Paris-a suthi parka poren...

Ithanai naal Londonla irukome, namma neighbors ellam parkama irukardhu romba thappu-nu we decided to go to Paris. Since Paris is a Schengen country, I had to get a visa (UK visa pathadha, imsai paduthardhukkune ippadi ellam treaty podaranga), and I decided to go via Belgian embassy for 2 things: quick processing and Belgium was our entry point. Naamadhan enga ponalum kodumai devadai koodaye irundhu arul purivangale, adhe madhiridhan ingayum achu..

Normally Schengen visa vanga poravanga oru 6 monthsku multiple entry vangittu varuvanga, adhai use panni matha Schengen countries-ku povanga, so in effect it is an one-time investment. Naanum adhe aasaiyoda Belgian embassy-ku apply panninen with an itinerary that showed a 3 day trip. Infact, since the Belgian embassy is outsourced, £46 visaku £70 vanginanga, idhukagavavadhu vendiyadhai koduthirukalam. I went the next day to the embassy and got the passport. Passport open panni partha...1 month Schengen visa with a permit to stay for 3 days at one time and a Single entry!! Ada pavigala, £70 ippadi waste-a pochenu I was grrrrrr......

Seri parvalla, naama Paris-avadhu enjoy panvomnu we packed our camera and camcorder along with the other stuff and went to Belgium, stayed overnight, and left for Paris the next day. Eurostar, Thalys trains ellam irukara station kitta vandhappuramdhan uraichudhu kaila camera-vum illa camcorder-um illanu!! Evalo aasaiya Eiffel tower picture edukanum, river cruise-a videola record pannanumnu vandhen :( I was totally off for sometime, but konja nerathula Paris parka porom-nra sandoshathula I recovered.

When we reached the hotel in Paris (adhavadhu naan last minute-la thedi kandupidicha unnadhamana hotel), adutha kodumai nadandhadhu. We were asked to go to a room in 6th floor. Che, ivalo floors vachirukane indha hotel-la, periya hoteldhan pola-nu yosichitte we asked where the elevator was...appodhan adichudhu minnal - there was no lift in the hotel!! Ada pavigala(2), lift illamaye enda ivalo floors kattineenganu thittite we climbed all the 6 floors to reach a dingy room.

Ok, idhellam oru matter-anu night thoongittu kaalaila kilambi Eiffel tower ponom. We purchased an automatic camera which cannot focus more than 3 ft, so angaye ennoda Eiffel towerai full length edukanumra aasai panal! We cimbed up Eiffel tower, spent some time seeing the distant places from the top and when we returned, the Eiffel tower lights went up - sema kankolla katchi!

Pesama idhoda vitrukalam naanga, evano oru Asian caricature varayaran-nu avankitta poi engalai varaya sonnom. This guy made us sit on a bench and sat across us and started drawing. Mudhallerndhu sonnan, we are just bringing out a cartoon, so enjoy it-nu. Appuram oru 30 minutes enga rendu peraiyum appadi parunga, ippadi parunga, siringanu sollitu varainjitrundhan. Podha kuraiku, I'll draw you as a macho man appadi ippadinu hype vera koduthitrundhan. I was so eager to see the outcome, and this guy kept talking to us about India and Pakistan. Nadula oruthan vera vandhu avan varayardhai parthu sirichuttu ponan...appovavadhu engaluku strike aagi irukalam, but naamadhan anubavikanumne porandhirukume :)) Anyways, kadaiseela varainjachunu roll panni koduthutu panathai vangittu poitan. Aasaiya pirichu partha, it was totally someone else, konjam kooda en jadayo ivar jadayo illa!! Ada paavigala (3), caricature-nra perla engalai nijammave komali aakiteengale!!!

We did the river cruise and the Louvre museum, and came back to Belgium, collected the camera and camcorder :(, and left to London. Ippadilam kodumai pattu oru trip thevaya??