After a wondrous day exploring Paris, Michael, Craig and I had an evening picnic! I always thought the Eiffel Tower was big, but had no idea how REALLY big it is. When you sit in the enormous park looking up at this wonderful structure, it's hard to imagine that it was originally only a temporary installation for the world exhibition in the 19th century, but it very quickly became loved by Parisians and they wouldn't let it be demolished.......thank goodness. Having shopped in the morning at the Bastille Market and kitting ourselves out with fresh baguettes, terrine, chicken, pate, quiche, a plum tart and of course lashings of French champagne, Michael, Craig and I headed (via the Louvre) to the gardens and settled ourselves in to watch the sun set behind the tower. As dusk approached and the gardens filled with families and young uni students (all equally well equipped with food and liquid refreshments), we watched with joy as the flashing lights came on illuminating the tower from top to bottom (to the cheers of the crowd).
After scoffing our delightful picnic, Craig talked me into going to the top of the tower on the lift. I must say, I was well "lubricated" by this time, so I thought "What the hell? I'll give it a crack!" You really don't know how very high up it is until the lift takes off (diagonally) and starts to ascend the tower. I felt like I was in Willy Wonker's Great Glass Elevator (without Johnny Depp!) I wanted to yell "LET ME OUT OF HERE!" but I didn't want to sound like a winging Aussie, so I put on my best Crocodile Dundee voice and said very loudly "You call this HIGH?????"
Once on the second level, to my great disappointment, we were told we couldn't go right to the top as this was the last trip of the night, so we had 15 minutes to walk around the circumference, have the obligatory photos and then head back down, BUMMER!!!! Ah, well, no one can say I didn't give it a go!
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