After dinner it was decided that the Eiffel Tower needed to be viewed at night. We made our way through the subway and back streets and walked into the garden at the trocadero, directly across from the Tower. What a sight. For once in my life not even a sarcastic quip about the phallic looking spectacle would come out of my mouth. I remember saying, "Who would've thought some noone from Reynella would be standing here, taking this sight in?". I feel so lucky sometimes and am so glad I got on that plane.
We stayed at the Tower for another good few hours. I honestly could have gazed all night. When the flashing lights came on, on the hour, it just sparkled amazingly. So very hard to describe and the photos certainly don't do it justice.
Friday morning and after spending almost half a day in lines, we climbed 680 steps to the second level of the Tower, the top was closed due to over crowding but man the view from level two ain't that bad! We then made our way across the street for chocolate crepes (Oh my god, so good... but stop half way through. Just trust me on this one) then to the Arc de Triomphe. An impressive structure to say the least - and slap bang in the middle of the worlds freakiest roundabout... those French have guts. This thing had no lanes and over 7 entrance/exits.. I was worried about standing on the side of the road in fear of becoming a casualty. We also caught a glimpse of the eternal flame which some Aussie travellers once famously put out by using the flame for a barbie. Go Aussie, go.
After a quick walk down the Champs Elysees (word to Louis Vuitton and the idiots that line up out front who obviously don't have enough money to waste there) it was back into the suburbs to rest up for the massive day ahead.
Oh, and we have no idea how, but we ran into the most appropriate sign on the way back, we couldn't resist playing spot the tourist.
Easter Saturday we proceeded back to the Tower to see if we could make it to the top level. No deal. It was onto the Louvre where the buildings and landscape just seemed to go on forever - Paris so far, for me, was more amazing than anything I'd ever seen before (not hard to believe since life outside of Adelaide for the past 20 years had been a mystery to me). We entered through the giant pyramid ("I.M Pei? I.M.Impressed!") and paid 6 Euro to do exactly what all you people would - view Mona Lisa and Venus De Milo then run like hell to get away from the crowds. Big up to Mona though, she's so special (and tiny) she gets her very own wall. (I think we may have started to piss people off though by repeatedly quoting Team America "He's heading into the Louvre!!" "You with the robes. Put down the weapons of mass destrution". How we never get arrested is a mystery to me.
After meeting up with Karly and Renee in the foyer (we SO rendezvoused with people in Paris... we're so fucking cool right now.) it was off to Hard Rock Cafe. Now, I am a huge fan of the HRC, and ever since London's version let me down I was cautious of any European attempt.. but, Paris came through with the goods - they even played A Perfect Circle while we were there... it's like they knew.
A few giant long island iced teas later we bid adieu to the girls who were off for dinner and a show at Moulin Rouge and we set out to visit Jim Morrison. We were greeted by some guy babbling to us in French. We tried to push on until one kind passer by told us we were being told 'It's closed'. When the hell do cemetaries ever close anyway.
So off to the Montmatre district - a seedy, but genuinely interesting part of town, to climb MORE STEPS to the Sacre Coeur. Again though it was worth the pain, the views from the hill were spectacular and the church itself (amid Easter prayer) was stunning. Too bad at this height we were being whipped by wind and rain! A quick descent back down the stairs and through the side streets we finally made it to the iconic Moulin Rouge. By day it doesn't seem so special at all (right on a main street next to everything else), but as it grew darker and the lights shone, the famous windmill made it worth the trek.
Then it was back home for homemade french toast (I am a genius) and our first listen of the long awaited new track from Tool!! Yes, we may have been on 'holiday' somewhere in Europe, but that will never stop us from what we do best!! (Everyone download Vicarious immediately).
Easter Sunday and it was the moment we had all been waiting for.... Disneyland!!! I really can't describe the actual park. It was like walking through a cartoon, lots of crazy colours and over emphasised themes, man it was cool. We were, though, the only people in our 20's and without strollers. We spent the entire day journeying through Adventureland (OMG, Indiana Jones ride... I left my breakfast somewhere on turn 3) then Frontierland (yeehah), then to Fantasyland (I believe my quote upon seeing Sleeping Beauty's castle was "I choose to live here"), a race through the Queen of Hearts maze (you all remember Alice In Wonderland, don't deny it) and finally (after a ride on the Mad Hatters tea cups and a stop in to pick out the Aussie kids in 'It's A Small World After All') we ventured to Discoveryland where Buzz Lightyear totally made a pass at me while posing for photos. What can I say, I have this effect on over-sized cartoon characters. After one last ride - through Thunder Mountain - bleeeeerch (and a run in with a cowboy who we still can't work out if he was gay or not), it was time to say goodbye to this magical wonderland. There was nothing left to do but to return to our room in Paris and get slightly drunk before saying Aurevoir the next morning (after visiting the French McDonalds for a dirty hangover cure).
So there you have it. My first trip abroad (whilst abroad) accomplished! And I haven't even had space to write about the stupid rabbit with the bowtie... Towsty, help me out here!!
