I think we keep getting to the stations just slightly too late (like, half an hour or such) and miss those first, earlier trains going to the places we need to go. So, we could only get a train for a couple hours later, getting into Paris at 1:30 or so. That was okay because Dani was meant to be getting in just 40 minutes after that.
We waited around at the station, getting chocolate pastries and juice to satiate our breakfast-forsaken bellies. While we were sitting there, against the station wall, we heard a woman screaming for someone. I think it was for a child. Her voice was piercing; I´ve never heard a scream like that before in real life.
We caught our train and got into Gare de l´est station. Then we retraced the route we made on our last time in the grand city, and headed up north to Gare Norde where Dani´s Eurostar would be getting in.
By the time we arrived I got a text from Dani to say that there was a confusion with the tickets and she would only get in a couple hours later. Ahh, a shame. Em and I waited around in the station, getting lunch somewhere in between. The clocked ticked over and over, and finally the time came round. We gathered with the massing crowd at the platform. The Eurostar trains do it a bit fancy, have their platforms fenced off and have their own terminal rooms.
The gates opened and the disembarked passengers made their way out to the crowd before them. And there was Dani! We instantly all ran together and hugged. Ah, to be all together once more =D
We made our way out of the station and onto the street. While busy talking and catching up, we just walked for half a minute, not even looking where we were going. We did look at a map though and then started heading over to our hostel. The walking distance (from the info lady) walk was quite hot and was a tad longer than expected. We spent the whole way talking and enjoying each others´ company.
The hostel (St Christopher´s Inn) was very big and new, similar to Wombat or Ciarus. It was also very full of Australians and as such seemed to be an unofficial Australian embassy here in Paris. Not a bit of French spoken inside. The rooms were very nice and new, with cool locker cages that rolled underneath the beds.
We freshened up and then headed straight out. We started our way down the canal bit of the Seine where we were staying. Ah, summer afternoons; what a better time to travel than in winter. The waterfront was packed with people sitting along the banks and picnicking, and people playing petanque and table tennis. A fine summer vibe to be had.
We walked and walked and found a little café bar where we sat to have some cold drinks. We ordered ourselves some ice coffees and a couple slices of hot apple pie (quiet, you dirty people). The pie was really good and the iced coffees were great too.
We then moved off and made our way to l´Republic square where we went into tourist mode, three cameras out, and took photos of the monument. We kept moving and attempted to make our way to Bastille where there was more photo-taking to be had.
We got a bit lost along the way and found ourselves at a bar called Café del Absynthe, a quiet little place where it seemed that no tourist had set foot in many a moon. We awkwardly got our orders through to the bartender. We were to have absynthe aperitifs (watered down spirits with ice, for pre-dinner drinks). The presentation was very cool. The water came in a jug with taps on it, and the absynthe glasses came with proper spoons with sugar on them. The taps were used to drip onto the sugar, melt it and then top up the drink. The proper way.
We stayed for a good amount of time, getting lost in conversation and reminiscing. It was getting on in the evening so we made our way out, while it was still light, to see Bastille. We did find it eventually and became tourists once more, armed with an armada of photographic equipment.
The sky with threatening with rain, and Dani and I both thought it might rain on us any minute. We were right. It started to absolutely come down; a torrential downpour. We made our way, scampering from one bit of cover to the next, trying to get closer to the crepe restaurant that we had our hearts set on for dinner.
At one point the rain subsided slightly and I hurried a bit ahead to try and see the directions. I found where we were and we all hurried to where it was. What a great-looking place, a real whole in the wall where it seemed the clientele was genuine and local.
Language wasn´t too bad a problem because the lady serving us was very sweet and could appreciate us trying to speak some French to her. They served the cider in a bottle, and we used special big cider cups to drink them. I ordered a goat cheese crepe, Emma a camerbert with walnut crepe, and Dani a gruyere with egg. Delicious!
For dessert we had a crepe suzette with grand marnier. It was very, very good.
We were all quite tired from travelling and the walking, and our feet were a bit achy to go out still. We declared the night a success and made our way back to the hostel via metro.
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