Friday evening was without a doubt the best ‘social’ event I’ve been to. The opportunities to just hang around with friends haven’t been many in number. As a team, it’s difficult to organise social events given everyone is so scattered around Paris. This is not a short walk across Edinburgh to watch the rugby.
So it was up to the 17th arrondissement. We ate our evening meal at McDonald’s – before you recoil in middle class horror out of fear for my health, McDos are much nicer in France. We ate outside as if it was a café on one of the Grands Boulevards. Then we walked to chez Julien. The lift was full so we walked all 6 floors to the top of this classic Parisian building, big wooden door, big entrance hall. The apartment was mighty impressive, I tried not to be too much of a tourist. There were around 9 of us and we plonked ourselves in front of the huge TV, ready for Toulouse/Clermont, the first of the Top 14 semi-finals. The smokers, who seem to grow in number every time I see these guys, positioned themselves by the window. Our full-back was happy to smoke his hashish right behind me, and I can’t say I was particularly fussed. The chat flowed, I gave some stick, got some back and loved it when they mocked my pronunciation of certain words – it was one final sign that I was integrated. 
The rugby was poor so I had no qualms about taking photos of the Eiffel tower from the window. Such a tourist, even after all these months, but to see it lit up like that from the window was an amazing sight.
Some were heading off into town, most were heading home so I said my goodbyes. Bisous all round, promises to come back and visit, to come to Edinburgh, everyone certain this wouldn’t be the end.
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