Ooh la la !! My Paris

It seems like such a long time since I wrote on here, yet its only a week or so, so much has happened in the past few days I dont seem to have had a minute to breathe. 

Let me tell you about my exciting week,

it started a couple of months ago when I was asked to accompany some students on a trip to Paris... oooh how fantastic, so Monday morning bright and early saw me boarding the train and heading down to Londinium to catch the Eurostar.  Ive been to Paris once before and couldnt wait to get back there, so, passport check, money check, camera check and students BIG check!!

We arrived in Paris late afternoon to overcast skies, which is actually PERFECT for pic taking in gay Pareeee woop!  We were booked into the Paris Pointe Rivoli Hotel which at first glance you would walk straight past, just a small door between two coffee shops with a small hotel sign above the door, but behind that door lies the most lovely and delightfully unique hotel, down a long and narrow corridor to reception the hotel looks tiny, but once up the most winding spiral staircase it opens out into a U shape and off the narrow corridors you find the most wonderful modern and very beautiful rooms. My room was decorated in black and white with lovely decor, "ooh la laaa" said Kate when I told her about my zebra crossing striped floor, "take pics mummy"

If you are ever in Paris this is a lovely place to stay, the owners were brilliant even with 15 students partying in one of the upstairs suites. 


Just around the corner about 20 mins walk we visited Notre Dame, what a building, interesting and with the overcast skies a storm brewing it made it even more imposing, I missed this last time I went and it was good to see it this time, you could almost imagine Quasimodo in the bell tower !!!

We headed back to the hotel with the thunder rumbling and the rain pouring, lightning flashes lit up the sky, and it was blinking brilliant!! Just around the corner the heavens opened and the hilarious sight of students running for shelter, fantastic, the small pathetic umbrella really doing nothing to protect them from the now torrential rain... laugh? Hell yes it was totally the funniest thing to see!

Just before the skies opened I managed to grab a quick shot before hurriedly wrapping my cam up in my scarf

The waiters were laughing as we all sheltered until the main of it had passed, then we made the last mad dash back to the hotel to change ready to go and take a look at another iconic place in Paris, The Moulin Rouge.  Weeks ago, we were asked by a student, 'can we go in?' err no its very expensive and you have to book, 'oh, I thought it was just like a erm strip joint' ... how fantastic to refer to the Moulin Rouge as 'just a strip joint' !!

It was packed outside here and once you have seen the flashing lights and the windmill there isnt much to see really, apart from the window where Ewan McGregor spent his time typing for the film.

Off for paninins and crepes before the trek up the hill to see the oustanding Sacre-Coeur, to call it a Catholic Church would be so very wrong, as we walked up the narrow winding roads and saw the first glimpse of the building it takes your breath away, so beautiful its hard to put into words.  We ventured inside to find a service in progress, truly a moment which touched most of us who were there, the inside of the building is positively stunning, some of the kids lit candles and after a few moments we left, feeling we had seen something special and touching but also a little like we were intruding on a very personal experience. 

After such a wonderfully somber experience I was really disappointed to be accosted by some mad French dude who seemed to want to accompany me wherever I was going!! After a quick escape from him I headed back to the group and we started the trek back to the hotel once again.  It seemed all the weirdos were homing in on me that night, when suddenly after dropping back a little I found myself confronted by street sellers who suddenly managed to have my hand tied up and I was convinced they were after my camera, it was a little scary and I did panic a bit but luckily a quick 'help meeeeeee' to the other tutors and I was rescued!!!!

Back at the hotel again, now began the door watch, basically making sure students dont sneak out, we had desperados beer and chilled for an hour or so until it was all quiet.

And that, was day one!! fantastical day had by all and how much did we pack in!!

More later when I have a little more time!!