PARIS!
On the train up / down, it was like Harry Potter (aka my dreams) … seriously though, COMPARTMENTS!! **!!fan girl squeal!!**
I got off the rain at Austerlitz, the same place I first got on a train to go to Amboise! A bit different to see it when I’m not hugely jetlagged ….
We took the bus into the city (well, maybes the city...). aye, the bus … odd not having trams … even though practically only Melbourne has trams … but still, one of the best (and most chic) public transport methods. Oh, another odd thing about public transport -- you can’t buy a day ticket, you have to use one metro ticket per ride. I feel that’s rather wasteful!
THE map:
The first shop we went into had the entire outfit planned - including underwear. Odd or just me? I think it’s just me …. I’m an odd one. Still, the French have very cute knickers.... *sigh* it’s going to be hard to go back to stripes and Berlei....
And then we went to H&M and I bought a hoodie. Yes. A hoodie. I know . Although it is rather warm!
And then we saw a lot of other things, let’s move on!
We saw Marc by Marc Jacobs. http://www.marcjacobs.com/ Which I could totally organise better. It was over-staffed and crowded. The displays were even grotty and the clothes were organised like an op-shop -- that is, not organised at all. 300€ beautiful dresses just shoved in wherever. I almost wept.
We had lunch in a McDonald's. French McDonald's are sooo much better! BUT there was only one toilet (two were broken) and the longest line in the world and that is rather gross …
At said McDonald's, there was a group of Scottish kids. God. I don’t think you have any idea how much they complained! It was honestly embarrassing to English speakers. And the worst part was, it was like they assumed no one else could understand, so they talked as loudly and frankly as I thought would be possible. They didn’t like this, that was crap, this was too different. Hellooo, you’re in Paris! Who cares if it’s different, it’s an adventure and defiantly should be enjoyed! Adventures all round! Yay!
I got talking to their leader guy. He was nice, a bit super stressed out about the kid’s attitude.
After lunch, we walked through the gardens that Fashion Week take place in. Luxembourg Gardens. (I believe that’s how you spell it).
I saw the Eiffel Tower from a distance and did take a few pictures, but there was bloody trees in the way! It’s a garden, I know, but it was still annoying!
We saw the spiky tower thing at the start / end (how do you judge a line?) of the Champs Elysées. The one covered in Egyptian hieroglyphics! The ‘Historical Axis’, according to Wikipedia.
There was a Christmas (Noël) Market, but we didn’t stop.
We saw all sorts of beautiful shops! I saw the world’s largest Louis Viutton store. It’s damn big. Imagine the security for all those expensive bags and clothes …
We looked in Zara, but didn’t stay too long. Too many beautiful shops to look at! And do you know what I saw a few zillion times? Yup, leather minis! Am I or am I not Paul the Octopus??
We went shopping in H&M (again xD) and yes, Wikipedia DOES lie. There is a H&M on the Champs Elysées. LIAR! Have you guys seen what I posted last time?
This stuff! Amazing! Everything about it was soo eightes, and even though I am normally mightily over the eighties (how on earth did people last an entire DEACDAE with it?) this stuff is refreshing and I like it! Tick! It’s fun! Funess!!
I bought frumpy PJs and got this massive, gorgeous bag for them! MASSIVE, I say! I felt so odd buying frumpy clothes and getting a pretty bag for them.
As you can see. It’s soo preeetttyy!!
Then we kept on snooping around in shops and finally came to the end (or beginning) of the Champs Elysées. You know, the arch thing (oh lord, how cultured am I?).
If it weren’t for Mitch (basically, we’re going through the same sort of stuff (learning French and all that), and he’s much ebtter at blogging about stuff IN France than me … you know, just saying) I wouldn’t know that you can actually climb on the arch-y thing! Well, until yesterday ... YESTERDAY WAS GOODGOODGOOD.
Then my camera sadly started saying ‘I’m going to die soon!’ so there are less pictures … :(
Marine suggested that I buy a top and Clare’s mother courageously suggested she wait in the amazingly long line (the French just DO shopping).
We went and saw all the pretty bags! Miu Miu etc etc (I’m not a bag note-er, apart from Miu Miu!!). I have to say, they were pretty. Bags, I mean.
Louis Vuitton had a line up like at a dance club - security guards at each entrance and that red rope, with a lot of people actually lining up. No such thing as browsing .... I mean, if a passport cover costs $AU355, there’s have to be security. The whole shop would be worth tens, maybe even hundreds of thousands of dollars. I’m pretty sure there’d have to be a dress code ... There was even a desk where, I guess, you could discuss your purchase.
We were walking back to Austerlitz and I thiiinnnnkkk that this is possibly the Notre Dame. 'I think' being the opperative word(s).
On the train home, I met a nice Russian woman. Who spoke and text in Russian. I was impressed! She asked a) if I was bothered by her talking on her phone (no) and b) where I was from, but, sadly, she didn’t speak much English. I told her Amboise and then she asked where I was from-from, because it was evident I wasn’t French. I told her Australia! Yay, go Aussies!!!
Also, it snowed. And I tried to get a good picture, but I was falling asleep (the conductors don’t even bother to tell you off when you have your feet on the seats!!) so yeah.
When I got off the train, I remebered walking down there for the first time on August 30th, feeling hot in jeans, jet-lagged, hungry and really nervous. And now I was bundled up in a hat, scarf, gloves, jacket, two jumpers ... I've come a long way.
I had an epic day! Thanks!
xx
