Summertime in Paris

Paris a city I had only ever spent half a day in before... What an amazing city and of course home to magnificent Eiffel Tower. I think I certainly fell in love with Paris over the weekend even though I barely scratched the surface. It is just the most wonderful place and so easy to get to from the UK.

The weekend had a decidedly Australian flavour to it as the main purpose of my trip was to be reunited with my Australian friends Andrew, Kellie, Zac and Maddie over in Europe on tour. I got the Eurostar from St. Pancras arriving in Paris around tea time. First port of call was the Arc de Triomphe, which is just stunning and unbelievably huge!

After eating a meal in the Champs-Elysées we got on a double decker tour bus and as the sun was setting the view was pretty amazing.

At the other end of the Champs-Elysées is the Les Invalides in Paris where the body of Napoleon was exhumed 19 years after his death in 1840. What I loved about Paris was the wide roadways and the sense of space right in the heart of the city.

We spent ages at the Eiffel Tower, although fortunately my fear of heights wasn't put to the test this time. The scariest moment was being attacked by Kellie and Maddie! The early evening was gorgeous as it was lovely and warm and the transformation form day into night watching the Eiffel Tower come into light was absolutely stunning.

Day 2 was the finale of the Tour de France finishing in Paris and with Andrew being a very keen cycling fan I was sucked into it with a decidedly Australian feel to the day. Andrew had paid to ride the circular race course along the Champs-Elysées in the morning before the actual race arrived in the afternoon. A dream come true and he was like a big excited kid! We met the other riders for breakfast (which us none riders shouldn't really have been to) at the Hôtel Fouquet's Barrière. Oh my God! if I ever win the lottery or find a Mrs Darvell that is somewhere I have to stay at!

One of the biggest draws for the ride was former Australian cyclist Robbie McEwan, triple winner of the Tour de France's green jersey sprinters' classification, and at his peak he was considered one of the fastest sprinters in the world.

The cycling team also consisted of Australian television presenter and present of Collingwood Football Club Eddie McGuire and injured Collingwood player Luke Ball.

The events of the day including Andrew's cycling and the actual Tour de France itself are captured on film.

We had amazing grandstand seats just 150 metres from the finish line. Fortunately in the baking hot sun the trees provided some shelter. The only bugger was no alcoholic refreshments in out little enclosure so Andrew was pretty tenacious in going out and finding a supply to keep us lubricated throughout the afternoon.

 
I took the opportunity to get a photo in my Knowl Hilll Cricket Club training top to add to the club's photo collection.

The race was won by a Brit much to the delight of my Aussie friends...NOT! :) Bradley Wiggins being the first ever Brit to win the event in the 99 year history of the event. I must admit not having ever really seen the event even of TV before I was really sucked into the atmosphere, the setting and the whole occasion.

I hadn't realsied how difficult it would be to photograph the cyclists. Not knowing who was who didn't help, but just the sheer speed they went at made it difficult to get decent shots.

They lay on big screens too so even though you get just a brief glimpse of the racers on each circuit it is easy to follow events on the big screen. Once the cyclists entered Paris they did 8 laps of the 7km circuit and the sprint leg was also won by a Brit, the amazing Mark Cavendish.

Alas I had to depart after the race to get my train home, but I was treated to a close up view of the Les Invalides as I walked to the Metro station.

I can only express my huge gratitude to Andrew, Kellie, Zac and Maddie for making it a wonderful 24 hours in Paris for me, a weekend that will live long in the memory. These people remind me not so much in words, but more by the way they live their lives just how life should be led, seizing opportunities, grabbing hold of it and getting as much out of every single day as possible. Their warmth, openness and friendship is 2nd to none. It helps me to refocus on what I want from life and gives me renewed hope and confidence that I will find everything that I am looking for.