A Few Days in Paris: Part 2

Morning, and my girlfriend and I headed for the palace at Versailles. The weather was incredibly hot and we decided not to look around inside but instead go directly into the gardens. Even though it felt like we were going to melt we wandered around looking at the ornate water fountains.

Versailles really isn’t for everyone and in my opinion it does lack in terms of general prettiness. The gardens are huge but they are mainly made of huge hedge rows, long stretches of grass and white gravel.

In the afternoon we headed back into Paris to take a cruise down the river. You will be fighting to get on a boat with hundreds of other people, but it's well worth doing as you get to see the city from a different viewpoint.

Our short cruise over we headed out of the city for a few hours to wait for the sun to drop. Later that night we would be coming back into Paris to experience its wonderful lights.

By far the best place to go as the sun begins to set is to the top floor of the Montparnasse tower. It’s the tallest building in the city and on a clear day you can see for miles around giving you the perfect view of the sun set.

Watching the sun gradually set behind the Eiffel Tower is something that I will remember for the rest of my life. It’s moments like this that give Paris its reputation for being such a magical place.

The sun set, we hurried back to the roof of the theatre for the best view of the Eiffel Tower. The tower comes alive at night with lights but if you head over when it’s completely dark it has a surprise in store. Every hour, after darkness falls, a light display makes the tower sparkle. It’s an amazingly pretty sight to behold and something many people don't know about.

Suitably impressed, it was time to head back to the hotel and then home in the morning. I left Paris finally feeling like I had really seen what it had to offer. Paris is my favourite city and really is a stunning and unique place.

A Few Days in Paris: Part 1.

I have been to Paris a few times over the years. However, I have never really been able to spend more than a couple of hours in the city on any of those occasions. With a spare weekend around the corner I decided that now was the time to really see what it had to offer.

My journey to Paris was incredibly long and took in the delights of Wimbledon, Slough, Kingston and Maidstone. Coaches are certainly not for the impatient but they are cheap. After my five hour tour of the suburbs of London I arrived at Dover and headed across the ocean to my waiting hotel were the morning would bring about extensive touring, wandering and marvelling.

Sun risen and temperature suitably warm, I headed into a remarkably calm and empty Paris to gaze upon the Arc de Triomphe. The structure has some amazing carvings and it's an incredibly piece of architecture.

The tour continued and next up was the iconic Eiffel Tower. The best view of the tower and grounds leading up to it are from the roof of the theatre nearby. There isn’t much you can say about one of the most well known landmarks in the world. It looked nice in the sun with the fountains and set against a blue sky but I was looking forward to returning at night to see the tower lit up.

My brief stop finished it was time to take in the glory of Napoleon’s Mausoleum. Amazingly the roof is made completely out of solid gold. I stopped for second to work out just how big a helicopter would be needed to steel it.

There are wonders hidden all around Paris in unexpected places. For instance, next to the opera house is an apartment store. Look inside it and you will find ornate balconies leading up to an amazing glass ceiling.

Speaking of glass I decided it was time to start the long walk down to the legendary Notre Dame. The place is incredibly imposing and it’s easily one of the most impressive and dramatic cathedrals in Europe.

Inside are the fabled glass windows. Their beauty and depth of colour can’t be accurately captured by any camera. Make sure you leave some time to see it for yourself as Notre Dame can be tricky to reach.

The sun falling, it was time to enter the Monmartre district of the city famous for its artists and street performers. It’s a lively place in the evening and you can get portraits done, eat at one of the lively restaurants or check out the impressive Church of the Sacred Heart that overlooks Paris from a high viewpoint. The acoustics of the church are truly amazing.

It had been a long day and tomorrow would see me heading to the palace at Versailles before returning to the main part of the city to see Paris by night. It promised to be very special.

The Bluebells of Christmas Common

Christmas Common is an area of outstanding natural beauty located near Stokenchurch. It comprises of woodland and multiple walks over a large area. There are also a number of outstanding viewpoints which let you see for miles over the fields and settlements below.

The highlight of Christmas Common is the mass of bluebell flowers that grow there for a few weeks every spring. They are incredibly beautiful and create one of the thickest carpets of flowers I have found in the UK.

The way the trees overhang the delicate bells often creates a stunning layer effect of light as sun beams dance between the leaves and branches, often casting shadows on the ground. Heading up to the common on a sunny day really is a wonderful thing to behold and it can’t help but conjure images of pixies and other magical creatures hiding among the foliage.

It’s remarkable just how dense the bluebells are and they often seem to stretch off into the distance as far as the eye can see. In some areas you can barely see the ground because the flowers are so densely packed together.

Away from the wooded area containing the glorious bluebells is a magnificent view over the countryside. On a clear day you can see for miles around. The surrounding fields also contain a number of rare wild flowers.

Christmas Common is one of the most beautiful places in the country during the late spring period. On a warm day there is nowhere better to come and enjoy a stroll through magical woodland with a floor painted with swaying blue flowers. The best time to go is late afternoon as when the sun begins to fall it creates a kaleidoscope of rich colours and shadows.

Christmas Common is often busy with artists and painters joining dog walkers and people out for a picnic. However, because it is such a massive place you can always find a quiet spot to relax in the sun. Anyone who lives near the area should explore it for themselves at their next opportunity.

Historic Warwick in the Rain.

It was raining but I was determined to do something interesting while my girlfriend and I both had a day to spare. Warwick isn’t far away and I had never been there so we set off and hoped the weather wouldn’t turn too bad.

Dominating Warwick is the impressive castle.It was a busy day with lots of tourists. It made things a little difficult in getting around but the atmosphere helped to keep my mind off the rain.

Today, there were lots of events running and the castle grounds were filled with tents and people dressed in medieval armour. I caught one group of soldiers taking about Chelsea, which broke the spell somewhat.

The first event we went to see was a man flying some eagles. Despite the rain there was a large crowd and we all watched as Archie the eagle flew around high in the sky. He truly was a remarkable creature.

After a protracted game bout of hunting for hotdogs we headed off to the river to watch a re-enactment of the storming of the castle. What this equates to is a bunch of ageing men hitting each other with sticks.

Bored of watching people fight we headed down the side of the river towards the castle’s waterwheel. Even in the poor weather the waterway is very pretty and provided a calm moment away from the mass crowds.

The crowds were becoming a bit much to cope with so we headed out into the town. Among the ugly new buildings are quite a few older structures that still hold the character and feel of old world Britain.

Warwick is also home to a rather imposing church which can be seen from just about everywhere in the town. Today it was closed for services so we decided to walk down the road to the old shop area.

Away from the new high street are quite a few antique and art shops taking residence in the old buildings. It’s worth a look but we soon decided to return to the castle to attempt to climb the ramparts.

The rain was still coming down but we marched up the very steep and windy stone staircase to the top of the Warwick castle tower. The view from the top is impressive and the dark skies made it even more dramatic.

After a day spent walking in rain we were beginning to get a little tired. It began to get late and we snuck out to return home before the mass of crowds decided to exit. It was an interesting trip to one of Britain’s most historic towns and worth a visit. I would wait for better weather before I go back again though.

A Short Trip to Hambledon Lock.

Hidden away in the small village of Aston in Berkshire is Hambledon Lock. One of many locks along the Thames, it is open to the public free of charge and even has a free car park situated a couple of minutes walk away.

My girlfriend and I went to the lock after a few days of heavy rain and the water levels were uncharacteristically high. The higher water level made the cascades even more dramatic than usual.

Hambledon Lock is a good place just to stand for a while and watch the water flow. On sunny days there are often artists and writers perched along it taking in the scenery and listening to the sounds of the water.

It doesn’t take long to walk across the interconnected bridges of the lock and cross over the river. Once at the other side you can head off in whichever direction you wish along the calmer stretch of the Thames.

Hambledon’s surroundings are a little less dramatic than the cascades of water and consist of pretty fields and small areas of woodland. On a sunny day it’s perfect for a leisurely stroll along the river.

Today was a little wet to go traipsing across the farmland and due to the high water level much of it was flooded anyway. However, it did allow for a dramatic sky filled with clouds and rich colours.

The short stop over, we wended our way back along the metal bridges and out of the lock. Hambledon Lock may not seem the obvious choice for a visit but it is free and is the perfect place to start walks along the Thames from. If you are in the Berkshire area it’s well worth a look.

One Day In Brighton.

I had never been to Brighton before and with the weather being uncharacteristically good my girlfriend and I decided to make the trip. Getting up at stupidly-early-o’clock to beat the traffic we arrived at around 7.30 am.

The first thing to do in any UK seaside resort early in the morning is to find a decent place for breakfast. Luckily for us we there was as café nearby. Every seaside resort has the café run by the good old local boy.

It was still early and, as Brighton is a late waking town, very quiet. We strolled along the pebbly beach front in the sunshine trying to ignore the many workman drilling holes in the road. Brighton is a unique looking place that could only be in England.

Heading down to the marina revealed expensive boats and a promenade of fancy restaurants designed to make the rich fish that owned them bite. The city gradually began to wake up and we headed back to the pier.

Brighton pier is very much an old fashioned British pier filled with all sorts of amusements, rides and food stalls. The wooden boards underfoot conjured images of old movies and people dressed in stripped bathing costumes.

Walking away towards the old Brighton pier, which sadly burned down, I came across a long line of small galleries well worth spending a few minutes in. There are also a number of pieces of interesting art around the beach.

The sun was high in the sky and we paused to sit on the pebbles and listen to the sea. It’s easier to make yourself comfortable on the pebbles than you might think and the way the beach is set it keeps all the noise of the town away.

After our rest bite we headed into the town to look around the cities fabled ‘Lanes’. These are a group of winding narrow streets with various different shops. It was more enjoyable to look around than a charmless shopping centre. There are a number of unique trinket shops here and it is well worth checking out if you are interested in antiques and things of their ilk.

On the way back towards the seafront we took a look around the grounds of the city hall. Brighton’s city hall is, oddly, designed like it was meant to be standing as some grand structure in India.

Our time was up and after another short stay on the beach it was time to head home. Brighton is a unique place and while it may have the image of being a bit old fashioned it is actually very interesting. It’s well worth making a trip if you have never been and want to head for somewhere a little different.

Final Thoughts on Iceland.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Iceland and it really is a unique place. It certainly isn’t for everyone and the weather can be very hostile even if you have taken proper precautions. However, it’s certainly a must see destination for anyone who likes mountains, lakes and rugged landscapes.

The lava fields are incredible and Gullfoss falls and the Geyser fields are truly astounding. It’s also a great place to relax with the Blue Lagoon being one of the most tranquil and beautiful places I have ever been.

I would urge caution for anyone planning on going there and renting a car to travel around. Outside of Reykjavik can be very dangerous. The country has regular earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and fissures and hot springs burst through the earth on an almost daily basis.

It is incredibly important to pay attention to any warning signs you see. Every year tourists get in trouble because they drive up closed roads or jump into hot springs without realising the dangers. You must respect your environment here or you will get hurt.

On the brighter note there has never been a better time to go. Due to its financial collapse the ISK has taken a bit of a pounding and works out at good value against the pound. Food can be found at reasonable prices as well. Make sure you don’t need to buy clothes though as a simple bobble hat will set you back around forty-five pounds.

Tourism is about the only strong industry left in the country. Despite Gordon Brown implementing a terrorism act against them we found everyone relieved that people were in the country spending money. If you really want to get on their good side then buy one of the many ‘Brown is colour of poo’ T-shirts that fill the shops on the high street.

Language is also not a major problem with most Icelandic people speaking English better than we do. I found the people to have a wonderfully dry sense of humour and be very welcoming. Iceland is also one of the cheaper options if you are looking to try and see the Northern Lights. If you are looking for a real adventure in Europe then this could well be the place for you.

I was guided safely around Iceland by Travelsphere.