Wednesday May 30th - Paris and 10k walk from Roland Garros to Rue Sedaine. Warm sunny 12°C to 25°C
Jan with Seine and Notre Dame in Background. You can never go to Paris too many times.
We arrive in Paris at 6am and spent 30 minutes winding our way around escalators, steps, transit trains and lifts, to finally reach the baggage area at Charles de Gaulle Airport where we picked up our two MacPacs which had survived the trip unscathed, safely taped up in our $2 Striped Louis Vuiton Striped Plastic bags. It took less than 4 minutes to clear Passport Control and walk through Customs (The French are not big on red tape) to the train (The RER Gare SCNF) to take us into Paris - First to Gare du Nord and then Line 5, direction Place d'Italie to Breken ??? and then a short walk to our apartment in Rue Sedaine, not far from the Bastille. The apartment is perfect for a stopover in Paris and even has a separate bedroom.
Eiffel Tower - the masterpiece from 100 yrs ago never ceases to amaze
Witin 20 minutes we are out on the streets of Paris heading to Au Vieux Campeur in Thenard Street to pick up an isobuitane Gas bottle for Our JetBoil cooker (nothing like a tea of coffee on the trail). Then onto the Metro at Gare Austerlitz and straight out to Port d'Auteuil and follow the yellow balls stamped on the pavement to Rolland Garros. There certainly weren't the hordes of people we had experienced at Wimbledon in 2005. I fact, it was all a bit subdued. After several wrong turns and having to catch the Metro back to the Seine, we walked the 8k back to Rue Sedaine via the Tour Eiffel in all its glory with associated tourists, gendarmes, souvenir sellers and con artists - yes I was bitten by the Gypsy Queen of Wedding Rings - you learn something every day.
The Gypsy 18k Gold Ring - yes, inside the band it clearly states 18k and yes, it was heavy, and yes it looked genuine, and yes I was sucked in.
We strolled back along the Seine, only to be confronted by a young girl bending down to pick up something. She stopped and asked me what should she do with this 18k wedding ring that she knew I had seen her pick up. On closer inspection, yes it was in scripted 18k, and it was heavy. She was very thankful that I had stopped to help and explained that it wasn't hers - look - won't fit. You are so kind, thank God, have mercy, and a few Hail Mary's later, and she was clearly relieved tha tI would "take care" of her find. But could I spare a few small coins so she could buy a cold Coca Cola - it was 25degC that day. So I rummaged in my bag for some small change and away she went with more Hail Mary's. Ian suggested it was a con, but no how could it be she was so genuine. Less than 100 metres along the Seine path, and lo and behold there was another young girl explaining to another couple how she had found a gold wedding ring. Der!!!!! Well at least that got rid of my small change. The tactic was clearly
Get your attention by supposedly dropping a gold ring
Gain your confidence by giving it to you and allowing you to keep it
Jan on the lock bridge
Suck you in by asking for a few Euro, as now you can see they are honest citizens
We kept on walking. Past the Lovre, Museum d'orsey and Notre Dame and past the strange lock bridge - literally a bridge with thousands of Lockwood type locks bolted to the wire mesh with Valentine wishes engraved on each lock - the call it Lock Bridge. Must be a recent newbie, I haven't seen this before.
Back to the Bastille, stopping at the Mono Prix supermarket in Avenue Antoine to buy the French necessities of wine, cheese, salad and pork fillet which we have found is the most superb cut of meat in France. At 20 Euro per Kilo (almost $30AUD) it is the cheapest of all the meats, but by Australian standards, is quite expensive (pork fillet in Oz is around $16 per kilo). We roll into our apartment as though we have been there for years and a few beers, one bottle of Rose and pork fillet with salad later, we are ready for bed.