Chateau Chamont-Sur-Loire

Chateau Chaumont-Sur-Loire was by far and away the best I visited and certainly the most "Castle" like.

I especially liked the interior exibitions which showed portraits and photographs of former owners, letters and calling cards from guests etc.

The chateau was actually inhabited as recently as the 1930's.

I really wish I'd had stayed in the valley for a little longer so that I could have visited Chambord and Chenonceaux but I guess it just means I'l have to come back one day :)

I'm in Bordeaux until 7pm tonight when I start my journey to Lisbon, Portugal.

Bordeaux was ok, come here if you like shopping (rue Ste Catherine is the longest retail street in europe at 1.2km long) but bring lots of money!

Steve.

Chateaux of the Loire Valley

Chateau Blois:

Chateau Amboise:

Chateau Tours:

These Chateaux were ok. The biggest building was Blois but it didnt have much of a garden. That was where Amboise was much much better.

Steve.

More pictures of Paris

My last day in Paris I walked to the city centre and then a different way back to Montmartre and for some reason walked up the wrong street and went higher and higher until I found myself at the top of the hill next to Sacre Coeur. So I took some more pics of the Eiffel tower!

Steve.

Bienvenue a Paris

I've been in Paris for nearly a week now and could stay forever it's so cool :)

It's an incredible place - a blend of ultra-modernity, tirelessness, expense and grand architecture populated by busy, demanding people.

It's a hard place though, at least for the homeless, hustlers and beggars who are literally everywhere. It's not too threatening a presence though, at least not in the city centre and surrounding area's.

I have walked miles and miles and still see new and interesting things on my local street corner.

Actually, I have found that I really enjoy just walking around, observing the daily life of normal parisian's even more than some of the main monuments tourists are drawn to.

That said, I have gone to the Arch, the Eiffel tower, the Louvre, the Pantheon, the Palace of Versailles, Notre Dame and lots of other places.

The people I have met here have been great.

On the first day I met Martina from Argentina who took me to the Eiffel tower to see it lit up at night.

I was sharing a room with her and a guy from Ireland until Thursday when she left for Madrid and then a Australian guy moved in and I dined with him the same night.

Then he left for Amsterdam and a guy from Sweden and another from Kansas in the US arrived, Jim.

I went out with Jim and Alan (another american from California) last night. We went to the other side of Pigalle from where we are staying so we had to walk right past all the sex shops, lap dancing clubs and "live shows" (not to mention women standing on the street that we all agreed were really men!) to get there so that was fun.

I spent hours talking to Celine from Dijon, in an Irish pub, in Paris, until about 3am!

Anyway, Paris has been great - I would definitaly visit again, would love to live here and would'nt hesitate to recommend anyone visit this awsome city.

Have a look at some pics below.

A bientot, J'espere.

Steve.

Pictures of Paris

Introduction

Hello!

I'm going to use this blog to write about my travels and things that I notice and find interesting.

Check back from time to time and leave comments so I know you were here!

Steve.