Yes - back to England and London.
Jacky says I was a tad harsh on Paris in the last blog entry so I'll attempt to be more upbeat this time with my highlights.
i forgot about the food which is always good value in a French context. The parks and areas to sit and rest in, on a long trek, are great. The cathedral at Notre Dame is certainly one imposing building. The gothic architecture leaves a lasting impression and the vague feeling that a hunchback could be lurking in the rafters is appropriate and unsettling at the same time. Entrance to the cathedral is also free (unlike at Westminster which charges like a wounded bull). The Louvre is vast and, while the collection is completely overwhelming, the individual brilliance of great paintings and painters is plainly on view with very discreet security (until you get too close - then all hell breaks out. and, of course, there is the real thrill associated with viewing the Mona Lisa.
Sidebar - the place where the Mona Lisa is found was completely contrary to my expectations. I thought she'd be on her own, in a hushed, darkened room with massive security and only limited entry (like they do to get into the Louis Vitton shop or the Georges V hotel). But no - along with other paintings (poor sods - no one was much interested in seeing them when we were there) it's in a massive room with a few hundred people nosily jostling each other for a view and trying to get their picture taken with it as a background (more on this when I download my snaps).
We are now back in London - time to wash clothes, find an equestrian shop for Jacky, see a few more shows, visit Leigh-on-sea for old times' sake, and hopefully catch the play at the Globe before we leave next week.
Love and peace - Wozza
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