Cite' Internationale de Universitaire, Paris

18/08/2011 Afternoon.

I completed all my logistics tasks; getting money (found ATM, used ANZ Travel Card and was charged 2.5 Euro by ANZ for the privilege), local supermarket for basics, Uni student eatery for lunch (but was charged as a visitor at double student rate for bad food), and the laundry in complex to wash shirts. I also found the CIUP and BASE offices (mobile researcher support) but it is closed for until the 22 August.

It is hot and humid in Paris at the moment so I spent a pleasant afternoon wandering the park-like grounds of the Cite' Universitaire taking photos of the various colleges. I have tried to upload a couple of these to give the flavour/concept of the place.

 Photo. The Maison de Provinces de France. I am staying in a "Studio, double, comfort" (tiny bed-sit) on the first floor on the left wing of the building.

 Photo The rear of the main administration building showing the park-like grounds of the Cite'.

Photo  One of the typical "Maisons"; there are about 36 shown on the residents orientation Map.

 Photo A slightly more modern Maison but following the "style".

Photo. The Front entrance to the Cite' Internationale du Universitaire, Paris. First thing you see as you walk off the street after getting off the RER.

I started the planning using Google Maps to get to the Natural History Museum, but it looks like a fair amount of walking and a bus ride will be the easiest way to get there. I will wait until the peak traffic subsides before making my attempt. I have to check that the Library is in the same building or I am going to be lost.

One more task is to get a PAYG Sim card for my smart phone, which I was going to do through CIUP. Despite having a UK "3" network I got "no carrier" in the London.