Getting around in Paris

 Ricky took care of booking our apartment in Paris and it was in the old part of town in the Montmarte District.

Lots of character and old world charm, even if it was removed from the main sightseeing areas of Paris.

After being able to leave our luggage in our apartment we decided to wander down the hill and take in the local area.

The 'hill' seemed to go on forever but we were happy enough to take in the surroundings and shops.

Ricky was very taken with the colour of the limestone in the buildings as well as the iron lace work on the apartment balconies.

We decided to walk as far as we could and then we would get a taxi home again.  Cafes along the way beckoned us and we stopped for refreshments as well as to escape the cold.

When we had done what we thought was enough walking for the day we decided to get a taxi back to the apartment but this was no easy task.  The taxi drivers obviously felt that a fare up into the streets of Montmarte was not worth their while and so we were not able to go home this way.

We had no choice but to walk.  It was a long slow walk and we did get lost along the way but eventually made it home after night fall.

It seemed we could be in a bit of a quandry if we could not hire a taxi for our needs the next day, but things greatly improved.

When we set out next morning we headed for a taxi stand that I had seen the night before and fortunately there was one there waiting for a fare and so we were able to get to the Eiffel Tower without any problems.

Getting from the Eiffel Tower to the Notre Dame Cathedral and in turn the Louvre by taxi was not a problem either.

However after the Louvre we faced another taxi dilemma.  Although there was many a taxi to be seen we were not able to find one willing to stop and take us home.  We were not quite sure how to resolve the situation when Ricky just happened to spot a bus stop promoting 2 bus routes only and one of them just happened to be Route 95 which just happened to go to Montmarte.

We walked to the bus shelter and within a minute a bus came and took us all the way back to Montmarte and we were able to alight not far from home.

Another last walk through the streets, taking in the various shops that seemed to be doing a good trade after 5pm.

Ricky and I popped into a local bakery and bought a baguette still warm from the oven and we wandered home breaking off pieces of baguette to eat as we went.  It seemed a happy way to end a fulfilling day in Paris.