Category: Travel

Paris In Autumn

The City That Never Gets Old

After five years away, going back to Paris was not only inevitable but also much needed. I always feel strangely at home in the bustling heart of France, surrounded by history, fashion and food.

OK, let’s be honest. It is mainly about food for me. Especially cheese.

This time, I took my mum with me as she had always wanted to go and my step father is not keen on walking about on holiday. My aunt also tagged along, making it a real family affair.

Bus Tours Are Great Starters

Whereever I go, I tend to first take a bus tour as an easy way to get a sense of what a city has to offer. Mum was looking forward to seeing what Paris has to look at and so we stepped onto a Tootbus near the Louvre and hopped off near the Arc de Triomphe.

We were going to walk up the steps to the roof but the wind was very strong and the queue was enormous. Plus we were feeling a bit hungry by then.

So we went for some very tasty omelettes at a nearby restaurant, where I also tried a really thirst-quenching strawberry milkshake with plenty of whipped cream. The waiter was incredibly helpful and, as with most places in Paris, they had the items written in English as well as French.

We then popped back on the bus and took in the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero before heading to the shops. I found a large UniQlo which was rammed with people. There must have been a hundred people entering the door every minute. It was great to snap up a new red jumper and some affordable but stylish socks.

In The Evening

My Mum was intrigued by Montmarte and so we got an Uber to the bottom of the Funicular. For a few Euros we were able to ascend the steep hill to the Sacre Couer. The famous church was brilliantly illuminated and the view from the hill across the whole city was wonderful.

After a walk around, we finished off eating near the Moulin Rouge and then got an Uber back to Citi Bergere. It was a lovely first evening and great way to begin the holiday.

And Finally

I would certainly recommend taking a bus tour of Paris to familiarise yourself with the most famous sights. This allowed us to plan the next few days and, because we bought a 48 hour bus pass, we could use it again the next day.

I would love to hear about your experiences of Paris in the comments. Thank you for taking the time to read my travel post. For another of my travel posts, check out Basel – A Hidden Gem.

Read, Watch and Listen (September)

Every month I love to share some recommendations of a book, TV show and podcast that have kept me entertained. If you are anything like me, you will always be on the lookout for some well made programmes, dramatic novels and fascinating podcasts or fresh new music.

Read ‘Family of Liars’ by E Lockhart

I really enjoyed ‘We Were Liars’, the bestselling book about families that return each year to a small island for family summer gatherings. So as soon as I came across ‘Family of Liars’ which was written as a prequel to this, I knew I would enjoy the storytelling immensely.

This YA book is reflecting on a past summer, when a sad loss hung over the family who were trying to get back to that family holiday magic.

Well written in short chapters, this tale of teenagers growing up and enduring anxiety, enlightenment and love, is keeping me totally entertained.

Watch ‘Platonic’ on Apple TV Plus

As a fan of Rose Byrne, I was excited to see that she has reunited with Bad Neighbours co-star Seth Rogan to make this fresh comedy series.

Sylvia (Rose Byrne), a modern mother and out of practise lawyer, comes across her old friend Will (Seth Rogen) and starts to remember their fun times. Dragging her out for late nights, their friendship is back on track, somewhat at the expense of other relationships.

This comedy is funny and easy to follow. I love the chemistry between these two and Rose’s husband is also great fun to watch.

Listen to ‘That Gaby Roslin Podcast’

Gaby Roslin used to present a fantastic TV show in the 90s, called ‘The Big Breakfast.’ These days she hosts radio shows and presents the BBC Morning Live programme. Her presenting style has always been a combination of clever and witty.

I often listen to her podcast as she has brilliant guests who are always willing to open up to her. A previous highlight was her Kate Winslet chat and recently she has interviewed Harriet Walter. Harriet shone a light on her hilarious and dramatic contributions to Ted Lasso and Succession.

In Harriet’s episode she talks about her experiences in theatre and the fun she had hanging out with Hannah Waddingham. She laughs about her three children in Succession and remembers fondly meeting her idol.

Final Thoughts

Going back to work four weeks ago has meant I have been very busy after a lovely, relaxed six week summer holiday. Work stress is already massive and so any opportunity to escape into a book, take in a dramatic TV series or soak in the bath while listening to a podcast is welcome.

Make sure you check out one of my recommendations above and let me know what you think about them.

Talking of returning to work, check out my Back to school poem and maybe follow my blog for similar future updates.

Travel Without Pollution

It is time for the latest blog post by ‘The Climate Change Collective.’ We set up a group of bloggers who take turns writing lead articles about global warming and being ecofriendly. After each post appears, all of us keen eco bloggers add our own thoughts on the matter, whilst linking to the lead piece.

This month’s thought-provoking article is by the brilliant @MidLifeOnEarth who is considering how we can change our attitudes to travelling locally to work, school and shops.

The benefits of active travel – could it save you and the planet?

My Thoughts

When I went to University my geography lecturer spoke about the need to replace short car journeys with walking, cycling and public transport. I feel that he was ahead of the times in 1996 as he was consulting on cycling access throughout Europe and leading initiatives for sustainable transport.

Twenty seven years later and we still haven’t made much progress in the UK. It is a struggle to cycle alongside cars on roads filled with potholes. I feel ashamed that the UK government are not prioritising walking and cycling routes as these should be priority schemes.

It will take a huge mindset shift for people to transition to making local journeys on foot or on bikes. The results of such a move would be greatly reduced danger from vehicles, due to fewer cars on the roads. Also, fitness would improve due to increased amounts of cardiovascular activity. It would be a win-win situation.

In A Nutshell

Check out the latest article about the benefits of active travel and let us know your thoughts on this important environmental matter. For my last link post, perhaps also have a look at Why Greener Spaces Matter.

Thanks for looking at my post. Please read through MidLifeOnEarth’s fascinating article and drop a comment with your own ways of reducing vehicle travel.