9th July

We had a lovely sleep in this morning, not really planned but apparently what we needed.  Then we shopped in the mall across the road and took a joyride on the new metro which is fully computerised – no driver.  Noted that the train is serviced by the Serco Company which reminded us of Adrian who also works with them. Very efficient and a good way to see the city from a local perspective.  We got off at Emirates Mall and took a look at the indoor ski slope!  Quite amazing, complete with chairlifts for ski runs and luge or toboggan runs for the kids.  Reminded us of Luke who is currently enjoying the snow in Victoria. Lots of very exclusive shopping here including Valentino, Gucci, Armani, De Beers, even Paspaley!  Unlike at the souks no copies here, this is the real thing.

In the afternoon we joined the Sundowner Tour which took us by 4wd through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, all the drivers must be certified cowboys I think by the way they tackle the dunes. Our driver was Noas, a local Dubai native.  As I had the front seat I got to give him the full inquisition about living and working in Dubai.  We took a break to watch the sunset and then arrived at the Bedouin camp where we were given the traditional Arabian welcome which includes coffee, dates and shisha pipes.  Thankfully there is also a bar to quench our thirsts and even though this is a muslim country we were able to select beers and very satisfactory Italian wines. We were treated to a great 2 course meal and entertained by a belly dancer before spending a few minutes with all the lights extinguished to do some star gazing.  Not the best time of year to do this from here, you wouldn’t bother in Aust if there was so much haze.  By the time we got home it was already 10pm and time to pack in readiness for tomorrow’s early departure. 

We have enjoyed the experience of Dubai, but you wouldn’t come back.  It seems the sort of place where the surface is really new and shiny but false, and you don’t get a touch of the culture underneath. Tomorrow we will spend the whole day travelling so I’m going to sign off with this as the last post.  In Singapore from our Chinese Hotel at Robertson Quay on the riverbank we are planning to relax, have a massage or two, enjoy the food, sights and sounds we feel so familiar with.  Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

8th July

After breakfast in the hotel we ventured across the road to the City Centre Shopping Mall.  As soon as we opened the door we were accosted by the heat.  By current averages today is cool at only 43 degrees, earlier in the week it was up to 50.  There is a wind but it is hot and carrying dust from the surrounding desert and a blanket of haze hangs over the city so not the best for taking photos.  Apparently this is typical for this time of the year, you only get clear days between Dec and May. We were really only shopping because it was in air-con comfort and came home with no new purchases.  In the afternoon we went on the city sights tour that was part of our stop over package.  We were collected at 2:30 in a mini bus and delivered to the Burj Al Arib which is the world’s most expensive hotel with the most expensive cocktail.  Not sure that is something I would be bragging about if i was managing it. We followed the coast past the beaches (very bleak looking) and the Jumeirah Beach Park which is free and open to everyone, except on Mondays when it is open exclusively for women.  We visited Jumeirah Mosque then passed Union House where the agreement was signed between all the 7 Emirates to form a union.  Next was the old quarter where the first permanent homes were built from coral cut from the banks of the river and the fort which these days houses a very interesting museum.  We took a water taxi across Dubai Creek and entered the spice and then gold souks. It is now 4 hours on tour and we are being plagued by Arab men who want us to follow them up to their apartments to sell us copy products labelled Armani, Rolex, Gucci, D&G ...........  the list goes on but we manage to dismiss them all.  At the last minute I found a pair of earrings I wanted and decided it was worth the haggle.  We were happy with the final price.  Our guide has been terrific today, going out of his way to answer our questions and add a personal touch to the blurb which was otherwise tinged ever-so-slightly with very favourable comments about the Sheik and progress of Dubai.  Not surprisingly, no mention of the current economic crisis and if you take a close look at all the construction sites there is no action taking place.

We took a taxi back to the hotel and discovered that there is more than one Ibis Hotel in Dubai.  We will never know if we were ripped off or if it was an honest mistake but we did a lap of the city and retraced quite a bit of the afternoon’s tour to get back to our particular one.  After a shower we try the taxis again to take us to Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building at 174 floors.  Just as we arrived at Dubai Mall the fountain went into action which was an amazing show of coordinated water spouts, lights and music.  This takes place every 30mins, there is a different production each time and they last for about 5 mins. We had a quick bite to eat in the Mall then took the lift to the observation deck on the 124^th floor of the tower.  The lift was so quiet and smooth the only way you knew for sure you were climbing was the pressure changes in your ear canals.  The views were amazing, something out of fantasy land and then the next fountain sequence took place; was wonderful to watch from above.  What a day full of amazing opulence and grandeur – it seems everything is done bigger and better in Dubai.  Eric put it very nicely when he compared the Sheik of Dubai to Louis XIV – ‘this is a modern day Versailles’.

7th July

How things start speeding up when you turn for home; just like they did for me when I used to ride horses and anytime I these days when I walk with Ali.  We shared breakfast with Sandy at our local Metro Cafe and then she checked out to move to the Champs Elysee area.  We’ve really enjoyed her company and input over the last 2 weeks, although we appreciate different things when we travel, we have all been prepared to compromise.  We checked out and waited for the shuttle bus to Charles de Gaulle airport.  And waited, and waited..... My nails took a beating as I became more and more stressed at being late for departure while the reception desk clerk was very relaxed about it all.  Eventually the driver did turn up half an hour late and then had to do 2 more hotel pick ups!  I was not happy standing in the queue at Air Emirates, but with all the staff they had on hand it moved quickly and we soon had the boarding passes in hand.  It was six and a half hours to Dubai so I managed to watch 2 films (Rabbit Hole and The Tourist).  We transferred to Ibis Hotel in the centre of the city at about 1:30 am (local time) having lost 2 hrs in transit.  Next door it the Novotel and as they are the same company we have access to their pool and gym along with all our facilities.  Not sure we’ll have time to use much of it though as we really only have 2 full days here. So not many pics to share today unless you want to see us waiting in the hotel lobby, waiting at the airport, waiting on the plane.......In each of the countries we have travelled I can read my blog entries in English but all the tabs and links to log in or edit etc are in the local language.  Up to now I have been able to work it out but these Arabic ones have got be tossed. 

6th July

We tried to visit the Pompidou Centre this morning.  It was always going to be a quick visit, to be finished before a trip to Versailles in the afternoon, but we hadn’t factored in the long queues. There was at least a one hr wait so in the end we changed our minds and hoped we might get back there in the evening.  Instead we decided to walk through the beautiful Louvre gardens with the stunning 12^th century palace as a backdrop, the Eye of Paris wheel, the pyramid in the forecourt and very comfortable chairs by the fountains.  We managed to find the best subway for this with the help of a local Parisienne woman who had been watching Eric studying the map and offered her recommendations.  She then guided him out of the correct subway exit and accompanied him all the way to the nearby gate.........  all to our amusement. He just can’t help himself.  Generally speaking though, we would have to say the people of Paris have left a much better impression on us this trip; they have all been very patient and most helpful. 

We then headed to subway station Pyramides and located the tour company we needed for the trip to Versailles, with time for lunch in a nearby cafe.  The trip, which only took about 45 mins, initially followed the Seine which was nice to track in daylight, and even included the tunnel where Di and Dodi met with their untimely deaths in ‘97.  When the palace was built Versailles was in the country but these days the urban spread of Paris means it is virtually a suburb only 20 kms from the centre. 

We spent 3 hours there, each focussing on areas of personal interest.  Eric really enjoyed the palace galleries having studied Louis XIV, the Sun King, at school.  Absolute opulence extraordinaire! I spent 2 of the hrs in the gardens.  When we were here in ‘86 the palace was closed for New Years Day and the gardens, while open, were covered in snow and nothing was flowering.  Today they are fabulous.  I’m amazed by the amount of maintenance and watering they must require but it is wonderful to see so many people enjoying the fountains, groves, formal French gardens, grand canal and statues.  And then there is the Trianon Garden Pavilion and Marie-Antoinette’s estate. There is too much to explore in one day but I managed quite a bit of it on foot before Eric and Sandy turned up in a tourist train.  I said I’d never be seen dead in one but I’m ready to sit down.  Don’t tell anyone.

It’s after 6pm when the bus returns and Sandy needs to make some bookings for the next few days and I am ready to rest so we agree to give the Pompidou Centre a miss.  On the very crowded subway home a woman warned Eric to be wary of the group of girls next to us who just managed to squeeze into the carriage before the doors shut.  We don’t know what alerted her but it wasn’t long before it became apparent that another passenger had had her bag opened in an attempt to pick pocket as everyone was being jostled to and fro with the movement of the train.  A snappily dressed businessman interrupted the action, so this time they were not successful and they got off at the next station, while he called the police and reported them on his mobile.  The girls would probably be well gone by the time they could respond but it was very fortunate we were not the targets this time.

Our last night in Paris and unfortunately I am feeling weary so we have an early night which is probably well over due.  Tomorrow we fly to Dubai at 3:30 pm.  The next leg.

5th July

Oh, it was so hard to get started this morning.  After a few false starts we managed a traditional French breakfast of coffee and croissant with jam and then caught the metro across the road to Sacre Coeur.  There are so many amazing landmarks in Paris, but this is one we didn’t get to in ’86 and Eric is very determined.  From the subway you immediately start climbing uphill and all the way we were confronted by hagglers trying to get us to bet on the outcome of games (same as in ’86) or buy replicas of the Eiffel tour (same as in ’86) etc and also contribute to the ‘Deaf and Dumb’ afflicted.  We are becoming cynical, I know, but ‘fairs fair’. Eric did manage to buy a dapper hat to replace the one he left in Barcelona.  

From here we headed to Galleries Lafeyette in the heart of Paris on Boulevade Haussmann.  According to its media outlet, this is the world’s leading department store and its main store has a magnificent leadlight and steel dome that dates back to 1912, has to be seen to be believed.   The picture below doesn't do it justice.  I managed to snap up a few mid-year bargains while we were there. 

We continued on to the Arc de Triomphe and then found some lunch in Avenue des Champes Elysees – I’m sure my accent is improving as I talk to myself and type.  (No one here to dispute me as Eric has already gone to bed). An afternoon attack of ‘the wearies’ descended so we walked on via the Grand Palace and the Hotel Invalides  where we found lots of local gentlemen partaking in games of Petinque in the shady park .  We caught the subway from here  back to our Hotel 55 in Montparnasse. Time to do some washing in the Laundromat just around the corner; fortunately we can just about watch the cycles progress from the cafe bar across the road.  We met up with Sandy who has done another bus tour today and had dinner in the local neighbourhood.

4th July

We have had a huge day.  After breakfast we checked out and the taxi driver who took us to Gare St Jean was fabulous; wanted to tell us all about the city etc and showed us how Google translator app works on his iphone.  We have to have one of those, although travelling in peak hour traffic in a taxi where the driver is intent on showing you how clever his translator is, makes me a little nervous.  He discovered how one small spelling error can be very embarrassing, which was very funny. 

We took the TGV (very fast train) to Paris so travelled through the Louire Valley but didn’t really get to see much (so quick), and arrived  at Gare Montparnasse in Paris 3 hrs later.  It was reasonably easy, if you overlook all the stairs, to get the Metro to Pernety where our hotel sits across the road.  Cosy is what you would call this hotel room, we are on the top floor so the ceiling slopes in on one side and immediately makes you want to duck your head.  The location is great but there is no air con and unfortunately we have arrived at 3pm when the room is probably at its hottest but hopefully that will be better when we return.
Our first point of call, after a very late lunch across the road at Cafe Metro, was the Tour Eiffel.  It would seem every other tourist in Paris decided to visit here this afternoon too!   The queues are enormous and we are told the wait will be about an hour but our options are limited so we decide to do it now, or not at all.  After a 1 hr wait on the ground, and another long wait at the next level we do eventually make it to the summit, and all concede it was well worth the wait.  The views are spectacular and we orientate ourselves with the famous landmarks of this city.

Back on ground level we head to the river and investigate the river cruises, there are so many to choose from!  We find there are seats available on a 1.5 hr dinner cruise departing in just half an hr so figure that was meant for us.  The dinner was lovely and It was very peaceful cruising up the Seine to round Ille de Cite and back around the replica of the Statue of Liberty.    Although it was 9pm when we pulled out, we left in sunshine.  During the course of the trip the sun set and the lights of the city turned on.  Very beautiful.  We took the subway home and had a nightcap at Cafe Metro,  our new local to end the day.

3rd July

After breakfast at the hotel we walked to the waterfront where we found a produce market and by the time we got to the end of that it wasn’t much further to the centre of town.  Once again we saw all the beautiful fresh vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses and breads, Yum!  Docked alongside was one of those boats you can book to cruise the major rivers of Europe, very flash.  I’m already confident we will make our 10,000 step target today by the time we make it to town for a coffee!  There were lots of locals on the streets either eating at the cafes or enjoying all the public spaces so we sat and enjoyed some ‘people watching’ in Place de la Victoire. We deduce that this is what you have to do if you live in apartments. The square features an unusual red marble obelisk and two bronze turtles with bunches of grapes and wine variety names decorating the shells.  The local kids just can’t resist climbing on them.   We wandered all over town and then caught a tram home after lunch in the square overlooking the beautiful Porte de Bourgogne which reminds me of the castle featured on Disney films. Eric had just connected online when Luke called on Skype.  Great to hear from him, he has an interview for the Fire brigade tomorrow morning so we were pleased to be able to send our best wishes and now have our fingers crossed (very hard to type in that position).  After a bit of a rest, and before we got entranced in the second set between Nadal and Djokovik in the Wimbledon GF, we walked to the Botanic Gardens.  Sadly, these look in need of a good shower of rain, France is still in drought, but there are still many people out enjoying them.  Making our way back to the tram stop we found ourselves very close to the food and wine expo again so we dropped in for a refreshing drink before returning home to prepare for dinner.  I didn’t think I liked cocktails but I have just discovered Mojito!  How refreshing all that crushed lime and mint is after all that walking.  We had dinner on the banks of La Garrone for the last time.  We are intrigued by the latest fashion which is to do away with ice buckets and use these cute, but pretty impractical, tabletop wine cooler bags here.