A trivial conversation I had earlier with a French colleague made me realize that it's been awhile since we've been to the beautiful and incredibly romantic capital of France. And considering that it's relatively easy for us to get to as well, being only one train change away from where we live, we don't really have an excuse not to go more often. A forty minute train ride to London St. Pancras from the train station near us, then from there take the Eurostar and in just two and half hours we are at Gare du Nord station in Central Paris.
Notre Dame Cathedral Paris
Although we've been several times before, much to my surprise I realised that the last time we had been was way back in summer 2007. How time flies! I've never consciously thought, until now, how long it's been since we were there. In fact every working day, twice a day, there is a huge reminder hovering all over me to go and visit this city again (I alight at St. Pancras station en route to work, where Eurostar departs and arrives, and announcements are made in both English and French).
A very recognizable landmark, in a green and lush city
So as I ponder on when exactly to go back again (soon) for a mini break, it made me look at some of the photos we took last time we were there. So this is something of a retro post, which I don't usually do but thought it might be nice to share some of these photos at the same time that I reminisce.
We times our last visit on Bastille Day. And it was hot that day too. The joys of continental summers!
Some friendly Parisian birds...
And I'll make it garden and green centric too! As some of you would have noticed we try and visit botanic gardens, if there is one, whenever we go on city breaks. I remember on this trip we tried to visit one of the botanic glasshouses (which one exactly I can't remember) but it was being renovated at that time so we couldn't go in.
A 'garden centre' in very central Paris. This is where we got the iron bell that now hangs in our garden (which we featured here previously).
Nothing unusual but not a bad selection either.
Nice! And one for the Idea Bank!
Ravenea rivularis
Now I safely presume it'll be finished by now so we'll get in it this time around. And with careful planning we might be able to check out Jardin des Plantes too.Retro Paris!
One of Patrick Blanc's living walls or vertical gardens...
This one we saw en route to where the Eiffel Tower stands.
The bananas were lost in the borders, could do with bigger specimens for a summer display.
Which also reminds me, we have a goldmine of (exotic) gardening related photos from our visits to other cities and countries through the years. I ought to feature them from time to time. It's nice for us to look back at them again, and equally nice to share them in future blog posts. Sometimes it's good to look back to the past!
Mark
