I happily returned to Paris for the last leg of my trip.
I ended up staying in "Peace & Love Hostel" directly across Metro Jaurès - yes I was a little hesitant about booking here because of the dodgy name! I'm so glad I did though as I met a fabulous bunch of people. The layout of the place made it ideal for meeting new people. Ground floor was a bar and that's where you check-in!
I was staying in a room on the top floor. Unfortunately, there was no elevator so I had to lug all of my gear up the never-ending staircase (But as la patronne said: "It's very good for your bum!"). I nearly died on the fifth floor when I realised I still had a few more floors to go.
My first night was spent in the hostel's bar drinking with my new dorm mate, Ian - who happens to be a young English director/animator with a genius mind travelling around as he had been invited to show his work at some film festivals :) - who then introduced me to another troupe of people including brothers Zac and Tyler from Wyoming, Megan from New York and Todd from Brighton, Oz.
Zac promised us a night at this awesome club underneath some bridge somewhere in Paris called "Showcase". We eventually found the place but it was closed.
Headed to Champs-Élysées to find a club but believe it or not, we had huge difficulties doing so.
The rest of our time in Paris unfolded like this:
- Ended up in a pub called Dogstar with drinks that were way to expensive (Good Pastis though)!
- Met three random French guys - one of which was really scruffy/dodgy-looking.
- Scruffy French guy tries to lead us under the Arc deTriomphe and causes a bit of trouble with the French police who pull out batons.
- Found another club but just when we are about to get let in, they stop us because of the moronic French guy.
- Todd and I try to concoct a plan to somehow do a runner to ditch the French guys.
- Finally, a good samaritan arrives. This lady knew the bouncer at another club and got us in (including the dodgy French guy) without paying a cover charge.
- Drinking and dancing ensues with Ian doing his famous robot moves.
- I have a mini-regrettable moment with a random French-Arab guy.
- Todd and I catch a taxi back to the hostel at 4h30 am as the metro had stopped running while the others decided to brave it and walk home (unsuccessfully).
The next morning it snowed very briefly but stopped by the time we got outside. Megan, Zac, Tyler and I wearily trundled off to the Louvre, stopping in for a late breakfast of crepes. It's a great place with amazing works in it but by 5pm we were all walking around like zombies due to lack of sleep.
However, we hit the town again that night at Ian's suggestion who was meeting a friend there. It was a gig on the outskirts of Paris in Montreuil at a place called Instants Chavirés. There was a bit of a confusion about its location but we finally found out that there are two streets - both called rue Richard Lenoir. We finally found it after a few train rides. The place was located along a dark alleyway in a shed-like place.
There were a few line-ups. Jack Rose was absolutely brilliant. The artist before him was pretty okay as well. But for me, the last artist was so unbearable. I could only stand there for half an hour before I exited the building. I felt like I was going to pass out from the warmth, the overly smokey room and the terrible "music" which was for one, way too loud and just plain bizarre. The guy certainly had a unique style but it was as if he was making out with the machine in front of him the whole time. Strange. Found out when I got home that he is from New Zealand! I assumed he was some Euro-techno head.
Afterwards, we all headed back to the hostel pub to hang out until about 2am and I said my goodbyes to the crew as my flight back home was in a few more hours that morning.
Now, it's back to reality...
