One Day in Paris

We are coming towards the last leg of our journey.
After dropping the hire car off in Bordeaux, we hopped onto the TVG train heading into St Germain Paris for a night.
I love Paris. When Steph and I got together, I mentioned in conversation that I have been to many part of France in my travels but never to Paris................... He vowed to take me there to celebrate my 40th. Since then, I have fallen in love with Paris. I just love all the lights, enjoying a glass of vin rouge sitting outside the millions of cafes and people watch, walking along the Seine and having dinner in little bistros located in the small alleys.
On previous visits to Paris, we had always opt for an apartment because we are often there for a week. Because we are only staying for a night this time. We had no choice but to stay in a hotel. We have always known Paris Hotels are expensive and tiny. I think we had found the smallest hotel in Paris on this trip by mistake.
I thought I had booked into the Hotel Saint Germain on Rue du Bac (which I have seen on previous trips when our apartment was on Rue du Seine, and this hotel was just up the road from it). It looked delightful. Instead I had booked into Hotel de Saint-Germain on Rue du Four. The difference with a small word 'de' makes a huge difference in size and quality !!! Note to self........... pay full attention to detail when booking Paris hotels next time!!! What I was most annoyed about is this small cupboard of a room wasn't in the budget category price wise for what it was...... I would have suspected I got the wrong hotel if the rate was cheap. We were on the 5th Floor. There are two ways of taking our bags upstairs, either on the NARROW spiral stairs from the front desk or take the lift.......I was glad there was a lift, however, the lift was so small that by the time you place your one bag into it, there is just barely enough room for 1 person to squeeze in without the shutter door (Think Guillotine) catching your elbow, your backside or your nose !!! so Steph managed to contort and wrap himself around the suitcase so the door would close !!! wish you had been there to see it...... quite funny !!!
The location of this hotel was wonderful as they had emailed me when I asked for the best way to get to the hotel if we were coming by train. They said, get on the Metro and hop off at St Sulplice Station. It is 2 minutes walk from there. They were right !!! Being so close to the subway meant that at night, even 5 floors up from the ground, we could hear the rumbling of the railway......... and it was VERY LOUD !!! I thought all subway stops at 1am...... not this one apparently, it went on all night. The walls must have been paper thin as well because we could tell our next door neighbours were watching the movie channel..... they must have fell asleep with the TV on (they would have been super tired in order to do so !! ) because we heard every subsequent movie after that until day break.
Oh well, thank goodness it was only for one night.
Onto a brighter note, We found a great Parisian cafe to enjoy a few glasses of Vin Rouge before dinner, "Le Bonaparte" just up the road from St Germain de Pres.

The waiter was professional and friendly, the locals came in with their little white dogs and their very BIG dogs....... Just by simply sitting here, sipping on wine and people watch made me feel Parisian.
We finally left this beautiful moment in search of some decent food. I was hoping for a nice little bistro where it is not touristy that serves basic parisian bistro fare such as steak frites, steak tartare, salade frisee aux lardon, moules a la mariniere, terrine de Campagne, Escargot and the likes.
Instead, we walked pass Le GERMAIN Restaurant on Rue de Buci. It was all lit up red, looked quite funky. Steph decided that was where we are to have dinner. It was on a complete opposite spectrum to what I had in mind.

I agreed and I was glad............ The decor was really cool. Right in the middle of room was a perpex statue of the bottom half of a lady in a skirt and heels in bright yellow. I had to show you a photo by another diner on the Yelp website of it in day light. At night, the lighting was so dim, my photo wouldn't have done it justice.

The waiter was VERY GOOD LOOKING......... and he was really friendly and attentive (I am sure if we went to an old style bistro, we may have encountered snooty service as expected in Paris)
They did have steak frites on the menu....... so we had that and it was simple but really delicious. As the night got on, the place was packed out with lots of good looking young Parisians and the music changed from chill lounge to party mode. I think Steph and I had just accidentally stumbled into the most hip and happening place to be seen in Paris.
With our belly full......... we went for a stroll to enjoy Paris at night. We made our way to the Eiffel Tower (this is our thought - it is low tourist season, freezing and drizzling and it is 10pm......surely, there will be no queues to go up the tower). WE WERE WRONG !!! There was still a queue when we got there. So another chance in Paris and still haven't got up the Eiffel Tower !!!
I did manage to get some nice photo of it though

I have to admit, there is something magical about Paris............ just being in this city makes me romantic. Whether it is strolling hand in hand along the Seine or cuddling in the park. I FEEL LOVE ALL AROUND !!! (hope Steph felt the same way.............. hahaha........)

Next stop JAPAN ! Konnichiwa