day 2- Time slips!!

There are about 5 of us in the dorm no one talking, I thought I'd change that with a few cheery hellos-bonjours etc! I broke the ice! Suddenly a full conversation between myself an Italian chap (Marco)and a Portuguese! - nice! 🙂 

Off to breakfast and I'm stood there looking at the continental breakfast like it was the alien that I patently was! 

Cucumber, tomatoes, ham, cheese croissant, cereals,bread and I'd not only made breakfast I'd cheekily knocked together some sandwiches for lunch! 😁

Now out and off into the wilds of Paris a strange man in a strange town..... Something I'll be getting used to! 

Off to the nearest metro(underground station) at Laumier and I bungle my first metro ticket thinking it hadn't worked as the gates hadn't opened! Things work differently here! 

But they work! And with the aid of a metro app on my phone I'm soon travelling to I'l de la Cite station in the heart of Paris, leaving the station I pass through the most beautiful art neuveau signs

and out into the city much quieter than the insanity of London and considerably nicer as are the people! They actually talk!!!

I wander from here easing into my new life of wanderer , yesterday I'd said to Lisa that from here on in there would be no rushing, I like this approach. 

It has it's benefits! Cycle paths and road crossings are pretty different to those I'm used to at home, the wander approach saved me from getting run over a few times! 

Wandering to Pont au change over the seine I pass the Conciergerie a 14th century palace and prison!

Before retracing my steps and finding my way to Notre Dame!

Beautiful! 

Nice statue of Charlemagne here too!

Free entry into Notre Dame, beautiful beautiful building, wish I'd seen it before it was burnt down!

so nice to see so much colour in a holy place! 

Along with the grim...

and the bizarre!

Ruth would have loved it here🥲

I can't fit enough images of Notre Dame here! Stunning will have to do as a description! 

Away I wander and stand on a bridge looking back at the construction work still going on to repair the cathedral I'm joined by the expected flock of pigeons as I munch my stolen sandwiches!

southwards from here I walk heading towards the catacombs, en route I pass the Pantheon 

and unexpectedly the service to mourn the passing of Jean Marie Le Pen! 

Lots of gendarm here tho it appeared to have been a peaceful ceremony....... With some nice light hearted display.....

Continuing my wander to the catacombs and in, I find strange and disturbing underworld!!!!

Where the bones of countless Parisians had been moved to allow for construction or buried during the French Revolution! 

what a bizarre thing to do to the dead!!

Oddly very much worth the visit! 

Following the time on my phone I head to the nearest metro and head back to Laumier and the hostel.... It's at this point I realise that I'm in a different time zone!! I'm effectively back on British summertime!! Not that my watch agrees!! It's in need of adjustment!

day one- leaving blighty

After crashing at my brother's the night before leaving, I walked with Mary (his lady) to the station, a bit of fun getting through the barriers there as the inspector hadn't seen an interrail (three month unlimited travel in Europe) pass before!

But get through we did! 

In time to catch an earlier train to St pancras station, Mary filmed me leaving to make sure I'd gone 😁

The train south was a direct journey so I was in London really quickly! 

I decided to go straight through customs (first time in years for me!) which went off without a hitch thankfully! 

Sitting with my pack waiting to board a young lass also travels came and sat down with her pack.... Like attracts like I guess! 

We were chatting away for about an hour like we'd known each other for years, such a nice start!

one quote from her employer 'there's only two things you have to do in life shitting and dying'!!! 

For two people on the roads it was a true statement of freedom! 😄😄

Onto the Eurostar and an uneventful trip towards Paris through the foggy french winter countryside, interrupted near the end by bark from a dog I didn't even know was sat behind me! A cute little dog that an autistic kid had to help him keep calm, naturally a chat followed! 

Into Gard Nord station and I decided to walk to the hostel only about a mile or so away, different architecture inevitably and cold but a pleasant enough wander through the streets and along the banks of the canal to the hostel.

Settled in and my kit locked in a cage below my bed(glad I brought a padlock!) I went down to the bar in the hostel for a pint and a pepper pig pizza! 😄 Ok just peppers on pork sausage but I liked the silliness! 

I also liked the pizza. 

Of to bed for an early night in the nice clean bedding on the bunks.