The bells, the bells!

[skyring]

There must be something about me and old cathedrals. In London, my hostel is a stone's throw from St Pauls. In Istanbul, Ayasofya, the ancient Byzantine cathedral (later a mosque) was just a block away from my seedy hotel in Sultanahmet (and the huge Blue Mosque not much further).

And now I've found this incredible hotel in the shadow of Notre Dame in Paris. Right slap bang in the middle of Paris. In the middle of the Seine. Shakespeare's bookshop is just across the river in one direction, and the Boulevarde St Michel starts at our doorstep.

The hotel is apparently one of Paris's best secrets. It's in an attic of the Hotel Dieu, the old Paris hospital, and it consists of 14 small but quiet and clean rooms. No windows, just skylights.

And what a location! We'll be able to walk everywhere.

The hotel just wrote back and confirmed availablity, so I am over the moon.

Comments

[atenea-nike.livejournal.com]

Great location! I know what hotel you're mentioning, but I've never stayed there. I can see the place where it is located with my mind's eyes and...
...I want to go to Paris! :)

[holmesfan.livejournal.com]

Sounds super. With K and family there we never get to stay in the actual central city.
We'd be most interested in hearing what sort of accom. charges they have.
On with the plans. The planning is almost as much fun as doing it really.

[skyring.livejournal.com]

116 Euros, which is probably pretty expensive for a cramped room with no windows, but Kerri and I are looking forward to being in the prime of Paris. I shall be able to gaze upon the great cathedral in all lights, the cafes and street life of the Latin Quarter are a moment away, and if we tire of bustle, why, but the hospital has a private garden and a cafeteria within the grounds.

In other news, you will be pleased to hear that I have once again succumbed to Folio Books, and my latest delivery includes a complete set of Sherlock Holmes.

I may visit Baker Street again, this time with an eye to the great man, rather than the Monopoly station at the end, where I paid a hurried and footsore visit on my final day in 2005.

[holmesfan.livejournal.com]

One of the really great things about the Baker Street premises is that you can make unlimited use of your camera inside the building. There was a very cheery Dr Watson acting as a sort of docent and he turned out to be an ex-pat NZer which I found really interesting. The place was full of gigling young Japanese women last time I was there, buying up large.

[lytteltonwitch.livejournal.com]

Can I ask what hostel you are using in London and is it reasonably priced and how close is it to the Convention venue

[skyring.livejournal.com]

I haven't booked London yet. I'm awaiting the official announcements and registration. I'm hoping it's reasonably priced, whatever they come up with.

Then again, there's always the Earls Court YHA.

[lytteltonwitch.livejournal.com]

I am fustrated with the convention delays with their website. They want us to pay earlybird by December but I don't know who to send the money to or what it covers exactly.

[skyring.livejournal.com]

There's a website?

Website

[awaywithfairy1.livejournal.com]

There's a website now. It's just been announced over at the Bookcrossing Forum.

http://www.bcconvention2008.org/

[awaywithfairy1.livejournal.com]

The hotel/hostel in Paris looks great. Definitely something to remember for next time I'm in Paris. Loved the photos at the travel website and especially some of the captions: "Hotel shuttle" (picture of minibus), "NOT Hotel shuttle" (picture of ambulance)!

Wow!

[discoverylover.livejournal.com]

Sounds amazing!