The Galeries Lafayette

The first full day we were in Paris it was a national holiday.  No taxis, no metro train service and the  roads around the hotel were shut down.  This meant there was no way to leave the hotel except to walk.  Leslie loves to walk and walks fast.  Leslie is about 5'10 inches to my 5'4 inches so of course my short legs are not match for her long stride. (I also think our age difference might have been part of my issue) I had seen pictures of the Galeries Lafayette, a department store that looked amazing!  After walking forever and several transfers on the metro we found it.  It is located behind the Paris Opera House.  It is 10 stories full of all kinds of amazing items.  It was established in 1895.  They have stores all around the world. 

 

 

 

 

 It was really a building that would be a museum.  All ten floors full of merchandise.

 

 

Details of the display areas

 

 

 

A disply of feathers.

 

 

Looking down on the first floor of cosmetics.

 

 

 

 

     The details of the interior of the building are amazing.  The dome is leaded color glass

 

                                        

Inside the Belfast Hotel

The Hotel Belfast is a quaint little hotel.  It is within walking distance of the Arche Triumph. The lobby is older but it was so beautiful.

 

 

 

Each morning they fed us fresh croissants and fruit, yogurt, and cereal.  The croissants were so amazing.  I do  not think you could find a croissant that good anywhere in the States.

                                                            Fresh roses in the lobby

 

                                             A lovely sitting area with vintage furniture

 

this chair was very strange and very, very old

 

 

                                             Looking from the doorway into the lobby

 

 

When we checked in they gave us an old fashioned key with a fob that probably weighed about 1 pound.  When you left the hotel you had to give them the key.  When you came back to the hotel you had to reclaim your key.  I felt like I was in an old fashioned movie.  It was kind of creepy to know someone had a key to our room while we were out. 

 

This is in the front lobby where they keep the keys

 

My room number was 267.  Even if I could have taken it with me it would have been too heavy.

 

 

Here is the best part.  The elevator was indeed small.  One person with their luggage was all it could handle.  I would estimate that it was about 3' x 4'  I think the pictures below tell it all.

 

 

Room with a View

WE finally arrived at our hotel.  Our hotel was just a few steps from the Arch Triumph.  We find our hotel and it is quaint and small.  We check in and our rooms are on the 5 floor.  Leslie is not a bit happy, they are typical Paris rooms.  She is in her room yelling it is smaller than her master bathroom.  Just large enough for a double bed and a place to walk around one side.  Bathrooms was also closet size.  My room was just the same.  But I expected a small room.  We booked rooms with a view of the arch triumph and the Eiffel tower.  Rooms might have been small, but the room view was amazing.  On our fist night we walked to neighbor hood trying to decide where to eat.  I would have been happy with anything, but Leslie wanted to walk the whole neighbor hood.  We did find a restaurant that served great pizza just up from our Hotel. 

                                                      View from my hotel window

                                             Flower shop with petals all over the ground

                                                The neighborhood surrounding our hotel

 

 

The doors all have large knobs in the center of the door not the typical door handles

 

 

                                                       Streets in Pairs  are very narrow

 

                                       The street our hotel is on.  Hotel Belfast is on the right.

 

Train to Paris

We arrived at the Eruo train station about 2 hours before the train was to leave, We each had 2 large bags and a backpack and purse.  My bags were so heavy.  One weighed 54 lbs and the other weighed 49 lbs.  UGH so heavy.  We go in and show our tickets and try to go through the gate to the waiting area.  Oh no that is not happening.  We can only go to the waiting area when you have only about 30 minutes before you board.   We look around and discover that we can lug our bags over to an area about a football field away. There were delis, and shops.   Leslie who is 21 years younger than I am is up and off.  I struggle behind dragging my bags.  We finally found a place to sit and ordered our first lunch in London.   The interior of the train station is amazing.   We finally were able to move to the area to board the  train for Paris.  Leslie was up and almost sprinting to our train car.  I was lagging behind dragging all my stuff.  When we got to our train car it was like a 18" step up.  There is no way I am going to be able to step up and pull my luggage up to put in the luggage rack.  We decided that Leslie would get on and I would hand the luggage up to her.  That didn't work so well  I lifted with all my might but it wasn't very successful.  The line was forming behind us with other people who wanted to board the train.  Finally a frustrated man behind me offered to life the luggage up for me.  We then found our seats and off we went.  At this point we had been awake for about 24 hours and it only took Leslie about 15 minutes to fall asleep.

 

 

 London's beautiful and historic London St. Pancras Station was built in 1868. The station recently underwent some renovation, making it the modern world class terminal for Eurostar and domestic rail services it is today. The station is quickly becoming a destination in itself, providing excellent connections to the rest of London and the UK, as well as Europe’s longest champagne bar.

                                                  Area where the shops and restaurants.

   The ceiling is a piece of art all on its own.  It was a great place to rest before taking the train

                                                       External views of the train station

 

 

Off for an Adventure

Early May 6th Leslie and I were on a plane on our way to England. We were booked on a cruise (not just any cruise, but a Seabourn Cruise) leaving on May 11 from Lisbon, Spain.  We decided to go early and spend some time in Paris before heading to Lisbon.  We were met by a car at the airport when we landed in London at 9:00 AM.  We were booked on the Euro star to go to Paris in the afternoon.  We had enough time that our driver took us on a tour of London.  We happened to be in the front of Big Ben at 11:00 am.  It is also the changing of the guards.  Our driver stopped at the changing of the guards.  Leslie hopped out and took pictures while the driver and I drove around. 

                   Buckingham Palace at the changing of the guards.  What a great accident.

                                              Statue of Queen Victoria, erected in 1911

                A photo of the guards crossing the grounds.  This happens at 11:00 am every day.

                                   Big Ben ringing eleven times.  Such an amazing sound.

 

                                     A final shot as we drove off from Buckingham Palace.