Got a few things to sort out today not least of which is my seat reservation for Strasbourg in six days( not getting caught out like that again) If Interrail could get together with the French rail companies so one can order these things from outside France it would solve a lot of problems…anyway in future will just have to box clever.
One of my personal rules was to take as few taxis as possible on these trips & use plenty of public transport.On this trip I have had to break that several times however.I think part of my reticence was the fear of being ripped off,we have all heard the horror stories over the years but I have to say everyone I have used has been great.No problem whatsoever.But you still need to be careful and only get licensed cabs…last night at Gare du Lyon to get to the taxi rank proper you literally have to walk through about a dozen shysters offering “taxi” service.Ignore them,they’re not allowed on the official rank…the cab I got was a fair price.Only about €12 for a 3 mile trip after midnight…
I have now located the local laundromat,again not more than 30 seconds walk from the hotel next to a pretty cool,typical Paris jazz cafe…I think Menilmontant has just become my go to place to stay in this city…seems a cool area and this jazz cafe might become my second “ local” here…
After a stroll around some parts of Menilmontant (district 20) I get a Hackney vibe and that’s always my go to criteria about if I like a place.The more Hackney the more I like and it’s very Hackney( I would hazard a big guess it’s not a Le Pen voting area).Had a bit of a kerfuffle getting a metro ticket earlier and the fella behind the counter had to incorporate a translation device,then my sort of Oyster card ( but not quite) wouldn’t work so he let me through and as yet still don’t know if it’s gonna work later.The tension…still saw people jumping the barriers right in front of clerk’s office though.He sensibly ignored it.Not worth his trouble…
As I was up Gare du Nord way I popped into a cafe I have used a few times and was refused just having a beer which has never happened before.Was going to say “ no wonder you’re empty with that attitude “ then remembered I was in Paris…so having a bevvy elsewhere.Didn’t have one yesterday and on reflection that’s probably a good thing…
I had forgotten how wonderfully mad Paris metro stations are compared to others I have been to.There’s walkways everywhere and some seem to go on for ever like it’s a Parisian practical joke on tourists or something.I’m sure it all makes sense to those using it but not to the rest of us.I would hate to be in a rush and try to negotiate my way around them…
If you’ve never lasciviously rubbed your ample stomach after cheeseburger,chips & a pint of lager in an American themed restaurant on Place de la Republique saying “ that filled a hole” to the very sexy and bemused French waitress can you even call yourself British? I didn’t of course but damn the cheeseburger was ace…
Lots of police vans going past,maybe a dozen,then realised France are playing in an hour and half…might make my way back to Menilmontant to see if I can find a bar showing it.They have it on here but I’d rather go more “local”…The jazz bar is showing it and my oyster(non oyster) card worked so I guess that makes me a fully paid up Parisian…
Interesting chat with a couple of fellas named Mark & Kevin.Locals,Started with football talk naturally but quickly moved onto the elections in both countries.Luckily we were all on the same page politically…both were of the opinion that Le Pen will win and they’re probably right( they weren’t happy about it)
In a while crocodile…
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