One day in Paris!

For the last day of our Homelands Tour with our 42 companions we spent the day in and around the city of Paris, "as one does"! We all had a sense of foreboding as we felt sad that the trip was coming to a close yet happy that we were moving on to a new chapter of our trip and the others were glad to  be going home. Six weeks is a long time to be away from family and friends...so what about four months???!!!



Our amazing bus driver (for 5 out of six weeks) Silvia.

 So what did we do on our last day? Just a little aside here - Silvia our "larger" than life bus driver, who was sensational, funny and had amazing knowledge about every country we drove through. She could back that huge bus anywhere and everywhere. She took us through great big cities and tiny little towns all without any fuss or bother, she could squeeze the bus through gaps that I would have trouble driving my Subaru through (enjoy driving it to Sydney, Simon!) She only beeped the horn twice throughout the whole time she was driving...Silvia rocks.

Anyway, Silvia became our tour guide for the day and she drove us through Paris and around the Arc de Trompe three times so that we all had an opportunity to get a good look at it. She drove us around Notre Dame and we had time to have a look inside...what an amazing church built back in 1132. Stunning! Then we drove alongside the canal where the Louvre is. Huge! Then around Hotel des Invalides (where Napoleon is buried). Interesting! Then around the Eygptian thingy! Slightly boring! Except that David tried to use one the Frenchies fandangled toilets, but the door kept opening and closing on him, and I (along with many others) watched in delight as the door would open and there he was again...then he would disappear again as the door closed. He gave up trying to use the loo or close the door and had to "hold on" till another toilet opportunity came along...very funny! Then onto Sacre-Coeur. Very pretty! Then along the Champs-Elysees...where "the other half live". All of this and much more, but of course it was a cursory look around Paris, but it gave David and I a chance to decide which things we would like to look at in detail in our four days here.

Then Silvia dropped us off on the Seine for a canal cruise up and down the river. I find these cruises a great way to see the city, as there are unobstucted views to the important places and buildings with dialogue about each site. The weather was fine, (although a bit cold!) so we were able to sit up the top of the boat in the sunshine, which was delightful.

Then the "piece de resistance"! Yes, I know everyone and their dog has been to the Eiffel Tower, but...
You have to understand that I am terrified of heights, so what on earth was I thinking when I bought I ticket to the top of the tower??????????????????

We stood in line to buy the ticket for about half and hour which I didn't think was too bad. So far so good (although my bladder was suggesting that I should think about finding a toilet. Are there toilets at the Eiffel Tower, you ask...so did I. Of course, madam, there are toilets on every level. Huh????) So now I move into the line that takes you to the lift...still good! Now I'm on the lift, holding tightly the "one" pole in the middle of the lift car along with everyone else who were too frightened to look out the window. Still okay! Then the flipping lift started off at a great rate of knots, the ground disappeared and my stomach (and bladder) have an anxiety attack...but the lift kept going up without any regard for my feelings. Then it stops on the first floor and I thought about running out (to where I don't know) but couldn't prise the fingers off the pole...so had to stay on board. Not okay! Then the flipping lift starts again. Now I'm really really anxious...what was I thinking! The lift stops...David prises my white knuckled fingers off the pole and leads me out of the lift. Now what! Really, really not okay! I willed my legs into walking forward toward the railing...don't look down...down look down...note to self "DON'T LOOK DOWN". Then some bright spark says let's go to the top straight away! Sure...they all say...I'm doomed. What was I thinking?

It is funny some of the thoughts that go through your head when you are in a stressful situation on your way up the Eiffel Tower:
What if terrorists choose today to blow up the Eiffel Tower?
Did they check the tower for stress fractures today? If so, what guarantees do I have that this tower will not fall down anyway?
What's holding the lift up? How does it work? How long ago did they check the lift mechanics?
I would be dead very quickly if it did fall down..wouldn't I? I wouldn't know anything...would I?
Is our life insurance in order?
And on and on...


The view as the sun was setting!



The line up to the top of the tower was very long and slow and "too" close to the edge for my liking. All the while, I had hold of David's jacket in a vice like grip which meant that when he moved...I moved. If I was any closer I would have been inside his jacket. Really really really not okay! The people moved foward into the lift well, I was pushed from behind into the lift well...there was NO going back...I was committed. (I was feeling like I might need to be committed, and my bladder was not happy!) Into the lift...no pole...what??? Hanging onto David like a limpet, eyes very very firmly shut, the lift took off...again without my permission. It was going up...fast! Cindi, dear Cindi was exclaiming "Oh, look it's beautiful out there. If you thought it was high before...just look...it's much much higher now." "Cindi - shutup" squeezed out of my clenched teeth.

 Finally, the interminable trip finished and we were at the top of the Eiffel Tower...David moved...I moved. Legs move...please! Bladder be quiet! I moved (no, shuffled) over to the edge (enclosed area) and looked out over the magnificent city of Paris. This wasn't so bad...remember earlier note to self re NOT LOOKING DOWN!

It was a stunningly beautiful view from all around. I was starting move more freely now and the feet were actually lifting off the ground...then someone suggested going up to the next level...what next level??? No, you can't be serious...they were serious! I had come this far and hadn't died yet so I guess it is in order to go to the next level. Steps (with gaps) led up to the next level which was an open air (agh!!!!!!!!!!!!!) area with only wire on the top half of the railing wall...agh!!!!!! David...where are you? David...don't move so fast...David wait for me...David don't go near the edge with the camera...David it's so beautiful up here. But finally my bladder could not be ignore any longer and yes I did use the toilet on the top of the Eiffel tower!! What a claim to fame!

The Tower all alight! Gorgeous!

More views! Stunning!

In the end it was easy "bubs" to be up there...I figured I wasn't going to die after all and I even opened one eye on the way down in the lift. We got out at the second level and had a cuppa (as you do!) and as the sun set over the city...suddenly the tower lit up like a Christmas tree. By this time I had adjusted enough (and the bladder was empty) so I could look up at the tower then suddenly the lights started to flicker on the tower...what a magnificent sight.

I didn't die...there were no terrorists...there were no stress fractures...my bladder was happy...and we have some wonderful memories!

David and I very much alive on the top of the Eiffel Tower!