Big Five Oh Trip | FindPenguins

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Big Five Oh Trip Traveler
Puertollano to Barcelona (+ sidetrack)
March 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
A very small handful of photos from today's journey.

I accidentally got on the wrong train in Ciudad Real and ended up in Madrid instead of Barcelona. The guard and one of the passengers were both lovely and tried to get my reservation swapped but I had to queue for half an hour buy a new one instead. All fine though, if not a bit embarrassing and not quite the calm comfortable journey I was expecting. Made it to Barcelona only an hour later than original plan and only €10 the poorer.

I have tomorrow to do a bit of exploring round Barcelona, before hopefully getting the TGV to Paris on Friday.Read more
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Big Five Oh Trip Traveler
Barcelona
March 30, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
No, I didn't go look at anything famous. I did walk in the direction of the Sagrada Familia, but got tired and had a headache, so got a metro back to the hotel, before buying some paracetamol (Four euros!!) I walked 13500 steps and I think my body was saying it's very much ready to go home.

But first, Paris tomorrow.Read more
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Big Five Oh Trip Traveler
Barcelona to Paris
March 31, 2023 in Spain
Very small number of out-the-window photos. It was a nice journey, though. Comfortable seats. On the upper deck. In a 'quarré' with a German family until Valence. Also very grateful that it was actually running. I did some work on an illustration assignment, and then read a bit. I tried reading my French book, but my brain couldn't switch off the German around me, Irish behind me and Spanish opposite me enough to parse the French, so I switched to an English book I picked up in Fnac in Barcelona.

In Paris now in an Ibis Budget quite far out (just outside the peripherique) and it was a bit of a trawl to get here. It's not exactly surrounded by nice restaurants, so am having a vending machine dinner and probably an early night and will eat some nice food tomorrow. Or something that's not entirely junk food, at least!

Oh, and it's colder here and a bit wet. Might actually get to wear my jeans again for the first time in a few weeks. Had begun to regret bringing them at all, but of course it was REALLY cold in Berlin and Munich, so they were needed.Read more
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Big Five Oh Trip Traveler
Montmartre
April 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
The hotel is actually on the outskirts of Montmartre so, while its immediate surroundings aren't particularly lovely, it's a fairly quick walk (c. 2K steps) to the nicer bits. There may be a few posts today.Read more
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Big Five Oh Trip Traveler
Sacre-Coeur
April 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
Oh look, I found somewhere famous (and full of tourists). But it is one of my favourite famous Paris spots, so that's OK. (Remembering why I booked the hotel that was close to Montmartre now.) On the metro now, though, and heading elsewhere.Read more
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Big Five Oh Trip Traveler
Paris de nouveau
April 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
More Paris. Went looking for Shakespeare and co. Did not go in as there was a huge queue (wandered past three times and always a huge queue). Finally ran out of roaming data (if only I hadn't uploaded those photos this morning while out and about I might have made it to Monday!). Faffed about with free WiFi trying to log in and renew my GiffGaff bag early, but it wasn't having it. So Chris had to do it from my computer. Now I have data again. Am quite impressed how long I managed to go, actually.

Had a nice lunch in a lovely little restaurant (with free WiFi!). Bought a birthday present for my sister and a piece of art for the living room. Final stop, so I can actually buy a few things. Walked down to La Bastille, where there was a fairly small protest happening, which looked to be about housing costs (at least the one banner I saw was about that). By this point my body had had enough, so I got on the metro and came back to the hotel, grabbing some snacks along the way. Since I had a good breakfast and lunch (with pudding!) a snack dinner is definitely acceptable. So that's probably me for the night, even though it's only 5pm.Read more
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Big Five Oh Trip Traveler
Bon Matin Paris
April 2, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
Very cold morning wandering a bit in Paris (and I'm sure everyone will be relieved that I managed to get some pics of the Eiffel Tower, otherwise no-one would know I was in Paris).

Followed by lovely lunch with a friend at a vegetarian restaurant and then an exhibition and then coffee and cake. Nice way to round off the trip.

Have had lots of food, so will be fine with a few crisps and pieces of chocolate this evening. And then home tomorrow.Read more
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Big Five Oh Trip Traveler
Art, and a bit more Paris
April 2, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
Some of my favourite pictures from the exhibition (Leon Monet Collecteur at the Musée du Luxembourg). By the way, did you know that Claude Monet's first me was actually Oscar?

And a handful more Paris pictures. The observant among you might notice that I like taking pictures of doors, especially Parisian doors.

It will be weird not uploading multiple photos every day when I'm home.Read more
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Big Five Oh Trip Traveler
Homeward bound
April 3, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Walk. Metro. Eurostar. Tube. Train. Walk. Home.
TravelerYay welcome home. Looking forward to seeing you Thursday xx
4/3/23Reply
TravelerThank you. Looking forward to seeing you, too!
4/3/23Reply
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Trip end
April 3, 2023