Sacre Coeur and Montmartre

We were much relieved by the better news from home but didn't finally leave the apartment till 12.00 pm ... and then realised we hadn't had any breakfast! Lyn bought warmed quiches from a charcuterie and we ate them while we walked to the bus stop on the Boulevard St Michel. (Like everybody else of a certain age I hear the Peter Sarstedt song every time I say it.)

From there we caught the bus to the Gare du Nord and then walked towards Montmartre. On the way we purchased a padlock from a little hardware store. Then we walked determinedly past the hordes of hucksters to catch the funicular up to Sacre Coeur. It was great to feel the breeze and look out over Paris but, let's be honest, it is a pretty ugly city. From any height Sydney or Rome are gorgeous. Paris needs a very vaselined lens to even rate. Sacre Coeur, on the other hand, is a pretty church. Maybe it is the lack of dead people.

 
From there we walked down the other side of Montmartre, which was pleasant, and bought a baguette on the way. 
  

My photo of this scene was dismal, even by my own standards, but somebody on the www. had this photo of exactly the same scene, so I’ve stolen it. In my defence, my photo was sans plastic bag and sans witches hats. Interestingly, the blogger had commented exactly the same idea as my own – the further you get from the crowds at the summit, the prettier Montmartre becomes.

Then we caught the bus to the Eiffel Tower. Which is big. We didn't go up, but I ran into a former student there. I guess if you spend 5 weeks visiting places like this you are bound to meet someone you know.

  
In the toilets Lyn rescued a crying young Scottish girl and met her grateful family. From there we walked in search of:

a) a bus stop

b) a drink

On the way we crossed a bridge and did the lock and keys thing.

We found the drink we needed at the Musee d'Art Moderne which was very nice except the environs of the museum are also the hangout of skateboarders doing tricks - very noisily. Then we found an appropriate bus. It took us in the right direction but it was peak hour. Ultimately we reached a combination of traffic lights and pedestrian crossing which proved non negotiable. The driver suddenly turned around and announced rather testily, "Terminal" - and everybody got off. It was sixish by then so we bought food and wine. And came home.

We ate and drank and packed for tomorrow morning. 

We have discussed our thoughts on where we have been. We would go back to Rome. London too. Paris non. We are glad to have been here, but it didn't capture our imagination in the same way. Perhaps you have to be younger, or richer, or poorer, to love the "City of Light". 

Tomorrow - Singapore - which we both disliked intensely. Our plan there is to drink by the pool, and sleep.