Paris, France and travel to London, England
This fountain was just down the street from my hotel but for some reason on sunday it was full of bubbles.
Well today was my final day in Paris and really my final day on this trip. I booked myself on the 1813 (6:13PM) Eurostar train from Paris to London but had to be out of my hotel by 1100 so had the entire day to kill before I had to head out of town. This was good because there were a couple other things I wanted to take a look at. Getting around proved to be a bit more difficult as it was Sunday morning and there was no one working at the metro station I went to which meant I could only buy a ticket from the automated machine, but it only took credit cards and the machine did not want to read mine so I had to walk to the next closet station because someone was working there and eventually I did get a ticket.
Some of the decorations on one of the bridges crossing the Seine.
I took the metro to the train station I would leave to London from, printed out my ticket and then went looking for the left luggage lockers. At Gare du Nord (the train station) you actually have to go through some security and an x-ray machine before you can leave you bag. Once I got rid of all the excess weight I headed out to the metro again to see if I could get to where I wanted to go.
Like I said earlier, train stations in Paris kind of seem like mazes and making my way back to the correct train was actually not as easy as I thought it would be even with following the signs and asking for directions and all that kind of thing. But when I did find the train it was all good and I made it to where I wanted to go.
The Hotel des Invalides
Where was I going you ask? Well my first stop was the Hotel des Invalides. This “hotel” was built by Louis XIV (actually completed after he was dead but he ordered it) in 1670 to house injured and disabled soldiers. Construction was completed in 1676. It is now a museum. The Chapel is also home to several important tombs including that of Napoleon I (Bonaparte), his son Napoleon II and the heart of Sebastian Le Prestre de Vauban who was the designer of Louis XIV’s military fortifications.
The statue of Napoleon looking down on everyone.
I can’t lie I did not head into the chapel to see the tombs and I did not hit up any of the museums (I needed much more time and I don’t like to be rushed in museums) but I did enjoy the architecture. I even got chased by security because apparently I was wandering too far off the tourist path. I just wanted to take a picture of one of the faces on the building….eventually he said ok.
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Here is the face I took a picture of.
Interesting to know as well that in 1789 a mob forced its way into the hotel and seized around 28,000 rifles before heading to the prison at Bastille, starting the french revolution.
So it is not a surprise that my next stop was also at the Bastille…or at least where the Bastille would have been. It of course was destroyed my a mob during the revolution and the only thing that remains is a traffic roundabout (I am not sure that is original). Something else you will find at the Place de la Bastille, lots of shops, so I went shopping. Oh yes, more shopping. It was fun. I spent more money.
The monument at the Place de la Bastille.
Once my shopping was done I found my way back to the train station, found some food and then made my way to the gate. First time I had been through any type of passport control since I left Istanbul and completely reconfirmed that UK immigration guys ask way to many questions.
Anyway, the trip was quite uneventful. A slight 30 minute delay before we were allowed to enter the Channel tunnel but other than that no issues. Once I arrived in London it was back to the Tube and out to Heathrow. One last night in a hotel and then home in the morning. It will be a long trip and it will be cold when I get there but looking forward to a home cooked meal…and my bed.
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