New Zealand Werewolf in Paris

This morning we had a big breakfast at the hotel. How great is a country where you eat chocolate for breakfast? I also snuck some bits and pieces for lunch...

I took Anna out to La Défense - the big commercial area on the west edge of Paris, and home to the Arch de la Défense. This is a giant office building built as a square arch. It has a beautiful view all the way down to the Arche de Triomphe, and Champs Elysées behind it.

We walked through the vast civic spaces around La Défense, stopping to admire the various modern sculptures that line them, before getting back on the Métro to our hotel. From there we arranged to meet up with Jan and Rebecca, who had arrived with nowhere to stash their gear. Once it was safely inside our room, we all nipped out for a trip around Père Lachaise cemetary.

Armed with a map, we sought out the usual hotspots - Georges Méliès for me, Jim Morrison for the girls, and Proust, Balzac and Max Ernst for me too. We also stopped by Delacroix, Maria Callas, Oscar Wilde and Chopin - and took lots of photos of the decaying tombs with their eerie stained glass windows and sculptures.

Also of note - we met a Canadian scriptwriter (specialising in werewolves) at George Méliès' tomb. After neglecting to take his contact details (it was one of those should-we-shouldn't we moments), Jan offered to run back after him. Just as well - we ended up having a nice dinner together, although our new friend has since fallen off the face of the earth!