Paris (April 11,12 &13)

I sleep much of the flight. What I have put down to being being hay fever is in fact a cold which has now gone to my chest so I have a bacterial infection. Bob urges me to start a course of antibiotics but I really want to be sure by the next day I am sure. I have no appetite which is not a bad thing given the food we have had. I managed to eat a little bit of breakfast, no lunch and sleep for part of the afternoon. We do go out for dinner and have an excellent St Emillion wine, not a whole bottle though.

The next day I'm feeling quite a bit better and we had planned to go to Sacre Coeur it's quite close, within walking distance of where we are staying. However, what is most pressing is to get train tickets in particular to get us back to Charles de Gaulle airport from Gare du Nord. We've decided we will take the train rather than a taxi. Not for reasons of cost, but more of convenience. Not cheap €63 each for a three day pass but at least we won't have the hassle of queuing up for tickets.

Parisian style (and pricing) we sit outside for another coffee and then head off to Sacre Coeur. I feel I'm doing quite well but when we get there I decide I will stay down the bottom whilst Bob takes the funicular to the top. Of course he wants to take photos from the best vantage point.

It is a glorious spring day in the low twenties and we are in Paris. I wait by the carousel made famous by the movie Amélie I can hear a violin being played. I think they are playing Vivaldi 'Spring'. I watch the crowds moving up and down the different paths. It is looking quite green and Spring like with the trees and blossom. I'm trying to see where Bob is, he's wearing a red jacket, canvas hat and carrying a green camera case so should be easy. I do eventually find him coming back down. It is very crowded of course. A group of American boys pass and one asks why are they going to another church, guess they haven't watched the movie.

Walking in Paris is always interesting and we walk back a different way. Unfortunately the antibiotics I am taking make me feel nauseous so although I try to eat dinner the meal and the wine are a waste.

The next day out again to see how the repairs on Notre Dame are progressing. It has been 18 months since we were last here so should be interesting. Plan is to find the lifts as well at the station and take the RER. Paris is again gloriously Spring like, no problems with the lifts. The Cathedral still has significant scaffolding around it but much of the roof has been replaced. We have learned from a previous experience that if you want anything to eat or drink it is better to find a side street away from the cathedral, fewer people and cheaper. Coffee is good and we walk around the area a little more before heading back to the hotel.

I can't even face food so I pack while Bob eats. We fly to Valletta in the morningRead more