Fifi flipflop

I start my morning with a coffee a pastry and a cigarette before boarding the tube. My first stop of the day is the Latin quarter with architecture like I've never seen. The whole place has such a laid back vibe I could literally walk the streets every day stopping for an occasional coffee to do some people watching. I follow the streets until in the distance I see the Notre Dame. Restoration work is still taking place since the fire in 2019 which is shocking to see how bad it was and the craziness it happened during the original restoration project. It is totally closed off to the public but above the panelling you still can see the amazing architecture. I believe it took over 200 years to build and around the outside street performers play . A I walk along the riverbank to pont neuf and cross over towards the Louvre but am distracted by a huge figure. It's a statue of Vivienne Westwood and I wonder why it's here until I turn round and see the shop. I don't go in as it's out of my price range so continue to the Louvre. When I arrive there are different queues and after speaking with the ticket guy he tells me they are for timed entrance. I soon realise a lot of people have pre-booked they're ticket and aren't able to go in till they're allocated time, so I hop on line and buy a 12pm entrance which gets me straight in the queue. Every touristy place in Paris has like airport security and when a isolated bag is not claimed they cordon off the area and bring in a robot which blows the bag up and I'm relieved when fragments of clothes fly up in the air. Once inside I'm in awe it's huge. There are multiple levels housing some of the most amazing relics of history. It's categorised into areas of the world and is set out so spaciously in rooms adorned with Michael Angelo style ceilings. It's said that if you look at each piece in the museum for only 30 seconds you would be here for 3 weeks. As I turn the corner at the end of the corridor I bump into the family that had helped me in the Eiffel tower queue...what are the chances? I finally arrive to the Pieçe de resistance, The mona Lisa. Again there is a queue and before I get to the front I'm astonished to see how small it is. I've walked through multiple rooms adorned with other masterpieces that have filled walls and yet one of the smallest pieces in here has people travelling from all of the world to get a selfie with. You can only get within 2metres of the painting but I'm amazed it's not encased, which is the case for a lot of the items here. I could literally spend a night at the museum. I've walked 6 mile in here and haven't even seen everything or stopped at most artwork just the pieces that have caught my eye. It's the best museum I've ever been in but I have blisters and need to rest my feet. It's a gorgeous day and I grab some lunch and walk over to a walk in the distance. The park has a fountain where relaxing chairs are placed and lots of people are sat here watching the world rotate. I sit here for over an hour then make my way back as I need a few things from the supermarket. I grab the few things I need and as I'm stood waiting to pay a security guard lunges in front of me and grabs a guy around the neck and trys to drag him out the door the guy puts up resistance and the guy behind the counter gets smashed as his perspex screen is broken. I'm glad to return to my room.Read more

Today would have been my mum and dad's wedding anniversary and when I wake I feel a moment of gratefulness, they gave me an opportunity to travel from a very young age and inspired me immensely and taught me what a marriage should be like. I have so much to be thankful in the way they brought me up to be independent and strong but the greatest gift my dad taught me was to have good manners and to be respectful. These lessons have served me well and I can honestly say have moulded my trip and allowed me to integrate with locals. Being unable to move unless someone pushes me has allowed me to really slow down and start to analyze my trip. As sad as it is I have had the most amazing 9 1/2months and I am now processing getting excited for all the things that I've missed. Firstly my daughter and Simon for enabling me to do this trip and spurring me on in my first few weeks when I was ready to come home. the rest of my family and friends who I've really missed, cheese it's always the cheeses I miss and can't wait for my first cheeseboard, roast dinner a bubble bath and my bed. It's Lucky's day off today and she's offered to take me out for a few hours in the wheelchair, as I've actually accepted the fact I'm not independently movable at the moment. She pushes me along the front and we grab coffee and cake and go and sit by the beach. I'm in my element just sitting here listening to the sea and it's such a nice change to have a different view. After a few hours we walk back slowly (well I roll) and when we get back I have my little afternoon siesta. In the evening Lucky has a few things she needs to do so I go to Rainbow cafe and share a beer with Uncle Johnny before ordering dinner to take away. Lucky and I sit on the balcony putting the world to rights before I crash into bed exhausted.Read more