Paris-Hong Kong

A good trip is long enough to really see and explore some new place. And then, before you get tired or homesick, it is time to go home.... leaving a few things to see next time and the plans for the next trip already forming.

This is not Paris.

This is Hong Kong.

Last day in Paris

Our "close to the railway station" budget hotel still has a few surprises for us.. we agree to pay for the hotel breakfast just this once. After all the Ibis Hotel breakfast had been great. So we drop in to reception. . Where is the  breakfast room? Outside of the hotel ... New Hotel..down...
Really? Down meant down a stone spiral
staircase to the dungeon

Breakfast in the dungeon... guess we won't be packing a sandwich for later!

Rick took the sight seeing bus tour. I spent the rest of the day walking and shopping.

Walking along the river banks.

Notre Dame 

Hannah at Notre Dame 

Police descended on Notre Dame  and cleared all the tourists out..." for your own safety"

Reagan

Ali and Daniel P

Last few Eiffel  tower photos.
Designer shops.
Shopping... well.. window shopping in the name brand shops in Paris, Dior, Lagerfield, Versace and Eden Park. Couldn't afford anything but had a great time at the sports store, Decathlon.

And back to Paris

The plan changed somewhere and we didn't quite make it all the way across the channel so requests for photos in London have had to be changed.
Eddie. .. hope you liked your train trip this morning. .. in the luggage rack.

Eddie on the platform of Rennes train station.

Lara  it may not be the Queen's  house you were thinking of but plenty of french queens lived at the Chateau/ palace of Fountainebleau.

Lara at Fountainebleau

Lara: Fountainebleau ornamental lake.

Hannah in the throne room.

The Throne of France

Keishi: Napoleon's bed, Fountainebleau 

 Napoleon had a bit of a thing about bees. Here you see them on his coronation robes.

They are also on his sword  hilt and scabbard.

All of you back in NZ will be wants to sit in front of this enormous fireplace

Arriving back in Paris was almost like coming home... we knew where we were and how to get around.

Finally we got out to see  Paris at night..

The Champs Elysee 

Arc de Triomphe

It doesn't get dark here til 10 ish.

Chartres

Hotel Ibis Styles has the honour of the worst shower and the best (free)breakfast of tbe trip.
Train from Rennes to Chartres.
Hotel des Poemes de Chartres.

mis matched spires

We are able to drop our bags and head off toward the mismatched spires that were visible even from the train station.

clean 

not clean

half clean

The thing that struck me most about Chartres cathedral was how different it looked where it had been cleaned.  Of course the cleaning work required scaffolding which hid the amazing labyrinth completely.

We also did the crypt tour... not very exciting.

Strolling around Chartres felt like a Sunday.. July 14 ... is fete nationale... the national holiday... we call it Bastille Day but they don't.
It is not til we head out for a late lunch -early dinner that things start happening.

I only hope they don't keep happening all night...
So what happens at night ...
light shows

and fire works

and more lights.

Farewell to Guernsey

We have a few more visits to make today, as well as good byes to say.
Annie's house.

Just around the corner from my road.

The Grand Mere

Visiting relatives.

Good bye Darcy.

Goodbye useful little van.

Goodbye impossibly narrow streets.

last look at Castle Cornet.

Good bye old friends.

St Malo

Rennes