Jet lag is a killer. Awake very early this morning, so decide to go and try to improve on the photos of Christmas windows in Paris at Galeries Lafayette and Printemps whilst it is still dark – it should reduce the amount of glare. It’s raining a little and the streets are almost deserted – perfect for unimpeded photos of the shop windows.
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A quick dash over to the Left Bank to check out the windows of Le Bon Marche – very different to the other department stores, but too much glare by the time I get there to bother taking photos – another early morning shoot is required.
It’s still pretty quiet around Paris by midday, and I happen to pass CityPharma – a mecca for french beauty products at great prices. It’s usually a zoo, but today it’s only busy, so I stop in and stock up on favourites at massive savings compared to what I can buy them for online in Australia. 2 500ml Bioderma Crealine Micellar bottles are 15 Euros total, or about $22.50 Aussie dollars. This compares to $US56 ex shipping from frenchcosmetics.net, or $80 Aussie dollars ex shipping from an Australian online distributor. Likewise, Bioderma Anti-redness cream is 12 Euros, versus the $40+ I’ve paid for it online.
By 3pm. Paris has shaken off its post Christmas hangover, and the city is busy. A short trip to Place du Tetre in search of a painting a friend wants is enough to have me racing back down the hill as fast as I can go. A relaxing 17km covered in total today. The hike down the hill from Montmatre to the Upper Marais is a decent stretch!
A good day all up until I find there’s a water leak in the ceiling of the bathroom of my apartment. Someone has turned a tap on somewhere and the end result is water dripping from two of the downlights. First and last time in this apartment. Between leaking water and the neighbours directly above me dragging what sound like dead bodies around their lounge room is enough to scratch this apartment off my list. Shame, it’s a great location.
