Up, walk, train, metro, walk, hotel. Train journey was good, on the TGV which is the fast train, hurtling through the French countryside. Kept a close eye on the bags and pockets on the metro because last time some guy stuck his hand in my pocket, but luckily didn’t get anything. Came out of the metro and the Moulin Rouge was in front of us. A short walk to the hotel which is the 4th most popular in Paris, not too expensive and really good – staff are really helpful and even played the Australian and English national anthem as we checked in. I kid you not. It’s called Joke hotel. The room was small but very well designed and very trendy. We’ll definitely stay again. The mini bar was free (although only had water and soft drinks) and they also had free food and drink in the lobby.
We dropped the bags and went out, intending to go shopping but it was Sunday and most are closed. Decided instead to walk around a cemetery. Not just any cemetery, but Père Lachaise, where loads of famous people are buried. We spent about 3 hours there and saw dead people. Moliere, Bizet, Pissaro, Chopin, many others and probably the most famous – Jim Morrison. It was quite busy, and is said to be the most visited cemetery in the world. We saw a crowd around one grave and had a look – it was one of the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists. The cemetery is not very well laid out and we looked for, but didn’t find, a few others.
We’d walked a lot, so decided to head back to the hotel area and go to a restaurant we’d passed earlier, but when we got there it was closed, as we’re all of them, and so we had to go back to the hotel and wait for about half an hour.
Wandered down to the restaurant where I had a lobster bisque for starter and then steak (I ordered it medium and it came out rare but I’m too timid to complain), Song had fois gras to start and *sigh* sea bass for main. I also had a glass of wine. Both meals were good, not great.
Walked up the road to the Moulin Rouge and took some photos, saw that it was 125 Euro per person to get in and decided against it. I’m sure it’s a spectacle but I can download the movie for nothing.
Back to the hotel to relax.
Tomorrow is the Sacre Coeur and some more wandering with a bit of shopping thrown in. We’re here for 3 nights, not 2, so 2 more full days in what I think is our favourite city.
