Expressionate: Ahh, Paris!

I've only been in Paris for just over 24 hours but it feels like much longer. I'm already used to trying out my scarily few words of French and then hanging my head and admitting that I don't know any more. On the plus side though, I must be saying hello authentically because people often start chatting away to me in French before they realise that hello is the extent of the conversation I will be having with them. Luckily people are all being very nice (I know, unusual for Paris) and have been willingly giving me instructions or chatting while we wait for a train. I find them to be charming.

I arrived all travel weary last night from London and started out to find my way to the hotel. I got lost before I had even left the station and had to go and get help twice, but then my memory of the Metro system seemed to kick into gear and before I knew it, I was checking into my hotel. Collette, if you are reading this - thanks for the fantastic choice of hotel - I love it! Everyone is very pleasant, the beds are comfy and the shower is the biggest one I have ever seen in Europe (and in Europe that is saying something!)

This morning I breakfasted on bagette, laughing cow cheese and sliced ham with coffee - oh how I love a European breakfast! The bread here in France is just divine. Crusty and tough on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside and a smell that just can't be beaten. It goes with every kind of cheese and is served with every meal.

My first stop for the day was the Musee d'Orsay, which is basically the national art gallery. The gallery has a fabulous collection of French Impressionists as well as a wide range of art and sculpture through the ages. The gallery was in the last days of a special Vincent Van Gough exhibition. I hadn't ever seen much of his work and this was a special (and extensive) collection that charted his early work, slide into madness and eventual suicide. His work is completely spectacular and the audio guide (and I ususally hate audio guides) really gave an insight into his methods. I kept walking around with the words to "Starry, starry night" in my head - do you know that song?

The fifth floor has two giant clocks that you can look through onto the city and there is also a balcony with a great view across the river and up to Sacre Coeur so I had a happy half an hour taking photos.

After I left the museum, I decided to walk along the river to enjoy the beautiful day. There were heaps of distractions on the walk to Notre Dame and it took more than an hour. I crossed a few bridges and walked back just to enjoy the river and take a few photos. When I arrived at Notre Dame, there were a few thousand tourists lined up to get inside so I decided to find somewhere for lunch instead. I had a chicken baguette (of course) and walked down the back of the cathederal to the park behind the church. A school tour group from Adelaide were playing and singing in the park and doing a fabulous job of it. I sat and watched them and thought of our school tours to New Zealand and how much fun they must all be having - what a great experience!

Next I got on the Metro again and headed to the Latin Quarter. Nicole took me there when I visited her in Paris and I wanted to see the area again. It took me awhile to find it (not your directions Nicole, it was me!) but eventually I found the felafal store we ate at and I wandered the charming streets and sat in a park to watch the world go by.

As I walked back to the hotel from the Metro, I realised how I had changed in just 24 hours. Paris is tough and uncompromising. It doesn't tolerate weakness so you need to harden up and tumble into it - but when you do, you are rewarded with its warmth and character. There is so much going on at every minute and it never stops. I couldn't live here, but gosh I love to visit!