near Paris, 30 June, 10.24pm
If I was able to upload my photos I would show you the queues outside Chanel, Tod's, Gucci and other designer stores on Rue St Honore. Tomorrow is the official start of the summer sales in Paris but today was the unofficial start. So for Simon's benefit - no I didn't indulge. for Firegazer's benefit - don't worry the credit cards are safe. Unfortunately the stores didn't open until 10 and some not until 11am and I had a taxi to catch to our seminar outside Paris.
My original plan today was to visit the Musee D'Orsay however even at 9am for a 9.30am opening the queues were too long to guarantee a decent viewing before I had to leave today. Instead I continued to walk along the Rive Gauche until Pont Alexandre III, then up past the Petit Palais (YSL retrospective on, but again wasn't opening until 10am) over the Champs Elysee and up to Rue St Honore for a bit of window shopping. There was a considerable police presence including plain clothed security officers from the bridge right up to the Palais d'Elysee so I wonder if the President was expected to arrive or leave? The security presence was significant enough to signal that I shouldn't loiter to find out.
I followed Rue St Honore past the Madeleine until Place Vendome and then took a right down to the Tuilleries and then up to Le Louvre and back to the hotel.
If I had more time I would simply walk all the back and side streets around Paris. But I had a taxi to catch to our seminar venue outside Paris.
Our seminar is all very United Nations with a representative or two from every country that is part of our Company complete with headsets and translators. I have never listened to presentations translated through headsets before - it is quite tiring. Tomorrow, however, we will be divided into same-language groups. The seminar is largely in French and English but for many of the participants they have to choose the best of the two languages for them even though they are natural Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish or Russian speakers. The most impressive are the Swedes who speak perfect English AND French in addition to Swedish.
I really must improve my French...
8 comments:
Those seminars are really cramping your style...
It's a shame you are expected to work. Working while in Parish should be a crime.
walking all around Paris is fantastic ...and damn those 10.00am store openings!
You are right, Froggie, the seminar is cramping my style. Why on earth does there have to be actual work during this trip?
chuck a sickie - and blame it on the food. What are the French going to teach you about human resource management in a multi-cultural context anyway.
Divine!!
It all sounds so exciting and interesting! I'm walking with you every step of the way. The work part of it is no price at all to pay for the wonderful time and experience you're having and I'm thoroughly enjoying it, too. Thank-you.
Ashy will be SOOO jealous that you are within cooee of the soldes.
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