Merci beaucoup means thank you very much in French and soon in this blog-post I shall tell why I titled this post as merci beaucoup. I made a four day trip at random and it was all worth it, enjoyed it a lot, although met up with my Dad in Paris (who convinced me to come) as he was invited at a cardiac convention in Paris, and I just tagged along from UK. However it was an awesome break which I think I needed so much and it was so worth it ... Bless him. And that is why I have named my blog-post merci beaucoup...a big ‘thank you very much to my Father’.
The weather was great and by great I mean awesome and warm and sunny. Food was the best had lovely authentic French food at ‘Chez Georges’ on the first day. It was a lovely road side restaurant in 273 Boulevard Pereire, 75017 Paris, France, +33 1 45 74 31 00 chez-georges.com, right opposite the Palais de Congres (that is the convention centre where the cardiac congress PCR was held). It was also very close to our hotel, Le Meridien Etoile (which was awesome, thank you, merci beaucoup Dad!) Please do go there its lovely, the food is delicious and the decor is breath taking. I had lamb shoulder, and oh my word the meat was so, so tender! I had escargots (snails) as an appetizer and the desert was creamy, chocolaty and scrumptious. And our host that Mr. Suleman our host from Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, what a fine young man he is, well mannered and also tall and handsome but married...sad!
Anyways, my evening was the best. I have also taken many pictures and shall be also uploading them along with my blog-post. We left the restaurant at about midnight, I know it sounds very late but life starts in Paris after dark. The shops at the famous Champs Elysees close at half eleven and the road side cafes and bistros seem as they never close, as the French say ‘L'enjeu est magnifique et la nuit est jeune’ meaning the challenge is great and the night is young.
So it all began, the idea to visit Paris was my Father’s, it would be nice short break for you he’d say and yes he was right it was a fantastic break. He had to be there as he was invited to attend the Euro PCR 2011 for four days. Well he flew by plane from Karachi, Pakistan all the way to Paris whereas I came by train (Euro Star) from Ashford, UK; it takes just two hours to reach Paris by train, sweet! The best part is that going with my Father means free accommodation, plus I get to go out for all these awesome dinners and night-outs for free. I know it sounds kind of ... not interesting maybe but it’s worth it all as it’s said ‘sometimes to lose something, in-order to get something’, and even I found out (I really don't know if this is going to interest you but it sure does interest me as I am the daughter of a Cardiologist) apparently a pacemaker has been invented which is the size of a capsule and it has a seven year battery. It shall be out in the market on sale in a year’s time; this innovation has been done by Medtronics.
The Euro Star was as good as always, the ticket was for £65 return, fully wheelchairs accessible, (for further details or ticket booking please go on website http://www.eurostar.com). For me I was travelling from Maidstone, therefore I had to get the train to Ashford from Maidstone East Station, the ticket was for £5.40 (for inquiries please do check out the South Eastern Trains website at http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/)
