Chicness on the edge of town…Paris#2

Sitting outside a cafe a few hours after arriving yesterday not too far from the hotel,the low winter sun was blazing and suddenly all the chic locals were donning expensive looking sunglasses to either shield their eyes or just to look good and I think it was probably the latter as Parisians have an uncanny knack of looking chic…

I’m staying in a place called Gambetta which sounds like a crime family from The Godfather.Last year I was the other side of Pere Lachaise which had a Hackney Central vibe.This place has a slightly older feeling but still slightly rebellious.I like it…

My electronics were playing up also,firstly my metro ticket decided it didn’t want to do it’s job,namely allow me through the ticket barrier.I tried three times but the Family Fortunes  ❌ came up with the almost identical “you failed” buzzer too.Went to find a metro worker who could  understand my Black Country Franglaise but spotted another barrier,tried it and was allowed access.Then at the hotel my card failed on numerous occasions whilst trying to pay the tourist tax.I said I would pay in cash but the fella suddenly sussed he’d made a balls up,said try again and it worked…

The good news is the hotel is above a cafe/bar which seems pretty cool.The staff are sound and it opens at 7am so that’s my morning coffee sorted.It’s the sort of place where people go to work on their laptops whilst having one drink every two hours.Anyway that’s my local sorted but there are quite a few other options around there which is great…when I said yesterday that I was a stone’s throw from Pere Lachaise I now realise I meant I was a trebuchet’s throw away,a really bloody big trebuchet…

If you’re not familiar with the Paris metro then be prepared for some walking,Infact no transport system should involve so much walking & climbing steps.Even at normal one stop stations there’s more than there should be but at interchange stations it’s as if the Marquis de Sade designed them himself.Parisians don’t need a gym membership they just need to buy a metro ticket… 

Currently having more coffee pretty close to Notre Dame.Popped inside,it was packed as you’d imagine.Like London there isn’t really an off tourist season in Paris.I am about as religious as Donald Trump but these beautiful old cathedral’s are still awe inspiring even to us heathens…

Ok boys & girls gonna brave the cold and wish you au revoir until tomorrow…