Worktrip to Paris!
Feb. 4th, 2023 07:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beelikejI would have been squeeing ahead of time, but I don't really want to advertise when I'm leaving my home;) At the end of January I went on another international businesstrip! I had a weeklong working-session in Paris, where I spent all days in a meeting-room having heated discussions with other geodata nerds \o/ It was brilliant:) We did get out of the room for lush lunches (the amount and quality comparible to my cruise trip!) but most hours of the day it was workworkwork.
In the evenings I had additional meetings, so there wasn't any time to explore the town. Luckily I got to see the Eiffeltower in the distance when I crossed the Seine on my walk to the meeting, which is how I at least knew I was in Paris, haha!
Fortunately, when I planned the trip I had thought we might need time on Saturday for additional meetings and I had booked the last train of the day to go home. After we managed to get our whole agenda done with the evening sessions, I had the whole Saturday to wander through Paris!
There are a few photos that summarize my workweek on my Instagram, but here's my full Paris experience!
I'll get to Saturday in a minute, let me first share some of my impressions of Paris during the week. I have been there before; when I was a child my parents would take us camping in France, and we did stop in Paris on the way to the beaches in the south west, but I only have vague memories of that. I also spent a day in Paris in the early nineties, with my US friend M., again: only vague memories:)
DAY 1: Arrival
For work I got to travel first class on the Thalys (speed) train, baby! So I left home in the morning, got on the train to Schiphol and boarded the 11:34 a.m. Thalys and arrived in Paris at 14:45 (2:45 p.m).
I bought a Navigo Easy card (2 euros) to put tickets on for public transport and then I took the metro(s) to my hotel in the 16th arrondisement.
Along the way I passed Les Cinq Toits (The Five Roofs) - former gendarmerie barracks Caserne Chalvidan (built in 1908), which were transformed in 2018 by Paris Habitat into housing for asylum seekers, refugees and homeless families. The buildings are currently accomodating 350 people. There are also spaces for artists and everyone is welcome in the solidarity resaurant, the workshops and bicycle centre:)
To my surprise my hotelroom had a bath! Woohoo!
A separate toilet as well, fancy!
After checking into the hotel, I walked to the meeting location to time it for the next day; it took me about twenty minutes to get there.
I decided to try a Vélib bicycle on the way back, which is only 5 euros for 24 hours, but you need to make a deposit of 300 euros (Which was put as a reserve on my creditcard and was returned after about a week afterwards). This ride only took me 8 minutes, so that's some precious early morning time saving I can do!! (... see Day 3)
For dinner I found an Italian restaurant nearby for Spaghetti Carbonara.
DAY 2: First day of meetings
In the morning I cycled to the meeting (but ended up having to walk around to find a parking spot, which took me just as long as had I walked all the way, haha). Walking back after the evening meeting I had this amazing view of the lights on the Eiffeltower. Second photo is zoomed in, the searchlight is actually white, my camera turned it blue;)
I put a short video on my YouTube:)
DAY 3: Second day of meetings
I bought a 72 hours Vélib ticket on Tuesday morning, planning to cycle the rest of the week too. Unfortunately I took a tumble after hitting a curb (note that I'm a livelong cyclist and only ever fell ONE time in the Netherlands, which was because of ice on the road. I blame the French bike and its cutesy basket with all the weight in front). I scraped my knees (and ripped my nice work trousers) but even worse, I hurt my wrist, preventing me from using the handbreaks, so I couldn't safely cycle anymore and thus walked the rest of the week, hrmpf. Let's not mention this again.
In the evening we all went out for dinner together, it was quite a walk to the restaurant, but I managed (and I could take a metro back to the hotel from there). I had a mocktail: Tutti Frutti (jus d'orange, ananas, citron, sirop de fraise) and ordered a starter as a main (because of those massive lunches I mostly had a simple sandwich for dinner). I had Oreilles de cochon grillées = grilled pig's ears with a beetroot salad; for dessert Vacherin du Commerce = Meringue with vanilla and pistachios ice cream, chocolat sause and whipped cream:)
DAY 4: Third day of meetings
On our way to the metro after tonight's evening meeting (for which we went to a hotel in the 11 arrondissement) we passed Église Saint-Ambroise, beautifully lit. I do have a better photo, but this one with the garbage truck amuses me (also because I got woken up by the sound of them at six AM every morning)
Back at the hotel I finally had time to enjoy a bath with a book. (Glad I brought the headphones, since my neighbour was loud, so I listened to smoothing rain sounds while reading:)
DAY 5: Fourth day of meetings
Another metro ride to the 11th arrondisement for another evening meeting and the sandwiches we bought by way of dinner:)
DAY 6: Fifth and final day of meetings
Today we stopped a little earlier because some delegations had to catch flights or trains. With the rest we went out for drinks to finish a very awesome week of meetings. (I feel so comfortable with this group of fellow nerds that I actually enjoyed these socializing situations!)
The funky tiles on the floor of our meeting location. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité at the top of a schoolbuilding.
Loopy tree on Avenue Félix Faure and my Mojito Mocktail with the oysters that our French hosts insisted we try for the first time:)
An excellent evening and a nice end of a very cool workweek
DAY 7: stroll (and a boatride) through Paris!
I slept in a little, but like all week, I started the day with a lovely breakfast (most of the time I chose a croissant, but I also had chocolate rolls;) I loved this painting; the signature of the artists seems to be Cyrillic script, which would transcribe to D. Kravchov (?).
The cosy entrance of the hotel and my packed backpack, in which I even managed to put my laptop bag, so I could travel with my hands free:)
Took the metro(s) to Gare du Nord; these barriers are the work of the devil, it's like they don't want people to get in or out the station at all! Good thing I had my hands free to push!
At the trainstation I stored my back in a locker for the day.
Then I took the metro back into town.
The mix of old and new buildings at Gare d'Austerlitz. Check out the graffity too!
Museum d'Histoire Natureule in Jardin des Plantes.
Bronze statue of Emmanuel Fremiet (1913) making his sculpture 'Le Dénicheur d'Oursons', made by Henri Greber (1854-1941). Next time I'm visiting, I must seek out the full size of that (because butt;)
A dinosaur sculpture, especially forcassiopeia7 and ashtraythief;)
And that was my quick visit to the Jardin des Plantes, because I'm really on my way to the Seine, to catch the BatoBus ('Boat'Bus) for a bit of sightseeing from the river:)
The lady at the ticketdesk pretends she doesn't understand me while the boat is already getting ready to leave, but just in time she sells me a ticket, puh. All aboard!
I'm sure I said before that I'm a big fan of bridges, so I'm having a great time!
I don't know all of the buildings we pass, but this is a Courthouse.
The name of this bridge is one of the things I remember from my childhood trips in Paris; it's the Pont Neuf and it is gorgeous. *hearteyes*
One of the amazing buildings of the Louvre; look at all those sculptures!
*chinhands at all the pretty*
This is the bridge to Place de La Concorde (will go there later). All the gold!
So. Many Bridges \o/
Wahey, look at that!
This is where I get off the boat; you can hop on/hop off at nine landmarks in Paris. I will be back!
I treat myself to a warm crêpe with ham and cheese, there is a freezing cold wind, but I don't mind: EIFFELTOWER!
Manly sculptures on the Pont d'Iéna:)
Yes, I found a manhole cover with Paris on it. Right next to the Eiffeltower :-D
I walk around the tower for some artsy photos;)
Then I cross the bridge to Trocadero for actual art.
*smug*
I call this series: Des Oiseaux sur les Têtes.
After I have climbed Trocadero I walk along Avenue Kléber; behind the old art nouveau metro entrance you can already see the side of... the Arc de Triomphe!
Place Charles de Gaule is a large round-a-bout with fast cars, so I zoom in to get a closer look of the Arc de Triomphe.
I walk around the Arc to get to the Avenue des Champs Élysées.
Tadaah! The Champs Élysées is a very fancy shopping street, with big fashion houses that people are lining up for to enter. I just stroll along the avenue looking at the fascinating buildings. Check out that mirror cube design reflecting the old building!
I have never heard of Moncler, but it's my favorite window display with the bubble flamingos; they also have animated shopwindows with other blob animals.
This corner is a good visual summary of this city:)
I couldn't figure out what the blobs were on the side of Louis Vuitton, but apparantly it's meant to be paint. It's an installation by Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama.
I am more charmed by the old decorations in Paris.
Look at that balcony!
Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées and a peek through the trees at the Grand Palais
Statue of Charles de Gaule at Place Clemenceau.
In the distance Billetterie Nord Musée de l'armée at the end of Esplanade des Invalides
Modern sculpture on one side and old sculpture on the other; this is the green part of the Champs Élysées.
Place de la Concorde with the 18th century Egyptian obelisk and the Fontaine des Mers by Jacques Ignace Hittorff (1840)
Such great light with the sun going down!
Spot the Eiffeltower in between the street lantarns and you see how far I walked!
I head towards the river again and walk along the Quai des Tuileries towards the Port de la Concorde.
This is another stop from the BatoBus; the next boat will be here in twenty minutes, so I find a bench to rest while waiting. Great view of the Pont Alexandre III.
There's the boat! For some reason it has to turn around to moor and then turns around again to go on to the Eiffeltower, which I don't mind seeing again. There it turns to go back along the other side of the river.
More awesome bridges along the way:)
My final stop is the Notre Dame, which is still being rebuild after the fire of 2019.
Here I get off the boat to catch a metro back to the trainstation.
On my way to the metro along the Quai the Montebello, across the water I see the French flag in lights on the side of the Préfecture de police de Paris (former gendarmerie baracks).
Hope I catch the metro in the right direction, because time is getting tight (story of my travel life;). Glad I already know my way around Gare du Nord from this morning!
I go get my backpack from the locker and then head to Five Guys to grab a bite for dinner. I see the potatoes they make their fries from come from the Netherlands and even funnier from a very familiar town, haha.
As I am running out of time I only order mayo on my hot dog from the overwhelming list of things you can have them put on it. Perfect combo though!
When I have nearly finished my food they announce the arrival of the Thalys, so I can get on board (after a long walk along the platform, because the last part only goes to Brussels and I have a straight train to Amsterdam, bb!)
Feeling fancy in first class again, although my food shows who I really am ;-D
My loot from Paris was a lot of snacks for mom, but also some treats for me (notice the little purse with the cycling girl in Paris, heheheheh)
The End.
Without giving away too much, I can say there will be more worktrips this year;) Keep watching this space if you want to travel along!
J.
X-posted to https://beelikej.livejournal.com/579963.html
Lurk or comment wherever you like:)
In the evenings I had additional meetings, so there wasn't any time to explore the town. Luckily I got to see the Eiffeltower in the distance when I crossed the Seine on my walk to the meeting, which is how I at least knew I was in Paris, haha!
Fortunately, when I planned the trip I had thought we might need time on Saturday for additional meetings and I had booked the last train of the day to go home. After we managed to get our whole agenda done with the evening sessions, I had the whole Saturday to wander through Paris!
There are a few photos that summarize my workweek on my Instagram, but here's my full Paris experience!
I'll get to Saturday in a minute, let me first share some of my impressions of Paris during the week. I have been there before; when I was a child my parents would take us camping in France, and we did stop in Paris on the way to the beaches in the south west, but I only have vague memories of that. I also spent a day in Paris in the early nineties, with my US friend M., again: only vague memories:)
DAY 1: Arrival
For work I got to travel first class on the Thalys (speed) train, baby! So I left home in the morning, got on the train to Schiphol and boarded the 11:34 a.m. Thalys and arrived in Paris at 14:45 (2:45 p.m).
I bought a Navigo Easy card (2 euros) to put tickets on for public transport and then I took the metro(s) to my hotel in the 16th arrondisement.
Along the way I passed Les Cinq Toits (The Five Roofs) - former gendarmerie barracks Caserne Chalvidan (built in 1908), which were transformed in 2018 by Paris Habitat into housing for asylum seekers, refugees and homeless families. The buildings are currently accomodating 350 people. There are also spaces for artists and everyone is welcome in the solidarity resaurant, the workshops and bicycle centre:)
To my surprise my hotelroom had a bath! Woohoo!
A separate toilet as well, fancy!
After checking into the hotel, I walked to the meeting location to time it for the next day; it took me about twenty minutes to get there.
I decided to try a Vélib bicycle on the way back, which is only 5 euros for 24 hours, but you need to make a deposit of 300 euros (Which was put as a reserve on my creditcard and was returned after about a week afterwards). This ride only took me 8 minutes, so that's some precious early morning time saving I can do!! (... see Day 3)
For dinner I found an Italian restaurant nearby for Spaghetti Carbonara.
DAY 2: First day of meetings
In the morning I cycled to the meeting (but ended up having to walk around to find a parking spot, which took me just as long as had I walked all the way, haha). Walking back after the evening meeting I had this amazing view of the lights on the Eiffeltower. Second photo is zoomed in, the searchlight is actually white, my camera turned it blue;)
I put a short video on my YouTube:)
DAY 3: Second day of meetings
I bought a 72 hours Vélib ticket on Tuesday morning, planning to cycle the rest of the week too. Unfortunately I took a tumble after hitting a curb (note that I'm a livelong cyclist and only ever fell ONE time in the Netherlands, which was because of ice on the road. I blame the French bike and its cutesy basket with all the weight in front). I scraped my knees (and ripped my nice work trousers) but even worse, I hurt my wrist, preventing me from using the handbreaks, so I couldn't safely cycle anymore and thus walked the rest of the week, hrmpf. Let's not mention this again.
In the evening we all went out for dinner together, it was quite a walk to the restaurant, but I managed (and I could take a metro back to the hotel from there). I had a mocktail: Tutti Frutti (jus d'orange, ananas, citron, sirop de fraise) and ordered a starter as a main (because of those massive lunches I mostly had a simple sandwich for dinner). I had Oreilles de cochon grillées = grilled pig's ears with a beetroot salad; for dessert Vacherin du Commerce = Meringue with vanilla and pistachios ice cream, chocolat sause and whipped cream:)
DAY 4: Third day of meetings
On our way to the metro after tonight's evening meeting (for which we went to a hotel in the 11 arrondissement) we passed Église Saint-Ambroise, beautifully lit. I do have a better photo, but this one with the garbage truck amuses me (also because I got woken up by the sound of them at six AM every morning)
Back at the hotel I finally had time to enjoy a bath with a book. (Glad I brought the headphones, since my neighbour was loud, so I listened to smoothing rain sounds while reading:)
DAY 5: Fourth day of meetings
Another metro ride to the 11th arrondisement for another evening meeting and the sandwiches we bought by way of dinner:)
DAY 6: Fifth and final day of meetings
Today we stopped a little earlier because some delegations had to catch flights or trains. With the rest we went out for drinks to finish a very awesome week of meetings. (I feel so comfortable with this group of fellow nerds that I actually enjoyed these socializing situations!)
The funky tiles on the floor of our meeting location. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité at the top of a schoolbuilding.
Loopy tree on Avenue Félix Faure and my Mojito Mocktail with the oysters that our French hosts insisted we try for the first time:)
An excellent evening and a nice end of a very cool workweek
DAY 7: stroll (and a boatride) through Paris!
I slept in a little, but like all week, I started the day with a lovely breakfast (most of the time I chose a croissant, but I also had chocolate rolls;) I loved this painting; the signature of the artists seems to be Cyrillic script, which would transcribe to D. Kravchov (?).
The cosy entrance of the hotel and my packed backpack, in which I even managed to put my laptop bag, so I could travel with my hands free:)
Took the metro(s) to Gare du Nord; these barriers are the work of the devil, it's like they don't want people to get in or out the station at all! Good thing I had my hands free to push!
At the trainstation I stored my back in a locker for the day.
Then I took the metro back into town.
The mix of old and new buildings at Gare d'Austerlitz. Check out the graffity too!
Museum d'Histoire Natureule in Jardin des Plantes.
Bronze statue of Emmanuel Fremiet (1913) making his sculpture 'Le Dénicheur d'Oursons', made by Henri Greber (1854-1941). Next time I'm visiting, I must seek out the full size of that (because butt;)
A dinosaur sculpture, especially for
cassiopeia7 and ashtraythief;)And that was my quick visit to the Jardin des Plantes, because I'm really on my way to the Seine, to catch the BatoBus ('Boat'Bus) for a bit of sightseeing from the river:)
The lady at the ticketdesk pretends she doesn't understand me while the boat is already getting ready to leave, but just in time she sells me a ticket, puh. All aboard!
I'm sure I said before that I'm a big fan of bridges, so I'm having a great time!
I don't know all of the buildings we pass, but this is a Courthouse.
The name of this bridge is one of the things I remember from my childhood trips in Paris; it's the Pont Neuf and it is gorgeous. *hearteyes*
One of the amazing buildings of the Louvre; look at all those sculptures!
*chinhands at all the pretty*
This is the bridge to Place de La Concorde (will go there later). All the gold!
So. Many Bridges \o/
Wahey, look at that!
This is where I get off the boat; you can hop on/hop off at nine landmarks in Paris. I will be back!
I treat myself to a warm crêpe with ham and cheese, there is a freezing cold wind, but I don't mind: EIFFELTOWER!
Manly sculptures on the Pont d'Iéna:)
Yes, I found a manhole cover with Paris on it. Right next to the Eiffeltower :-D
I walk around the tower for some artsy photos;)
Then I cross the bridge to Trocadero for actual art.
*smug*
I call this series: Des Oiseaux sur les Têtes.
After I have climbed Trocadero I walk along Avenue Kléber; behind the old art nouveau metro entrance you can already see the side of... the Arc de Triomphe!
Place Charles de Gaule is a large round-a-bout with fast cars, so I zoom in to get a closer look of the Arc de Triomphe.
I walk around the Arc to get to the Avenue des Champs Élysées.
Tadaah! The Champs Élysées is a very fancy shopping street, with big fashion houses that people are lining up for to enter. I just stroll along the avenue looking at the fascinating buildings. Check out that mirror cube design reflecting the old building!
I have never heard of Moncler, but it's my favorite window display with the bubble flamingos; they also have animated shopwindows with other blob animals.
This corner is a good visual summary of this city:)
I couldn't figure out what the blobs were on the side of Louis Vuitton, but apparantly it's meant to be paint. It's an installation by Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama.
I am more charmed by the old decorations in Paris.
Look at that balcony!
Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées and a peek through the trees at the Grand Palais
Statue of Charles de Gaule at Place Clemenceau.
In the distance Billetterie Nord Musée de l'armée at the end of Esplanade des Invalides
Modern sculpture on one side and old sculpture on the other; this is the green part of the Champs Élysées.
Place de la Concorde with the 18th century Egyptian obelisk and the Fontaine des Mers by Jacques Ignace Hittorff (1840)
Such great light with the sun going down!
Spot the Eiffeltower in between the street lantarns and you see how far I walked!
I head towards the river again and walk along the Quai des Tuileries towards the Port de la Concorde.
This is another stop from the BatoBus; the next boat will be here in twenty minutes, so I find a bench to rest while waiting. Great view of the Pont Alexandre III.
There's the boat! For some reason it has to turn around to moor and then turns around again to go on to the Eiffeltower, which I don't mind seeing again. There it turns to go back along the other side of the river.
More awesome bridges along the way:)
My final stop is the Notre Dame, which is still being rebuild after the fire of 2019.
Here I get off the boat to catch a metro back to the trainstation.
On my way to the metro along the Quai the Montebello, across the water I see the French flag in lights on the side of the Préfecture de police de Paris (former gendarmerie baracks).
Hope I catch the metro in the right direction, because time is getting tight (story of my travel life;). Glad I already know my way around Gare du Nord from this morning!
I go get my backpack from the locker and then head to Five Guys to grab a bite for dinner. I see the potatoes they make their fries from come from the Netherlands and even funnier from a very familiar town, haha.
As I am running out of time I only order mayo on my hot dog from the overwhelming list of things you can have them put on it. Perfect combo though!
When I have nearly finished my food they announce the arrival of the Thalys, so I can get on board (after a long walk along the platform, because the last part only goes to Brussels and I have a straight train to Amsterdam, bb!)
Feeling fancy in first class again, although my food shows who I really am ;-D
My loot from Paris was a lot of snacks for mom, but also some treats for me (notice the little purse with the cycling girl in Paris, heheheheh)
The End.
Without giving away too much, I can say there will be more worktrips this year;) Keep watching this space if you want to travel along!
J.
X-posted to https://beelikej.livejournal.com/579963.html
Lurk or comment wherever you like:)
no subject
Date: 2023-02-05 12:29 pm (UTC)I took a very short weekend trip to Paris many years ago in winter (cold!) and stayed in this tiny twin-bed room in Montmartre that barely fitted the two separate beds - had to climb over the second one to get to the bathroom! The hotel was surrounded by sex shops and with the Moulin Rouge just along the street! Went halfway up the Eiffel tower - the top was closed due to high winds. Spent a couple of hours at the Palais Garnier Opera House, had coffee and cake at a small street cafe. Spent the final half-day before catching the plane home at The Louvre so got to see the Mona Lisa and other gorgeous artwork. Not enough time though. There was so much more I wanted to see.
I had always heard bad things about Parisians being unfriendly to tourists. I personally never experienced that with anyone I spoke to. They laughed at my feeble attempts to ask for things in French and were nice and kind to me afterwards whether they spoke English or not. I think that was the ice-breaker as my friend would just bark out requests in monosyllabic English - Coffee. Black - not even a PLEASE or THANK YOU after, and the smile would dropped from their faces immediately and they would treat her coldly, yet she was the one who crowed about having taken French to a higher level than me! Guess it comes down to treating people with respect!
no subject
Date: 2023-02-05 03:30 pm (UTC)I'm glad I had some time to go into town after all and it was fun to spark memories by visiting all the landmarks. Definitely would like to visit the Louvre more thouroughly and also the Jardin des Plantes, as I was intrigued by that.
I always make an effort to start any conversation in French and that's what I did when I wanted a ticket for that boat. I guess she was just bored and therefore chose to mess with me;) Although when that happens, it's even harder to find the right words in French, so I appreciate when they say I can try English instead. I was very proud when I managed to order my mocktails and the food in French \o/
no subject
Date: 2023-02-05 04:43 pm (UTC)We had some difficulty when my friend was doing her curt English at the ticket seller on the Metro, but I think he was just being an asshole to her. His attitude quickly changed when a guy in my group, who is fluent in French, stepped up and took over from her.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-06 08:27 pm (UTC)EXACTLY! :'-D
no subject
Date: 2023-02-05 09:43 pm (UTC)*smishes*
Look at you, with your awesome scarf!! *pinches cheeks*
<3
no subject
Date: 2023-02-06 08:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-02-06 08:31 pm (UTC)