To Paris – Tuesday 1 July A bit more window shopping, a quick trip out to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge – a lot of development since we were here last 8 yrs ago – for the Olympics 2012 I guess. Piccadilly Line then Central line, raced back to our hotel, grabbed our bags, back down our 132 step underground – onto The Tube, couple of changes to Kings Cross St Pancras for the Eurostar to Paris at 3.30. Into the tunnel – tiny nana nap, 4.30 we were speeding through the French countryside past windmills and farming villages – amazing. Gare du Nord was our first of many “wish we spoke more French ” moments – we try, they smile !! merci et bonjour work well How good to see Hotel Ibis, Gare du Nord just across the road – Mais non Madame – FIVE Hotel Ibises later we found ours with help from the Hotelier in number 4. A bite to eat and then ventured back out into the balmy summer evening – through our red light district and sex shops back to Gare du Nord. Clocks forward an hour and we had to wait til the morning to get our train ticket Visite Paris Pass. Wednesday 2 July Breakie – croissant, pain et fromage, yaourt et cafe – a welcome change from the Full English Breakfast now we’ve left the Cotswolds behind. Deux billets and down to the Metro and up onto the street at Les Halles. Ah Paris !! Love ! The Musee de Louvre in front, the Jardin de Tuileries right, across Pont Royal to St Germain de Pres. Chocolat chaud at Les Deux Magots – a favourite from our last trip – just as good – a million calories and worth it.   A wander through the shop lined alleys, a freshly made baguette for lunch then off to Giverny, Normandy to visit Claude Monet’s house and garden. A magnificent day, flowers, water lillies, the bridge, a magical setting and fittingly romantic house with beautiful copies of many art works adorning the walls. The original furniture, personal touches, made up beds and worn rugs … Surely Claude and Alice are in the next room, or at least Michael, Claude’s son. Back into Paris about 7.30 Bought a ‘lock of love’ “Love Luke” on Pont des Arts xxxx,   Wonderful dinner on the left bank near Notre Dame – chatted to Jean Mark and watched the soccer. Finally it was time to head for home under the faint pink sky, past the street entertainers, hundreds of tourists in love with Paris … slowly we found the Metro at Pont Neuf to Gare du Nord and walked he 2 blocks home. Asleep in seconds zzzzzzz

Thursday 3 July … to be continued … in Bordeaux with Heidi and Adrian and Amia and Jesse … Amia has offered to teach me some french when I get there.