Au Revoir Europe

I think we all slept pretty well, but were woken by the nasty phone ringing just after phone.  I couldnt trust my watch to alarm properly!  I had pre-booked the same driver we had when we arrived and he was already waiting for us when we checked out.  We left the hotel around 615 so were at the airport by 7.  Something odd is happening this trip - there have been no queues to check in and drop bags so again it took hardly any time to get to the departure gate.  Still not in love with Charles DeGaulle - its a boring airport really.

We spent our last euros on some drinks and I bought some perfume before getting on the plane.  A380 again to Doha so it was very comfortable.  This leg was a little over 7 hours so we watched tv and ate the airplane food which wasnt bad.

We arrived in Doha around 530 pm and wanted something to eat.  Already the body clock is a little out as we've lost a couple of hours.  We had wanted to buy a new camera here but man oh man prices are high here.  So high in fact that we paid over $70 aud for our dinner - a couple of plated of food and a small drink each.  Our layover here was about 5 hours but it actually went pretty quick.

random f1 car in the airport

our plane in the Doha haze

We boarded the A350 for the 13 hours to get home and unfortunately the plane was chockers.  We hoped it wouldn't be so that we could spread out a little but not our day.  the worst news was yet to come - the in flight entertainment system was broken.  That left us with 2 movies to watch and a few games to play.  No in flight plane cameras, no journey maps nothing.  It felt like a very long flight.  Sleeping was difficult but we all managed a little at least.  Nate did the best with sleep gratefully.

Coming back through Adelaide airport was painless as well as they're using the electronic system much better now.  We cleared customs and immigration quickly and we were home.

6 weeks away had flown by - we have seen so many amazing things and had a really great experience.  I think I got the mix of rest and activity right this time - we felt like we had a break which you don't always feel when you go overseas. 

One thing we did all agree on - our beds would feel heavenly tonight!

Paris you are a stunner

Last full day in Paris today - tomorrow we begin the journey home.  We decided to do the hop on and off bus as that would give us the best look around.  There were a few companies that run these tours here, and I had done my research and picked the one that had the best route.

After breaky we caught a cab to the Eiffel Tower as that is a stop common to all tours.  

ready to tour

Score - the bus was there ready and waiting to go - and was pretty much empty!  We took a few more photos of the Tower and then jumped on the bus.  Nate was so excited as we got front row upstairs so had a fantastic view.

Until now I'd been feeling a little bit ambivalent towards Paris - the area we were in was nice but nothing remarkable really.  Well I was wrong.  Paris is spectacular.  It feels very open - lots of wide roads and quite a lot of parks.  the buildings can be a bit on the dirty side but that just fits with its age.  our tour took in all the main sights so we saw many iconic buildings and places.  

never tire of carousels 

Les Invalides

Musee de la Armee - Les Invalides

Esplanade des Invalides

Grand Palais des Champs Elysees

Obelisk - Place de la Concorde

National Assembly

La Madeline 

Galleries Lafayette

Opera Garnier - National Academy of Music

gothic style cathedral

Place de la Republique

At one of our stops we got to see police in action - they had to move on a homeless man as he was blocking foot traffic on some steps outside a very expensive looking shop.  We got off our bus just around the corner from that in the Madeline area as we needed to change routes temporarily.  We were able to have a quick drink in the cafe right there and the coffee was awesome ( according to the boys).

Maxim's Restaurant

The next bus did a bit of a loop up past the Moulin Rouge - which was not at all spectacular and actually quite small!    This loop took about an hour and again we saw lots of beautiful buildings.  A lot of the apartment buildings have the architects name and the year of building on one of the bricks - it became a bit of a game to try to find them on each set of buildings.  This is also where the camera started to be selective on which photos it actually took!!

Moulin Rouge

Once we got back to the transfer stop we decided lunch was in order.  We went to a cafe that gratefully had crepes on the menu.  My desire was met.  They weren't as awesome as I hoped but at least we got to try them.

Nate with his Croque Monsieur

Back on the bus again and it was off to the Louvre.  We were still undecided if we would go in for the Mona Lisa or not - our decision was made for us in the end as it was closed today. 

Hotel Du Louvre

the external wall of the Louvre

Louvre

Louvre

Musee Du Louvre

Just after the Louvre we went through the riverbank area. Im not sure if I was tired, or emotional to be leaving tomorrow, or if it was the music being played in our commentary but something really got to me there.  Its quite a dark area of Paris and I can see why people say its a very romantic city.  I found myself sitting there looking at the river with tears falling down my cheeks. 

Its really hard to describe, but Paris has a life force all of its own - you can really feel it.  The commentary on the tour called her an old lady, and I guess that sort of fits.  Bangkok is another place that feels alive, but almost in a completely different way to Paris.  He feels alive and exciting and adventurous.  Paris feels like a strange mix of beauty and sadness, almost melancholy.

the Seine

Saint Chappelle

Pont Neuf

Fontaine Saint Michel

Nate looking into the sun

The last leg of the tour was one of my favourite areas.  It was the Champs Elyssee.  Again I didn't really know what it would be like but its spectacular.  The Arch de Triumpe sitting at the top of the road is magnificent.

Place de la Bastille

Notre Dame Cathedral

Arc de Triomphe

the detail is amazingly intricate

the Trocadero

General Foch

Souvenir shopping of course

and another carousel

We got ourselves into a cab at the Trocadero and returned to the hotel.  The rest of the day was for packing and working out how to get everything into our suitcases.  We decided upon a bit of a hotel picnic so Nate and i went back to the supermarket for bread, meat ,cheese, salad and nibbles.

picnic

last chance to enjoy patissiere

We had a pretty early start in the morning so we are went to bed reasonably early, contemplating the journey home.

Roland Garros

Another of our most anticipated days today.  We're off to see the French Open at Roland Garros!.  The weather looks a bit ominous so fingers crossed that it doesn't rain.

We had breakfast again downstairs - a lot quieter in the hotel today as the weekend crowd has left it seems!

We didn't have to be at the courts too early as the matches don't start until 11.  We were ready early so decided to leave the hotel at about 9.30 as we didn't have anything else to do.  We had the front desk call us a cab.  Seems that to have them call a cab adds another 4 euro to the cost.

The cab driver wasn't able to drop us off right at the gate as everything was blocked off.  he went up a side road and found a place to drop us that turned out being better than the front anyways.  Getting into the courts was quite time consuming as we had to go through a number of security checks.  We had bags checked, we had a handheld metal detector waved over us, we walked through a metal detector and were patted down.  Lats check was an ID check and then we were in.

The Roland Garros complex is massive!  I think there are about 16 courts here, not that theyre all in use.  We had tickets on Phillipe Chatrier which is the main court.  First stop though was to get some drinks and second was the souvenir shop.  Armed with our new hats we went and found our seats.  Play started at 11 and we were seated just before that.  the sun is out today and boy its hot.  The stadium is awesome but no shade.

view from our seats

waiting for the action to begin

the draw board - not many games played yet

The first match was two ladies -  Muguruza vsSchiavone.  Both were previous champions so it was a good match.  It was over pretty quickly though and then we were on to the mens.  This time it was Grannollers vs Djokovic.  Raonic was playing on court 2 which was just next door and boy that crowd was loud.  Its funny, we see these guys on the tv, but in person theyre so skinny.  Novak looks like he needs a good feed - but he is so powerful.  Hes awesome to watch as he moves like a cat.

Muguruza the gracious winner

Djokovic - so skinny up close

We got some more drinks and some wraps for lunch - they cost a small fortune which is not really surprising.  We stayed until about 2 pm and as we were getting a bit burned decided to go home.  We wandered out front and managed to find a cab nearby!!

random bus advertising

I desperately wanted to have crepes while we were here so that was the dinner plan.  It all went quite pear shaped as the one that was about 800 metres away turned out to be well over a km away, and when we found it eventually it was shut...grr  So it was a pretty slapdash dinner - Tony had chippes and Nate and I had quiches.  

Ouch

After the excitement of yesterday we had an enforced rest day.  I slept like garbage as everything hurt.

This was the least grazed part of me

the Cankle

We started with our usual hearty breakfast downstairs in the restaurant and then returned to our room.  Fortunately the Crows were playing at home on Saturday night so we were able to watch their match live.  What a cracker of a game too so that was a nice distraction.

I needed to stretch my legs so I rewarded Nate with a trip to the hairdresser.  Nate's hair grows like crazy so even after 5 weeks it certainly needed a trim.  We found a salon just off of our road and Nate was treated to a wash, head massage and cut.  There was a little bit of a language issue but they still managed to give him the cut he wanted.  After that we went for a short walk to the local supermarket.  We tried a different one this time, still a Carrefour but much bigger.

Just love the buildings here

After lunch it was Giro time and I patiently waited for my Rolland Garros app to update so that I could learn who we were going to see tomorrow at the French Open.  At about 4pm it came up.  Yippee were going to see Djokovic who is one of our favorites.

It was the last day of the Giro so a time trial.  It was very exciting to watch as the winner of the overall Giro was yet to be decided - it was to take a Hurculean effore from Nairo Quintana to hold on to his lead.  We're not Nairo fans at all so were barracking for Tom Doumalin to get up and boogie. That he did and he won!!

Dinner tonight was an in room affair.  We found a Pizza Hut store not far so ordered a bucket of chicken and a BBQ pizza.  Both were pretty yum in the end.  We watch a movie and went to sleep fairly early.  I've also lodged a complaint today about the temperature in the hotel.  It was about 32 outside today and only cooled to 22 overnight.  I rang reception on the first night and was given a fan - woopdedo!

Couple of snacks from the local bakery