Well – it looks like life got in the way of my blog for quite a while, feeling very guilty that my last post was way back, a week before Christmas. I do want to keep writing about my travels, but things may go slowly at times as I get back into a normal life. Just a little one to get back into the swing of things!
14th July 2013 – Bastille Day
La Fete Nationale or le 14 Juillet in Paris and I slept half the morning away! I’d seen helicopters practicing their low fly pasts last week, but today in my area everything was quiet and just like any other Sunday. Thought it would be best to stay away from Champs-Élysées where all the festivities are held so I made my way to Montmartre on the metro to visit the Sacré-Cœur. Every time I navigate my way to a different part of the city on the metro, I feel so very chuffed with myself, it gives me a real boost – probably ill deserved, because I really think it’s very easy! Finding my way from the metro to where I’m going is sometimes a bit hit and miss, but I guess I see plenty of extras on the way, so that’s always a bonus.
The streets leading towards the hill where Sacré-Cœur sits were crowded with tourists and hawkers, lots of little stalls selling all sorts of cheap, and probably nasty, souvenirs, although I wish I could draw and paint even a tenth as well as the people who do the sketches and paintings I see everywhere. As well as the ones with the cups and ball taking money off the gullible among us there were plenty of guys around with their trinkets for sale, spread out on a large piece of circular cloth with a drawstring around the edge – so they could quickly pull the drawstring to close the sack, throw it over their shoulder and run like the wind when they needed to. I’m guessing they’re either illegal immigrants or have no permit to be selling – either way, rather them than me.
Just because it was something a bit different, I caught the funicular to the top and joined the hordes wandering around taking photos and generally just enjoying being there on a beautiful day.I have to admit, I didn’t go inside the church, I was just happy to sit and try my hand at drawing for a while, people watch and remind myself – oh yeah, you’re really in Paris, on Bastille Day, at Sacré-Cœur – WOW!!
MidLife Traveller 
What an exciting day to be in Paris! And sketching as well – fantastic 😀
LikeLike
And to see the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower from my apartment was just extraordinary!
LikeLike