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Thursday 2 May 2013

Paris.


So, after a twelve hour delay in Abu Dhabi we finally made it to Paris.....at 4am in the morning.


I can't complain though, as Etihad Airways looked after us and gave a a hotel room for what would otherwise have been a day of pain. We hadn't been at the hotel for five minutes before we were down in the shop kitting ourselves out in cossies so that we could hit the pool:


Our first day, of our 4 day stay, in Paris was just a tad hairy. Needless to say, we were somewhat jet lagged and aimless in our plan. We route marched our troops from the apartment where we were staying, over near the Jardin des Plantes, to the Luxembourg Gardens, for a pilgrimage to the children's play ground and then, like the incompetent parents that we are, thought that lunch at Restaurant Chez Georges, over near the Place des Victoires, on the other side of the river, was a good idea. No sooner had we sat down at one of the long communal tables in this bustling and beautiful little restaurant than we realised that we had made a big mistake. We really do live in la la land and nurse idealised visions of our children participating in a civilised lunch, actually eating the meal put in front of them with gusto and contributing scintillating conversation. It is never like this and we should have known better. In reality it's more like being on the verge of having a massive heart attack....with palpitations, sweaty palms and an overwhelming feeling of dread.  We are seriously outnumbered by our children and they are adept at sensing our fear. 

Tempers were already frayed, as the children's complaints about the food were in full flight and the wine wasn't quite working for the adults....and then seconds after the baby escaped and tried to sit on the lap of the gentleman further down the banquette, my husband may have said, out loud.....that I was a 'crap mother'. Quelle horreur. Our eldest daughter accidentally upset her orange juice on his lap. He was livid.....and was then presented with a bill for six people's lunch of snails and fillet steak with béarnaise sauce.....which was probably punishment enough.

Luckily, the gods smiled on us and a babysitter materialised in the form of the 21 year old son of the couple who owned the apartment. Even better, can you believe that his rate was 7 an hour (less than AUD$10.....yes, really) although we may have paid him more as we wanted him to come back two nights in a row. Our children described him as spunky and indeed he had that archetypal Parisian male look going on, all shoulder length floppy dark hair, unbuttoned shirt and velvet blazer. He is studying economics at the Sorbonne and is convinced by the benefits of yoga, which he does every day, even though he plays rugby (union) and when we met him, he was reading Homer's 'The Ilyiad'......for fun. He played games and drew and coloured in with the children, did the dishes, cleaned up after their dinner and brought them a cake made by his mum. The day we left he helped haul all of our bags down 4 flights of stairs.  How lucky were we.

Because we were in one of the most romantic cities in the world, my husband retracted his 'crap mother' comment and I forgave him and we went and drank champagne at The Cafe Marly in the forecourt of the Louvre during l'heure bleue:


Followed by dinner at Le Grand Colbert..... a beautiful old style brasserie (it's listed as a historic monument) which also happens to be the restaurant in the movie 'Something's Gotta Give'. We'd been there a couple of years before for lunch.....with our children....and I'd ordered the roast chicken that Diane Keaton's character in the film raves about, yet truthfully, at the time I hadn't thought that it was that amazing.....the roast chicken at Sean's Panorama at Bondi Beach in Sydney, is better. Seeing it was just around the corner and the clock was ticking we thought we'd give Le Grand Colbert another go. The poster for the movie was still in the window next to the front door, which caused us to hesitate as there is nowhere worse than a Paris restaurant overrun with tourists. No need to fear, as mercifully it wasn't and the atmosphere was buzzy and the food and wine, enhanced by the knowledge that our children back in the apartment tucked up in bed, was delicious....I had the snails (again) and the fish with hollandaise sauce. 

Hedonistic adult decadence aside, we dedicated one full day of our very short visit to lugging the family all the way out to Parc Asterix.....on the other side of Charles de Gaulle Airport:





It really is very cleverly done and the inherent Frenchness makes it, I think, much better than Euro Disney......I'm tempted to actually read an Asterix book now, which my children assure me are fabulous.  I'll admit, here and now, that I  have a bit of a thing for scary rides.......yet 'Oziris' takes the cake. I screamed from the minute that it plunged down the first terrifying descent, giving myself a hoarse voice, which of course has helped no end with my otherwise shockingly bad French pronunciation.....nobody needs to know that it's not caused by a packet a day Gauloises habit. It also made me rethink pelvic floor exercises....up until now I've been quite proud of mine even though I've had four children, as jumping on the trampoline in the garden at home presents no problem, however being whipped around loop the loops and corkscrew turns on what is effectively a swing is another thing all together. Be warned.

I'm proud to say that while we were in Paris, I got myself out of bed before sunrise, on not one, but two mornings, to get myself over to the Bikram Yoga studio in the Marais in time to do the 7am class. When I explained that I was from Tasmania.....they were incredulous. I mentioned this to my husband and he suggested that maybe they mixed up 'Tasmania' with 'Tanzania' yet I'd made sure that I gave them the word perfect 'small island to the south of Australia' spiel in French as taught by our Adult Education French teacher....before she moved to Queensland. The Bikram Yoga dialogue sounds lovely in French, however it was somewhat off putting having a clock and pictures of Bikram himself decorating the hot room. Both of the instructors, who took the classes that I did, were also keen on barking out posture corrections, no one was immune to their scrutiny, which meant that I had to keep my wits about me so that I could put them into practice when they called out to me.....by name. This was especially difficult during the second class, as I'd also crinked my neck on Ozsiris somewhat rendering my practice almost impossible. Anyway, the only difference, Anna if you are reading this, is that they do Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose, Triangle Pose and Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose sideways, standing on their mats. Otherwise, I could have been back on the mat.....in Hobart.

Rx

13 comments:

  1. hi romy!

    i'm so impressed that you even attempted such a dinner with your children. my 3 sons are all grown now but back in the day...no way. they were way too wild.

    also impressed that you did your yoga before dawn. well done!

    xo
    janet

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    1. Hi Janet!
      have been steering clear of restaurants with our children ever since as it is just too hard! Am missing yoga....am trying to discover where I can practice in the village of Uzes where we are now living.....hopefully will make it to a class or two of Bikram Yoga in London! Rx

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  2. Sounds like quite the adventure so far!! I know what you mean about dinner... we nurse the same thoughts of having civilised dinners with our kids, but the reality is that it must come quickly, and preferably involve chips which they think are a main course in themselves. And no, I'm not referring to McDonalds, which ours have never been to (thank God). I'm deeply impressed that your dedication to Bikram led you to continue in Paris, although you must be missing it now that you're at your destination?
    That babysitter sounds like a dream. Velvet blazer, reading The Ilyad, playing with the kids...? And Cheap? He needs to pay Australia a visit (although I'm sure his rate would go up once he realised how much we pay over here...) looking forward to hearing more of your adventures xx

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    1. Always an adventure Heidi! Finally braved a restaurant for lunch today in the pedestrianised square in Uzes.....they had colouring in and an inexpensive children's menu and it worked....phew! My children have only been to McDonald's once....they used to complain that all of the other children at their school's had the crappy toys that come with the food.....my dad was sick and I was at a low ebb, so we went....they refused to eat the food and the toys very quickly broke. Now they will hold their own in a conversation as to why McDonald's is neither food nor a restaurant! If you are ever contemplating a trip to Paris with your children I'll give you the babysitter's number! Rx

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  3. I can totally relate to just desperately wanting a nice family dinner in a 'grown up' restaurant and the subsequent panic that ensues. I only have 2 children, 3 and 4, but I almost always feel outnumbered by them, must be something to do with that determined persistence that they have when they want something, like to get away from or at least under the table!

    It sounds like things have gotten off to a good start overall though. Hooray for the fabulous French babysitter! I look forward to reading about your adventures. I've always dreamed of escaping for 6-12 months and living life in Europe. Maybe one day.

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    1. Hi Mary!
      Hooray for the babysitter...he saved our sanity! We are counting the days until school starts (Monday) and 3 of our children will be attending....have started putting feelers out for a creche for the 2 year old...fingers crossed something materialises as she can't go to the ecole maternelle until she is toilet trained and no amount of promising to buy her a fairy dress seems to be convincing her to give up nappies! Rx

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  4. Still laughing at the "crap mother" comment. Obviously a seriously jet lagged man with a death wish! (And something I would expect my husband to say or, god forbid, similar may escape my mouth under such circumstances...) Those first few days are always so stressful until kids adjust I think.

    Very impressed with your yoga in Paris.

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    1. Yes, I can joke about the crap mother comment too now....especially as the husband has been trapped in the bosom of our family (no work or bike to escape to) and has realised exactly what a difficult, time-consuming gig being a full time mother/father actually is! If anything he's being nicer to me now! Mercifully school starts on Monday! Happily I can report that everyone seems to be finding their feet and adjusting which makes thing much less stressful. Rx

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  5. How lovely (except the crazy kids)! Can you please tell me all about the WEATHER?!

    Your daughter looks so tall! xx

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    1. Was feeling all relaxed about the weather as for two days in Paris it was 28 degrees....and then the next day it was 8 degrees. Down here in the South of France it has been raining and storming it's head off and been really very cold. Today it's a tad warmer yet still surly looking.....am contemplating buying a trench coat and gum boots for the UK yet will keep you posted. My packing was ALL WRONG! Better luck with yours! Just before we left my daughter overtook me in height....I'm destined to one day no doubt be the shortest in my family. Rx

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  6. Oh Romy. This has me in hysterics. So much to comment on. K was rather game to tag you with that label. Thank goodness he saw the error of his ways! I can't believe the going rate for babysittters en Paris. Formidable! I will have a chuckle with Anna over your Bikram visits. Miss you! J x

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    1. Initially I thought that the babysitter was going to sting us for 7 Euros per child but it really was 7 Euros an hour for the lot....he was fabulous....he made Paris with four children magical, thank God as it was shaping unto be hellish! Are you doing the 30 day challenge?! Rx

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