Global Smurfs Day 2013 - Smurf Log of an Irish Ambassador: Day Two!

Welcome back for Smurf Log Day Two! It was an early start on Global Smurfs Day with the alarm going off at 5.30am! The breakfast room was almost empty when I arrived so I can only imagine there was a blue uprising from 4am onward. 

Once brekkie had been scarfed it was time to get BLUE!

We're Blue dah dah dee dah dah dah!!

From every nook and cranny Smurfs emerged and I began to feel slightly less silly and really got into the swing of things. 

We assembled outside to meet the press (LOTS OF PRESS) and meet Peyo's daughter, granddaughter and the movies producer to be awarded with a certificate for representing each of our countries. 

Being 170 smurfs strong we were divided into teams - The Irish contingent were Team Vanity (How Apt?!)

When everyone had gotten their assigned teams it was onto 4 coaches and toward the train station with us, the atmosphere was fantastic!

Papa Smurf, Smurfette and several other assorted Smurfs were at the station to wave us off on the specially commissioned high speed (1.5 hours) train to Paris. 

As you can see from the photos, we did our own re-inaction of that famous Samuel L Jackson movie - Smurfs on a Train. 

As soon as we arrived at Gare du Nord it was on to three open top buses and a bajillion circles around Parisian streets en route to the Eiffel Tower reception. 

During this Griswald-esque journey I learned two things 1. Blue face paint is not waterproof and 2. No matter how crappy your French day is going, it's impossible not to laugh and wave at a bus load of Smurfs. Good times. 

After being treated to an overwhelming reception at the Eiffel Tower, including (what felt like) 67 Flash Mob routines, we were off marching up the Trocadero for a further 67 thousand photos and puzzled looks. We were in it together. 

All back onto the buses after roughly 2 hours and it was off to Notre Dame to bewilder several thousand more Parisians and tourists. 

It has to be mentioned that there were some serious, I mean SERIOUS fans of the Smurfs on our trip. They collected every shred of Smurf related paraphernalia as we went, including train dust covers, peoples' lunch boxes and BAGS of sweeties and drinks - basically everything that was blue & wasn't nailed down. It. Were. Lunacy! 

I've never been happier to see a hotel in my entire life!!

Once every single photo op had been taken, we headed off back to our hotel (this was 13 hours after we'd set out) and thought it a rather cruel joke that we had to circle the Arc de Triomphe FIVE TIMES before setting down. (Look, kids, it's Big Ben!)

The hotel was fabulous though, the nicest bath I've ever had and as soon as I finished filming the last of the sizzle reels for Sony we were treated to a blue extravaganza for eats! Anything we wanted was provided including all the blue cocktails you could stomach but having had a relentless day of Smurfing about I was pooped and headed to bed early (In Paris, I KNOW!!)

All in all I can safely say the Ambassador experience was nothing like I've ever endured  enjoyed before. Sony were right on the ball at every turn and I can only imagine the final footage will knock our socks off. 

In truth I would have preferred to bring a companion along, just as every other country did (some brought entire families) just to share the trials, tribulations and craic that was crammed into our two days of mania. A little heads up about the €100 tab on each of my hotel rooms while there would have been nice too (Extortionate Toblerone, we could have been great together!)

I did however spend Sunday on the Champs Elysee and several hours in Sephora, which kinda made up for it a little. I'll totally be showing you my stash from there very soon!

Global Smurfs Day though? Would I do it again? 

Abso-Smurfin-Lutely!

Can you spot the Irish flag? 

Global Smurfs Day 2013 - Smurf Log of an Irish Ambassador: Day One!

Well I'm back, still slightly tinged with blue but I'm in one piece. For those of you that didn't know, I was chosen by Sony as the Irish Ambassador for Global Smurfs Day in Brussels and Paris this weekend and boy did they pack a lot in. 

I managed to take a bajillion photos as I had little or no coverage on the ground, it was like I had lost a blue limb! Wanna see some of 'em? 

Day One was an early start with a 6am flight to Brussels. I was travelling with Alison from Presence PR and Michelle from the Daily Mail. After a passport debacle and a check in catastrophe we were away and landed in great time.

We were some of the first to arrive because of the crack of dawn flight but it slowly dawned on me as coach loads of guests arrived from all over the world that this truly was a global endeavor. There were ambassadors from 40 countries, most arriving with friends and family (le sigh) and by the time we'd all checked in our Smurf army was 170 people strong!

Once I'd checked into my room (Alllll byyy myyysellllf) I found some pretty excellent Smurfy bits awaiting me, including the brand new Sony Xperia Z smartphone (my iphone's since been retired) , a Sony Cyber Shot camera (a pressie for the Sis as she missed out on the trip) and everything a smurf could possibly need to navigate this global holiday across two cities. 

I spent about an hour filming snippets with the Sony crew to show the background of the first day in Brussels, which I'll link when live but then I was free as a bird to explore the city a little, visit some serious chocolatiers and despite being left on my ownio for the day I was joined by the girls that night for one or two sociables. 

It's safe to say that the Belgian chocolates are only matched by the Belgian beer. Leffe (mmm clovey!), Trappistes Rochefort (15% proof & Buckfasty) and Delerium Tremens (famous Belgian strong pale ale) were all sampled - well, I was the Irish Ambassador and they were gooood! 

We were in bed by sensible o'clock to ready ourselves for a 5.30am start and the madness that was to be Global Smurfs Day! 

Tune in tomorrow for a seriously bumper post on exactly what goes on behind the scenes for a smurfy trip like this, oui? 


Did you see any coverage of the day? Or were you involved in the celebrations here? I'd love to know.