Back to reality

It was horrible getting up at 6:00am, and I would have loved to have turned over in bed and gone back to sleep. Legitimately, I could have done so, as Thursday wasn't one of my contracted days, but I didn't fancy losing out on six hours of work!

I dragged myself downstairs, made myself a coffee and began to feel human! Keith didn't drive me today, so I left at spot on 7:00am in the hope I wouldn't have trouble parking today. Which, thankfully, I didn't. In the office, Sara and I had a chat about what had been going on at work (not a lot) and how it had turned quieter.

I dealt with all the emails during my shift and sped off to Kettering at 2:00pm to see Mum. I still had a lot to do at home, so I wanted to be home by 3.30pm at the latest. Mum was surprised to see me as she thought I was still in France, and really, I needn't have told her as our visit to Paris didn't interrupt our weekly routine. I am hesitant to tell her about Vienna in two weeks, and then Berlin two weeks after that.

Back at home, I tackled the usual chores, and then it was time to relax in the kitchen with Keith and Sophie before dinner of cottage pie. I was glad to see there was enough left for my lunch at work tomorrow.

We watched another episode of MasterChef after dinner, and we're keeping a tally of the culinary terms as usual!

A perfect drying day!

I had a fabulous night's sleep, back in my own bed, and waved Sophie off to work at 8:00am. I had a busy day ahead of me, sorting out the laundry and writing the blog. What a pleasant prospect that was!

Keith went to Tesco to do the shopping for the next couple of days, while I pootled about. I was glad it was a beautiful day as I was able to get all the washing out on the line and dried in the breezy sunshine. While we were away, Keith had cut the grass, so the garden looked a lot neater. I still have so much to do out there and need to put some grass seed down when we have rain forecast. This lovely sunny and dry weather is due to break at the weekend... typical, as it's a Bank Holiday!

The day sped past, and I did as much as I could before Sophie came home. I had to admit to a little groan when I prepared my porridge and lunch for work tomorrow, but needs must! Keith cooked a delicious hot curry for dinner tonight, and after eating, we watched Tuesday's episode of MasterChef. We are liking the duo of Grace Kent and Anna Haugh very much. They don't pull any punches!

Montmartre, Paris - A Spring Girls' Trip 26-28 April 2026

An appointment with Dali

We both had a much better night's sleep and woke up refreshed and ready for our last day in Paris. After showering, packing and checking out, we decided to take the bus to a stop near the Dali museum, where we had a 10:00am booking.

The local bus, the number 40, is a great little service that hurtles around the streets of Montmartre and is very handy. There are stops everywhere! We took a short walk from the hotel, and within ten minutes we were boarding, using the travel cards we'd bought yesterday. It was only a couple of stops to the area near the Dali museum, and we started to look for somewhere for coffee and breakfast.

We soon found Le Mère Catherine on a pretty square full of restaurants, and ignored a Starbucks a little further along the street. We took seats on the pavement and chose the continental breakfast at 12 euros. It consisted of bread, a croissant, jam, coffee and orange juice. Perfect!

The area was still quiet, and artists were arriving to set up their paintings and easels. I watched one older, grey-haired man stroll by smoking a cigarette... he looked a little rough, but then I noticed his Levi's jeans and Puma trainers. He caught my eye as well, but carried on strolling along the street.

It was sheer bliss to sit in the sun and enjoy our French breakfast. We were able to do lots of people watching and observe the comings and goings of the locals. As we were finishing (the croissant was the best I'd ever eaten, so flaky and buttery), our strolling man returned, and this time he had an artist's pad under his arm. He asked if we wanted a portrait? Er, no, thank you very much! He persisted a little, and I thought he was going to become annoying, but after asking where we were from (as everyone seemed to do), he said we had come a long way to say no, grinned at us, and wandered off, no doubt on the lookout for another victim!

We asked for another coffee and watched as yet more artists arrived. A woman had been setting up when we arrived and had strolled over for coffee. Her paintings were set up right by the restaurant, which had tables across the street, and we wondered whether she paid them anything to use some of the pavement. She seemed to be on good terms with the waiters.

Reluctantly, it was time to go, so we paid the bill and stood up. Our strolling man had another go at trying to get us to sit for a portrait, but realised we were not up for it. Who knows how much it would cost? We walked around the corner to the Dali museum, and they checked our tickets, which we had bought online in advance.

The exhibition was beautifully laid out on the lower floor and was very interesting. It had been curated by a man called Beniamino Levi and consisted of sculptures, paintings, some furniture and the pornographic etchings, the same as which we'd seen in Figueres. Shortly after we arrived, a school group came in, and I can only imagine what they thought of some of the artwork!

Melting clock, inspired by Camembert softening in the summer sun

Venus de Milo with long neck

I snapped this and then realised it was entitled "The Grand Masturbator"...

The Venus de Milo reimagined

It was fantastic to be reacquainted with the mad genius that is Dali, and very interesting to read about his life and the way he saw art (I must read that book I bought last year in Cadaqués!). One of the most fascinating things we learnt was that Dali went to the US in 1945 to work on a short Walt Disney film called Destino. He worked solidly on the project for eight months, only for it to be shelved. It was finally produced in 2003.

The cat and the accordion!

The school group showed no interest at all in most of the artwork and made nuisances of themselves by lolling all over the stairs and looking generally bored. We tore ourselves away from the museum and decided to stroll around Montmartre and soak up the lovely atmosphere. Imagine our delight when we stumbled upon the cat and the accordion, a little music act which is famous!

By now, this very pretty area had filled up with tourists strolling in the sunshine. There were lots of artists painting and showing off their wares.

We were so lucky with the weather, and it was bliss to walk along, soak up the atmosphere and look in the shops. Sophie suggested a drink, and I said I'd love an Aperol Spritz, so we picked a bar and took seats outside again. 

This time, I faced the bar and watched the staff make drinks and keep the customers happy. They all seemed to be working hard, and another grizzled man arrived, puffing on a cigarette and ordering a strong coffee. He seemed to know the staff well, and looked like he'd had a rough night!

We finished our drinks and then strolled slowly towards Sacre Coeur, taking in a gorgeous soap shop on the way, where I treated myself to two new soaps, one of which was in a pretty tin. Yesterday, I'd found my glasses case, and it was exactly what I wanted!

We approached Sacré Coeur from the back and decided to queue up and go in. Entry was free. We joined the end, and the line moved very quickly. By now it was warm, and the mass of humanity around us was a hotchpotch of different nationalities. Some were dressed for winter, some for the height of summer! Below us, Paris shimmered in a hazy sunshine.

It was lovely to enter the cool confines of the church, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and formally consecrated in 1919. Everyone was obeying the rule of silence, and we were delighted to see a group of nuns arrive and start to sing. They were the Benedictine Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, and it was stunning to hear their voices accompanied by some kind of old musical instrument.

We wandered about looking at the gorgeous sculptures, stained glass windows and little altars.

Back outside in the sunshine, we descended the steps and walked along one of the streets we'd traversed yesterday. There was a choice of bars and cafés here, and we reckoned it was time for a glass of wine and some more people watching. We picked a charming place called La Taverne de Montmartre, where the man running it was very friendly. We ordered two glasses of rosé, and he brought us out a little bowl of popcorn to accompany the wine. Bliss!

We sat in the sun and watched the tourists amble by; some of them, like us, decided to stop for refreshments and soak up the Parisian sun. We both agreed that we were reluctant to leave Paris, and the visit had far exceeded my expectations. I had visited Paris twice before and hadn't been impressed; it certainly hadn't captured my heart like Berlin and Vienna, but we both loved Montmartre, and we never met a rude person. Everyone had been friendly and welcoming.

We lingered over our wine, reluctant to get up and start the journey home, but the time was getting on, and we needed to be at the Gare du Nord by just after 2:00pm. We walked back to the main street, and spotted a small supermarket, where we bought salads, tabbouleh, mini chocolate cakes, water and a bottle of rosé for the journey back to London.

Homeward bound

We then retrieved our luggage from the hotel, and Sophie ordered an Uber. The driver arrived and seemed a bit grumpy! At first, I didn't think he was going to help us put our suitcases in the boot of the car!

The journey to the station was nightmarish. We came upon binmen emptying what seemed like hundreds of bins outside several restaurants, and gathering pallets and boxes, and they took ages to throw the rubbish into the back of a huge bin lorry. We both sat silently screaming at how long it was taking and watching the clock edge ever further to 2:00pm. Amazingly, Uber sent Sophie a message asking if everything was OK, as we had been stationary for so long!

Once we got going, our driver appeared to ignore Uber's suggested route and went his own merry way. We then had to stop behind a van, and the driver jumped out to help another man load plaster boards into the back. He had completely blocked the narrow street, and we could hear another driver honking behind us.

We arrived at the chaos of the station with minutes to spare, and sped across the road to the entrance. All around, the traffic was gridlocked. It was bedlam! We hadn't a clue as to where to go, but finally found our way to an upper level and the start of the procedures to go back to the UK. This involved having photos taken (the very helpful woman told us exactly what to do, and what not to do!) and putting our bags through the X-ray machines again. We had to have our passports checked twice, for some reason!

We had a little wait until we could board the train, and there were no seats. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait for long and soon we were boarding the train, putting our luggage on the racks and settling into our seats.

We had a very different journey home. There were a group of Japanese businesspeople in the seats next to us, and they tapped away at their laptops for the entire journey. A French man who had been sitting with them moved to the seats in front of us and proceeded to sniff the whole way back, while emitting an unsavoury aroma.

After we'd eaten our delicious lunch (the salads were the same as the ones we'd bought on our last two trips to France - ham, egg and chicken, with balsamic vinegar, two crispy crouton batons and a cookie),  we both used our noise defenders! Sophie wore her noise-cancelling headphones, while I put in my loops. We relaxed and drank the wine while gazing out over the French countryside. I even managed a nap!

Trying a sneaky manoeuvre!

Soon, we were through the tunnel and speeding towards St Pancras. Our onward train to Kettering wasn't until 6:17pm, but we fancied trying to get an earlier train after our busy day. When we arrived back at St Pancras, we walked back to where the display boards were and decided to try to board the 5:15pm train, which stopped at Kettering. Unfortunately, at the barrier, we discovered that we had to wait until our proper departure time... oh well!

We weren't really in the mood for expensive cocktails, so we went to The Hansom Bar and ordered a Campari and lemonade each. This was a suitably long drink that would keep us going until we could board legitimately! We sat and relaxed, did some more people watching (most were business types talking loudly and were full of their own self-importance).

At the proper time, we boarded the packed train and managed to get a seat opposite each other. Thankfully, at Bedford, a lot of people disembarked, and we had more room. We were late by fifteen minutes to Kettering, where Keith was waiting for us.

Back home, we sat in the kitchen and told Keith all about our trip, showing him photos and reliving the last three days!

Montmartre, Paris - A Spring Girls' Trip 26-28 April 2026

Not For Radio!

After our lovely, relaxed drinks sitting in the sun, Sophie and I returned to the hotel and had a nap before getting ready to go out to see the band,  Not For Radio, at the Casino de Paris.

We were going to have drinks and snacks at the rooftop bar, but we changed our minds and decided to explore the side streets off the Rue des Abbesses and share a pizza at one of the Italian restaurants we'd seen last night.

The area was busy again with people enjoying an early drink, and we strolled along, occasionally looking at menus. However, Sophie fancied a pizza, as did I for a change, so we found the street where we had seen the Italian restaurants and looked at the menus of two eateries. There were three grouped together, and we found out that they were owned by the same people. Unfortunately, the pizza restaurant was closed, but the other two were open. We chose Al Caratella and the waiter showed us to a table near the window, next to two German girls.

It was a very pretty restaurant and the staff were lovely. At the same time as we went in, several other parties arrived to eat, so there was a great atmosphere. We chose mussels and arancini to share, with a side order of bruschetta. A pichet of rosé completed our order.

The food was good and plentiful, so I was glad we had decided to share! The arancini were huge, and there was an enormous serving of mussels in a delicious white wine sauce. Gradually, more and more people arrived to eat; the place was obviously popular!

Two women came in and sat to the side of us, and one of the women looked like Grace Dent! Our second "celebrity" sighting of the day! I find people fascinating, and love seeing what they order. The Grace Dent lookalike wasn't a drinker and ordered Coke to go with her meal... ugh!

After our meal, we both fancied something sweet, despite the ice cream we'd had earlier. We both ordered panna cotta, and it was perfect. With the pud, we had a glass of Amaretto each, a lovely ending to a memorable meal.

When we asked to pay the bill, the owner came over and poured us another shot of the liqueur. After paying, we stood outside waiting for an Uber that Sophie had ordered, and he came out and invited us to sit on the small bench in front of the restaurant. He said he was from Sri Lanka and had been in Paris for over forty years. He was obviously very successful with the three restaurants (the other place opposite was full as well). He deserved to do well as he was lovely and the staff were great!

Our Uber arrived and whisked us off to the Casino de Paris through Pigalle. This time, we were astonished to see an array of sex shops and sex shows lining the streets and right next to a hotel that Sophie had originally chosen to stay at, Le Chat Noir! We were glad we'd picked Terrass instead! 

It didn't take long by taxi to get to the Casino de Paris, but we had made the right decision to order an Uber! We joined the throngs of very young people waiting to go into the auditorium, and I felt like I was the oldest person there! Pretty young women (much younger than Sophie!) drifted about in white or black lacy dresses. The theatre was old-fashioned and very red! We took our seats, and the place reminded me of our own Royal Theatre in Northampton. It wasn't particularly large, and there was a mezzanine floor above us. I did spot a woman of about my age, with her husband and daughter, so I felt a bit better!

Sophie and I were worried we were going to have another Erykah Badu experience, as we had learnt that sometimes Maria Zardoya, the lead singer of the group (previously of The Marias), was late coming on. We weren't going to leave this time, though! We were treated to a harpist first, which was beautifully relaxing, and the crowd loved her.

After another short interval in which more music was played, including, weirdly, the theme tune to Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, the lights dimmed, the crowd roared, and the curtain rose. Maria was curled up on a grassy hummock, dressed in white. Her voice came over the speakers, and she gradually rose to standing, showing off a huge white jacket intended to resemble the wings of a swan.

The show was fantastic, very theatrical and halfway through, a man dressed like a black swan appeared, they embraced, and then she "died". In the second half, she appeared all dressed in black.

She did the songs on her new album and at one point came into the audience! I had seen a big, burly bouncer make his way to the front and wondered what he was doing! He was obviously there to protect her! Sadly, she didn't come our way and finished her performance with the haunting "Back To You", which was fantastic. At the end, she linked arms with her band members, and they bowed to the audience, as if they had put on a play, which in some ways they had. She reminded me of a very young Kate Bush, with lots of theatrical movements with her arms and bending her body in impossible, very graceful ways. Oh, to be young again!

The lights came back on, the curtain fell, and it was over, no encores. We made our way to the foyer, and Sophie gave up on the idea of buying a T-shirt! Outside, we ordered an Uber and watched the throngs of youngsters leaving.

The Uber whisked us back to the hotel through very busy streets, and we decided against a nightcap! We had a long day tomorrow, our last in Paris, and we wanted to be up early to enjoy it!

Montmartre, Paris - A Spring Girls' Trip 26-28 April 2026

Walking and art, and steps!

Although we were both tired from our long day yesterday, we didn't sleep as well as we'd hoped. I think with me, it was the food (the porky sauce) and the strange room, and the noises from the street outside. We still felt fine when we woke up, and I was looking forward to breakfast, French coffee and a wander around the neighbourhood.

We were out by 9:30am and found a branch of Le Pain Quotidien on the Rue des Abbesses. Inside, it was lovely and sunny from the light streaming in through the large windows, and rustic in an appealing French way. We took our seats, had a good look at the menu, and placed our order. I chose pancakes with fruit while Sophie went for a ham and cheese croissant. Hot coffee completed our breakfast!

We sat and lingered over breakfast. I had enjoyed my fluffy pancakes with banana, raspberries and blueberries, and Sophie had loved her croissant. We decided to have another coffee at a café if we came to one, paid the bill and set off on the recommended walk around Montmartre.

Our first stop was a beautiful church, the Église St-Jean de Montmartre. We went in, paid for two candles and admired the stained glass windows. Back outside, we made for the "I Love You" wall, which we never really understood... It was situated in a little garden but was closed because of building works, so we could only see it from a distance. It was covered in, I guess, the words "I Love You" in multiple languages. Hmmm! We met the first crowd of students here, and they dogged us all day!

I was on the hunt for a new glasses case, and I wanted one with a black cat on it! We went into a couple of gift shops, and Sophie bought some bookmarks. We carried on up the street and went into an art shop, where I bought a poster of a waiter serving wine. Perfect for our wine nook in the kitchen!

We passed one café, and we were tempted to go in until I saw the price of a flat white... 6,50 euros! No thanks! We carried on along the street, stopping to look in shop windows and admiring the architecture and the village feel. Montmartre still retains the atmosphere of a village, with its cobbled streets, beautiful old houses and pretty cafés and restaurants.

Next, we came to a flight of steps, so up we went. At the top, there was a café and a quirky art shop with the word "merde" (or s**t) on everything! Sophie couldn't resist a little wall plaque for her bedroom!

We turned right, went to the end of the street and found the funicular railway, which was below us. It was very similar to the one we rode in Le Tréport, and I wanted to use it to get up to Sacré Coeur. We chatted to a large black crow here, who carried something in his mouth. He looked at us intently and then flew off!

We descended the steps, but before queuing for the funicular, we spotted a Fragonard perfume shop, and dived in. The scents were divine! I bought myself a soap in a gorgeous box, while Sophie splashed out on a bottle of eau de parfum. It was a beautiful shop, with an array of soaps, perfumes, clothes and diffusers, and we had great fun testing all the different perfumes!

I joined the queue for the funicular while Sophie went to get tickets, which proved to be a very confusing process. She bought what she thought were the right tickets, but when we eventually got to the barrier to ride the funicular, we weren't allowed through. In the end, we had to get help from a real person, who loaded the tickets (a bit like Oyster cards) with more euros. We then joined the small throng of people waiting to get on.

It was very cosy in the carriage as it ascended the short distance to the top. When we emerged, we both fancied a drink and a sit down, so we took a table at a restaurant nearby. We sat next to another flight of stone steps, and I could see everyone reaching the top and looking completely puffed out! A couple of show-offs were running up the steps, and we saw a few dogs enthusiastically make their way up, dragging their owners behind them!

We ordered two small beers and a club sandwich to share. It was delightful sitting in the sun, people-watching and chatting. It was a Monday! Normally, we'd be at work!

We sat and enjoyed our drinks and sandwich for a good while, both of us reluctant to move away from the pleasant restaurant. This was what Sophie wanted to do on this short break: not dash from tourist spot to tourist spot, but sit and watch Paris go by, drink wine and relax! So we did!

We did eventually move and paid the bill. We had a brief look at the gorgeous Sacré Coeur church, but there was a long queue to get in, so we said we'd leave it. It was tourist central here, with crowds of people, men trying to sell hideous knick-knacks and padlocks to attach to the railings. We kept a close eye on our bags and waved several men away who approached us to try to sell us stuff! It was also warm now, and I was glad we'd dressed appropriately! Some people were wearing heavy coats!

We made our way further into Montmartre and discovered a vibrant area of shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. It was even busier here as people wandered along, and the eateries were packed with people enjoying the afternoon sunshine. The streets were very narrow and sometimes a little disconcerting when a van or car drove past!

We eventually found ourselves on the outskirts of this area, and it became a little quieter. We were still following our little map, and we soon came to a vineyard, a relic of Montmartre's past. Sadly, it was closed, so all thoughts of a wine-tasting in the sun vanished. The vineyard makes about five hundred litres of wine a year. I would love to try some!

A celebrity sighting?

By now, we were gently descending the hill, and soon came back to "our" street, the Rue des Abbesses. We had talked about ice cream, so we looked at the menu of one restaurant, but they only did scoops, and we both wanted a bit more than that! The next restaurant had a full dessert menu with my favourite - Chocolat Liégeois! We settled back in our seats, ordered the creamy puds and a glass each of Alsace Pinot Blanc to accompany them. Bliss! Sophie had a Café Liégeois and hoped it wouldn't keep her awake tonight!

I had a wonderful time people watching, and saw who I thought was Sir Keir Starmer sitting opposite at a café. He was identical, but Sophie disagreed. Whoever he was, he was having a whale of a time, so maybe not Sir Keir!

Sophie saw me intently watching everyone who passed by, so she came to sit next to me as she felt she was missing out! We certainly saw some characters walk past! It was heaven to sit in the sun, relax and look forward to a musical night out!

Montmartre, Paris - A Spring Girls' Trip 26-28 April 2026

"Dangerously overcrowded"

A few weeks ago, while driving to work, I learned that the London Marathon was to take place today, and I'd groaned as we had unwittingly planned the first day of our Paris trip to coincide with this major event. We had decided to take the Eurostar to Paris and had booked a train from Kettering to take us to St Pancras for our 11:30am departure.

There was nothing we could do about it, but we had both readied ourselves for a busy train to London. While Sophie finished getting ready, I wrapped a bottle of Champagne (a gift from Sophie's work buddies) in foil and put a generous number of sausage rolls into a ziplock bag. We also added some flapjacks and a couple of breakfast bars to keep us fortified on the journey. This all went into a cool bag, ready to be consumed when we went through the Channel Tunnel and into France!

Keith dropped us off at the station, and the weather was grey and cool. I tried not to shiver in my short-sleeved dress! I knew, however, that it was set to be sunny and warm later in the day. Once the station shop had opened, we treated ourselves to a coffee and went to wait on the platform. More and more people started arriving, some carrying placards as they were going to support people who were running. We then had an announcement that the train was very busy, as it had originated in Derby.

We had three more announcements that the train was busy, so we readied ourselves for a standing journey down to the capital. We also had two small suitcases with us, which would take up space! When the train arrived on the platform, we squeezed ourselves into the small area by the doors; the aisle running between the seats was already full of people. It was horrendous! We had no windows to look out, and we were crammed in like sardines. To be honest, it was dangerous. A woman standing next to us was very unhappy and said she felt it was unsafe, as none of us had anything to hold onto when the carriages lurched from side to side.

As we carried on down to London, more and more people tried to board. Now, men were turning up wearing Leeds United football shirts, and Sophie was convinced one man groped her as he pushed past to try and get further down the train. Everyone was complaining about the conditions, and we wondered why an additional service hadn't been put on. EMR must have known the service would be busy!

At Bedford, we had an empty train running next to us, which added insult to injury! We were informed by the train manager that we could take a Thameslink train to London, but that wasn't an option for us! How the train was able to move with everyone was beyond me!

It was utter relief to arrive at St Pancras, and we followed the signs to the Eurostar check-in area. We were just on time to go through passport control and security. Sophie wasn't expecting this at all and was a little surprised to find we had to put our luggage through the X-ray machines. She was frisked because of her bracelets, but, for once, I wasn't stopped!

The Merry Widows!

Once through, we entered a very busy area where people were waiting for the next train, bound for Amsterdam. Boarding started half an hour before the train left, and once the Amsterdam lot was boarding, we were able to find a table outside Pret A Manger and sit and have a drink. I bought two bottles of water and a small bar of chocolate each to get over the shock of the train journey!

Our train was soon available to board, and we joined the throng of people on the escalator up to the platform. We found our carriage, put our suitcases onto the luggage racks and found our seats. They were airline-style, with footrests and trays. Next to us, on the right, were four seats with a table between them. Our seats were comfortable, and we were facing in the direction of travel, which we prefer.

The carriage gradually filled up as people found their seats and placed bags in the overhead shelves. At 11.30am, we set off, and the people next to us comprised two American women (in their 80s, we later found out, and travelling with their daughters who were sitting behind us) and a couple from New Zealand. A Japanese couple were in the seats in front. As we wound our way through the outskirts of London, there was a party air in our carriage, which was lovely! By now, the grey skies had turned blue, and it was a gorgeous day.

Soon, we were out of London, and we saw the Dartford Bridge. We then picked up speed and hurtled through the Kent countryside, and the four people next to us began to chat. It was great as we could hear what they were saying, but we didn't have to contribute! We learnt that the two women were widowed and the New Zealand couple were visiting friends in Paris. The American women took out boxes with Harrods "The Georgian" on them, which were leftovers from a very posh afternoon tea! They certainly knew how to have a good time!

Very soon, we saw the Eurotunnel check-in, and before long, we were under the Channel. Sophie and I had a bet as to how long we would be under, and I won, as we emerged nineteen minutes later at 12:23, a minute later than I said. It was much shorter than the trip by Eurotunnel, which is thirty-five minutes!

We'd let the Champagne stand for a while, as I was worried the cork would come out with a lot of force, and we wrapped tissues around the neck and covered it with a bag in case the cork flew out and hit someone! This aroused the interest of the four people next to us, and I was relieved when I eased the cork out with a satisfying plop! We were asked if it was a special occasion, and we said it had been Sophie's 30th birthday a few weeks ago.

We'd brought Sophie's Wimbledon plastic glasses with us, and as the French countryside whizzed by at just under 300km an hour (186 miles), we sipped the wine and munched on Keith's delicious sausage rolls. The American women tucked into scones and cakes, and the New Zealand pair ate Eurostar risotto with small bottles of wine. In front, the Japanese couple unwrapped their sushi. There was a real festive atmosphere, and it was delightful!

I loved staring out of the window, seeing the flat Northern French countryside pass by, and glimpsing cars on the autoroute and small villages and farms. We passed Arras and then Lille, where we slowed down slightly, and had a lovely chat with the four people next to us. One of the daughters went to bring the Mums a bottle of wine each, and they were having a wonderful time, chatting happily to the New Zealanders and us. We told them about going to Vienna in May, and they couldn't quite grasp what Eurovision was all about!

Manic Paris!

All too soon, the wonderful journey was over, and we were pulling into the Gare du Nord.  We said goodbye to everyone and wished them a lovely time in Paris. Collecting our luggage, we stepped off the train and into the madness that is the Gare Du Nord and Paris itself. Outside, taxis were waiting, but we were reluctant to take one, as we'd heard stories of tourists being ripped off. Several people tried to get us to take one, but Sophie had booked an Uber, which met us a short distance away. The area was thronged with people and heavy traffic; it was a complete shock to the system after the genteel train ride! We kept our bags close to us, and our phones inside, as we didn't want someone ruining our holiday before it had even begun! We were very aware of the people around us, and didn't let our guard down for one minute!

Our hotel wasn't far away, and we both stared out of the taxi windows as we made our way there. For some reason, there were lots of wedding outfit shops, with rows of male mannequins standing outside. Bizarre! This area looked quite seedy, with shabby shops and graffiti-covered buildings, and I was glad we had chosen to stay at the Terrass Hotel in Montmartre. 

Scene from an Uber

Our driver had difficulty dropping us off as the road was closed, and he got out of the car and disappeared for a few minutes, which was slightly unnerving. However, he managed to turn around and dropped us off right outside. We were met by a lovely hotel receptionist who carried our bags in for us, and took our details, as well as a 130 euro holding fee using Sophie's card. This was for the use of the minibar (we never used it) and a tourist tax. He then gave us a map of the area and pointed out a circular walk which would take in all the sights of this beautiful part of Paris.

A rooftop drink with views!

We were in room 301, and as we emerged from the lift, the corridor was dimly lit and dark.  Our room was on its own and opposite the lift. We opened the door, and we were met by a lovely, bright hotel room with views over the busy area below. When I leaned out of the window, I could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance!

We had a double bed, a lovely bathroom with a walk-in shower and adequate storage, with a safe and minibar. We unpacked, stowed our passports and tickets in the safe and relaxed after the long journey. The bed was comfortable, and we both hoped for a good night's sleep!

Sophie had booked an early evening table at Bouillon, so we freshened up and made our way to the seventh floor, where there was a cocktail bar and views across the city. It was already busy with people, but we took our seats at a high table and ordered a glass of rosé each. It was very warm, and the sun was shining onto the beautiful terrace. What more could we want? Delicious wine, and views of Paris in the Spring!

All around us, people were eating and drinking and enjoying the ambience. A man opposite was marking some kind of manuscript, and we couldn't help people watching! We sat and sipped our wine,  but the time was getting on, so we paid the bill (about 20 euros for two glasses of wine and service) and descended to street level.

Sophie had the directions for Bouillon on her phone, and we walked towards the Rue des Abbesses, where there were numerous bars, cafés and restaurants. It was a Sunday evening, but the establishments were packed with people eating, drinking and having a great time.

We realised we had enough time for another drink, so we sat down at an empty table, only to be told that a couple were waiting for it! Oops! We walked on and made our way to Pigalle through a maze of narrow, cobbled streets, some of which were very steep indeed! Montmartre is situated on a hill, and the streets are very steep with steps in some parts. A funicular runs up to Sacre Coeur at the top.

Close neighbours!

We came to Pigalle, once the hangout of prostitutes, and now home to the Moulin Rouge as well as numerous sex shops and live sex shows, and we marvelled at how busy it was! We saw Bouillon on a corner, but it looked like a takeaway shop... Sophie became very worried, but when she consulted her map, she realised it was just a small outlet. The proper restaurant was a bit further on! There was a queue outside already, but as we had a reservation, we were able to bypass this. However, Sophie then realised she'd booked the table for 6:30pm, not 6:00pm, so we were told we were too early. The restaurant was heaving with people, and the queue stretched around the corner. It was certainly very popular, and also manic!

Luckily, there was a bar opposite, so we grabbed a table overlooking the street and ordered two more glasses of rosé. These were 4,5 euros each, half the price of the hotel bar! We sat back, and we were agog at the busy road running alongside the bar, the traffic, the bikes, the tooting of horns, the crowds of people walking past... 

On a screen above us was the Chelsea-Leeds match, so we texted Keith to let him know! The supporters we'd seen boarding the train this morning wouldn't have been very happy as Leeds were losing!

At the appointed time, we went back to Bouillon, and after a little while, we were shown to a table upstairs. I had a view over the busy road, and our fellow diners were extremely close. I nudged elbows with the woman to my left several times! 

We were given menus and waited a considerable time to have our orders taken. We both chose the egg mayonnaise to start, while Sophie went for turkey in a sauce, and I decided to have a pork shank with chips. We ordered a bottle of house rosé and were given another bottle of tap water.

The waiters were flying about, and we witnessed several breakages as they tried to carry overloaded trays. One plate of beef bourguignon and pasta went flying, and the poor waiter had terrible trouble clearing it all away! It was crowded and noisy, and our senses were overwhelmed!

Our starters arrived and were dispatched quickly. Those sausage rolls were a long time ago! We also had a basket of bread, which we used to mop up the thick mayonnaise. There was no salad or fancy presentation!

The couple next to us were finishing their meal, and I was amazed at how quickly the table was set again. The top paper sheet was whipped off, a fresh one put on, four wine glasses and cutlery plonked down, and that was it! All set for another couple!

Our main courses arrived, and Sophie was very happy with her meal, but I had made the wrong choice. I had a thick knuckle of pork in a sweet sauce with chips, and that was it. No vegetables to speak of! While we were finishing our main courses, a young couple arrived, and when Sophie started telling me a story about a Love Island participant, the woman joined our conversation. The couple were Canadian, and Sophie got on very well with the woman who was the same age. They had a wonderful chat!

We ordered dessert: a chocolate mousse for me and Floating Islands for Sophie, and then paid the bill, which was under 50 euros. This was why it was so popular! We said goodbye to the Canadian couple who were in Paris for a few days before going on to Amsterdam, and made our way out of the heaving restaurant where the queue still snaked around the corner!

Street Art

Because of our full tummies, we had a very slow walk back to the hotel. We took the quieter streets, and they were a world away from the madness we had come from. We saw various street art pictures, and the area reminded me a little of Hackescher Markt in Berlin. There were a few quirky bars and shops dotted about, and a group of people had spilled out of one bar and were enjoying their drinks in the street in the warm evening air. I itched to take a photo of a man with purple hair bottle feeding a baby!

Some of the art reminded me of Banksy's graffiti, and it was all very quirky and novel! Slowly, we walked up a steep street, noticing several quieter restaurants which looked promising for tomorrow night.

Back at the hotel, we decided to complete our day with a nightcap at the rooftop bar. It was still very busy, and we were asked to sit in an adjoining area and wait for a table. Sophie ordered a Negroni, while I chose a Drambuie, which seemed to confuse the waiters completely. In a gap through the foliage, I could see Sacre Coeur above us.

We were soon called through to the main terrace, and I sank into a two-seater sofa while Sophie took a chair facing the Eiffel Tower. On the hour, until 1:00am, it glitters and dazzles, which was wonderful to see! What a treat!

We ordered another round of drinks, chatted about the holiday so far and did more people watching. It was fascinating!