Photos Trip Barcelona-Paris [Part 2]

Once I had a little ride through Toulouse, which looked like a very beautiful city, I got the motorway and drove towards Limoges, which it was my last stop before to get to Paris. Things got a bit mad here. I wasn't on a rush really as I was on holidays, but for some strange reason I wanted to get to Paris ASAP, so I drove pretty fast on this last part of the trip, which was about 3 or 400 Km away.
One of the greatest things about was that french speed radars do not affect spanish plates [As long you are not stopped by the cops of course] So I am pretty sure there will be good laughs somewhere when they see my photos giving a middle finger.
A great oportunity to test the motorbike and also the brand new tyres Michelin Pilot Road 2ct. They were ace!, fantastic grip.

So after booking another hotel and stay a night in Limoges, the very next morning I got in Paris. I was clueless to drive there [Its a huge city], but I remembered on my last staying that there is a sort of circular road 'Periferique' which surrounds all Paris city center. One way or another would get me to the first thing I wanted to do, which it was a photo with the Eiffel Tower behind. [Yes silly.] Its obviously a place easy to spot, as you can see it from many parts of the city. So it wasnt hard to find it.

Look at that Bugati! Fucking cool!

Right after I took a couple of photos, I did notice that my motorbike chain was literally hanging!. I didnt feel anything on my way there, so it probably got streched on the last few hundred miles
One thing was for sure, I couldnt drive back to Barcelona like this, so I needed to sort that out inmediatly.
At first I didnt know what to do, I knew fuck all of Paris and also didnt know how long I couldnt drive on this conditions.

More 'bloody tourists' pics

Suddenly I saw this cop passing by and riding a huge motorbike, so without hesitate a second I wave him and told him what happened to me. I wasnt expecting much help really although I knew that despite being a cop, he was still a motorbiker!

And I was right, he pulled over and looked at the mess and very kindly told me he would take me to a main street not far from where we were, where I could find all major motorbike brands shops. Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki, Ducati you name it. They were all there! It was a funny ride, the cop was stopping the traffic to let me passing by, sometimes even we drove on the wrong direction. It made me feel like a celebrity haha ...

Look at this Ducati. Great!

More silly touristic photos

Once we found the Honda shop. I thank the cop for his help and I was told by the staff that there was no problem to change the whole chain kit, but they needed a day to sort it out which I guess it was the time to get the spare pieces delivered. A great relief!

French countryside

I didnt have a problem with that. What else could I do?. I had a place to leave my bike and plenty of time to visit Paris. So I checked in the nearest hotel I found and got the tube to visit some of the Paris main attractions.

Thats a famous bridge over the Senna river, but I dont remember now why its so famous

Hotel wasn't cheap really, but it was very well located in city center, near the Arc de Triomphe and the bonus is that I could also see the Eiffel tower from my window [Which was full of lights that night I think due to the Olimpic french medals]. The area looked posh, with loads of expensive cars with private drivers waiting on the outside. Ferraris, Jags, Rolls and the likes. Pretty much like the ones you see sometimes in London city center.
After some visiting of Paris that afternoon, and some more the very next morning [Pere Lachaise], I accomplished everything that I wanted to do there. So once my motorbike was ready on the afternoon, I drove south again to Limoges, stayed there one night in the same hotel I was in on my way up, and then back in Toulouse and the French coast again.

Banyuls sur Mer

Ready to go!

Weather was great all the way, although near Paris was a bit more cold. I only had my old 70s leather jacket with me as a 'luggage' but so far I was very lucky with the weather because I got all the way was nothing but Blue skies.
But as soon as I hit the south french coast you could tell that was much warmer again than the north.

But there was one last thing I wanted to do before to get in Barcelona.

I saw this little shark in Port de La Selva. It was dead, probably thrown by the local fishermans

Cala Tamariua-Port de la Selva

Once I passed the border, I didnt wanted to finish my trip without to swimm again in Cala Tamariua in Port de La Selva. A beautiful unspoiled spot in the heart of Costa Brava.

Cala Tamariua. Pristine clear waters

Is it any more relaxing thing than swimm in cristal clear waters with plenty of fish around?

Its was a shame that my holidays were over soon. Like I said before the trip wasn't planned, but If I had another extra week instead Im pretty sure I would get more upnorth than Paris, Holland or maybe crossing the channel to England.

Thats definately a must for the next year!

All photos by Pedro Vila