Last day in Paris

How do you spend your last day in Paris?  This is the dilemma we face.  Having been suitably, museumed, monumented and sightseed out ( are those words even real?) and not sure if we can take much more of these sights, it comes down to the question of what else then.   It's raining which is a real let down as well.  For me, I would have explored the local region and shops, having felt I haven't yet done that, apart from a brief look at Galleries Lafayette.  To take a look at the less frenetic places where the locals go, but given Colin's aversion to shops, which apparently have no oxygen as the fabric sucks it all up, this was a no go.

Before we left Colin expressed a desire to go to Disneyland Paris, having never been to one at all.  I was fortunate enough to see the one in Hong Kong and had a good time, apart from the one roller coaster which was in complete darkness and went forwards and backwards and absolutely terrified me, so I was not a great starter for this.  But said if we got the time we could consider it.  When the weather was crappy, I thought it wouldn't be a starter, but Colin was still keen so off we trot to get an umbrella and a couple of rain poncho's.

The train ride was long and when we got to Disneyland it was pretty cool but at least not raining.  

In fact the weather improved so much we didn't need the ponchos or umbrellas again.  It fined up so much we even had jackets off and were just in T-Shirts and Jeans.  Would never have believed it could clear up quite so well.

So first impressions,  this has to be the cleanest, most immaculately maintained area in Paris.  I think all the bright colours helped as well, being so used to seeing the bland landscape that is Paris.

Colin was like the proverbial child let loose in a fun park.  We took a main ride around on the Disneyland train, thinking we would be entertained along the way and see into all the different lands, but in actual fact this was a bit boring.

Following this we had some lunch in Main Street USA, American hotdogs and a drink, before making our way into Frontierland.  

 Through Phamtom Manor, a gentle way to prepare you for other rides.  A ghostly ride though a haunted mansion.  

Big Thunder mountain was next.  We queued for about 3/4 - 1 hour.  This ride through a mountain on a roller coaster ride is set up like a gold mine.  This was pretty good even if I do say so myself.  It was on this ride we noticed something called fast pass access for some of the rides.  You can scan your entry ticket at the participating rides and it gives you a ticket with a time frame to came back and then you get priority queuing.  Why wouldn't you do this on all the ones you could.  

We walked through Fantasyland, and the big Kid in me couldn't give up a chance to go on the Merry-Go-Round.  Feeling like a couple of twats, we both jumped on.  For a joke we kept saying to these little girls beside us, (are you alright girls?), to make it appear they were with us :-).  Creepy olds.

Adventureland was our next port of call and on to Pirates of Carribean.  This was a slow gentle boat ride through a cavern.  The level of detail in the scenery was incredible and told a great story with only a sligh "gasp" moment as we went down a short incline and got a little wet.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, was one of those that once you were on, it was like I want to get off now, before it had even started.  I really wish I had as this was rough, scarey and was in and out of darkness.  Definitely not me, much evidenced by my eyes being squeezed shut through most of that ride.

Discoveryland was next up and the Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast was a hoot.  You were in carts that you could spin around and they gave you a laser gun to shoot at enemies and you could see your score on your dashboard. 

Next up was Star Tours a simulator ride which was pretty tame too. Space Mountain was one of those rides I told Colin to go by himself seeing this looked like it was all inside.  He came out full of assurances I would like it and it wasn't too scarey.  So I got talked into it. OK!  I can hear those of you who know Colin, that he was probably pulling my leg and gullible me believed him.  Well you would be right.  I HATED it!  And that doesn't begin to describe my terror!  It took me half an hour to recover, in which time I consumed a chocolate waffle (sadly nowhere near the quality of our Brussels one), to give me some sugar loading back.

Once recovered, it was back to one more ride on the Gold Rush and then it was time for home.  As it was quite late, and thinking the trains would be full of all the people leaving the park,  we stopped at Planet Hollywood for some dinner and then hopped on the train finally reaching the apartment at 9.30 pm or so where we proceeded to pack our bags - sadly.