france

The Beguiling City

I really, really wish I knew more French. I think I’ve written about this before: the fact that I don’t know any language other than english feels hugely embarrassing to me, like a mark of extreme ignorance. I suppose you could just pin it down to the fact that special schools have other priorities- why bother teaching kids a language they’re never going to actually use? Here in Paris though, as I roll around this magnificently beautiful city, I find myself wishing I could understand what the people around me are saying or what the street signs mean.

I realise that I might have seemed a bit negative in my last few entries: too eager to criticise, as though I didn’t really want to be here. Let me assure you, noting can be further from reality. While I may have seemed somewhat eager to point out the problems or drawbacks we have come across, this was simply a case of my instincts as a blogger coming to the fore. The fact is I like that Paris: it is an exceedingly beautiful city, far more aesthetically charming than London. It’s narrow, picturesque streets draw you in, so that, in spite of its woefully inaccessible metro system and thousands of cafes with steps into them, it’s impossible not to fall under its spell. 

The longer I am here, the more immersed I feel, the more intrigued I am by the city and it’s fascinating history. I  love the little book shops, the streets named after writers, the thousands upon thousands of sculptures and statues; I feel so beguiled that John and I are already starting to plan our next trip here. The very streets and buildings captivate me like nowhere else. That is why I feel so sad about my lack of French, as it will always be a barrier between myself and truly getting to know Paris.

Trying Out The Trams

This afternoon, what happened yesterday still very much on my mind, I thought I would set myself a bit of a challenge: how far could I get while using as little powerchair battery as possible? IE, could I still get out and about, without needing to actually drive my powerchair very far? Obviously that would mean sticking to public transport as much as I could, but given the alternative was staying at home on my computer all day, I was up for it.

With that in mind, I must say I just got in from a rather cool afternoon. The route I took was quite an elastic one: I caught a bus to the Royal Standard, then another from there to Elmers End in order to catch a tram. I had been intending to check out London’s tram system again for a while, and today seemed quite a good opportunity.

The tram ride was sleek and modern, if rather slow. It is essentially a tube line across south London, built on the surface due to the water-logged ground south of the Thames. If anything, I started to wonder why the line didn’t extend further east to, say, Woolwich or Greenwich, in order to link up with the tube. That would make it much more convenient if you ask me, but that’s a question for another time.

After an hour or so on the tram I found myself in Wimbledon. I haven’t been to that area of London much before, at least not for a while, so decided I’d have a brief look around. I was, however, still conscious of my need to conserve battery power, so before long I returned to the station to get the District Line. By then the system was getting crowded, but it wasn’t too bad. From Wimbledon it was a short(ish) ride up to Paddington, the Elisabeth Line from there to Woolwich, and then a bus back to Eltham: all sleek, smooth and accessible.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop being amazed by London’s public transport system. It is very much the circulation system of this thriving metropolis. It is far from perfect, but I’m happy to say it is gradually becoming more and more accessible. Today on the tram I went through places I had never visited before, even after fifteen years of living here. But the flip side of that is, while London gets all this fantastic new infrastructure – trams, crossrail, superloop – I can’t help worrying the rest of the country, especially the north, is being left further and further behind.