Bonjaw Missyours & Mudarms

We are safe and sound in Paris and my French is going well!
After enduring 12 hours with my legs unable to move, it was then time to get through the check points at Charles De Gaulle Airport. The cattle aboard the A380 Airbus were herded into a not very wide holding yard while 4 officials checked our passports for "Mad Cow Desease".
Then it's time to find the luggage!!! But lets face it, standing up is a lot better than sitting in the plane. Our Chauffer is there to meet us and we leave on the 30km ride to our place of abode in Paris.
What a great experience this is!!!! It took about an hour because we are travelling at peak hour (am) There don't seem to be any rules. So long as you keep up with everyone else (or go faster than everyone else) its easy!!!! But you must always stay in your lane, unless there is a spot over in someone elses lane that you think you might like, or, if most of the other drivers move over on the left & the right of you it is possible to make 6 lanes out of the 5 (that is of course if there are any lanes marked at all) But be careful because the motor bikes like to travel quite quickly between the cars.
Intersections are "fantastic fun" I cannot understand why we don't get the French Motoring Authority as advisors for the Brittannia Roundabout. There are no lanes, everyone wants to go in different directions and they all get there (be buggered if I can work out how they do it) Its got to be seen to be believed.
We are staying with Claire (who works for DFAT) and as you look out of the window/s (kitchen, lounge, TV room) of the 5 bedroom apartment in the Australian Compound, within a km some bugger has been using heaps of bloody Meccano Sets and has left his creation down the street. Now if you or I did that we would be arrested.
Time for a 1664 now. I can't quite work out the code but I think that 1= B, 6=E & 4=R.
Cheers, Scruff.

From Ali,
As I sit typing I look at the Meccano E tower, but I can't see the top or the bottom because we are TOO CLOSE!!
Paris is cool but clear and sunny. The sight seeing is gorgeous and it is strange to see that ordinary Paisiens just take their famous surroundings for granted. Tourists they don't much care for. Things aren't cheap but they're not as gougingly expensive as expected, so it's all good. I feel like the city is smaller than I remember from 30 years ago, but it can't be of course- I guess my awe factor has lessened over time.
I will continue to test my awe factor on the sights, food (oh, the wine and cheeses!) and experiences and let you know how it's going!!!
Alison