Paris and Lyon

Last Thursday the 11th of November, Myself and Christaine (my host mom) went off on a 4 day trip to Paris and Lyon.

We left Marseille train station at around 3pm and arived at Paris by 6:30. The weather wasnt to good up to the North so by the time we got their it was windy and raining as you will be able to see in a few of my pictures.

We then jumped on the metro that took us into town where as soon as we walked out from underground we could see the Eiffel tower. Even though Marseille is the second biggest city in France second to Paris, Paris feels a whole lot bigger, probably because that is where all of the tourists go.

Unfortunately the rain makes it hard to take a good photo, but the upside is that I only had to wait 4 min in line to go up instead of the regular 2 hour wait  some have had in the past.

 After I spent a bit of time up the top, I came back down and Jon, Aurelie's cousin was there. Aurelie is Jeremy's half sister. Jon is who I stayed with. We then walked down to one of the Metro station where we met up with Aurelie. We then continued on to the Indiana Cafe were  we had tea. We sat down and I asked if I could have the most Frenchyest meal on the menu seeing I was in Paris. Aurelie said that in Paris there are not many French meals in most of the restaraunts. In this one it had mostly had hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, bbq ribbs, tarcos, steak and pasta. No snails here. So we then got onto dessert where I did have something French, that being creme brulee, it went alright. =]

Then made my way back to Jon's house. We sat and watched abit of tv untill i fell asleep and made my way to bed.

The next day I woke up a 8 to meet Christaine at the train station where we would then go by train to the Chateau de Versailles, which is a royal castle that used to be the centre of all power in all of France, I am told. It was filled with lots and lots of history and paintings and gardens and people so it was also really good.

That night we had tea at Aurelie's flat. Which her whole bedroom kitchen and bathroom is about the size of my bedroom in Mortlake. I was told that there are many flats this size in Paris because there are sooo many people wanting to live there and in the heart of the city.   

Then myself and Jon made our way back to his house. Watched a little more tv but made my way to bed pretty after another big day quickly.

Then Saturday morning, myslef Christaine, Jon and Aurelie went to all of the other main Paris sights. Firstly to the Notre Dame de Paris. Very big it was.

Just so much detail to everything you see.

We Then walked onward to the Louvre. Before we got there we passed the "love bridge" I am told. Unfortunately I wasnt successful.  But on the bridge were all these locks,...  



The after a moment there moved onto the Arc de Triomphe

I wasnt aloud to go up by myself due to insurance reasons so a nice German couple took my aboard.

Chans de Lise.

Went shopping and everybody was encouraging me to buy warm clothes.

Then myself and Christaine hoped on a train to Lyon. We had about a 2 hour train there. We stayed at some of the family friends. I ate some of the best quiche I have had in a while then got into bed after another big day.

The morning after Jeremy and Jean-Louis made their way here by around 11am,. We had some lunch then Jeremy took me into Lyon because this is where Jeremy grew up so he knew how to get around.

We walked up to a look out then as we came back down I found an arcade. So I insisted on going in and having a play. Two songs of Guitar Hero and allllmossst winning an ipod we had to go back to eat some cheese then make our way back to Marseille.

Very happy im getting to go to all these destinations with my host family.

I am now having to ask people to speak French with me. Sounds funny seeing's im in France. Because all my friends at school either have an American family like Charlie Mitchell  or they have been doing English for their whole schooling years...even some starting at the age of 4!

 So their ability to speak English is better than mine at French so they just go to English to save the hassle. And also with Jeremy and Christaine who learn English.     

2 months ago I would have loved them to speak English but now I am really keen to learn. So at the moment that is what I am trying to do...getting everybody to speak in their native language with me.