Paris

Paris is the one city that i was visiting that i know fairly well. Given its so easy to get to and the regular rugby opportunities (RWC 2007 - how did we get to the final with such a poor team?!?* and Six Nation thrashings) i have been there quite a bit. As such these couple of days have been more about:

- seeing some familiar sites (Lourve, Jardin du Luxembourg - my favourite park in Paris);
- just walking around taking in the Parisien way of life;
- and seeing some new sites - i had not been for example to the Jardin des Plantes which is part of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle.

Pictures here.

*That tournament cost me a packet. I had been lucky enough to get to the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Given England's form going into that event, i was confident enough just to book the quarter finals onwards - with some confidence that i would see England in more than one match (ok half time against the Welsh in the quarter final was a bit touch and go but we got through didn't we!) Going into the 2007 event, i had managed to book a "Follow England" package which got me tickets basicaly for as long as England played in the event. But to be honest i thought they would struggle and only booked travel and hotel options for the pool games. As things progressed i ended up trying to book trains/hotel at the last minute (the day after each time England won to get through to the next stage ) which was a bit expensive. It ended up costing me more than my three week trip to Australia in 2003. And we ended up losing the final in 2007!

Flashback - are the aussies coming?

Brisbane

Lions tour 2001.

First Test

Walking to stadium.

Hundreds of lions supporters, all in colours (the red used by the combined nations - well the welsh would complain if it was any colour other than red). A sea of red, presumably the aussies must get to the ground early to sample the atmosphere??

But no. Not only was the ground full of lions supporters but the aussies were camouflaged (in later matches they would be given gold flags and tops to try and match the invaders - but never got close).

With Jason Robinson scoring a try in the corner in front of us, and the Lions winning with some ease, you could see why they stayed away. Later we were told that Brisbane was a rugby league area, not union. Probably true but a good excuse after the result.