Events
J’adore Paris - Brought to you by James Youd -
The 2005 Paris trip marked a milestone in my short lifetime. It would be the third major European city that I had visited in the last four months. In December I visited, Dublin. In February I visited Amsterdam. And in March, I was preparing for Paris. Unlike many trips I didn’t have a single amusing story. Dull, I know. But when travelling on a coach full of pretentious Leeds Uni (art) students what can you do? Travelling overnight, the coach journey lasted a solid five hours (that was only to Dover!). On arrival at the White Cliffs, we were met with the news that the Ferry had been delayed by approximately four hours. Devastated, we marched upon the nearest café. Here myself and Jordan (the guy I went with) knocked back endless cups of coffee to try and keep us both awake.
We boarded the boat around eight o’clock and set sale around nine o’clock. We spent the whole time, back and fourth between the bar and the deck. The crossing was smooth, and lasted approximately eighty-five minutes until we docked at the port of Calais. The journey from Calais to Paris lasted a further four hours. This was a great opportunity to take in the pleasant French countryside, as well as the occasional Great War memorial that appeared amongst the rolling plains. We stopped at a service station about an hour’s drive from Paris, so we could stretch our legs. After a half an hour break, we continued on to our destination.
We reached our hotel around two thirty, local time. This meant we had enough time to place our luggage in our rooms, before freshening up and heading out into the capital. But, there was only one problem. Our hotel was situated outside of Paris. I suppose you could class it as the French equivalent to the Bronx in New York. We had a solid forty-minute trip into the city, via the infamous Metro system. It wasn’t until four thirty that we reached the centre of Paris. The sun was slowly setting behind the Eiffel Tower, making this a photographers dream. We managed to get a number of photographs of the marvellous architecture before the sun finally disappeared. The rest of the evening, we spent exploring the city, popping into bars and cafes that crossed our paths. Unfortunately, the Metro system closed at eleven, which meant we had to leave for the hotel around nine forty-five. Although this was disappointing, we still had the following day to explore some more.
We woke on the Sunday, to glorious morning sunshine. Jordan and I didn’t have time for breakfast, since we set off for Paris around 8:15. The reason for leaving so early, was to ensure we made a full day of the Paris experience. On arrival, we sat down at a café and enjoyed a croissant and coffee. The rest of the day we spent taking more photos and visiting famous locations, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysees and the Louvre. Although the trip didn’t contain any amusing stories, there was always potential of it becoming a dull trip. But Leeds Uni students aren’t the type to have a crack. Must be due to their upbringings. The trip wasn’t dull, because it was an amazing experience to visit such an incredible city. And, yes, one day, I will live there.