Friendly Parisians

Well, I`ve finally found the one benefit of not having a credit card - it means you can get into the Louvre for free. Yes boys and girls, absolutely free if you don`t have a card. I rocked up there yesterday just after 5 `cause I knew it was open `till 9.45pm, and I went to a side gate. Went through security and then noticed that the ticket booth was closed. But, my eagle eyes spotted a ticket machine. Wandered over and saw that it only accepted cards (which I didn`t have). So being the honest girl I am, I went over to a woman who was working and told her I only had cash. She looked at her watch and said, `It`s okay, just go on through`. I was so excited! Anyway, stayed until it closed and only saw a miniature portion of the bloody thing. It`s unbelievably huge. Will have to go back anyway!

After the Louvre, walked back to the hostel and along the way stopped at a Turkish kebab shop for dinner (very cheap). The Turkish owner started chatting to me a little and gave me two cups of really yummy black tea for free! Then, went back to the hostel, and the receptionist asked me if I wanted a cup of coffee. I had a really good day yesterday. My Euros have been stretching further and further since the weekend with the girls.

Right, the weekend with the girls. Had a ball!!! We were all there in our fabulous apartment by about 1pm on Friday, and from that moment on, there was no break in our conversation. It was the first time in 4 and a half years that we`d all been together. We`ve all seen each other separately, and sometimes 3 of us have been in the one place, but never the 4 of us. Had a couple of bottles of wine underneath the Eiffel Tower on Friday night, it was so, so beautiful. Saturday played tourists, then bought some champagne and wine in the evening and drank that before getting all dolled up and going out at midnight! We didn`t get home `till 5am. It was a fantastic night. So sad to see them all leave me on Sunday! I`m in Paris alone now, but it`s been great. Have met heaps of people at the hostels and have loved walking along the streets of Paris by myself. It`s a wonderful city to do just that.