City of Death

No, not really. But all the famous sights and buildings previously only seen through the glass television screen, now up close and in person, seen through the glass window of a tour bus.

Before The Phantom of the Opera there was the Paris Opera.

Palais Garnier

Before The DaVinci Code and I.M. Pei, there was the medieval Louvre.

Musée du Louvre

It's much safer to let someone else do the driving down the Champs Elysées.

Arc de Triomphe

The politicians meet in the former Palais Bourbon.

Assemblée Nationale

Here too there are enforcers of the French language and culture.

Académie Française

Each year, sand is trucked in to create an artificial beach on the banks of the Seine.

Paris Plages

The famous cathedral is difficult to photograph from the water.

Cathédrale Nôtre Dame

So many museums, so little time.

Musée d'Orsay

The Train! The Train!

Flashback: Saturday, July 31, 2004

It's an early, early start to a long crazy day. (Tactical travel error #3: Sunblock and hat are mandatory for modern-day travel - always check that you've packed them in your bag before leaving the hotel room.)

There are still some people about, this early on a Saturday morning, but it feels oddly quiet for the London that I've seen in my days here.

Palace of Westminster, at 5:35 am

Waterloo International station is quite nice, and a far sight better looking than most of the buildings around it. However, it was obviously designed for a different, less security conscious time, which has made certain areas a bit impractical. [This all becomes a moot point in 2007, when St. Pancras International becomes the new London terminal for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.]

(Tactical travel error #4: Having collected a handful of Euros from family, and then leaving them all at home, there's no avoiding the rules and fees of the sole currency exchange bureau in the station.)

The fares may be higher, but until the new high speed track is complete, Eurostar is dragged back down to the level of British Rail. It's a bit of a letdown from the time we trudge out of London, and eventually limp into Ashford station. However, the ride certainly has an international feel. Travellers from around the world mingle with English and French (and the mostly-Francophone bilingual staff), as Europe encroaches on British shores.

The Channel Tunnel is a wonder of the modern world, as seen on the Discovery Channel. In reality, you can't see it coming from on board the train - the only indication is when the watertight doors close. Then it's just 20 minutes of train tunnel, until returning to daylight on the Continent.

The Eurostar train is an engineering marvel in itself, capable of running on three different track standards and power supplies, in three different countries. Commuter rail in Canada tops out at 160 km/h, but it's still rather fun to slowly overtake the automobile traffic where the rails parallel the motorway. Blasting through the French countryside at 300 km/h on the other hand, is truly impressive.

On board Eurostar

Footprints

31 States (+ DC)

Asterisk: Colorado - airport only

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10 countries (4%)

Asterisks: Germany - airport only; Mexico - just a quick walk around the block

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Westminster

The tour ends back where it started, at Victoria Station. I decide to walk back to the hotel, via St. James's Park and Westminster.

Horse Guards

Westminster Abbey

Palace of Westminster

It's still early enough in the evening for a quick recce, to make sure that it is indeed possible to walk from Charing Cross to Waterloo Station, directly and in a reasonable amount of time. Then a run to the Tesco Metro in Covent Garden, for dinner, and a full day's supplies for tomorrow's adventure. There'll be no time for breakfast, when you have to leave the hotel at 5 am.

London Eye