haven't used it these past 37 years, but it's a bit like faisant du velo.  Actually it has been fun trying to make myself understood in the Gallic tongue.  I have a big sign on my forehead that screams "Tourist" and so everyone speaks English to me.  I keep trying to speak French back at them and each little conversation I manage increases the spring in my step.

A few observations of Paris so far, before I move onto the day's events.

 Parisiens are impossibly cool and beautiful.  Even the ugly people look attractive - they all look like they've stepped off the set of an arthouse movie (no subtitles though).  It would be intimidating if it wasn't so entertaining. Every man is thin and has a scarf draped rakishly around their elegant necks, and the women are something to behold.  Fortunately we are only in Paris for six days because I have a sneaky suspicion that if we stayed any longer, the cool police would be around to arrest me and put me on the first train out of Le Gare du Nord.

Annie, of course, would be fine.

It's weird being in Paris.  For the past two days we have been doing touristy bus trips and walking tours, and it's sort of hard to comprehend the look of the joint.  Most places I've been to have some amazing buildings, monuments and other places of interest.  Here, it's every building.  I would defy anyone to find a street in Paris that isn't postcard worthy.  Every intersection I come to, I look down around the corner and think "You're kidding?"  Another beautiful street lined with the most amazing architecture.

So what did we get up to today? As Annie predicted yesterday, we set out to explore Montmartre and the Basilica of Sacre Couer today.  And we did. We decided to walk a couple of kilometres (I pronounced that the French way in my mind) to the aforementioned Gare du Nord (North Station) to pick up the   hop-on, hop-off bus tour we have been using.  On the way, we noticed about thirty police vans in convoy moving along the street beside us (Rue de Temple for those who want all the details).

We figured that there must be major terrorist activity up ahead so we warily kept going. The flics seemed pretty relaxed and we soon got to the trouble spot.  La Place de Republique, which was hosting a Mai Day celebration.  Parisiens love themselves a demonstration, and being the international day of the worker, every flavour of communist, socialist, Trotskyite, Leninist, Maoist, Marxist, etc. was there in full voice.  I was a little disappointed that I didn't see Billy Bragg.

We kept moving and found the Gare du Nord.  From the street, - and hardly surprising - this is the most beautiful station I've ever seen. 

Surpassed about 10 minutes later by its sister, Le Gare D'Est. 

We figured it must be something magical inside so in we went.  Nah.  Sort of looked like Southern Cross station. Purely functional.

We hopped on the bus and spent about half an hour driving through gob-smacking streetscapes

until we were deposited at Place de Pigalle, on the outskirts of Montmartre. 
Montmartre is the bohemian, artistic district of Paris, and considers itself to be much trendier and cooler than normal Paris.  Fortunately today I was dressed all in black and may have got away with it.

We fortified ourselves with a some dejeuner (lunch) and in the Parisien fashion, were seated side by side facing the street so we could admire the procession of gorgeousness.

After lunch, we walked down the Paris King's Cross equivalent towards Le Moulin Rouge. No shortage of marital aids on display here.  Annie was particularly taken with a pink version of the Eiffel tower that has an unusual trosieme etage.We were being directed around Montmartre by a walking tour app that told us where to go, and explained why it was interesting.  If you want the full rundown, I suggest you do it yourself, but amongst the highlights were various places where Amelie was filmed,

"The Lady with the Shiny Bosoms" (As Annie just described it to me) - apparently it brings good luck if you rub them.  A likely story.

A Bishop with his head in his hands (literally),

the man who walked through walls,

an agile rabbit,

and finally the Basilica of Sacre Coeur.

Sacre Coeur sits on the top of Montmartre and overlooks the whole of Paris. It was designed to be visible from anywhere in the city.  It was also built from a white sandstone and is pristine, despite having never been washed.  Apparently the rain keeps it clean.  Genius!

Eventually we were full to the brim with Touristing and meandered our way back to our little apartment.  On the way we wandered about the Louvre precint (not venturing inside as it was closed by this stage)

and then a walk along the Seine.  We stopped at the Pont Neuf where a hawker did not sell us this pink, heart shaped lock to attach to the bridge.

I really wanted to buy some Tintin hardbacks in French from some of the vendors along the banks of the Seine, but as Annie reminded me, it will probably be a lot easier to get them from Amazon.fr.

Eventually we were almost back at rue Montmorency - Can you believe it? - and stopped into our local cafe/bar for a couple of post-tourism bevvies.

Now Annie's cooking the dinner and I'm waxing grandiloquent.

So now you're up to date.

A demain.