I love Paris in the Springtime

One never needs a reason to visit Paris when it is only a 2 hour Eurostar ride away, but the fact that my Dad and Wends were going to be there provided all the incentive I needed to head there after work on Friday. Staying just off the square at Denfert Rochereau, you couldn’t go too far on a Saturday morning without encountering the fresh produce markets. Cheeses, wine, meat and gorgeous fresh fruit and vegetables were being haggled for on all sides, as we found a little café to sit down for a coffee or two.

After my morning caffiene dose and a taste of pain au chocolate, we hopped on a bus and headed north to the markets of Port de Cligioncourt. It was fabulous to watch the Parisian streets go by, with all the gorgeous little balconies and flower boxes filled with red geraniums.

We passed my favourite sights, like the Champs Elysee, la tour Eiffel and had a stroll along the Seine. Hopping off the bus, we headed for Les Invallides to stroll through the courtyeard's and gardens before heading into Napolean's tomb. All rather grand, and I was amazed to see some of the French getting quite emotional about the whole experience. After grabbing a baguette for lunch, we headed for the Musee de Rodin to see 'The Kiss' and 'The Thinker', works which I remember studying in Std. 7 art class. amazing to finally see them in person.

After the Musee de Rodin, we headed back to the hotel for a shower before heading out to the Latin Quarter and Saint Germain. We found a gorgeous little corner restaurant where everyone was queuing. Where the locals are prepared to queue, you know the food must be good, so we followed suit. The next morning, we had a later start before finding another cafe for 'une cafe au lait' before hedaing to the Catacombs. the ancient tunnels, mapping some of the streets of paris underground and the bony graveyards of the ossury were all rather macarbe, but gave one a sense of history. When you see the dates on the pillar markings of 1785 and 1805, it definately puts things in perspective. Mental note, I want to be cremated.

Côte d'Azur & Provence

After experiencing snow in the middle of spring, I was in dire need of sunshine so decided to head to the French Riviera or la Côte d'Azur for a bit of sun, sea and not a lot of sand. With too much to see on one of the normal weekend breaks, Easter seemed like the perfect amount of time to chill and hop on the trains up and down the coast.


Arriving on Friday morning (6 April 2007), the first thing that I did was walk out on the balcony of my hotel room and look at the sea. Gorgeous blueness and the small of sea air immediately assaulted my senses and filled me with a sense of Summer, which had me gabbing my things to head to the beach and explore the town. That evening I fell in love with the gorgeous streetside cafes, laid back waiters and carafes filled with frisky French wine.

After a morning run and the obligatory espresso (I never realised what an Italian influence there is here), I headed to Cannes in search of the chic side of the Côte d'Azur. Chic beach cafes made me want to while away the afternoon over a lazy bottle of wine, but I decided to explore the promenade and shoppers heaven more.

Leaving Cannes and the home of the infamous film festival, we headed for Grasse. Grasse, the home of perfume proved less luxurious in appearance, but after a tour of the Fragonard perfumery, I left on a cloud of Jasmine after managing to resist buying some perfume. We then wound our way up into the mountains towards the town of Gourdon, which is literally perched on a rocky outcrop. Liz (a South African girl that I met en route) and I explored the medieval cobbled streets before finding a littlecafe over looking the valley for some vin rouge and tapas type meal. Satiated from lunch, we then headed for the Provencal town of St Paul de Vence for an hour or two exploring the paved streets and art galleries of this gorgoeusly quaint fortified town. After exploring, we settled at a little cafe for an apperitif and to watch the locals playing petonque. Little did we know that we would be drawn into a game, which proved rather amusing.

Sunday Morning, I headed out on a train along the spectacular coastline between Nice and Monaco, glimpsing the ancient villages and modern marinas as we trundled by. The Bay and Citadelle of Villefranche was a gorgeous and worthwhile stop, before I jumped off at Eze. This medieval village perched on a hill, with its artisan shops and breathtaking views was really something. Really just enjoyed strolling around the town, before taking a guided tour of a perfumery. Boarding the train again, I headed for the Old Town of Monaco to see the Palace, A.F.C. and catch the legendary Changing of the Guards. The Grand Prix circuit and Casino Square in Monte Carlo made me dream of fast cars and James Bond. Hmm..

My final day was spent chilling on a lounger, sun shining and with book in hand and cocktails on call. This is the life.

Tipple on the Thames

With Spring's imminent arrival, our monthly department social event was a sundowners cruise on the Thames, starting at Canary wharf and cruising up and down for a few hours, before ending at the Festival Pier near Waterloo. The weather played along and a fabulous time was had by all, with things getting a touch out of hand when the sun went down and the dancing started.