Day 18 - Mon 27 Sept - Paris

After a good nights sleep we finished breakfast and were ready to hit the East side of Paris by 10.00am.  We bought a two day L'Opera Tour bus ticket.  First we walked around the smaller of the two islands in the Seine where Paris originally settled in 300BC.  This island is called 'Ile de St.Louis' and its main central street has many small boutiques (Sandra visited them all!).  The whole is more than the sum of the parts here.  The area radiates authenticity and charm and looks very much like the Paris we see in the movies.

Back on the bus for the full tour of Bastille and Berey for many new and and unique contemporary architecture buildings.  One complex with multi-storied towers reflecting four open books around a huge open plaza.  Another a multi-functional sports and events stadium with external sloping 'green' walls.

Back on foot we went the 3km to the hotel passing through the 'Place des Vosges' - a lovely square surrounded by villas of the same construction.  Lastly, the art exhibition centre 'Centre Pompidou' which to maximise internal spaces has all ducts, pipework, escalator and lifts outside the building, all coloured for a very dramatic effect.