My 70th birthday Visit to Paris.

Feb into March 2025. In 13 posts including Prologue and Epilogue.

View of Eiffel Tower from Pont Mirabeau.

PROLOGUE. Maybe this will have been my last ever visit to Paris. My first was in 2019,a wild crazy idea that had got into my brain that I never thought would actually happen so was astonished when it did. God let it happen! The idea of visiting Paris has its birth in my mind in June 2017 when my sister Hazel took me on a coach trip she had booked for me and her,one of this relatively inexpensive ones,the focus of my sister's booking it was the trip to Monets Garden and it was nice to do that but I find coach trips give you no sense of where you are or how the place you are at fits in with the larger landscape. Giverny,the village reminds me of Dunster in Somerset,even to the wooded hills around. A pretty and tourist oriented place but no less charming for that. On our ONE DAY being driven around Paris IN THE COACH I felt and indeed was IN A TOURIST BUBBLE. It was useful as we were driven around and told information by our knowledgeable driver/guide,he was ex-military and took a lot of Battlefield Tours. We all felt any trouble and he could handle it. But it still felt like a bubble. For our fellow coach companions they were all educated,well spoken and well off and thus was a little snack for them in holiday terms. I'm sure most of them knew and had stayed in Paris before and probably would again. As I looked out of the coach window and saw the famous places and how they related to each other, it was like a reconnoitre,I saw the crowds of people. I did not “fall in love” with Paris (sorry to say that,I'm sure I SHOULD say that) but I wanted to be among those crowds. I wanted to feel,smell,touch (and taste?) this city of ancient fame. I wanted to be PART OF IT ,- briefly. But I didn't want Tourist Paris. I didnt want to waste my brief two or three days in long,long waits to go into the Louvre,up the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. I wanted -not exactly alternative Paris. I'm not boho. I wanted to be in touch with the contemporary Paris that people live their lives in. That Sonder,all those lives,and I like finding odd things for myself. By 2018 I had saved the money to do the trip - but I chickened out. It was too hard for me. All my life people have been telling me I shouldn't attempt anything because it's too hard for me. And they are always right. LIVING is too hard for me. If there's a wrong way to do it,a right way to screw it up nobody does it like me🎹. As 2019 developed I knew I HAD TO DO IT. Some strong inner sense told me NOW or NEVER. So I told everyone my plan to visit Paris. Now there was no going back. I was surprised at how awed and impressed everyone was. It was a bit disturbing too! Even people who I thought of as well travelled and sophisticated told me they wouldn't dream of going ON THEIR OWN,without partner,friend or escorted tour and not speaking the language etc. They genuinely did think I was brave and had initiative. That made a nice change. So I got to glimpse,just glimpse old pre-covid,the city that never sleeps Paris - London on steroids. And of course in 2020 the axis of the world shifted. I assumed I'd never get to Paris again but I have five more times,and this time,just a few days each time,and I've still not been in The Louvre or up The Eiffel Tower. I've got no interest in that. But the Arc de Triomph thats definitely worth it. But go up just before Sunset and watch the City light up around you. I am going to post one,or two,or three of these posts each day until I have completed them. This visit was so hectic in both a bad way AND a good way I just couldn't focus on posting and certainly not in a coherent fashion but now I've made notes,set out which photos to use and prepared a schedule so allons on y va.