Paris - the city of romance

Another guest post from Andrew Allison.

I must say I am enjoying doing some guest blogging, although I have been very busy across at my blog. There has been so much happening in the news of late and if you know who calls a you know what, I know I will be very busy both on the blog and out campaigning for the next few weeks, however I am going on holiday in a couple of weeks. The three of us will be visiting friends in Scotland. If anyone would like to do some guest blogging for me, please get in touch. The more the merrier.

My favourite city in the world is undoubtedly Paris. I love the place. Every time I set foot on Parisian soil I get a feeling of well being. I feel at home. My most relaxing holidays have been in Paris and I could easily be a tour guide there; in fact I have given many guided tours to family and friends.

Not long after Becky and I got together I asked her if she would like to come on holiday with me to Paris. She had never been before and eagerly accepted the invitation. A few weeks later we were sitting in a local pub and she said she wanted a ring on her finger. We both knew Paris would be the location.

Getting the ring wasn’t as big of a problem as I had initially thought. I went to a jeweller in Beverley and was ably assisted by a member of staff. She thought my taste was good and then showed it off to another customer who immediately said, ‘I do!’ I knew I was on to a winner.

Finding the right location to propose was quite difficult. I had initially thought of the Eiffel Tower, but the restaurants there would have been crowded and I was looking for a more intimate location. I searched on the internet for a good Michelin starred restaurant and eventually found an Italian near to the hotel. Trying to get through on the telephone proved impossible and no-one was replying to my e-mails. I was back to square one. So, when we arrived in Paris I still had to find somewhere. Thankfully the hotel owner managed to get in touch with this restaurant and reserved a table for dinner. Everything was now in place. All I had to do was not fluff my lines.

The location was perfect and the service was second to none. I can get used to having my wine poured out for me every evening. The waiting staff would rush over to our table if they saw reaching for the wine bottle. We ate veal, followed by a crème brulée. At the end of the meal I went across to the bar and ordered a bottle of champagne and told the head waiter I was about to propose. His reaction was, ‘What champagne would you like?’ I replied, ‘I don’t know. I am not an aficionado on champagne.’ He asked me if the champagne we had in the aperitifs was okay. I said it was, so I chose that one. Not very scientific, but as long as it is dry champagne I am not really bothered. I went back to the table and started to get down on one knee. ‘Rebecca’, I said nervously, ‘will you do me the honour of becoming my wife.’ Becky replied, ‘You started to say that before you knelt down. You’ll have to ask again.’ What a thing to do to man. So I asked again and thankfully the answer was, ‘Of course I will.’ Just after that the champagne arrived and we could celebrate.

We eventually rolled back to the hotel and made some phone calls. I had done it and everything had gone as I had wanted it to. The evening will stay in our minds forever. I had always said that if I ever ask someone to marry me it will be in Paris; the most romantic city in the world. More of our holiday tomorrow.