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| High Speed Rail! |
Today we got up early and have another amazing breakfast at the hotel After a bit of “fun” getting the actual tickets for our train (we had an online reservation number but the automated machines did not like it) and a short lesson in the illogical numbering of French train platforms we were all set to go. Thankfully the disruptions caused by the strikes did not affect the long haul trains of France and we where speared the pain of attempting to find a new way to get to Paris.
The French train is a bit different then the Russian train I have been on (notwithstanding the difference with a train with sleeping cars). Half the seats face forward and half backwards, so we where facing backwards during the entire ride to Paris. In addition the train left 8 minutes late from the station, so once again France is shown up by Russian efficiency (that’s really quite sad). However, this 2ish hour train ride is much less stressful then a 45 min flight, which was our only other option to get back to Paris. I renew my argument in favor of high speed trains in CA and the rest of the US as a perfect way to replace 1-3 hour flights in style and comfort!
On the train I took the opportunity to finish addressing my postcards to be sent home with mom, and mailed from the US {by the time of this posting you all should have received them}, and also to fill out my absentee ballot. As a quick aside REMEMBER TO VOTE November 2nd and if you are in Irvine Vote for Beth Krom!
The countryside was quite interesting as we passed though farmland and small villages. Every village or small town we passed had a beautiful, huge church in the middle and most of the trip we were surrounded by vast fields of corn. Overall it was a very pleasant journey, but what we arrived to in Paris was not…
As I mentioned before the national transport unions where on a continuing strike the entire time we were in France and they had chosen to use the Paris Metro (and the line we needed to use the most) as the main focus of their demonstrations. Long story short, we made a one stop metro trip and had to get out and find a taxi to take us the rest of the way. But we made it to the hotel around 1pm and were ready to begin touring the city. And tour we did!
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| Convoy of National Police off to Confront Protesters |
Because of the transit strike we resolved to walk everywhere in the city. This meant that we would not be able to make it out to Versailles, but I am not too torn up about that. In Saint Petersburg I have had the privilege of seeing amazing palaces and many formal gardens, so I have the general idea of what it looks and feels like. That, and how could it ever compare to Peterhof??
After a quick lunch we proceeded to preview as many of the major sights of Paris as possible, both to stretch our legs and to plan what we wanted to do over the course of the next few days. Of special note is the Cleopatra’s Needle monument near the Louvre museum and at the end of the Champs-Elysees. There are four ancient Egyptian obelisks all moved around the same time to Paris, New York, London and Rome. And in the course of my travels over the last 4 years I have now seen them all!
With darkness coming and both of us exhausted from 5 hours of constant walking we returned to the hotel and yet another amazing dinner at a nearby restaurant. Next up our exploration of the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral. But first a few pictures from the day’s exploration:
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| The Air France Castle |
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