Home James - via Hong Kong Thanks :-)

Ah well, it had to come to an end didnt it?!?!? So what do we do with the 3/4's of a bottle of champagne that is left? Ummm, I think the below picture helps you figure it out....

So we packed up our stuff - did you know that merino wool hiking socks are EXCELLENT to wrap champagne glasses in? We checked out at midday and I bet you cant guess what we wanted to do!!! Well, the last post tells you the sad fact was that no, we could not go shopping, the shops were closed (sad face x 2)

We spent 4 hours lining up and then getting up and back down the Eiffel Tower (well I did anyway), so we then hopped in a cab and headed to a brasserie back near our hotel. We went to the one we kept looking at from our window because I like the name - it made me laugh every time I swear. Cafe Au Departed. Hahahaha, Im like, "Mmmmm I want to eat at Cafe of the Dead!"

Im sure that's not what it means but its what it means in my little head. So, we headed over and were greeted at the door by three guys smoking right at the front door - "Bienvenue!" says one of them and opens the door for us - he was our waiter, serving tray held up with one hand, ciggie in the other (he opened the door with the ciggie hand). What a loverrrrrly greeting (stunned face).

Oh well, we head inside and although people dont smoke in restaurants in Paris anymore (thank God) it still stinks of it as they all smoke at the front door - which opens constantly - we decide "when in Rome" (or Paris as was the case), and still decided to eat there. It was about 530pm and our driver was picking us up at 730pm to take us to the airport. We asked for a menu and the waiter tells us "No, zeez no food joost drinks". Oh, OK then. We needed a decent meal as out flight didnt leave until 1130pm so we headed over the road to another restaurant.

We head across the road to Cafe Roma -the waiter was hilarious! He laughed at my attempt at French and spoke to me in English with (I'm sure) an exaggerated French accent. He was so funny, throwing bread on our table without looking at us and walking away, coughing into his hand then bringing me my drink with it (thanks for the flu buddy), and then when we had a look at the dessert menu I asked for the raspberry tart and he tells me they dont have that and a few other things - might have been good to tell us that earlier!!! So I said "No, I wont have anything thanks" and he said (whilst only half looking at me) "Creme Brulee No?", "Ummmmm, OK". Then says our waiter (with his heavy accent) "Hauh hauh, oui oui, yum yum" and walked off. So funny! And by the way, the creme brulee was UNBELIEVEABLE!!! So much better than any other one I have ever tasted in Australia.

On the right is Cafe of the Dead, then on the left is Cafe Roma across the steeet

Cheers Paris - I will miss you xx

We sadly left the last of our French brasseries (and their hilarious waiters) and went back to our hotel, grabbed our bags, changed into our airplane clothes and waited for our driver. We were very sad to be leaving and said goodbye to everything

"Goodbye our stunning hotel, goodbye patisserie, goodbye Cafe of the Dead..."

Heres mum's lame attempt at a sad face....

Our driver picked us up and we headed to the airport -what an awesome driver! He chatted to us all the way! I spoke to him in Spanish as he was from Argentina. I told him this is where I was thinking of going for my next holiday so he told us of all the lovely places to see there. He so totally loves his country - of course! He took us to the exact place and even told us where to go inside (Charles De Gaulle is a big airport), we checked in, and there we were sitting, limp, sad, at our departure gate, about to leave Paris....

BUUUT!!!! The exciting thing was that we were stopping off at Hong Kong to see Fi (but unfortunately, not Steve) as we had a 6 1/2 hour layover there. We get to see Honkers woooot!! We hoped to be able to make the light show!!!! On the plane we get, and we are heading to HK......

We arrive in Hong Kong after mum freaking about the turbulence we had and me in agony with my neck all spasmed up - I rubbed on a bucketload of dencorub, took some endone AND had a bourbon & coke, and it almost made the pain go away. We line up at immigration, customs, and out we walk - and there she is, our gorgeous friend Fiona Zappala (honestly the nicest person you've ever met in your life). She jumped under the rail and came over and gave us a big hug - her first time meeting mum.

OK, first stop - ATM for some HK dollars. Oh, but I left my ATM card in the ATM in Paris the day before didnt I? And then I called my bank and cancelled it didnt I? And then I found it the next day didnt I? Buuuuut I couldnt use it now could I? So no ATM card - I hope my credit card works!! NOPE. Oh thats OK, we can use mums ATM card!!! Oh no thats right, hers broke in half and was the only card she brought.

Riiiiiight. We have no cash (freaked out face).

Never fear, Fiona is here!!!! Bless her little soul, Fi said "Oh dont worry, it would be my pleasure to shout you both around". Honestly, this girl is an angel. We hop into a cab and head to the Tsim Sha Tsui building - the cab costs over $HK200!! We have no idea of the exchange rate so it seems way too much!!! Thank you so much Fi!!

We then head up to the 29th floor, to the Aqua Spirit Bar. Oh. My. God. What a view! It is a dark, funky, friendly bar overlooking HK harbour. We make it up there with juuuust enough time for me to head to the bar for drinks, graba seat in some cozy lounges - and then the light show started. It was amazing! So many buildings lighting up in sequence, lazers going off everywhere - you dont know where to look!!! It was SOOO great, I really wish we could have spent more time there, and in HK in general - mum saw loooots of opportunities for shopping!!! We stayed and chatted and chatted, looked at some of Fi's photos of HK and surrounds, took a few happy snaps of us there and then it was time to leave (pout). Below are a few pics - mum and I look horrid as we are in-transit, and one of them Fi looks hilarious, so yes, they are all awful pics, but the view and the lovely people in them are awesome!!!

We grab another cab (Fi pays again), then head to the train station to get back to the airport. Fi buys us our tickets - $HK150 dollars! and we hurridly hug her goodbye and head back to the airport.

What a nice way to spend our layover! We are in the train for not longer than a minute or two when a familiar face walks past me - Steve! OMG! Can you believe he was on the same train as us heading to the airport too?!?! Steve is a pilot for Cathay Pacific (who we were flying with) and was heading to work. Unfortunately he wasnt flying us home, he was headed to London. We had a few minutes chat - it was so great to see him. I think Steve is the second nicest person I have ever met, no wonder those two got married!.

So, more dencorub, more endone, now I just need a drink to top it up. We head to the bar - and then I find it!!!! OMG, they sell Desperado here!!! The huge bottles of beer with tequilla added - woooot!! I fell in love with this beer when I was in Noumea. Thank God for credit cards as I would have cried if I couldn't buy one. We relaxed and waited for our plane, me sipping me Desperado, mum sipping her first non-French wine in a week (with a screwed up face).

And there we have it, our last stint before home. What a journey. What an experience. What a holiday.

I loved my week in Paris, it was stunning, awe inspiring, even with the snow, it warmed our hearts. We loved every footstep, every shop window, every building, every crazy waiter and every moment. Most of all I love that I spent it with the most beautiful, generous and loving woman in the world. My mum.

Love you mum, so glad to have these memories forever with you. xx

Eiffel Die if I Dont Go Up The Eiffel Tower Today!!

Wow, its our last day in Paris!!! How sad! Whatever can we do to feel better? Go shopping!!!!!

So off we head, merrily arm in arm, excited to see what other cute Paris things we can find - gah!! The shops are closed - EXCUSE ME?!?!? Its the 2nd of January people, its not a holiday!!!!!

Well, the one and only thing I really wanted to do was to head up the Eiffel tower, so although this was supposed to be done AFTER the shopping (tear), we figure now was as good a time as ever. We hopped into a cab to the Eiffel Tower. My goodness it's massive, such an impressive piece of engineering - its the equivalent height to an 81 storey building!!

 

 

 



Ummm, there was a biiiiit of a line, and there we stood, for about an hour and a half in the line to buy tickets - in the freezing cold!! Mum wasnt dressed warm enough and was really REALLY freezing so I kept nagging her to go for a brisk walk and keep warm - of course she only did it once and stayed there slowly getting hypothermia as we waited. Hahaha

 

After a while I noticed a sign said "stairs only" and I noticed on another line on the other side of the tower it said "elevator only" and I thought OMG we have been waiting in the wrong line!


I left mum in the line and went to the information booth and asked the lady, she assured me that we were in the correct line to get to the top by the elevator. We finally get there and oh gee, perhaps she could have mentioned to us that we had to WALK UP THE STAIRS to the second level - like 100 metres up!! Only then do we get on the elevator to the top. Bloody hell. So we walked ever so slowly, resting at every flight and made out way to level one which is at 58 metres above street level. There were soem nice sights on the way, and they had little poster thingies up explaining things about the tower. It wasnt too bad really - and at least we warmed up!

We got to level one and had a look around - it was awesome! They had an ice skating rink set up there as well as a bar made completely of ice - and they sold vin chaud!!!! (are you noticing a trend here?) Of course I got a cup of it - mmmm nice warm spicey wine on a freezing cold day, mmmm      :-)  The photo below shows Sacre Couer waaay in the background, and the one below it shows the same pic zoomed in so you can see it

Mum then decides she cant go up any further as she is feeling uncomfortable enough at level one and no way was she going up to the top. So I grumpily set off on my own up the stairs to level two, and then lined up to get on the elevator to the very top.

No, I am NOT going any higher.

Here is the view of the skating rink from above a little

.... and here are some pics from level two (everything just looks smaller)

 When I made it to the top guess what the first thing was that I saw?!?!? A champagne bar!!!!! I should have talked mum into coming up after all!!! Hahaha

And a few other pics...





Strolling Through Sacre Couer & Montmartre

Happy New Year!!! Its the first day of 2011 - and we are in Paris!!! What a great way to start the year.

During breakfast mum and I discussed what to do today - and then it hit us!!! OMG all the shops are closed - that means we can't buy shoes!!!!! Heavens!! What shall we do?!?!?

After recovering from the shock, we decided we would go to Sacre Coeur and have a looksie. I google mapped it and decided it would be best for us to cab it there and walk back - best idea ever! Sacre Coeur is waaaay up a huuuuuge hill, and would have been awful to walk up.

The cabbie dropped us off at the top - and it was stunning! As it is the highest point in Paris, it has a spectacular view - even on a foggy day like today (01/01/11)!! The church is just gorgeous.

Just a few people lined to go in - we declined....

We then walked around the back and found all these cute little markets and shops surrounding it, they were so cute - and they sold vin chaud, my addiction, mmmmmmmm....

Then we wandered down the hill and through Montmartre heading slowly on our way home. There were so many cute little shops, lucky for our credit cards they were closed. Along we walked, and totally by surprise, we happened across the Moullin Rouge! Oh well, we did miss the show, but at least now we had seen the front of it. Bit of a seedy part of town with sex shops and strip bars everywhere, but still, it had so much character we loved it too!

Took this one for Beck - who works at Vintage :-)

Yuuuuuuum!!

Such a lovely way to spend the first day of 2011. We wandered home, had the usual glass of French champagne, rested a while, then got rugged up again to pop across the road for something to eat for dinner. We went to a place we had seen every day but never thought much of it - OMG how wrong we were - it was a stunning seafood reastraunt - lucky we had only discoverd it the last night of our stay!!! Mum and I nearly died when we saw a whole lobster was only $17 euro - we even asked the waiter if this was correct. Crazy! So, gee, can you guess what we both ordered for mains? We also shared some lovely fresh prawns as a entree - I think the sweetest prawns I have ever had, yuuuuuuum-o!!

Aaaaaand maybe I did my usual, and spilled food everywhere - except this time it was all over mum, aaaand except this time it was the seafood juice squirting out from the big claw of my lobster as I cracked it open. Whoopsie, sorry mum.  :-)

Notice the splash of seafood juice squirted right up the mirror behind mum

Ummmm, at least its a dinner we wont forget! Hahaha.

Cheers to our last night in Paris, we will be sad to say goodbye....