Paris day 3

Bonjour

For my third day in Paris a lot had already happened. I had not only met a lot of new friends but my backpacking accommodation had also been updated to a swanky hotel room with complimentary American travelling companions. Who may I add I could not have asked for a more goofy fun loving pair of gentlemen to explore Paris with. And what a glorious sunny day we had ahead of us.

For breakfast we came to this charming little bakery and got some baguettes with the works.

We began our morning with some fresh baguettes with the works, bought some drinks from the local store and headed to the canal where we sat under a bridge and watched the Parisians going about their day to day business. This really was such a French way to begin our day. I can't believe how cliche my trip now must look from an outside perspective. I remember Nima and I got so confused because a platform under the bridge seemed to be spinning for no real reason because there wasn't a boat in sight. We decided to stand on the platform whilst it was moving. Silly but fun, and then it stopped. And about 10 minutes later a ferry actually appeared and the platform proceeded to move out of the way. Nothing really special about that but it made me smile at the time.

At one point the bridge where the cars drove on opened up to let a boat come through. The walking bridge was still accessible to get over and yet people were still waiting. I guess it just confused me a little, the fact that these people so blatantly refused to walk over the bridge because of a few stairs and instead chose to wait with the cars. It just baffled me. It truly was such a beautiful movie-esque way to begin the day as we watched the sun getting comfortable in the sky while the casual floating rubbish passed us by.

I can't believe how amazed Nima and I were by this remote controlled mini truck thing. It is late and I am stuck for what it actually is called.

This is the lovely accommodation I was lucky enough to be able to stay in for the second half of my trip. Just a swinging bachelor pad at the Crowne Plaza, no biggie.

Elodie's beautiful French writing of the address of the hostel I was supposed to sleep in the previous night.

Lift at the Metro station with famous faces on the wall. It reminded me of in Melbourne when we kept singing that ridiculous song "faces on the wall".

We could not for the life of us figure out how you would open this. I mean what if there was a fire and for some reason the only people around were English. See we would have a problem now wouldn't we. 

One of my favourite pictures from the whole trip. And yes that is a condom machine at the metro station. Because when I ride on the train I always think to myself, "Now wouldn't this trip be so much more enjoyable if there were condoms available."

I still have no idea how this happened but between getting off the Metro and getting out of the station Nima and I somehow lost Q. So we decided to just wait outside for him and watch the children bounce around to the buskers joyful melodies. 

We found Q. It turns out not to be that easy to find eachother when you all have one phone to share. The boys had organized to meet up with another American Jonathan who was currently living/ studying in Paris. My jealousy knows no bounds. We had some beers and Jonathan kept smiling at this old man who kept making hand gestures at him and we had no idea why. Turns out the had been discussing sport or something prior to us arriving. So this old Parisien came over and talked with us through Jon. He was quite qwerky. He gave me a card and I had no idea what it was. He wrote on the card his name and number and he was apparently a photographer and wanted to do a shoot with me because I was "so beautiful". Although considering it was a business card that he wrote over the top of his details in pen I don't think he was legit. 

The lady next to me was writing her own diary. I thought it was so stunning. Whilst we were sitting Jonathans ex Sarah and her friend, both joined us for the day. I hate not remembering people's names, I feel so rude.

The place we had drinks at.

These are some photos I took on the way to the top of Mont Marte where we where going to the Salvador Dali museum. 

The long beautiful curvy streets (minus the constructions work)

The hills in Montmarte are pretty cray but the view at the top is so worth it. I loved these streets so much, there was always a stunning view at the end of them.

Entering the Dali museum at the top of Montmartre. Just a heads up, I don't know why but Dali is my favourite artist of all time. In year 11 I was able to choose an artist to do a speech on and I got the opportunity to research into his crazy life and ever since I have been obsessed. If you love art, or even just like looking at every once in a while I highly recommend you check out some of his work. 

There was a novelty photobooth so of course we had to try it out, and this is what we got. Possible the worst photobooth of all time but hey, you can be the judge of that one. 

The only moustache I will ever love.

I have to admit I went along with the hype and bought a tiny black lighter with Dali's signature on it. 

This is Paris. It is truly the most beautiful place I have ever been. 

This was really strange. Jonathan was telling us about this busker he knew and that he talks to every once in a while, and I kid you not the next person who happened to walk past was the busker himself. Who was speaking French but considering how many teeth he was missing I don't think I could have understood a word he was saying even if I could speak French.

Stencils will forever be my preferred form of Street Art.

Nima obsessing over a bike. Still can't get over how much more common/ popular bike riding is everywhere but Australia.

We were waiting for Elodie I think and then we were all going to get food. So the troublesome tourist trio had now turned into 5 Americans, 1 Australian and waiting on the arrival of 1 French.

We wanted to find somewhere nice and relatively cheap, but how hungers got the better of us and we ended up in this odd middle of nowhere Greek Food shop. Which to be honest is usually not my first choice in food. It is a bit to salty for my liking.

Above are letters from people recomeding this place, and a clipping from a Japanese travel magazine it got mentioned it. As bad as the food was this guy was clearly too legit to quit. I think someone famous must have eaten there, most likely by accident and most likely stumbling back to their hotel drunk, because there are lots of photos everywhere of people but I couldn't come up with a name for these C grade celebs if I tried. 

Need this ashtray in my life

After much debate with the owner I was able to taste  single baby octopus. 

It was ok.

Beer of Hercules

We had some falafels in wraps which were hunger satisfying and then continued on to a free festival that was happening in a vineyard up the hill somewhere. 

We arrived a little late and because the free festival was first come first serve, only the first 200 were able to actually go in the vineyard. But that didn't put a damper on our afternoon we just joined the rest of the crazy Parisiens who were casually sitting on this ridiculously steep hill. I was on struggle street pretty much the whole time. But it was so lovely. Some men were walking around carrying cases selling beers to everyone, you had to admire their audacity. I gave up trying to grip onto the slope halfway through and went and got myself a nice spot above a tree so I could use it to hold myself up. 

Inside the vineyard

Nima and I decided to get adventurous at one point and climbed up onto a window ledge. Which doesn't seem that great of a feat but I guess you just had to be there to realise how hard getting onto a windowsill is when you are on a pretty much vertical slope.

Nima pondering life in Paris

Souvenirs, standard

After the festival we walked up to the top and had the amazing life experience of being at the top of Montmartre during sunset. This is by far the most beautiful place I have ever been. Standing on top of a city that is so foreign and beautiful. I still can't believe this trip actually happened. Paris just felt too much like a beautiful indie movie that you sit up late at night watching on your laptop thinking to yourself this stuff never happens in real life. I guess my whole trip this year has felt like a movie. It really has given me a whole new outlook on life.

Nima and I wandered away from the gaggle and took some photos and spoke of life and love when we fell into the clickity clack of a crazy little busker. I usually get too embarrassed to get involved in these kind of things, you know the whole audience participation thing. Its just not for me, it makes me feel even more awkward then I already am. But hey, when in Paris. 

This looks like I have been photoshopped in. Life motto: Never use flash

The gang continued the adventure down the other side of the hill to Jons apartment in the "dodgy part" of Montmartre. 

Class act, when in Paris

Remember that time we found out if you step on crisps and drag it across the floor this is what happens.  I look at crisps in a whole new way way.

This is Jons apartment. This is his view! 

So many books, which we found out later where not actually his but in fact the landlords who had left them there. And those stools are not spare chairs, they are holding up the bookshelf.

It is basically the perfect apartment. 

LOOK AT THE WINDOW!! IT LOOKS LIKE A PAINTING!! 

One day I will live in this apartment. Ok so no more frothing over the apartment. We all kicked back in the apartment and drank whisky and listened to beats and discussed world politics and what not. Then Nima and I decided to go on an adventure. I know it had a purpose at the beginning  I can't be entirely sure what that purpose was but I am pretty sure it involved obtaining food of some sort. 

We were definetly walking down struggle street because the variety in food available at the given time was quite poor and to be frank either underwhelming or overpriced. 

We nearly dined at this place but it was closing. We were supposed to hunt and gather for everyone and bring back food but we felt like trying to have a romantic dinner so we continued our long tiresome search. 

Found some snails but for that price I would rather just eat some dirt. And anyway I will do the extreme touristy stuff when I come back one day in the future, hopefully with a boyfriend. 

This is where we ended up. Yes I know. Out of all the places we could have gone we ended up in the terrible terrible excuse for a fast food place. It even said on the sign what the food tasted like. I just love the fact that usually on the picture you try to make the food look as appealing as possible, and you know that these people realise that that is the most attractive their food is ever going to look and have just completely given up trying. 

Yohgurt DRANK

Just another cliche romantic dinner in Paris

We eventually went back to find out everyone had been freaking out thinking we had been murdered. But we were carrying hot chips (that by this point were extremely cold and soggy) so everyone was happy. Nima showed us all a picture that he had had done by a caricaturist. One of the greatest artworks I have ever seen. That is now on my to do list. 

Two new charachters in the story of my adventure in Paris, Charlotte a Polish girl and a French boy from Paris who I for the life of me could not remember his name if I tried. But he was actually French and had a strong accent so he can be "Frenchie" for the time being. 

If you read any of the past Paris posts Marie-Louise also made an appearance. There is another boy but I also have no recollection of his name so he can be "Beardie"

I have never seen so many bikes in such a small apartment.

Two of the exact same ugly car, the one with the weird "butt". Cars shouldn't have butts.

We all went to the front of Jon's place to say our goodbyes and part our separate ways but Nima and Q were too excited by all the bicycles and had to try them out. Q got a bit carried away and we didn't see him for a while.

Not as bad as it looks. By this point in the night we were all drunk as skunks (some more then others). Q, Nima, Jon, Sarah and I walked back home together. On the way we found a huge bag of baguettes and proceeded to spend the walk home having sword fights and generally just throwing baguettes everywhere. I am not describing it as well as I could but it truly was so much fun. It was one of those moments that feels so surreal it doesn't even feel like it really happened. 

The only photo I have with the Americans <3

Somewhere inbetween having sword fights with baguettes and Sarah and Jon catching a cab Elodie came and met us and we all continued walking back to the hotel. I still can't believe how small Paris really is. The cat pictured above blew our minds for a good 10 minutes. I can't remember why. I am pretty sure it was just the skinniest and smallest cat we had ever seen, and it was oddly friendly as well. I don't have many great experiences with cats. When we got to the front of the hotel we all had a moment of realisation that our night didn't actually have to end and to this day it is probably one of the greatest decisions ever made whilst drunk.

We came to this charming little bar which was the less full out of the two closest to the hotel. Whilst Nima was getting us all a round of beers he had a conversation with the man standing next to him. He came back to the table and told us and about 5minutes later a tray of shots arrived at the table with the bartender pointing to the man who Nima had just spoken to. If I have learnt anything in Paris it is to ALWAYS rely on the kindness of strangers. 

We were sitting half in the bar and half outside so we had the pleasure of talking to all the passersby. And by the time these huge beers and shots had been finished, plus the other alcohol we had consumed that night we were past the point of social barriers and personel space bubbles. And you know what, we had the time of our motherfucking lives. Once you let go of absolutely everything, inhibitions and expectations you are truly free.

I will always remember this as the warm summer night I danced in the streets of Paris after midnight to the song:

and got taught by the lovely Elodie how to sing this song:

I couldn't even tell you what is happening in these photo if I tried. My apologies.

Somehow between this photo and us getting to the hotel room we lost Q and Elodie. Still to this day don't know where they went. Sadly it was the last time I saw Elodie and Q before I left the next day. But I am so happy to have met them.

Until next time,

Au Revoir