Paris! part 2

As my previous post explains i've recently been on a solo adventure to Paris for a bit of Architecture exploration. However I did manage to sneak some fun in :)

I'd never been to Paris before (and I can't say I wasn't a little bit nervous going on my own, not being able to speak French) so of course, like any wide eyed tourist I headed towards La Tour Eiffel. I say headed, I actually got lost for a little while then when spotted it's peak in the distance just kind of went in that direction until i'd found it! I was impressed at the size of it, I definitely thought it would be smaller, an engineering masterpiece it cant be denied and a symbol of Paris. On my first visit it was really cloudy and I couldn't see the top, so I decided to save the 'somet' for later when the sky had cleared a bit. When I did, I was actually a bit dissapointed. When you reach the top you can no longer see the tower (sounds stupid but it's much nicer to look at than look from) and it's so unfathomably high compared to everything else my brain didn't really register the height, although it was nice to be able to look over the city and spot the sights I had seen on my wanderings. Also, this place is a massive tourist trap as I expected, and a global crowd of happy snappers bustled around, which isn't really my thing.

Another big thing I wanted to do was see the Louvre. I knew this place would be another crowded tourist hub but I was willing to brave it. This place is VAST. The facade wraps around the square and the enormous glass pyramid that takes you into the crypt entrance, and seems to go on forever. And as for inside, well, I would recommend planning to only visit one exhibition. I managed to walk around about a third in 3 hours, without stopping too much, and I would love to take a closer look at some things next time I go. I did get a look in at la Jaconde (the Mona Lisa) though, and the Venus de Milo. Trying to sound inoffensive there weren't too many culture vultures about, and it seemed half the people there were in to see something just to tell everyone on their home continent that they had. Not sure how I feel about that. However, this is a world class museum with some great pieces, well worth a visit, and if your under 25 and an EU citizen its FREE! 

The Louvre in the Autumn sun

After all of this, as well as some architecture, I (on my trusty iPhone, sorry I cheated) googled markets, and decided to head up to the 4th Arrondissement to Le Marche des Enfants Rouges for a bit of a street food lunch. I was delighted to find a guy that i'd seen on Rachel Khoo's cooking programme who helped her make galettes and crepes at his market stall! Naturally I bought a galette from him (a kind of savoury crepe) with parma ham, salad, olive oil, mint and parmesan cheese. DELICIOUS. The guy was also a real character, dancing as he cooked and joking about (in french, he thought it was funny I didn't understand, but he did give me a free baguette at the end!) I cant recommend this place enough, a good market selection to take away and eat there.

Galette! (mouth waters)

Coffee and cake, AGAIN

From the market I wandered back down the streets of the 4th, and eventually back to the first, through the famous Rue de Rivoli (Paris' answer to Oxford street) and around the trendy shopping districts that surround it. Spending the rest of the day on foot taking in sights and Architecture.

Walking by the Seine

From a bridge over the Seine

Padlock installation, too cute 

I ended the evening having a lonely dinner at a little Brasserie, eating Coquille Saint Jaque Provencale (after Frenchy's recommendation) and sipping red wine, before heading back off for my 11pm coach back to London. A quiet evening to end a great trip. Paris alone was a great idea in the end, I think i'll do it again! First Paris, but where next!?