saturday morning started early. really early. deep dark early (which really isn't all that difficult in london at this time of year...) the plan was to meet le boy at king's cross station, with the ruse that we had to take a ridiculously early train to cambridge. le boy was waiting at the station with coffee and tickets - to paris! the expression on marvellous's face was priceless. a quick tour through security and customs and we were on our way speeding through the chunnel. travelling to paris by train is simply the best, and in my opinion, only, way to go. much more relaxed and sedate than flying, i don't really understand why anyone would fly to paris...at least not from londres.
dropping our bags at the hotel and emerging onto the street, we were steps from the champs elysée. the weather wasn't perfect, but we were in paris, so who really needs good weather? plus, we had one goal for the trip - not to rush
we wandered to a corner cafe, ordering crouqe monsieur and wine - how else to spend a saturday afternoon? we laughed and talked and then decided it was time to see
the landmark. my personal goal for the trip was to get in some good photos.
mission accomplished.
wandering along the left bank we took cover from the drizzle in a cafe. and feasted our eyes on the back streets of paris. complete with marvellous trying to buy a cheap beret in a tourist-y shop which i pronounced, a little too loudly, was not a
real store. le boy was much bemused. i just think he's a little bewitched.
tuckered out from walking we traipsed back to the hotel and spent a few hours napping. le boy was exceedingly happy that the all blacks game was permitted background noise. a transatlantic call from the barton boy sealed dinner's fate and we found ourselves in a cozy french restaurant on ile-saint-louis where you helped yourself to cured meats, soup, bread, pate and salad, and where there is no dessert without eating the cheese first - clearly it was my kind of place. might i add that it had excellent service as well.
marvellous had a deep and completely understandable desire to see paris at night, it is after all, the city of lights. and so we wandered. and wandered. and it was spectacular. and really what is paris without a little gelato on ile-de-la-cite?
morning came soon. can we just pause for a moment and appreciate french breakfasts? i love everything about them. i love their name: petit dejeuner. i love the crusty bread. and the preserves. and the incredible coffee. and the croissants. little pillows of perfection.
and so we wandered some more:
for we had the pièce de résistance: laduree.
tea and coffee and omlettes and the best 'french fries' i've ever had, stacked like a log cabin. and macroons for the journey home.
and it was time to say au revoir, a bientot.
thanks for coming marvellous. we had an incredible time with you. next time, please bring the barton boy.
