Translation from Dutch into English with GOOGLE TRANSLATE

Introduction

Once again we would go to Paris. We were of course already been to CAB Holland bv, but that was so short that (at least I) did not feel that we had seen Paris. This year it finally came, despite the sputtering expensive trip to Southern Africa we could do one week Paris. We decided this time to go by train, the car was just so expensive and I could not sit in the car park to Paris for a week. Once again we would go to Paris. We were of course already been to CAB, but that was so short that (at least I) did not feel that we had seen Paris. This year it finally came, despite the sputtering expensive trip to Southern Africa we could do one week Paris. We decided this time to go by train, the car was just so expensive and I could not sit in the car park to Paris for a week.


Thursday, September 16

On the way to Paris for the first time by train on the road. Patrick took us away to our car so we did not take the bus (and he can make use of the car). A quiet journey, the train a quarter past nine in Den Bosch was right on time, but had twenty minutes to get a place at Amsterdam Central Station. Later proved to be a broken signal which we had been waiting. When we got out we heard that no trains broadcasters was possible between Den Bosch and Utrecht because of a broken overhead. So lucky. Our Thalys was already waiting for us, so we have taken but no coffee. After fifteen minutes waiting on the platform could open the doors and have our place looked. Delicious, with a bench and two chairs are spacious enough. Right on time the train started driving. Then you see how nice it is to have reserved seats and on time to book. There was an older Chinese couple who apparently had not done that last post and probably had further apart. Whenever there is a bench next to each other was released they went down there, and ever again they were turned away because the "rightful owner" of the place the train came. I was glad that we will not notice it was nice and sat side by side. Via Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels, we were about ten to half past two already in Paris. There was the line for subway tickets. We were on the train thought how we were going to do with transport and I bought a ten ride ticket for today and the last day. For five days in between I have both a card bought five days, so we can use the subway as much as we want and we do not always think that we should buy tickets. The hotel is some distance and we have to move twice to get there. Too bad there are many little steps and escalators in the subway of Paris that makes it carry the suitcase a bit tricky. But together we will come very end. Anyway, next time go with the backpacks, that's easier. After one man saw that we were looking and he had pointed us the way we were pretty fast at the hotel. There we were warmly welcomed by a friendly receptionist.The room was fine, on the sixth floor, but fortunately there is an elevator. A small room, but with everything, a nice bathroom and two beds. A window that can be opened, and it is spotless. Too bad there is no glass to our soups, but we organize or in any supermarket. After we had unpacked our clothes, we went downstairs for a beer. Good beer, good tips that we have received, not bottle, but take Pression (on tap). After our beers we went to Place de Clichy went to eat, according to the planet there would be some good restaurants are. And really, we have dinner at Bistro Les Dames. We sit in the courtyard sitting, or with the fleece jackets, but still. It was wonderful, relaxed, pleasant atmosphere and delicious food. What a man really wants to further his or her first evening in Paris. After this fantastic evening we (of course with the subway) back to our hotel and did a half bottle of white taken to close the evening together. After consuming our wine, we went off to bed, it was beautiful again been off half past six.


Friday, September 17

At half past seven was the alarm and found Piet to have slept badly. The bed was too soft, so he had been suffering from his back. After we had getut, and Piet had been lying in the bath as we went to breakfast. Again quite good, not overly luxurious, but sufficient. After breakfast we went outside, we would first go to the Information to buy a Paris Museum Pass for the next six days. I had asked at reception if you could buy the pass at Versailles, and there they managed to tell me the answer. The receptionist looked back on the internet and then it seemed not to be. Fortunately, in the street to the subway station to an information office. When I spoke asked the sales assistant said that it could, but still called just to be sure. It was so, so we were able with confidence to the subway to the train station. Invalides metro arrived we had to buy a train ticket, and that worked through the machine. I had meegekeken when the guy behind the counter that is explained to a Spanish couple. By train we went on our way. Piet arrived in Versailles saw a firm that sold tickets. There I asked the museum, but they are not sold. Luckily she said was right behind that they did at the tourist information office a block away. And so it was, a young Dutch woman who said she could tell us the pass sold. But she also said that the weekend for a number of museums across the entrance was free. But because nothing was close (only a four days plus the entrance to Versailles), we still made it a six-day pass. She gave it to the tip than at the weekend to go to the museums which do not participate and which therefore had to be paid for simply because it would be a lot less crowded. After spending less than € 128 for the match, we walked to the castle. A lot of people, but that's not weird, there are six million people per year. The weather was fine and the gold of the gates and the buildings shining towards us. Inside we will look for a place to drink coffee, but unfortunately it did not. But by then the palace visits. Beautiful,with many paintings on walls and ceilings, the choking of it. You could see a lot of money was in the nobility of that time, like those of today. Especially the mirror room was very impressive, what a wealth of chandeliers, golden statues and other stuff. The doors were all adorned with gold, and the whole was so beautiful. We walked the whole castle and seen everything. Then we thought it was really time for some drinking and eating, and ask what we were still at the restaurant. We chose the self, the other was full and there were already people waiting. A sandwich with a coke, and when we went further into the gardens and looking for the retreat of Marie Antoinette. A beautiful greenery, statues and fountains. Too bad that none of them did, but still it was nice to see. After a long walk we arrived at the Grand Trianon. When we had visited, and also the slight variation we went outside. We had had a little to the paintings and other good things that we now had seen. Moreover, we were pretty tired. After we had taken the door (after a lot of kids at school were) suddenly we saw the entrance of the house of Marie Antoinette. Yet again a look. When Piet saw that it consisted of the Great and Little Trianon. We therefore outside again, and again in line for the door, there were many more children than we had before us the first time. We have in the buffet restaurant of the Grand Palace is a beer before we went back to town. The train was very busy, many youth who were facing the city, and many who did their work. In the room we have the pictures on the notebook and put some chosen for the next day. That is not an easy weekend for the museum to that door. Because we had had enough, we went down to enjoy something to drink and the experiences of the day in the notebook typing.


Saturday, September 18

The alarm went off again at half past seven, we finally have a lot to see. Yet it was not easy after the short night. After breakfast we (of course with the metro) first went a long way, to the La Defense Grande Arc. Which unfortunately was closed for technical reasons, but he was equally impressive. Modern and very different than the original Arc de Triomphe we still had to go see. We have beautiful pictures can make the office towers in the business district. Very different from the old buildings that you will normally see. After we had visited the modern Arc we took the subway to the old Arc gone. There stood one long queue tourists and therefore we walked it first underneath and along. Then I saw these technical reasons closed was and course we decided than not row stand. After we had nice pictures, and I did some filming we went further. We would go to the Louvre, but because the weather was nice we first walked to Place de la Concorde. It is a nice square with lots of pictures and a beautiful fountain. Actually there were two, but only one was working and that makes it less attractive than the second. We walked to the gardens at the pond where we have drunk a cup of cappuccino, a part of the time in some sunshine. Then we walked to Place de la Madeleine, which was nearby and was also on the list. On the square are the better shops like Dior and Gucci. We are still here in the church, beautiful. When we went back via a different route to his Place de la Concorde we saw a lot of people in a row, we just have not been given where it again, but we thought it would be the Royal Palace. We are not connected, we still had plenty to do. We're through the gardens towards the Louvre walked, and we are halfway through lunch on a terrace. Then we walked to the Louvre and the run was already overwhelming. An attractive square many. The entrance to the museum on the square in the pyramid is very modern, but because you have often seen pictures and television is not disturbing, but even a little apart. We had our meuseum pas by a separate entrance and were not the ridiculously long line that has stood for the checkout. The museum is huge, there are many and well known pieces. We were the first to find the Mona Lisa. We came first in the wrong right wing, before we realize how the museum had put together. Once we were in the right wing could not be more wrong: there are signs hung over the painting. We have gone through different things without really looking at it that broke us later when we were looking for the Venus de Milo was found that we almost had gone against it. After the requisite pictures of Mona, we went to the original of the coronation of Marie Antoinette look, a giant of a painting a copy of which hangs in Versailles. Then we have the Dutch masters are found. The way there was a long way and we have some nice things. After the paintings were the sculptures to turn: the Venus de Milo, the statue of Ramses II and finally with the statues of Michelangelo Cupid, of course. Not a little, but very tired and satisfied we returned to the hotel for all to celebrate with a beer. We were near the Louvre to eat some more pictures to make after dinner. After some searching, found the restaurant Le Petit Machon and we came just in time: there was still a place for us. It was small as its name suggests, and the atmosphere was very good, the food delicious and the service of art. After dinner we returned to Louvre and to Arc de Triomph for pictures while illuminated. Beautiful!


Sunday, September 19

After showering and breakfast we start walking at nine hours. We should first go to the Sacre Coeur, but Piet had the idea to the Eiffel Tower, but to do so early because the Montmarte not so busy. Well, when was the Eiffel Tower though. We have three quarters in the queue before we sat in the gondola, and then was not too bad. The view was phenomenal and we obviously have quite a few pictures and filmed. When we got downstairs we were first taken away out what the whole picture of the tower to maintain. While we passed a place where they sold coffee and a small terrace in the sun had. Except they had cappuccino with whipped cream sandwiches, so I took two coffees and a panini. Hotel des Invalides was not too far away, so we decided not to go by subway. When we arrived at the church seemed a long queue, especially monuments still weekend. But it was happy, so we were so inside. A beautiful building with an impressive tomb of Mr. Napoleon Bonaparte, and some great men from the army. After visiting the tomb we went by metro to Montmartre. On the way to the subway station we saw the Rodin Museum, so there the next time we need to look for. When we arrived at the station in Montmartre we saw a lot of people go with the lift station, and later we knew why: it was a lot of steps going up. After the first two "normal" stages there was a sign that warned that there were 90 steps coming. Success!, And thus equal workout for the rest of the week. Up there, I no longer have the energy to take the stairs to the Sacre Coeur to go, so we took the cable car. I knew that our metro ticket would also work, so it was our "free". Before we went into the church, we saw that it was very nice, singers, musicians, dancers, puppeteers, and even did their best to make their daily kostje together scratching. After we had visited the church, we have bought some cards (from the visit with CAB were not so good), and we were still here now. After visiting the church we went to the crypt (we thought). When we joined the queue before it showed the steps to the dome to be. But still on despite the warning that the 300 steps and no lift would be. Talk about sport these days! With VISA paid, it could not be otherwise, unless you have exact change (which we had not with us). Up there, we can make beautiful pictures of Paris (just like the Eiffel Tower). Very fun to do so. After that we just walked around in the crypt, but that was not very special, we also had it a bit. After all the visit, and especially climbing stairs, we are on a terrace at the painters of Montmartre a drink. After our cold beer still from € 8.00 pp (caveat of a prime) we continued walking through the neighborhood. First past the painters, who were the place is getting smaller. Now they have only the outside of the square, the interior is occupied by terraces of the surrounding bars and restaurants. We have also looked for a restaurant for the evening, and are also still a bit run down. There was not much special, so we went back up anything we had seen that afternoon. After dinner we had night pictures of the Sacre Coeur, it was still very nice and busy. The temperature was also quite good.


Monday, September 20

After breakfast we first went to Notre Dame. Which we obviously considered in more detail, it is a beautiful church, but it's awfully busy. Especially many groups with guides, it seems he is the program for each tour (and this is also true). It took some effort up front even at the altar for making beautiful pictures. Yet I managed course. The niches behind the altar was beautiful again. The treasury, we are not in fact, had separately paid for and I had not fancy. After the tour we went outside to the towers to climb, but when we arrived the queue was so long that we had to wait at least one hour. Since we both no sense. The next was a tour of the archaeological crypt. After we had ended up in the garage because we had taken the wrong entrance, we came to a locked door at the crypt. It was closed on Monday, too bad. But then at the Sainte Chapelle, which was however not on our list, but was very nice. At the point arrived there was already a long queue, the queue was happy for the people who already had a ticket a lot shorter, so long live the museum. When we were front row in the brief appeared to make no difference, there were no checks on cards in the row and two rows of came together at the same point, at the security check. That was strictly because the chapel on the grounds of the palace of justice stood. The chapel was fantastic, with hauntingly beautiful stained-glass windows that the whole biblical story told. After all that we see nice walk along the Seine, and as soon as we came up on a terrace along the road. Coffee and then a wine, it was after half past eleven already. We ordered the same as red wine at Le Petit Machon, Fleuris a Beaujolais, but it was cold. That is a little different, so we had to be patient. It was not bad, we were good. After our drink we went on our way to the museum of the sewers of Paris. That was fun (apart from the stench that is), small but interesting. You get a good picture of what it was and how now working. After our visit to the sewers, it still took an hour we were all going off at the monument with the copy of the flame of the Statue of Liberty in New York. When the tunnel was also found to have been killed Princess Diana, and it showed: there were many farewells written on the bridge. We walked by and have a ham sandwich and salmon taken in a sandwich shop. Cappuccino there and the lunch was complete again. After lunch we went to the museum of the day: Centre Pompidou. A very different museum as we already saw: modern, not just the art within, but also the building. Lots of steel and glass and escalators. The ground floor (the fourth floor of the building) we did not so good, it was just a little too modern. But the floor above it was filled with Picasso and more of that kind painters and sculptors. We thought that was very nice, so nice and we walked around. We came to go through the Town Hall (Hotel de Ville) contacted O'Sullivan. They had beers. Some to snack on in the form of some chicken wings and everything was good again. We had to overcome some time before the restaurant where we were going to open, but that's not quite this way. When we just before opening time at the restaurant La Limonaire arrived on Monday they found no food to serve. You could have brought themselves and eat it with a bottle of wine. The song was also common. Yet we do not really feel like, and we went to another restaurant. That was in another neighborhood, but we had plenty of time. After some searching because I saw the wrong number and house number we were soon at the restaurant known for his stew. Piet took that and I took a veal cutlet with champignonsus. Piet got a big plate of meat, boiled potatoes and braised leeks. It also heard a pipe marrow marrow in which he had to do a baguette with a little salt on it. He liked it. My schnitzel was served with salad and a large portion of scalloped potatoes. There was an Australian at a table next to us, we did enjoy chatting with. His wife was ill in the hotel room, and he also loved a chat. After dinner we had night photos of the Opera and the Eiffel Tower. At both places was still busy and fun.


Tuesday, September 21

The last full day in Paris, back home tomorrow. First I have to see this day. As if that would not work, you might need six weeks to really get to know Paris and all the sights to see. We started with a visit to the Rodin Museum. When we arrived there was already a long queue. When I went to see if there is a separate entrance for museum pass holders, I saw that the museum was opened to ten hours, unlike what was even at the beginning of the street stood a poster. Luckily it was already nine fifty, so it did not wait that long. A very nice museum, with beautiful statues inside and in the garden. After Rodin was the turn of the Catacombs. As much as we thought we were the only ones: There was another row. We finally did it fifteen minutes to wait before we could enter. Before we saw something that might speak to the imagination we had a nice long walk through underground passageways. It was quite dark in some places, and you could see that some kind of brick fascias were closed. Behind all these layers of natural bone, there were also some places into the wall plaques. After a steep hike we came to a few monuments that were carved into the walls. One seemed a bit like a building complete with an arcade, but much smaller. At some point we went through a door marked: Beware, you're in the empire of the dead. Behind all the bones were stacked, with the skulls between all the bones in his place. Unbelievable what a pile of bones, it must be millions of people. There was also the graveyard of what was and what year they were here deposited. That went back to the 16th century (or beyond). Talk about respect for the dead: that you must hurry if you do have that long bones retained. We have not seen piles below the 18th century, which will be a different place. It was certainly a gigantic system of corridors and rooms, and tourists are not even a fraction of the space. Special to see. Then we went towards Pantheon, and although we both really wanted to go was not good that we have done. It was overwhelming, the outside but inside. Beautiful paintings, and tombs of famous Frenchmen like Pierre and Marie Curie. We ate at restaurant Le Vin Qui Danse!. They had a limited menu and a wine selection for each search. We went there in it, and it was fine. Champagne previously, three different glasses at dinner, and finally with a special coffee liqueur in the Paris region on. So it was okay again. We have some night shots of Notre Dame and made a short walk along the Seine. We were not alone. Except people were also a few rats around, it remains a river. Fortunately, the timid animals and do you have there is nothing to fear.


Wednesday, September 22

Really the last day in Paris. Ate a little, the stuff packed, checked out and hit the road again. The case was fortunately in the trunk of the hotel be stalled because we let the big backpacks. We take a subway to the basilica of Saint Denis gone. Although the church itself was not very special, except that it is a beautiful church with stained-glass windows and stuff, it was what everyone will come: the back of the church and the crypt are full of monuments and tombs of French kings, queens and their descendants. Marie Antoinette is also there, along with her King Louis XVI. It was beautiful, and our weather was good for the museum entrance. When we came out we first made a cappuccino in the churchyard and went back to the Arc de Triomphe. Which we had already seen, but we had not been on top. It was after all only 284 steps. Successful, and a beautiful view over the city seen and filmed. After visiting the Arc, we walked along the Champs Elysees. The shops there are not the kind where I walk inside: Cartier, Montblanc and so on. We ate on a terrace behind the Place de la Madeleine. Since we both took a small piece of a veal dish Pete and me two sausages. It tasted fine, especially with half liter of pink there. For five hours we went quietly to the train station, with appropriate breaks in between. We finally had time enough. We arrived at ten past six to Gare du Nord, well in time. After we had been first puffs on a edge, we are a platform to sit on chairs. When I went to look at what platform we had, I had seen that trains had been canceled by the strike, but fortunately not ours. That was twenty minutes late, so that would be fun again in Amsterdam. We had a half hour play, but then there is not much more to be done wrong to let go. We could see it! The train was indeed twenty minutes late and was overcrowded because there are people who went along with the breakdown trains would travel. We arrived fifteen minutes late in Brussels, and it seemed an eternity before we went. Moreover, the train is not really hard. But we had the idea that it is okay if we arrived in Amsterdam. Such a train, yet easy half hour to catch up on such a distance. Unfortunately, even the train from 23.23 hours to reach Amsterdam was not easy, apparently happily waited on Thalys, but with a big sprint suitcase and other luggage have succeeded.