Fare - bus fare
Fair - fun fair
Fair - this situation is not fair
Fair - fair hair

It was not fair that the fair haired girl did not have to pay bus fare to go to the fun fair.

Random thought #1

Fare - bus fare
Fair - fun fair
Fair - this situation is not fair
Fair - fair hair

A Romanticist in Paris – Searching for That Storybook Experience.

A Romanticist in Paris – Searching for That Storybook Experience.

                                                 By Wednesday Condron

Not so in love with the capital of romance.

My arrival in Paris seemed simple after a quick 50-minute flight and a complimentary croissant. Sitting at a window with extra legroom and an empty seat behind me so I could recline my chair back as far as the 25 degrees would allow me to. Collecting my luggage took less than 10 minutes which created a false pretence of what was to come. In order to reach the hotel, I needed to catch a train. Seems simple right? No. CDG airport was a maze with no indication of an exit. It took me two hours to navigate the constant escalators and bridges. Trying to understand the train system, I felt like I needed to be a Mensa member.

Food in little streets for little prices.

The search for the evening meal began at lunch as I wandered through the large streets of Paris. By the time I had settled on what I wanted I wandered through the winding streets behind the Notre-Dame. They were packed with bustling restaurant after restaurant each being 9ft wide. They all had a handsome man at the entrance. Throwing out compliments to everyone who walked past enticing them into their restaurant. Winning the covert competition between all of the restaurants. The interior of each restaurant differed but the food they served were similar. I chose to spend the evening at a tiny place with green painted walls and old wooden table and chairs. Along with the typical menu came a set menu of 3 courses, three traditional (or stereotypical) meals for only 12€ (drinks and tip not included). For appetizers, escargot and frog’s legs were on offer so I immediately snatched them up and so was boeuf Bourguignon. The appetizers were surprisingly edible and the boeuf bourguignon was amazing, creating a sense of homeliness in a place that I had only spend an hour in.

Sunset reveals the fairy-tale

After I completed my meal, the sun was beginning to settle in for the night. I discovered an exit from the winding streets and found myself in front of the Notre Dame lit up with spotlights and flashing cameras. Revealing the corner of inspiration of Victor Hugo’s ‘Notre Dame de Paris’ The beauty and magic that created a worldwide classic. I left Ile de la Cite via pont d’Arcole and strolled along the river Seine taking in the cool night air. The romantic in me thrived on this simple 20-minute walk past every bridge from la cite to the Louvre. Since my arrival in Paris my expectations were not met but this journey fulfilled them all. I walked past a young woman sketching the glittering Eiffel Tower. A few meters down, on a dock, sat a loved up couple showing a very expressive public display of affection with the musical stylings of a man with a guitar in his hand and a case at his feet standing on the other side of the street. My stroll along the Seine ended at Jardin des Tuileries, the embodiment of beauty. Full of perfectly maintained grass littered with thousands of flowers and bushes. I walked along the dusty cream gravel to a wooden lounge chair which was one of many that surrounded a large fountain with a direct view of the Arc de Triomphe.  To end my enchanting evening on my way back to the hotel, I met a man that will forever be in my heart and will be the highlight of this trip whenever I think back to it. This man was Cain (Pictured Below) and for some unknown reason always makes me laugh despite what mood I am in.

How to save money in a tourism hotspot.

When it comes to buying snacks and drinks throughout the day it can become expensive, especially when you are travelling with children. A nice cold bottle of Coca Cola can range between 3€ and 5€. Divert to a local supermarket or a family run store where these items will cost between 80¢ and 1€. Another advantage of heading to the local's corner shop is that you will be able to pick up some real French treats that are great for family and friends.

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 [WC1]