I've Fallen In Love With A Hippopotamus

 

I actually can't find a record of holiday I took on my own that wasn't a Magic extended weekend (Copenhagen and Stockholm) or a drive down to Nantes in 2019.

And whilst I have done a multi-country trip in Europe (thank you 2017), that was in the excellent company of one Areckahn; so I am not sure that I have ever strictly done a holiday on my own? Even America in 2007 was mainly spent with my cousin Alex.

So allow me to recant you the tale of September 2022, and my travels to France and Beyond (with pictures!).

After parking my pink Mclaren outside the station..., I ventured onto the Eurostar - for the first time!

Arriving at Gare du Nord, I stepped out into the Parisian sun:

After a enlightening slow bus ride through the city centre at rush hour; I arrived in Monteparnasse (for my overnight stop before an early train out of Paris). 
Here began my love affair with Hippopotamus - a chain restaurant for steaks and such. Behold! The first magnificence...

Timed almost perfectly, I then ascended the Monteparnasse Tower [an excellent tip from an excellent Lizard - why go up the Eiffel Tower and not be able to see the Eiffel Tower...?], under a most dramatic sky, and with 4 Non Blondes blaring over the studio at one point; quite emphatic and surreal.

Traversing West the following morning, I visited my friends in Nantes, and their one year old (all a delight); with the Nantes elephant continuing the theme of serene surrealness, in an elastic timeframe.

Returning from Nantes to Paris and then on to Nice; there was a quite magical moment from the train along the Mediterranean coast. Of course, my phone doesn't capture it too well - but trust me that is a blood red moon, juxtaposed aside a lone illuminated yacht. Continued magic...

In Nice I picked up a hire car, and took the most logical route into Italy - around Monaco! But no time to dally in the principality; by the early afternoon I had arrived at my overnight near Milan - which gave me plenty of time to head to Monza, where the grand prix had just been held. Behold Curva Grande!

Logically, on from Italy is... Switzerland, so I headed towards Zurich but not without going via the glorious San Gotthard pass...

Not only was that an incredible view and drive, but this was topped by seeing what I am certain was an eagle circling overhead!

Naturally modern photography only captured a glimpse in the cloud, the memory remains strong:

After a delicious and delightfully gelato-filled stop in Zurich, I headed West again to the glorious Montreux:

Already this trip had a slight undertone of mourning; so I took the opportunity at this location to pay my respects to the Queen:

Returning to France, and overnighting at a hotel-adjacent-to-a-Hippopotamus, I then headed South back to Nice to return the car, but via my intentioned stop across the Milau Viaduct - the highest viaduct in the world.

Once again the scale didn't reflect well on camera, but trust me it was impressive. Half-an-hour before I was driving in cloud at 1000m above sea level and worried that the mist would remain as I arrived at the viaduct, but just in time, the clouds evaporated. Magical, again.

After returning the car (but also leaving my USB of music in the car - my one fail of the trip), I strolled down to the Mediterranean shore at Nice; confused the beach folk by being the only one in full jacket and rucksack; and watched planes land low across the waterfront.

I then headed back up the town and found this wonderful sculpture which my phone did actually manage to capture the essence of:

After a gloriously solitary overnight train stay, I arrived in Paris for the final time - but for the longest time of the trip. Walking through the city and noting its incidental wonders, including this mural:

Recommended by a number of folks, that Friday I headed to Père Lachaise Cemetery which was another touchpoint on the mournful notes in the background of the trip; but brightened unquestionably thanks to this death pelican. That's it. That's the statement.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, but for the last time; I took in the Hippopotamus nearest to Place d'Italie:

My final full day had been designated for Versailles, which didn't disappoint. I enjoyed this picture of Louis XIV, with both the moon and an aeroplane in the background of a gloriously blue sky.

I have literally taken hundreds of photos from Versailles, but only the next two can even hint at it's scale and magnificence:

But perhaps the truest photo of them all; behold the true king of Versailles!

Sunday presented my last day in France, and having decided the Louvre would need more than a few hours(!!); I chose the Pompidou Centre, and it's modern art exhibition across two floors.

First: I particularly enjoyed Chopin's Waterloo by Arman:

Next I chose Grand Cretto nero by Alberto Burri - I enjoyed the feeling it invoked.

Next in this selection of 4 from many, came a visual treat in the form of a rock-opera-early-computer-animated-fairy-tale 'Cinderella' from Ericka Beckman.

The final piece I wanted to share and enjoy is 'Tutto' by Alighiero e Boetti, which encompassed thousands of recognisable shapes/objects/items and just brought everything together.

And from there, I returned to Gare du Nord to conclude this unique voyage.

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Given that I spent every night in a new place (the last two nights in Paris aside), and traversed four countries in 2 days [France, Monaco, Italy & Switzerland]; it has only been since the trip that I have been able to reflect and relay the trip to a number of folk, who were (willingly) a captive audience.

And - by doing this - it helped put some context to my journey.

Even putting this blog together helps cement the trip in my mind - and the feelings I had throughout - as something I really actually did. And even though I have hundreds of photos to reflect back on; they purely serve as a prompt for the memories that are hopefully locked away in my memory vaults.

But, as the card on the inside of my locker says; Nantes is Always a Good Idea. I am certain I will return to France, in some guise.

And I am sure it won't be my last encounter with a Hippopotamus...