Friday 21 November 2014

May 2014 -first visitation, Paris

If you're looking here for info on Paris, there may be a bit.  If seeking info on navigating the waterways, then this month we were stationary;  so this will just be a tiny extract of a very busy and much photographed month in this fabulous city.
Although we'd 'booked' a mooring, many months before, we wound up being the only boat set out at Third Position in the entire marina !  Good view tho':
This was May 1st - ring a bell, well, we're still surprised at all the 'days off' the French enjoy;  they take May Day far more seriously than us, and the police vehicles just lined all the approach roads, a hundred or so:
Lots of food stalls, lots of prams and crowds, no violence that we saw, but felt a wee bit dangerous!
The a piano player on Gare du Nord, entertaining us while waiting for sons 1 & 3 to arrive by Eurostar for their mother's birthday:
Now he was good, really wonderful.  The resident paino and captive stool are there for anyone who feels up to it, and he was concert standard;  not always true sadly.  So in no time we were greeting the boys:
That evening we went to a nearby jazz club - it was a British band, just okay, but entry was free:
And next morning we went just over the river to catch the excellent (and free) view from the Arab Building: 
And then a kind of old fashioned Selfie, of all 4 of us:
That's right, nice weather ! The building is amazing, and we went there often for the view, the bookshop and the amazing camera shutter style windows:
The next day we walked a lot;  I've sussed this chap out, he creates the same cartoon image every day:
And then we watched the energetic street performers that work the crowd well, just behind him.  The next one is pretty impressive, but I think their fixed expressions tell of great boredom just 'hanging about':
Then we did a visit to the well lit sights, this one seemed to be swaying in the breeze:
And then back on the bateau bus:
Yes, you're right, I didn't use flash !  Sadly, someone found the yukulele:
So to work off any Uke urge, we needed to walk it off.  First the Pantheon, sadly in cling film:
Then a familiar monument, you'll know:
In the evening we tried and failed to persuade Firstborn not to ascend the Eiffel Tower. It was nothing but disasterous queues due to the major works on it.  Still, it gave us this pic:
Sorry about the red faces guys, a trick of the light ! The next day we all used our sketch books to the full:
Then someone else found the Uke:
So we broke out the electronic barbeque to get over the strain, with a very colouful meal:
Which was worth a few texts it seems:
I'm sorry to have to break it to you, but this was just 1-5 May, there's lots more yet.  Next entry

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