Day 66...In ol' Pari - 31st August

I knew today would be a trying day and it was. Got up and had breakky (our lady gave us croissants without plates, tea without milk and then left us there in the wet dirt smelling kitchen). We had a laugh, gulped it down then shot off for Paris. We got there by 12pm so we were mighty pleased.

However, there were no TIC signs anywhere and the only one we knew of was in the centre of town (although we knew there were more around, we just didn't have their addresses). We drove past some big monuments and couldn't find any TICs located near them or anywhere. We made a basic beeline for the one we knew of on the way so ended up fighting traffic to get to that one in the end. Nate woke up sick with what I had in Bremen, but was kind enough to drive through Parisian traffic feeling like death. He drove admirably. The TIC in the centre of town was as helpful as shit, and basically said to check the hotels themselves. THey didn't book for us. They flipped us a book full of expensive places so we started to get worried and despondant. There were some in Montmare for 70-90 euro. I wanted to stay in Montmarte because of Amelie, and I heard as well that it was really cute. We sat outside the TIC and discussed this over a juice and tried to figure out a plan of action. (We were served by a rude waiter, our first for France). We had our passports etc on us, and I realised it was Thursday. To not be stuck in Paris a full week if we didn't like it, we should put our Kenyan visas in today. I rang the Kenyan embassy and they were close by and could see us. We dashed through the train station, getting a glance at the Louvre as we rushed past, and turned up 15 minutes before closing time. It then turned out that I had put our visa photos (expressly for this purpose) in Nathans big backpack which was currently in the car back in town. I did that before we left, in case we lost our passports etc. So to have them stored where our passports were stored would have been stupid, but I had been rushing to the embassy with my passports and had forgotten that fact. So we had to run around and find a photoshop that was open. We found one which was closed until 4pm, 15 minutes after Kenyan visa closing time. I was so frustrated! I had had enough of trying to get the damn visas sorted and figuring out trying to do it in London and Berlin (which ended up being no goes due to various reasons and commitments) and I was sick of it hanging over my head. Why didn't we do it before we went? I can hear you ask. Well we did try that, but the Kenyan visa rules are that you can only apply for a kenyan visa 3 months before arriving in Kenya, and we were to leave Australia well before then. So our only option was to do it in one of their branches overseas. And organising that is harder than you think. When you travel in strange countries (or even cities) finding the simplest things, such as buying an esky, or a book, becomes a mission.

Running around frantically, Nate was surprised and delighted to suddenly see the Eiffel tower up close and and in view. He hadn't been expecting it! "Look Nik!" he said, and pointed. Instead of me being delighted too, I had a tanty (well I was already in the middle of one) so I flapped my hand at it and stormed off, ruining the moment. I was sorry about that, and also that my first view of the Louvre was running past it in a panic. Kinda ruins the moments doesn't it? We ran back to the embassy sweating and with me flapping my hands around and babbling at them, they were kind enough to let us get our photos taken at 4 and they would wait for us. Bless them. Then they would have our visas ready in 3 business days. If they hadn't of done that, we would have been stuck in Paris till Wednesday instead of Tuesday, and with all we have in front of us, we just don't have the time to sacrifice. While I had raved around the street, Nathan who was sick as a dog held up really well and calm. He was just aching for bed the dear boy.

With the visa responsibility out of my hands, I relaxed and we enjoyed a quick stare at the Eiffel tower together and a cuddle. I wasnt a complete banshee or anything, don't mistake what I've written. I was just a bit flustered from running around, and through my previous paragraph just wanted to convey the urgency of the situation. So all is well and good at this point right? Right.

So by 5pm we still didn't have accomodation sorted. We decided to just drive to Montmatre and see how we went. We must have driven in the wrong section of Montmatre as we ended up at the back of Sacre Cour instead of the front, so we didn't see any hotel signs anywhere. Nate rested in the car as he was unwell, while I raced around Sacre Cour hill (appreciating some really wicked views of Paris on the way!) up and down various stairs and whatnight. Was there anywhere to stay? We rummaged around and found our Lonely Planet book. Risking high mobile charges, we called a place with a good reference and they had a room free for $46, which was hell of a lot cheaper than the TIC option of $74! We were worried it would be flea infested in a bad area, but if it was, we would stay one night and we could search tomorrow in more leisure. The hotel turned out to be as cute as a bug! (I mean that in a nice expression). It was in a windy little street in montmarte with tall skinny buildings with provincial balconies. Inside it was kinda rickety and the floor swelled up and down. The spiral staircase leaned drunkenly and we had to climb five stories. (Again with the top floor spiral staircases!) It was very quaint and cute. Inside our room was lovely and simple with timber flooring, as well as a wrought iron window with a completely Parisian view of chimneyed rooftops and balconies with flowers. I loved it!

The Montmatre area (the area in front of the Sacre Cour that is. BTW Sacre Cour is a massive church on a hill) is filled with tall buildings squished side by side in light pastel colours, winding streets and roaming locals. The streetfronts are filled with little grocers and butchers, cheese shops and chocolateries and cafes. We are near the Moulin Rouge too, but away from that touristed area and in a more local area. I was stoked.

Poor Nate collapsed on the bed and rested as he was sick, and was just aching for some horizontal action all day. From 12pm to 6 we had been visa-ing and trying to get a room. But we succeeded and I was pleased at how we did. Apart from a very mild and brief tanty we were ok. While Nate rested I wrote in the diary while sitting in a chair and looking out the window to the street below.

As it got to evening we wandered to the end of our street and ate at a cute little restaurant with a very friendly waiter. We just had salads and water and staggered up to bed. We have to eat something thats not dining out food once in a while or we'll fall apart. Anyway, we were all snuggled up and were just about to fall asleep when we were woken by drunken french frogs. They were singing and howling and shouting as loud as they could underneath our window. Just when you'd think they'd stop, they'd shout as loud as they could again. It was quite funny. Most of it was the same repetitive song, so perhaps a football chant. At one point one guy was singing, and though it could have been french, he kinda degenerated into a very loud woo wooing and hooing that sounded like he just wanted to stretch his vocal chords. And man, these guys were loud! Nate was buried under the sheets and all I heard him mutter was "can't hold their liquor. Amateurs!".

Ha ha. Fell asleep after midnight.