To be honest, Paris has never been on my bucket list but when you have no plan you never now what will happen. My friend Hente phoned me from Finland and complained about the weather. 8 degrees celsius and heavy rain is rarely a weather one would fancy. We also made a deal when I was still in Finland that he might visit me somewhere in Europe. So with my new French friend Ben who had invited me to visit him in Paris any time, it was an easy decision to meet Hente there. Local guide and free accommodation in Ben’s place. Voila!
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| B.Nana chilling in Ben's balcony. |
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| Wine kept cool in a fancy way =) |
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Meat in a skewer with green beans. One of the best dishes I had in
Paris. |
So I left Ghent (Belgium) and headed to Paris by bus which was only an hour late. Luckily I had other fellows waiting in the bus stop and a very helpful taxi driver who promised to take us to Paris for only 300€ if the bus wouldn't show up at all. I'm so glad the bus arrived even being late.
I got to Paris and even found Ben’s place easily. One drop of sweat appeared to my forehead when I couldn't get the front door open. I had the code to front door in my mobile and I tried it like ten times but nothing happened. Fuck. Ok, I don't have Ben’s phone number. What to do. Lets try if he’s online in Facebook*. Turned on roaming in my mobile, sent a message to Ben via facebook and just hoped for the best. After 5 minutes or so the door opens and theres the smiling Frenchy! Happy days.
Hente joined us later that evening and he was quite a sight when he stepped out from the tram. New hairdos and Jack Nicholson style shades. Damn! The funniest thing was that the weather was quite bad in Paris and in Finland it was like 30 degrees. Of to drink some traditional French drinks, Pastis, wine, Spoon Alcohol (it’s real name is Ti-Punch but Hente named it spoon alcohol)
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Me and Hente having a breakfast with baguette
and wheat bear. |
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| I guess I don't need to tell you where this picture is taken. |
Probably the best moment In Paris was in Montmartre hill where I haggled with the beer sellers. Let me explain. It’s one of the most familiar spots in the whole Paris and there’s always a crowd and where there is people there is people trying to sell them stuff. At night time in Montmartre it’s beer, Heineken to be precise. I guess the cardboard cartridges are easiest to carry to the hill. As soon as we arrived at the hill the first beer dude came offering his services. The price was 10€ for two 0.25 litter beers in the beginning. Luckily it was the buyers market so I offered 2€ for a bottle. You should have seen the face of the seller. It took some time and haggling but since I didn't give any room for discussion he finally sold us the beers for four euros. I know, it’s still a bit much for such a small amount of beer but the next ones I bought for only 1€ a bottle. Carried to the hill for you, ice cold. We were happy with Hente
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| Hente relaxing with B.Nana |
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| Montmartre |
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| Moulin Rouge |
*Yes my young Padawans, times are changing. I do have an facebook account but I only accept foreigners who I meet whilst travelling as a friend, so my dear friends in Finland, it's the old school ways to contact me.
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