devarae
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I'm importing my old trip journals for past vacations in case they are useful to folks. Here I spend September 24, 2013 to October 4, 2013 in beautiful Paris with my mom and my husband.
Preparation and Planning Details
This was my second trip to Paris. My first was a seven day visit back in 2006, during which time my husband Bob and I stayed in an apartment in the 1st arrondisement, along with my mom, dad, and younger brother. This time it was to be a ten day trip, with just my mom and Bob.
At first we considered splitting our time between Paris and another location, but ultimately decided to embrace slow travel and commit entirely to Paris (plus a few day trips). I have no regrets at all about that decision! I was a tiny bit hesitant about returning to somewhere I'd already been when there are so many other places I want to visit, but ultimately it made for a really wonderful trip. This time I didn't feel the same slight panic I have gotten on prior trips, worrying that I am "missing" something. I think that this was partly because I'd been to Paris before, and so I had already seen many of the "must-sees." This time I felt as if I was more in control of my itinerary, revisiting favorites, getting to check out some things I'd missed last time, and generally just enjoying being in the beautiful city and absorbing as much as I could!
I knew from my previous visit that my favorite part of the city is the area around Luxembourg Gardens, so this time we stayed in a small apartment in the 6th arrondisement. I arranged this via VRBO and it was exactly as promised. I think if I were doing it all over again, I would have paid more to get a larger, quieter apartment (with two actual bedrooms, rather than a bedroom and a loft) but the location was perfect for our needs, convenient to several metro lines, bus lines, bakeries, and a supermarket, as well as being just a short walk from my beloved Luxembourg Gardens. We paid €1300 for our ten-night stay.
After tracking ticket prices for several months on Kayak, I ultimately got us tickets through Air France, nonstop from Boston Logan to CDG. The tickets were around $1200 each, including all taxes and fees, departing Monday September 23 in the evening, arriving Tuesday September 24 in the morning.
We pre-booked tickets for several tours as well:
We purchased "skip-the-line" tickets for the Catacombs, and were very glad we did both because the lines were very, very long, and because we truly enjoyed our guide's presentation of the information. We did this via MyParisianTour/Dark Rome.
We purchased tickets for a ride up the Saint Martin canal (a bit of a gamble, weather-wise, but we were glad to have it settled in advance) via Canauxrama. We were a bit worried about doing this in advance, in case of bad weather, but were ultimately very glad we did as it was a relief to have it all handled in advance. And we did get good weather!
Lastly, we purchased tickets in advance for the private guided tour of Versailles that included the King's private apartments and the Opera House. This was also something we were very happy to have done in advance, as they do sell out, and are only available on certain days. This tour also allowed us to access the main sections of the chateau (Hall of Mirrors) and did not cost much more than the standard entry fee, so we felt it was a good deal considering that it allowed us to see some less crowded areas, including the magnificent Opera House.
Aside from that, my preparations were mostly in the form of lots of lists of pâtisseries, gardens, markets, and bus routes (we had determined that buses would be more convenient than the metro as they involve fewer stairs, which bother my mom's knees).
Our general plan was to take things easy and let everyone go at his or her own pace. Bob likes to sleep in, while I like to be out-and-about early and walk a lot, so in general I took the mornings for my own explorations, usually on foot. This was good as it helped me work off my extra energy!
In terms of food, we ate breakfast and dinner in our apartment most days, though breakfast often included croissants or pastries I brought back from a morning ramble. We got groceries from the corner market right down the street, and from the larger Franprix a few blocks further. We all appreciate good food, but our tastes are more for ethnic and simple comfort foods, rather than upscale dining. So when we did eat "out" it was generally lunch in cafes or street food.
A note on language/culture: Neither my mother nor I speak French. Bob speaks a bit, having lived in Paris as a boy for several years. I did my best to learn the simple polite phrases, important food terms, etc. Overall we had no problems with language as most everyone generously switched to English after the initial exchange of pleasantries. On the whole, the people we encountered were quite helpful and good-natured.
Tuesday 24 September: Planes, Trains, and Bateaux Mouches
We arrived early Tuesday morning after a smooth but tiring overnight flight. I had researched how to take the RER train into Paris, and this was easy enough to do. The train was very crowded though! We were glad we had packed light!
We got off at the Luxembourg station, and walked through the gardens to our apartment. I had texted the apartment owner (I have a Mobal phone I use for oversees), and she met us on the street outside 3 Rue d’Asses. It was rather a long walk with suitcases (even small, rolling ones) but it was also kind of nice to stretch our legs, and to see the beautiful gardens right away! Lida welcomed us to the apartment graciously, showing us everything we needed to know, then left us to settle in (aka fall into bed instantly).
Four hours later we managed to get ourselves up and out. We picked up pastries from nearby Pâtisserie Secco, then took them over to Luxembourg Gardens and ate them on a bench, supplemented with (expensive!) drinks from the garden cafe. It was lovely to sit and watch everyone go past. The sunny warm weather had clearly drawn many people to the park, including large packs of men in matching shorts (a sports team?) running laps with great energy.
We continued on, stopping at the Medici fountain (my favorite spot in the garden), then heading on to the Place Saint-Michel area. I visited Shakespeare & Co, picking up a souvenir and enjoying the cool, twisty maze of books, and the tiny little alcove filled with love letters to books and bookshops.
We then crossed over to the Île de la Cité, to walk past Notre Dame and rest in the gardens (which had free WiFi). At this point we were all still quite zonked out from the travel, and just sort of floating along. Which is probably how I was able to convince Mom and Bob to walk so much - we kind of overdid it!
We crossed to Île Saint-Louis for Berthillion ice cream from the small stand beside the bridge. Salted caramel for all! It was absolutely delicious! We enjoyed our scoops while watching the street performers, including an accordion player, and a young man juggling glass balls like David Bowie's goblin king Jareth, in the movie Labyrinth.
Fortified with ice cream, we headed to the Pont Neuf to catch one of the boat tours to see more of the city while resting our tired feet. We'd done this on our last visit, and it was just as lovely the second time! It's one of my favorite ways to be (re)introduced to the city, especially that first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower as you loop along the Seine river! It was still quite sunny, and the warm gold stones and vivid green trees and clear blue sky conspired to create a beauty that (at least to our sleep-deprived minds) was fairly overwhelming.
After our boat trip, we ambled home via Rue de Buci, stopping for takeaway roast chicken, green beans and potatoes at Tratieur JSFP for dinner, and a bunch of flowers to decorate our home-away-from-home. We also got some staples for the apartment at the Monoprix.
We enjoyed our quiet dinner at home, then all retired early, to rest our sore feet and prepare for another day.
Wednesday 25 September: Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle
While Bob slept in, Mom and I headed out on a mission to visit the famed Poilâne bakery, which happened to be almost just around the corner from our apartment. We purchased a half-loaf of the large round bread, the top beautifully carved with the curling "P" insignia of the bakery. The staff were lovely, getting us a fresh loaf and slicing it for us. I also bought two apple pastries, and a croissant for Bob (which he later said was his favorite of the trip). We escaped with our delectable bounty, in spite of an embarrassing misadventure in which I tried to take another gentleman's pastry. (He was very kind about it!)
Back home we devoured the crisp, buttery pastries and some of the chewy, slightly sour bread, with good butter and peach jam from the corner market. Delicious!
Still feeling antsy, I went out solo, to scout out the bus stop where we planned to catch a bus to the Île de la Cité later, and to purchase a carnet of tickets at the nearest metro station. I also wandered around a bit, just admiring the architecture along the Rue de Dragon, dodging clouds of smoke as I watched students crowding into the local boulangerie for a snack.
Back home, it was time to prepare for our first bus trip. This ended up being very easy. At first we weren't sure how to use our tickets (the carnet from the metro is valid on both metro and bus lines) but there was someone working for the bus service (checking passes) who showed us where to stick it into the reader at the front of the bus. We made sure to keep the tickets, in case we needed to show them to anyone later, or to transfer to another bus (they are valid for a certain time span).
We got off near Saint-Michel again, where we paused to admire the art deco metro entrance, then plunged into the warren of touristy streets in search of something quick for lunch. Mom and I got falafel from Maoz, which was delicious and quite fresh and light tasting for street food -- and I loved how you could put your own toppings (vegetables, sauces, pickles, peppers) on from the salad bar type setup. I enjoyed the energy and color of this area, though some streets were a bit overwhelming with the food vendors shouting at you to come in to their shops.
We ate our food in the green and relatively quiet Square René-Viviani, while paying a visit to the oldest living inhabitant of Paris, the acacia tree supposedly planted 400 years ago by its namesake Jean Robin. The square also had lovely views of Notre-Dame, just across the river.
We crossed over, heading to Sainte-Chapelle. It was around 2pm, and the lines were not bad. We probably waited about 10 minutes in the security line, then perhaps five minutes for tickets. Though when we left an hour later the ticket line had gotten huge, so who knows how to judge these things?
I had been to Sainte-Chapelle on our last Paris trip, but I wanted to return as it was one of the highlights of that trip. It was just as stunning the second time, even packed with crowds and with half of the stained glass (fortunately the half facing away from the sun) under scaffolding for restoration. I plugged in my headphones (playing some Anonymous 4 for atmosphere) and found an unobtrusive spot where I could just study those beautiful bright windows with the afternoon sun streaming in. Someday maybe I will manage to return in the dead of winter when it might be less crowded, but for now I am happy with my experience! [Note, if you are visiting for the first time, you may be wondering where all this beautiful stained glass is when you first enter. You start off in the lower chapel (near the souvenir shop!) and have to go upstairs to reach the upper chapel.]
We departed after we'd had our fill of both stained glass and our fellow tourists, to seek the balm of more Berthillion ice cream on the corner down the street. We were served by an adorable young girl (maybe eight years old?) who was "helping" her grandmother. She kept trying to give us large scoops rather than the petit cones we had ordered, in spite of grandma's attempts to reign in her generosity.
Fortified, we headed on to Notre-Dame, where we waited in line for about five minutes to gain entry. Inside was overwhelming (in a good way). Once again I used my headphones to cover the tourist chatter with celestial music more in keeping with the environment. I visited the statue of Joan of Arc, where I made an offering and lit one of the small tea lights. When my mom joined me a few minutes later, she did the same, and lit her candle from the flame of mine, without my having told her which it was (there were dozens). A magical moment!
After this, we returned to Saint-Michel, planning to catch a ride back to "our neighborhood." We also took a slight detour for photos at the Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche, supposedly the narrowest street in Paris.
The bus was easy-peasy, once we found the correct bus stop (this was the most challenging part of learning the bus lines for me -- eventually I found a really detailed map I could download to my tablet that shows exactly where the stops are for every line). We got off nearby a local Mariage-Freres tea shop, where we stopped to buy some souvenirs. The shopkeeper was very, very kind and helpful, allowing us to sniff various teas while making our selection. We also picked up some delicious rooibos chai flavored white chocolate that I still dream about, sadly unavailable in the states!
Back home, we had a dinner of leftovers, supplemented with some mushroom ravioli and tomato sauce from the market. By then we were very wiped out, and spent the evening in our apartment, reading and chatting.
Thursday, 26 September: Saint-Martin Canal
I started the morning with a small cup of hazelnut (noisette) yogurt that was so delicious I later went back to the store for two more. But a girl cannot breakfast on yogurt alone, so I set out for another of the pâtisseries on my "must-try" list: Gérard Mulot. The shop was near enough to make a nice morning walk. On the return trip, clutching my bag of croissant, pain au chocolat, and pistachio macaron, I once more visited the Luxembourg gardens, enjoying the relative solitude of early morning, and the chance to study all the statues of the queens who guard the center of the gardens. Back home, Mom and I had a breakfast of eggs from the corner market, Poilâne toast, blood orange juice, and (of course) pastries. Mom is the only one of us who likes coffee, so we had not made arrangements to brew any in the apartment. Instead, she got coffee from Secco, down the street -- either drunk in the shop or taken to go.
I went out again for another ramble after this second breakfast, exploring the area up toward the Pont des Arts, where I saw a brave fellow walking five dogs, all at once. The neighborhoods were lovely to just wander through, window-shopping and people-watching.
Once everyone else was up and ready, we set out on Bus 87, to the Bastille, where we had our lunch at La Cavetière, a bistro near the canal. All our food was delicious, and the owners were characters: an older man and woman who seemed to constantly be involved in a good-natured argument. There seemed to be a number of regulars. I was especially charmed by an older gentleman who ordered a cheese course, which the owner served with great solicitude, carving it off the large wheel and inquiring if the quantity was sufficient. We shared a raw mushroom salad, roasted chicken with a salad and fries, and a dish of stewed chicken with vegetables in a light broth. No time for dessert, though, as we were due to board our boat for a trip up the Saint-Martin canal.
We enjoyed this trip very much! We sat in the front of the boat, where we could observe the excitement of the foam and spray as the locks were opened to lift us up, step-by-step. The first 20 minutes or so were spent going through the tunnel, lit occasionally by overhead skylights and an art installation of lights. There was occasional commentary (in English and French) throughout, as well as music in between (something somber and atmospheric in the tunnel, cheerful stuff outside in the sun!).
It was a long and peaceful ride, but never boring as we had plenty to see, in the stretches of green park along the banks of the canal where people were sitting, exercising, playing, eating. We were amused when one of the lock attendants came on board while the water level was slowly rising, to get a cup of coffee from the boat’s bar.
Eventually we reached the Parc de Villette and the end of the trip. We got a nice glimpse of the great silvery Geode, and the grounds of the park, but we were too tired by that point to explore further. So we headed straight for the metro, which we took back to Saint Sulpice. On our walk home we got a few things from Franprix to supplement our leftovers, and had a simple dinner back at home. I had my Gérard Mulot pistachio macaron, which was my favorite of the trip in spite of the violently green color. We had a peaceful evening in our apartment reading and going to sleep early, in preparation for the next day's more challenging adventure: navigating Gare Montparnasse and taking the train to Chartres!
Friday, 27 September: Chartres
This was the day I was most nervous about! As I had been warned by various travel sites, Gare Montparnasse was rather overwhelming! It took us some time to find the ticket selling booths, but once we finally tracked them down the lines were not long, and there was €90 total. The attendant also kindly gave us a paper schedule with the return times. After that we just had to find the right track!
We waited beside the giant screen, waiting for the display to tell us where to go. Voie 24! We found our train, started to settle in, then realized we were in a first class car (ooops!). Thankfully there were plenty of seats in second class. Then I remembered something about validating tickets-- so Bob took our three tickets out and tried to validate them at one of the yellow machines we saw other folks using. It didn't seem to work but a kind conductor wrote the validation on them instead. Whew! Finally we could relax and enjoy our trip.
I found myself getting quite antsy on the train ride, after being in Paris where I could be constantly on the move. But it was only about an hour, and then we were disembarking at the considerably less imposing station in Chartres. It was easy to find the Cathedral, following the distinctive mismatched spires!
There was a convenient tourist shop right outside with a 50 cent bathroom and various necessities for sale. We availed ourselves of this and then found our way into the Cathedral.
It was beautiful. Overpowering. Massive. The contrast in dark and light: the beautiful stained glass and the vast, shadowy heights. I had arranged our schedule so that we could hopefully see the stone labyrinth in the floor uncovered: it is only opened for people to walk it on certain days. Thankfully my interpretation of the schedule was correct: and it was already quite crowded with barefoot visitors wending their slow way along the stones smoothed by thousands of past pilgrims.
I joined them, listening to atmospheric music on my iPod to block the tourist chatter (though most people were being quiet, it was still rather crowded and the hum of conversation was ever-present). You enter on one side, following the spiraling, turning pattern of raised stones until you eventually reach the center. Some folks simply exit at that point, while others retrace the path out. It was moving to imagine all the past centuries of pilgrims walking there, especially when you see the places where the stones are worn, both in the labyrinth, and along the bases of the great columns (where thousands of past visitors have rested).
Afterward, we continued to wander. The scale of the structure is overwhelming, inside and out, and it does its job: making you aware of how small you are, but also uplifting you and making you feel a part of something greater. I wished we could have stayed for the concert they were preparing for that was to be performed that evening -- it would be glorious to hear music in that space! But at least I got to hear one of the cellists warming up before we left!
Outside again, we explored the lovely gardens overlooking the Eure river valley, and decided they would be a perfect lunch spot. It was sunny and blue out, wonderful weather! But as it was still a little early to eat, we decided to see if we could take the tourist "train" trip down into the village. This was very helpful for my mom who otherwise might have had some trouble with the steep slope and cobblestones.
We took seats in one of the little open carriages, pulled by the small motorized "engine", and enjoyed a fun trip through the narrow medieval streets with half-timbered houses looming out over us, down along the river where the old washing houses are, then back again to the cathedral. There was recorded commentary in French and English, telling us a bit about the history of Chartres, the architecture, etc. I believe this ride cost about €7.50 each, and lasted about 35 minutes. It was worth it to us to spare the walking!
After that we picked up sandwiches and drinks at a corner store, then ate them in the lovely gardens overlooking the Eure. I wished I had taken the time to go down and explore more of the gardens, including the outside labyrinth, carved into the grass. But we also wanted to take the tour of the Crypt, so we went off to do that. The tour is only offered in French, but there is a handout with English notes. It was a rather lackadaisical affair, very short, but only €3 Euros each and it allowed us to see the underbelly of the cathedral. My favorite part was the dim, red-lit, long, spooky chapel -- which we wandered while the guide moved on (albeit with some concern that we might be left behind and locked in, as I recalled reading about in another traveler's journal!). We also saw the impressively deep well, and foundations.
Lastly, I climbed the tower -- 300 steps! Mom and Bob stayed below. The view of the countryside was not particularly compelling to me, but I really enjoyed the chance to see the gargoyles up close! I loved the external architecture of the cathedral as much as the inside -- so many massive, sweeping buttresses and sharp stone angles against the blue sky! I also spotted a little rooftop terrace on part of the cathedral that I had not seen from below. I like to imagine the priests sneaking off to enjoy a secret break there.
We headed back to catch our train home, full of beauty and a (just okay) nutella crepe from one of the shops in Chartres. We took the bus home from Gare Montparnasse, stopping at Franprix for eggs and pasta and tomato sauce. Bob fixed a dinner of pasta, and we had a nice salad of mache and arugula with a dressing of apartment-furnished olive oil, vinegar, honey and garlic flakes. I had more of the amazing hazelnut yogurt for dessert. It was a good day!
Saturday, 28 September: Palace of Versailles
I was up early, and enjoyed a quiet time drinking tea and listening to the first soft rainfall of our trip outside, as the others slept. I went out eventually on a pastry run, and was perhaps overenthusiastic knowing that many of the shops would be closed Sunday! At Boulangerie Julien I got croissants, a pain au chocolat, a slice of rhubarb tart, and apricot pastry, choquettes, and a cannele. I walked back via the Luxembourg gardens, stopping at Bread & Roses for another cannele (for scientific comparison only, of course!) and then at Secco for coffee for Mom, plus a citron tart and a pistachio macaron. Whew!
Everything from Boulangerie Julien was amazing -- especially that rhubarb tart! We set aside several of the sweets for later, and feasted on the rest for breakfast. Then Mom and I took a short walk to visit Bon Marche, where we admired the glitz and glamour, collected some scented perfume cards, and ogled the high-priced luxury goods. Then it was time to go back home and collect Bob for our day trip to Versailles, to ogle a different sort of luxury.
We got tickets from the metro machine that would be valid on the RER C train to Versailles. This was a little challenging, mostly because my nerves were still wound up after the train travel the day before. But we managed, and were soon on our way.
Versailles was overwhelming, and not necessarily in a good way. There was just so much! So many tourists, so much to look at, so big a site...!
We started off with a quick lunch in the chateau cafe, then headed over to the tour entrance for our Hidden Rooms tour. This was fantastic -- definitely worth the additional (small) fee above general admission, especially as it allowed us to escape some of the worst of the crowds and to skip the long entry lines. The rooms we saw were not as large as those on the public display, but they were interesting and more personal. My favorite was the Opera House -- so gorgeous! Also a pleasant chance to sit, after a lot of walking and standing!
When the tour finished, we could have continued on to see the public rooms, but we were so tired and overwhelmed, and the crowds were so thick, that we just zipped through to the Hall of Mirrors (which was indeed very impressive!).
Then we headed down to the gardens. Because it was Saturday, the fountains were on, and we had to pay a fee, but I thought it was worth it. The grounds are so vast, and several areas were under construction, but we really enjoyed viewing the sculptures (both original/classical, and the temporary installation of tree-inspired modern art that gave one the impression that a troupe of Ents from Middle Earth had come to visit). One of my favorites was the Grove of Apollo, with those gorgeous horse sculptures blazing white against the green grass and gray rock.
We ended our visit at the main fountains, for the finale of the day at 5:20. We sat in the grass along with hundreds of other tourists, to watch as the dozens of fountains came to life, twisting and spraying to the vibrant (recorded) musical accompaniment.
Then it was time to head back to the station! The line for the ticket machine was huge, and we were hungry, so we decided to have our supper first. We went across the street to a brasserie, where we had a really delicious meal. I had a salad with chicken and roasted vegetables, Mom had baked cod with steamed vegetables, and Bob had pasta Alfredo with salmon. I splurged on a creme brulee for dessert that was the perfect end to the meal. Bob visited the Starbucks next door for a more prosaic but still tasty chai.
The lines were still quite long, but we prevailed, and used the last of our coins to get the tickets we needed to return home. We got off at the Champs de Mars stop, so that we could see the Eiffel Tower at night. Having just missed the hourly sparkles, we decided to wait for the next. We entertained ourselves by visiting the Trocadero and people watching. Bob and I also took a ride on the old-fashioned merry-go-round! Spinning along beneath the colorful lights, surrounded by brightly lacquered horses, accompanied by rollicking carnival music, catching glimpses of the glittering spire of the Eiffel Tower across the river: it was magical!
Finally at the top of the hour the tower sparkled, and the fountains of the Trocadero began an impressive display. It started to rain just a bit, but we didn't care. I watched a mother and her small son doing a little, jaunty dance down the street, under their umbrella.
We had a bit of trouble getting home after this, due to several buses being no longer in service. But we finally located a line running from Champ de Mars that would take us back to our neighborhood. While we waited, we were entertained first by the passage of the "Party Bus" -- literally a moving party, in a bus, booming techno dance music with the windows revealing flashes of dancers and bright lights inside.
Then, we noticed what seemed to be a figment of our tired brains: a white horse, standing alone in the dark grassy fields. It took us a moment to realize it was in fact one of the carriage horses that pull tourists around during the day -- the driver and carriage itself were nearby. But it was fun for the brief span of time when I could imagine it was in fact some sort of magical manifestation. As much of a unicorn as I would be able to see on this trip, since one of my favorite exhibitions (the Unicorn tapestries as the Cluny Museum) were not on display as they were traveling out of the country, alas.
Sunday, 29 September: Musée du Louvre
Mom and I had eggs for breakfast, with that delicious Poilâne bread. Then we took a stroll up past Saint-Sulpice, to Boulevard Saint-Germain, to find American-style coffee at a Starbucks for Mom. I enjoyed exploring some of the twistier side streets, with their nubby cobblestones and mysterious turns and passages.
We visited Saint-Sulpice for the morning service, primarily to listen to the organ music. The music was indeed powerful, thrumming into my chest. I also especially loved the small green-lit chapel in the rear, and the enormous carved clam shell.
We headed home to meet up with Bob, and take the bus to Saint-Germain, where we had lunch at an Indian restaurant on Rue de la Harpe. It was tasty, though not as good as our favorite Indian restaurants back home. But we'd been craving something with more spice, so this was a nice change. We had a pleasant table, on the second floor, by the window, overlooking the pedestrian street outside, surrounded by the vivid orange and fuchsia silks of the restaurant decor. Dessert was more Berthillion -- pistachio this time! So good...
Finally we scrambled onto a bus to take us to the Louvre. The weather was expected to be a bit rainy, so it seemed a good day to visit a museum. We had not bought tickets in advance or gotten the museum pass, but the lines were not bad. By the time we were in it was already 3pm, but we knew three hours would be more than enough for us to see a few of our favorite exhibits before developing museum fatigue. Since we all had different favorites, we split up, agreeing to meet again just before closing time.
I focused on the Near East antiquities, Vermeer, Rembrandt, and the Egyptian antiquities. I was very sad that my favorite piece of art (the Winged Victory of Samothrace) was not on display, but that just means I will have to return again someday! I still enjoyed the lustrous darks and lights of Vermeer and Rembrandt, and the chance to be reminded that peoples all through time are not that different than modern humanity. I felt this especially looking at an Egyptian cat carving, which shows the tiny kitten pawing playfully at its mother's face. I imagine the artist must have loved cats, to capture such a bit of truth.
We were all quite wiped out by the time we had finished our individual tours! We headed home via bus, then Bob and I went out to pick up some dishes from one of the Asian tratieurs -- greasy, but tasty enough! Even better was the melon we got for dessert from the corner market. So juicy, sweet and ripe.
Monday, 30 September: Marais and Père Lachaise Cemetery
I slept late today: 8:30! It felt good though. I think I am finally hitting the limits of my frenetic vacation-inspired energy.
Recalling how delicious the last goodies from Boulangerie Julien were, I headed back again for more. I ate my warm (!) croissant in the Luxembourg Gardens, where most everyone else seemed to be exercising -- a large group was doing Tai Chi. I dropped off the other goodies at home, then headed out to pick up some souvenirs: cookies from Poliane, tea, chocolate and jam from Mariage Frères, a delightful French picture book for a young friend. Along the way I wandered through the Saint-Germain neighborhood, exploring more of the narrow streets and reveling in the small beauties of a twisted iron railing or a bit of whimsical street art.
And I finally made it into Pierre Hermé again! On our 2006 trip the pistachio macaron and Ispahan pastry were my absolute favorites of all the treats I sampled, and I was eager for more. Sadly there were no pistachio macarons, but of course I could not leave empty handed! I selected my old favorite Ispahan, with its layers of lychee and rose and raspberry and that perfect rose-petal with faux dewdrop on top. And I decided to sample the Tarte Infiniment Vanille, after reading a review on a food blog singing its praises. Plus, there was this description: "Pâte sablée, white chocolate ganache with vanilla, tender biscuit moistened with vanilla, vanilla-flavoured mascarpone cream." These delicacies are not cheap, but I could not resist!
Back home, I met up with Mom and Bob, and we headed off for our day's adventures. We took the bus to the Marais, getting off near the Hotel de Ville to admire its grandeur, before wandering deeper in search of lunch. Since I do love falafel, I wanted to try the famous L’As du Falafel.
We were delayed for a short time by a colorful group of dancers and singers who appeared to be shooting a music video. All of them were wearing moddish black clothing, accessorized with ... bananas. I wish I knew what the final result looked like!
There was a line (of course) for falafel, but the folks working at the shop were cheerful and nice -- one fellow took our order and accepted our payment while we were in line, giving us a ticket to hand in when we reached the window. I enjoyed watching the cooks compose the sandwiches: swooping tongs across the tubs of tomato, cabbage, eggplant, freshly fried falafels, layering them all together into the warm pita so you never get a bite that's all cabbage or all falafel.
We ate our messy meals along the street, leaning against a nearby wall -- and definitely needed plenty of napkins. It was tasty, but I think I preferred my falafel from Maoz, because I could control what toppings I put on.
We watched other tourists struggling to consume their falafels with dignity (a seemingly impossible task), then headed onward toward the Place de Voges. Along the way we found an Amorino shop, and got gelato for dessert. I love how the servers will shape your gelato into a flower with such care -- mine even had a pistachio nut at the bottom of the cone to stop drips, and more on top to form the eye of the "flower." We ate our dessert in the peaceful green of the Place de Voges.
Then it was onward toward the Bastille, to catch a #69 bus to take us to Pere Lachaise cemetery. This was an atmospheric site, with the long, sleepy "streets" bordered by the tombs, and all the silent faces of the angels and cherubs watching over us. It seemed as if autumn had come earlier here than anywhere else in the city: brown leaves flitting along the paths, chestnuts thumping down, and the sky turning gray to match the stones. Wandering along one of the outer walls, the song of a saxophone from the living world was a surreal counterpoint. My favorite part of this visit was just wandering the tombs and seeing what sorts of inscriptions and statuary people had chosen to memorialize their dead (or themselves). We picked up maps at the offices just inside the main gates (where we also found bathrooms, a happy discovery). We entered via the entrance on Boulevard Menilmontant (there are several others).
Then it was time to return home, once again via bus. We had our dinner out, at a brasserie just around the corner from our apartment, Le Raspail. Our food was excellent! I had a salad with Emmantal cheese and potatoes on top, with just the right amount of dressing. Bob had ravioli, and Mom had a cheese omelet. We headed home for the pastries I’d procured earlier. The vanilla tart was particularly amazing, especially for something that appeared relatively simple. But the combination of layers and textures and slightly different flavors was perfect. Even now, as I write this months later, my mouth is watering, thinking of it.
Tuesday, 01 October: Catacombs
I finished off the last slivers of the Pierre Hermé pastries for my first breakfast. Then Mom and I went out to get a warm baguette and coffee from Secco, which we brought back to supplement (second) breakfast in the apartment. I went out solo to collect another carnet of tickets, and also to visit La Pâtisserie des Rêves. The shop is beautiful, with display pastries under glass bell jars, like precious art. I chose the Saint-Honoré, with its layers of caramelized pastry and chantilly cream, and those cute little mini cream puff baubles along the top. The staff disappeared into the mysterious magical back chambers and returned with one for me, which was beautifully wrapped and presented to me to carry home.
Mom and I then visited the Marché Raspail, which was set up just around the corner from our apartment. We had fun ogling the fruit, fish, and roasting chickens, though we did not end up buying anything to eat. We did, however, get a number of towels similar to those in our rental apartment: thin but absorbent, woven in pretty colors and patterns, to bring home as gifts and souvenirs. I am still using mine happily, a year later! It works well for packing as it is so much thinner than a standard towel.
Then Bob and I headed out on our own, for our tour of the Catacombs. Mom had declined to join this particular trip, since the long climb down would not be good for her knees, so she planned to spend the time sight-seeing on her own. When Bob and I reached the entrance, we were very glad we had splurged for a guided tour, as the line was very, very long! I was a little nervous about meeting up with our tour, but we quickly found some other folks waiting for it, and our guide Adam arrived soon afterward to collect us. He was a lovely young Canadian PhD student, quite a character, charming and capable.
With Adam to guide us, we bypassed the line, and descended into the catacombs. It was very dark and slimy in places, adding an appropriate atmosphere for the tales of overflowing cemeteries that led to the construction of the underground tunnels full of bones! The bones themselves were beautiful, macabre, and bittersweet. I was pleasantly surprised to discover there were other interesting subterranean sites, especially the whimsical miniature houses carved by one of the craftsmen. We also heard stories of the man who designed the bone placement schemata (including the artistic designs in which bones were placed to form hearts, crosses, and abstract patterns), who worked six days a week for thirty years on the project (can you imagine?).
After we emerged once again into the light, we found ourselves some quick takeaway food from the shops on Rue Daguerre and ate in the small park near the Catacomb entrance. Then it was off on the RER to Saint-Michel, where we met up with Mom at our planned meeting spot outside Shakespeare & Company.
The rest of the day was spent ambling around: through the Tuileries gardens (the Luxembourg gardens remain my favorite!) and over to Angelina’s, to sample their famous hot chocolate. It was fun to see the interior of the tea room and imagine Coco Chanel dining there -- I also enjoyed spying on our fellow guests. Most appeared to be tourists, but there was one very regal and well-heeled blond woman at a table nearby, carefully and precisely eating her dinner of salad and salmon, drinking tea, and working determinedly in her small notebook.
As to the famous chocolate, I found it too rich to enjoy, alas! I don't regret going, but I will be in no hurry to return.
Back home again we had leftovers for dinner, and that beautiful (and delicious) Saint-Honoré for dessert.
Wednesday, 02 October: Musée d'Orsay
I woke feeling a little sad that we had only two full days left in Paris. But at the same time. I had begun to look forward to being back in our cozy home and seeing our dog again! And by this time, I was also beginning to feel a bit tired and overwhelmed by all the sensory input!
I worked off my feelings by taking a solo early morning trip to the Champ de Mars, to visit the Eiffel Tower and then hunt up the various prime examples of Art Noveau architecture in the nearby neighborhoods. I then walked to the Pont Alma, reaching it just as the sun began to break through the clouds. I had a lovely walk along the right bank, then back across Pont Alexandre III, enjoying a close-up look at the gilded sculptures decorating the bridge.
After catching a bus home again, I collected Mom and we walked over to the Luxembourg gardens to sit in the sun and relax and read. We watched the gardeners up on ladders, trimming the topiaries, and packs of school children on educational tours, and lots of health-conscious Parisians. Eventually Bob joined us, and we headed north to see if we could secure a spot for lunch at Little Breizh, the younger sibling of the main Café Breizh in the Marais. We were in luck, snagging one of the few open tables! (Later diners had to wait, or go elsewhere).
I enjoyed the white-washed walls and dark beams, and the comfortable, homey atmosphere. It was rather packed, however, and we had trouble getting our overworked server’s attention for more water, and some forgotten salads. But everyone was very nice, and the food was delicious! I had a savory buckwheat crepe with cheese and tomatoes for my meal, and an amazing salted caramel crepe for dessert. We had some of the Breton apple juice as well, which was tasty!
After lunch we walked to the D'Orsay museum. It was crowded, but not so much as the Louvre! And much more manageable in scope, though I still skipped several exhibits. I especially loved the views of Sacre Cour from the cafe, through the face of the giant clock. And the enormous space of the main gallery!
We each went at our own speeds. I appreciated the no-photo rule, as I felt it cut down on traffic (unfortunately many folks seem to become oblivious to their surroundings when they are running around trying to take pictures of everything). My personal favorites were the works by Morisot, Manet and Van Gogh, and the Art Nouveau rooms. I also stumbled upon the enormous gilded ballroom when there was no one else in it!
We headed home again, stopping en route to pick up sandwiches from Secco to take home for dinner. I still had too much energy (fueled by pastries and end-of-vacation desperation) so I took one final solo jaunt, via metro, to Montmartre. I appreciated it more on this visit than in 2006, when there was a great deal of construction work on the streets. There were still a lot of crowds, but the atmosphere was festive, with buskers dancing and singing and playing. One guitarist had a large crowd singing along, seated on the slope leading up to Sacré-Coeur. It was surreal to pass from this into the shadowy solemnity of the church, lit by flickering votive candles, with nuns singing an ethereal hymn amid the gilt mosaic grandeur. I sat in one of the side chapels to listen to the service (mostly the singing, as I do not speak French!).
When I returned outside the weather had clouded over, so I abandoned any hope of watching the sun set, and instead headed back home.
Thursday, 03 October: Jardin des Plantes
Mom and I ventured out together in the morning, taking the bus to the Marais, to visit a "hidden" garden near the Archives. It was a lovely, peaceful spot, and a nice time to reflect on our wonderful, though nearly-concluded, vacation. Then back to Saint-Sulpice, where we visited Pierre Hermé once again, and faced the nigh-impossible task of choosing a last pastry (or two, or three). We each picked one (the Sarah and the Ibiza), plus a single macaron (apricot-pistachio). Returning to our apartment, we set these treats aside for later, and headed out with Bob for our final day.
We headed out to the Jardin des Plants, where we ate our takeaway Secco lunches along one of the shady trails. Mine was a Thai chicken salad, which was tasty and fresh but not as flavorful as I'd hoped. By this time we were tired and overwhelmed, so an aimless ramble through the banks of flowers (and to see the red pandas in the zoo) was a perfect way to spend our time.
Our wanderings took us onward to the Île Saint-Louis, where we visited the main Berthillion shop. I preferred our visits to the smaller stalls elsewhere, as the line here was quite long! But my black sesame ice cream was delicious, as was Bob’s cherry cone.
Then we sadly headed home to our apartment, to begin to pack for our early departure. Bob and I ventured out to collect food from a near-ish restaurant called “The Wok Bar” which we enjoyed. It was all freshly cooked, and you could choose a number of combinations of rice/noodles/protein/sauce/veg. I had rice with tofu and sate sauce, yum!
And for our last dessert of the trip, we had our pastries. I preferred the Sarah, which was formed of layers flavored with passion fruit, chestnut and matcha tea. The Ibiza was too overpoweringly orange flavored for my tastes, but when I tried to excise that layer the remainder was too sweet! But the apricot-pistachio macaron was delicious!
Friday, 04 October: Do We Have to Leave?
We woke at 6am, ate up the last of our croissants and eggs, then made jam and butter sandwiches out of the last of our bread to eat later on the plane. Our trip to the airport was a bit confusing -- though we finally located a board that listed the stops for the RER, so that we were reasonably certain we were getting on the correct train!
The airport was also quite confusing -- finding a working electronic kiosk, and then the proper baggage drop off -- but the personal were very helpful and friendly. We were just in time for our boarding call!
Overall, I think this was the best trip I have taken so far. I have no regrets about visiting somewhere I'd been before (of course, it helped that it was my favorite previous destination!).
Things I learned/confirmed about myself:
Photo Albums
picasaweb.google.com/116795678555228710481/Paris2013
Preparation and Planning Details
This was my second trip to Paris. My first was a seven day visit back in 2006, during which time my husband Bob and I stayed in an apartment in the 1st arrondisement, along with my mom, dad, and younger brother. This time it was to be a ten day trip, with just my mom and Bob.
At first we considered splitting our time between Paris and another location, but ultimately decided to embrace slow travel and commit entirely to Paris (plus a few day trips). I have no regrets at all about that decision! I was a tiny bit hesitant about returning to somewhere I'd already been when there are so many other places I want to visit, but ultimately it made for a really wonderful trip. This time I didn't feel the same slight panic I have gotten on prior trips, worrying that I am "missing" something. I think that this was partly because I'd been to Paris before, and so I had already seen many of the "must-sees." This time I felt as if I was more in control of my itinerary, revisiting favorites, getting to check out some things I'd missed last time, and generally just enjoying being in the beautiful city and absorbing as much as I could!
I knew from my previous visit that my favorite part of the city is the area around Luxembourg Gardens, so this time we stayed in a small apartment in the 6th arrondisement. I arranged this via VRBO and it was exactly as promised. I think if I were doing it all over again, I would have paid more to get a larger, quieter apartment (with two actual bedrooms, rather than a bedroom and a loft) but the location was perfect for our needs, convenient to several metro lines, bus lines, bakeries, and a supermarket, as well as being just a short walk from my beloved Luxembourg Gardens. We paid €1300 for our ten-night stay.
After tracking ticket prices for several months on Kayak, I ultimately got us tickets through Air France, nonstop from Boston Logan to CDG. The tickets were around $1200 each, including all taxes and fees, departing Monday September 23 in the evening, arriving Tuesday September 24 in the morning.
We pre-booked tickets for several tours as well:
We purchased "skip-the-line" tickets for the Catacombs, and were very glad we did both because the lines were very, very long, and because we truly enjoyed our guide's presentation of the information. We did this via MyParisianTour/Dark Rome.
We purchased tickets for a ride up the Saint Martin canal (a bit of a gamble, weather-wise, but we were glad to have it settled in advance) via Canauxrama. We were a bit worried about doing this in advance, in case of bad weather, but were ultimately very glad we did as it was a relief to have it all handled in advance. And we did get good weather!
Lastly, we purchased tickets in advance for the private guided tour of Versailles that included the King's private apartments and the Opera House. This was also something we were very happy to have done in advance, as they do sell out, and are only available on certain days. This tour also allowed us to access the main sections of the chateau (Hall of Mirrors) and did not cost much more than the standard entry fee, so we felt it was a good deal considering that it allowed us to see some less crowded areas, including the magnificent Opera House.
Aside from that, my preparations were mostly in the form of lots of lists of pâtisseries, gardens, markets, and bus routes (we had determined that buses would be more convenient than the metro as they involve fewer stairs, which bother my mom's knees).
Our general plan was to take things easy and let everyone go at his or her own pace. Bob likes to sleep in, while I like to be out-and-about early and walk a lot, so in general I took the mornings for my own explorations, usually on foot. This was good as it helped me work off my extra energy!
In terms of food, we ate breakfast and dinner in our apartment most days, though breakfast often included croissants or pastries I brought back from a morning ramble. We got groceries from the corner market right down the street, and from the larger Franprix a few blocks further. We all appreciate good food, but our tastes are more for ethnic and simple comfort foods, rather than upscale dining. So when we did eat "out" it was generally lunch in cafes or street food.
A note on language/culture: Neither my mother nor I speak French. Bob speaks a bit, having lived in Paris as a boy for several years. I did my best to learn the simple polite phrases, important food terms, etc. Overall we had no problems with language as most everyone generously switched to English after the initial exchange of pleasantries. On the whole, the people we encountered were quite helpful and good-natured.
Tuesday 24 September: Planes, Trains, and Bateaux Mouches
We arrived early Tuesday morning after a smooth but tiring overnight flight. I had researched how to take the RER train into Paris, and this was easy enough to do. The train was very crowded though! We were glad we had packed light!
We got off at the Luxembourg station, and walked through the gardens to our apartment. I had texted the apartment owner (I have a Mobal phone I use for oversees), and she met us on the street outside 3 Rue d’Asses. It was rather a long walk with suitcases (even small, rolling ones) but it was also kind of nice to stretch our legs, and to see the beautiful gardens right away! Lida welcomed us to the apartment graciously, showing us everything we needed to know, then left us to settle in (aka fall into bed instantly).
Four hours later we managed to get ourselves up and out. We picked up pastries from nearby Pâtisserie Secco, then took them over to Luxembourg Gardens and ate them on a bench, supplemented with (expensive!) drinks from the garden cafe. It was lovely to sit and watch everyone go past. The sunny warm weather had clearly drawn many people to the park, including large packs of men in matching shorts (a sports team?) running laps with great energy.
We continued on, stopping at the Medici fountain (my favorite spot in the garden), then heading on to the Place Saint-Michel area. I visited Shakespeare & Co, picking up a souvenir and enjoying the cool, twisty maze of books, and the tiny little alcove filled with love letters to books and bookshops.
We then crossed over to the Île de la Cité, to walk past Notre Dame and rest in the gardens (which had free WiFi). At this point we were all still quite zonked out from the travel, and just sort of floating along. Which is probably how I was able to convince Mom and Bob to walk so much - we kind of overdid it!
We crossed to Île Saint-Louis for Berthillion ice cream from the small stand beside the bridge. Salted caramel for all! It was absolutely delicious! We enjoyed our scoops while watching the street performers, including an accordion player, and a young man juggling glass balls like David Bowie's goblin king Jareth, in the movie Labyrinth.
Fortified with ice cream, we headed to the Pont Neuf to catch one of the boat tours to see more of the city while resting our tired feet. We'd done this on our last visit, and it was just as lovely the second time! It's one of my favorite ways to be (re)introduced to the city, especially that first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower as you loop along the Seine river! It was still quite sunny, and the warm gold stones and vivid green trees and clear blue sky conspired to create a beauty that (at least to our sleep-deprived minds) was fairly overwhelming.
After our boat trip, we ambled home via Rue de Buci, stopping for takeaway roast chicken, green beans and potatoes at Tratieur JSFP for dinner, and a bunch of flowers to decorate our home-away-from-home. We also got some staples for the apartment at the Monoprix.
We enjoyed our quiet dinner at home, then all retired early, to rest our sore feet and prepare for another day.
Wednesday 25 September: Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle
While Bob slept in, Mom and I headed out on a mission to visit the famed Poilâne bakery, which happened to be almost just around the corner from our apartment. We purchased a half-loaf of the large round bread, the top beautifully carved with the curling "P" insignia of the bakery. The staff were lovely, getting us a fresh loaf and slicing it for us. I also bought two apple pastries, and a croissant for Bob (which he later said was his favorite of the trip). We escaped with our delectable bounty, in spite of an embarrassing misadventure in which I tried to take another gentleman's pastry. (He was very kind about it!)
Back home we devoured the crisp, buttery pastries and some of the chewy, slightly sour bread, with good butter and peach jam from the corner market. Delicious!
Still feeling antsy, I went out solo, to scout out the bus stop where we planned to catch a bus to the Île de la Cité later, and to purchase a carnet of tickets at the nearest metro station. I also wandered around a bit, just admiring the architecture along the Rue de Dragon, dodging clouds of smoke as I watched students crowding into the local boulangerie for a snack.
Back home, it was time to prepare for our first bus trip. This ended up being very easy. At first we weren't sure how to use our tickets (the carnet from the metro is valid on both metro and bus lines) but there was someone working for the bus service (checking passes) who showed us where to stick it into the reader at the front of the bus. We made sure to keep the tickets, in case we needed to show them to anyone later, or to transfer to another bus (they are valid for a certain time span).
We got off near Saint-Michel again, where we paused to admire the art deco metro entrance, then plunged into the warren of touristy streets in search of something quick for lunch. Mom and I got falafel from Maoz, which was delicious and quite fresh and light tasting for street food -- and I loved how you could put your own toppings (vegetables, sauces, pickles, peppers) on from the salad bar type setup. I enjoyed the energy and color of this area, though some streets were a bit overwhelming with the food vendors shouting at you to come in to their shops.
We ate our food in the green and relatively quiet Square René-Viviani, while paying a visit to the oldest living inhabitant of Paris, the acacia tree supposedly planted 400 years ago by its namesake Jean Robin. The square also had lovely views of Notre-Dame, just across the river.
We crossed over, heading to Sainte-Chapelle. It was around 2pm, and the lines were not bad. We probably waited about 10 minutes in the security line, then perhaps five minutes for tickets. Though when we left an hour later the ticket line had gotten huge, so who knows how to judge these things?
I had been to Sainte-Chapelle on our last Paris trip, but I wanted to return as it was one of the highlights of that trip. It was just as stunning the second time, even packed with crowds and with half of the stained glass (fortunately the half facing away from the sun) under scaffolding for restoration. I plugged in my headphones (playing some Anonymous 4 for atmosphere) and found an unobtrusive spot where I could just study those beautiful bright windows with the afternoon sun streaming in. Someday maybe I will manage to return in the dead of winter when it might be less crowded, but for now I am happy with my experience! [Note, if you are visiting for the first time, you may be wondering where all this beautiful stained glass is when you first enter. You start off in the lower chapel (near the souvenir shop!) and have to go upstairs to reach the upper chapel.]
We departed after we'd had our fill of both stained glass and our fellow tourists, to seek the balm of more Berthillion ice cream on the corner down the street. We were served by an adorable young girl (maybe eight years old?) who was "helping" her grandmother. She kept trying to give us large scoops rather than the petit cones we had ordered, in spite of grandma's attempts to reign in her generosity.
Fortified, we headed on to Notre-Dame, where we waited in line for about five minutes to gain entry. Inside was overwhelming (in a good way). Once again I used my headphones to cover the tourist chatter with celestial music more in keeping with the environment. I visited the statue of Joan of Arc, where I made an offering and lit one of the small tea lights. When my mom joined me a few minutes later, she did the same, and lit her candle from the flame of mine, without my having told her which it was (there were dozens). A magical moment!
After this, we returned to Saint-Michel, planning to catch a ride back to "our neighborhood." We also took a slight detour for photos at the Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche, supposedly the narrowest street in Paris.
The bus was easy-peasy, once we found the correct bus stop (this was the most challenging part of learning the bus lines for me -- eventually I found a really detailed map I could download to my tablet that shows exactly where the stops are for every line). We got off nearby a local Mariage-Freres tea shop, where we stopped to buy some souvenirs. The shopkeeper was very, very kind and helpful, allowing us to sniff various teas while making our selection. We also picked up some delicious rooibos chai flavored white chocolate that I still dream about, sadly unavailable in the states!
Back home, we had a dinner of leftovers, supplemented with some mushroom ravioli and tomato sauce from the market. By then we were very wiped out, and spent the evening in our apartment, reading and chatting.
Thursday, 26 September: Saint-Martin Canal
I started the morning with a small cup of hazelnut (noisette) yogurt that was so delicious I later went back to the store for two more. But a girl cannot breakfast on yogurt alone, so I set out for another of the pâtisseries on my "must-try" list: Gérard Mulot. The shop was near enough to make a nice morning walk. On the return trip, clutching my bag of croissant, pain au chocolat, and pistachio macaron, I once more visited the Luxembourg gardens, enjoying the relative solitude of early morning, and the chance to study all the statues of the queens who guard the center of the gardens. Back home, Mom and I had a breakfast of eggs from the corner market, Poilâne toast, blood orange juice, and (of course) pastries. Mom is the only one of us who likes coffee, so we had not made arrangements to brew any in the apartment. Instead, she got coffee from Secco, down the street -- either drunk in the shop or taken to go.
I went out again for another ramble after this second breakfast, exploring the area up toward the Pont des Arts, where I saw a brave fellow walking five dogs, all at once. The neighborhoods were lovely to just wander through, window-shopping and people-watching.
Once everyone else was up and ready, we set out on Bus 87, to the Bastille, where we had our lunch at La Cavetière, a bistro near the canal. All our food was delicious, and the owners were characters: an older man and woman who seemed to constantly be involved in a good-natured argument. There seemed to be a number of regulars. I was especially charmed by an older gentleman who ordered a cheese course, which the owner served with great solicitude, carving it off the large wheel and inquiring if the quantity was sufficient. We shared a raw mushroom salad, roasted chicken with a salad and fries, and a dish of stewed chicken with vegetables in a light broth. No time for dessert, though, as we were due to board our boat for a trip up the Saint-Martin canal.
We enjoyed this trip very much! We sat in the front of the boat, where we could observe the excitement of the foam and spray as the locks were opened to lift us up, step-by-step. The first 20 minutes or so were spent going through the tunnel, lit occasionally by overhead skylights and an art installation of lights. There was occasional commentary (in English and French) throughout, as well as music in between (something somber and atmospheric in the tunnel, cheerful stuff outside in the sun!).
It was a long and peaceful ride, but never boring as we had plenty to see, in the stretches of green park along the banks of the canal where people were sitting, exercising, playing, eating. We were amused when one of the lock attendants came on board while the water level was slowly rising, to get a cup of coffee from the boat’s bar.
Eventually we reached the Parc de Villette and the end of the trip. We got a nice glimpse of the great silvery Geode, and the grounds of the park, but we were too tired by that point to explore further. So we headed straight for the metro, which we took back to Saint Sulpice. On our walk home we got a few things from Franprix to supplement our leftovers, and had a simple dinner back at home. I had my Gérard Mulot pistachio macaron, which was my favorite of the trip in spite of the violently green color. We had a peaceful evening in our apartment reading and going to sleep early, in preparation for the next day's more challenging adventure: navigating Gare Montparnasse and taking the train to Chartres!
Friday, 27 September: Chartres
This was the day I was most nervous about! As I had been warned by various travel sites, Gare Montparnasse was rather overwhelming! It took us some time to find the ticket selling booths, but once we finally tracked them down the lines were not long, and there was €90 total. The attendant also kindly gave us a paper schedule with the return times. After that we just had to find the right track!
We waited beside the giant screen, waiting for the display to tell us where to go. Voie 24! We found our train, started to settle in, then realized we were in a first class car (ooops!). Thankfully there were plenty of seats in second class. Then I remembered something about validating tickets-- so Bob took our three tickets out and tried to validate them at one of the yellow machines we saw other folks using. It didn't seem to work but a kind conductor wrote the validation on them instead. Whew! Finally we could relax and enjoy our trip.
I found myself getting quite antsy on the train ride, after being in Paris where I could be constantly on the move. But it was only about an hour, and then we were disembarking at the considerably less imposing station in Chartres. It was easy to find the Cathedral, following the distinctive mismatched spires!
There was a convenient tourist shop right outside with a 50 cent bathroom and various necessities for sale. We availed ourselves of this and then found our way into the Cathedral.
It was beautiful. Overpowering. Massive. The contrast in dark and light: the beautiful stained glass and the vast, shadowy heights. I had arranged our schedule so that we could hopefully see the stone labyrinth in the floor uncovered: it is only opened for people to walk it on certain days. Thankfully my interpretation of the schedule was correct: and it was already quite crowded with barefoot visitors wending their slow way along the stones smoothed by thousands of past pilgrims.
I joined them, listening to atmospheric music on my iPod to block the tourist chatter (though most people were being quiet, it was still rather crowded and the hum of conversation was ever-present). You enter on one side, following the spiraling, turning pattern of raised stones until you eventually reach the center. Some folks simply exit at that point, while others retrace the path out. It was moving to imagine all the past centuries of pilgrims walking there, especially when you see the places where the stones are worn, both in the labyrinth, and along the bases of the great columns (where thousands of past visitors have rested).
Afterward, we continued to wander. The scale of the structure is overwhelming, inside and out, and it does its job: making you aware of how small you are, but also uplifting you and making you feel a part of something greater. I wished we could have stayed for the concert they were preparing for that was to be performed that evening -- it would be glorious to hear music in that space! But at least I got to hear one of the cellists warming up before we left!
Outside again, we explored the lovely gardens overlooking the Eure river valley, and decided they would be a perfect lunch spot. It was sunny and blue out, wonderful weather! But as it was still a little early to eat, we decided to see if we could take the tourist "train" trip down into the village. This was very helpful for my mom who otherwise might have had some trouble with the steep slope and cobblestones.
We took seats in one of the little open carriages, pulled by the small motorized "engine", and enjoyed a fun trip through the narrow medieval streets with half-timbered houses looming out over us, down along the river where the old washing houses are, then back again to the cathedral. There was recorded commentary in French and English, telling us a bit about the history of Chartres, the architecture, etc. I believe this ride cost about €7.50 each, and lasted about 35 minutes. It was worth it to us to spare the walking!
After that we picked up sandwiches and drinks at a corner store, then ate them in the lovely gardens overlooking the Eure. I wished I had taken the time to go down and explore more of the gardens, including the outside labyrinth, carved into the grass. But we also wanted to take the tour of the Crypt, so we went off to do that. The tour is only offered in French, but there is a handout with English notes. It was a rather lackadaisical affair, very short, but only €3 Euros each and it allowed us to see the underbelly of the cathedral. My favorite part was the dim, red-lit, long, spooky chapel -- which we wandered while the guide moved on (albeit with some concern that we might be left behind and locked in, as I recalled reading about in another traveler's journal!). We also saw the impressively deep well, and foundations.
Lastly, I climbed the tower -- 300 steps! Mom and Bob stayed below. The view of the countryside was not particularly compelling to me, but I really enjoyed the chance to see the gargoyles up close! I loved the external architecture of the cathedral as much as the inside -- so many massive, sweeping buttresses and sharp stone angles against the blue sky! I also spotted a little rooftop terrace on part of the cathedral that I had not seen from below. I like to imagine the priests sneaking off to enjoy a secret break there.
We headed back to catch our train home, full of beauty and a (just okay) nutella crepe from one of the shops in Chartres. We took the bus home from Gare Montparnasse, stopping at Franprix for eggs and pasta and tomato sauce. Bob fixed a dinner of pasta, and we had a nice salad of mache and arugula with a dressing of apartment-furnished olive oil, vinegar, honey and garlic flakes. I had more of the amazing hazelnut yogurt for dessert. It was a good day!
Saturday, 28 September: Palace of Versailles
I was up early, and enjoyed a quiet time drinking tea and listening to the first soft rainfall of our trip outside, as the others slept. I went out eventually on a pastry run, and was perhaps overenthusiastic knowing that many of the shops would be closed Sunday! At Boulangerie Julien I got croissants, a pain au chocolat, a slice of rhubarb tart, and apricot pastry, choquettes, and a cannele. I walked back via the Luxembourg gardens, stopping at Bread & Roses for another cannele (for scientific comparison only, of course!) and then at Secco for coffee for Mom, plus a citron tart and a pistachio macaron. Whew!
Everything from Boulangerie Julien was amazing -- especially that rhubarb tart! We set aside several of the sweets for later, and feasted on the rest for breakfast. Then Mom and I took a short walk to visit Bon Marche, where we admired the glitz and glamour, collected some scented perfume cards, and ogled the high-priced luxury goods. Then it was time to go back home and collect Bob for our day trip to Versailles, to ogle a different sort of luxury.
We got tickets from the metro machine that would be valid on the RER C train to Versailles. This was a little challenging, mostly because my nerves were still wound up after the train travel the day before. But we managed, and were soon on our way.
Versailles was overwhelming, and not necessarily in a good way. There was just so much! So many tourists, so much to look at, so big a site...!
We started off with a quick lunch in the chateau cafe, then headed over to the tour entrance for our Hidden Rooms tour. This was fantastic -- definitely worth the additional (small) fee above general admission, especially as it allowed us to escape some of the worst of the crowds and to skip the long entry lines. The rooms we saw were not as large as those on the public display, but they were interesting and more personal. My favorite was the Opera House -- so gorgeous! Also a pleasant chance to sit, after a lot of walking and standing!
When the tour finished, we could have continued on to see the public rooms, but we were so tired and overwhelmed, and the crowds were so thick, that we just zipped through to the Hall of Mirrors (which was indeed very impressive!).
Then we headed down to the gardens. Because it was Saturday, the fountains were on, and we had to pay a fee, but I thought it was worth it. The grounds are so vast, and several areas were under construction, but we really enjoyed viewing the sculptures (both original/classical, and the temporary installation of tree-inspired modern art that gave one the impression that a troupe of Ents from Middle Earth had come to visit). One of my favorites was the Grove of Apollo, with those gorgeous horse sculptures blazing white against the green grass and gray rock.
We ended our visit at the main fountains, for the finale of the day at 5:20. We sat in the grass along with hundreds of other tourists, to watch as the dozens of fountains came to life, twisting and spraying to the vibrant (recorded) musical accompaniment.
Then it was time to head back to the station! The line for the ticket machine was huge, and we were hungry, so we decided to have our supper first. We went across the street to a brasserie, where we had a really delicious meal. I had a salad with chicken and roasted vegetables, Mom had baked cod with steamed vegetables, and Bob had pasta Alfredo with salmon. I splurged on a creme brulee for dessert that was the perfect end to the meal. Bob visited the Starbucks next door for a more prosaic but still tasty chai.
The lines were still quite long, but we prevailed, and used the last of our coins to get the tickets we needed to return home. We got off at the Champs de Mars stop, so that we could see the Eiffel Tower at night. Having just missed the hourly sparkles, we decided to wait for the next. We entertained ourselves by visiting the Trocadero and people watching. Bob and I also took a ride on the old-fashioned merry-go-round! Spinning along beneath the colorful lights, surrounded by brightly lacquered horses, accompanied by rollicking carnival music, catching glimpses of the glittering spire of the Eiffel Tower across the river: it was magical!
Finally at the top of the hour the tower sparkled, and the fountains of the Trocadero began an impressive display. It started to rain just a bit, but we didn't care. I watched a mother and her small son doing a little, jaunty dance down the street, under their umbrella.
We had a bit of trouble getting home after this, due to several buses being no longer in service. But we finally located a line running from Champ de Mars that would take us back to our neighborhood. While we waited, we were entertained first by the passage of the "Party Bus" -- literally a moving party, in a bus, booming techno dance music with the windows revealing flashes of dancers and bright lights inside.
Then, we noticed what seemed to be a figment of our tired brains: a white horse, standing alone in the dark grassy fields. It took us a moment to realize it was in fact one of the carriage horses that pull tourists around during the day -- the driver and carriage itself were nearby. But it was fun for the brief span of time when I could imagine it was in fact some sort of magical manifestation. As much of a unicorn as I would be able to see on this trip, since one of my favorite exhibitions (the Unicorn tapestries as the Cluny Museum) were not on display as they were traveling out of the country, alas.
Sunday, 29 September: Musée du Louvre
Mom and I had eggs for breakfast, with that delicious Poilâne bread. Then we took a stroll up past Saint-Sulpice, to Boulevard Saint-Germain, to find American-style coffee at a Starbucks for Mom. I enjoyed exploring some of the twistier side streets, with their nubby cobblestones and mysterious turns and passages.
We visited Saint-Sulpice for the morning service, primarily to listen to the organ music. The music was indeed powerful, thrumming into my chest. I also especially loved the small green-lit chapel in the rear, and the enormous carved clam shell.
We headed home to meet up with Bob, and take the bus to Saint-Germain, where we had lunch at an Indian restaurant on Rue de la Harpe. It was tasty, though not as good as our favorite Indian restaurants back home. But we'd been craving something with more spice, so this was a nice change. We had a pleasant table, on the second floor, by the window, overlooking the pedestrian street outside, surrounded by the vivid orange and fuchsia silks of the restaurant decor. Dessert was more Berthillion -- pistachio this time! So good...
Finally we scrambled onto a bus to take us to the Louvre. The weather was expected to be a bit rainy, so it seemed a good day to visit a museum. We had not bought tickets in advance or gotten the museum pass, but the lines were not bad. By the time we were in it was already 3pm, but we knew three hours would be more than enough for us to see a few of our favorite exhibits before developing museum fatigue. Since we all had different favorites, we split up, agreeing to meet again just before closing time.
I focused on the Near East antiquities, Vermeer, Rembrandt, and the Egyptian antiquities. I was very sad that my favorite piece of art (the Winged Victory of Samothrace) was not on display, but that just means I will have to return again someday! I still enjoyed the lustrous darks and lights of Vermeer and Rembrandt, and the chance to be reminded that peoples all through time are not that different than modern humanity. I felt this especially looking at an Egyptian cat carving, which shows the tiny kitten pawing playfully at its mother's face. I imagine the artist must have loved cats, to capture such a bit of truth.
We were all quite wiped out by the time we had finished our individual tours! We headed home via bus, then Bob and I went out to pick up some dishes from one of the Asian tratieurs -- greasy, but tasty enough! Even better was the melon we got for dessert from the corner market. So juicy, sweet and ripe.
Monday, 30 September: Marais and Père Lachaise Cemetery
I slept late today: 8:30! It felt good though. I think I am finally hitting the limits of my frenetic vacation-inspired energy.
Recalling how delicious the last goodies from Boulangerie Julien were, I headed back again for more. I ate my warm (!) croissant in the Luxembourg Gardens, where most everyone else seemed to be exercising -- a large group was doing Tai Chi. I dropped off the other goodies at home, then headed out to pick up some souvenirs: cookies from Poliane, tea, chocolate and jam from Mariage Frères, a delightful French picture book for a young friend. Along the way I wandered through the Saint-Germain neighborhood, exploring more of the narrow streets and reveling in the small beauties of a twisted iron railing or a bit of whimsical street art.
And I finally made it into Pierre Hermé again! On our 2006 trip the pistachio macaron and Ispahan pastry were my absolute favorites of all the treats I sampled, and I was eager for more. Sadly there were no pistachio macarons, but of course I could not leave empty handed! I selected my old favorite Ispahan, with its layers of lychee and rose and raspberry and that perfect rose-petal with faux dewdrop on top. And I decided to sample the Tarte Infiniment Vanille, after reading a review on a food blog singing its praises. Plus, there was this description: "Pâte sablée, white chocolate ganache with vanilla, tender biscuit moistened with vanilla, vanilla-flavoured mascarpone cream." These delicacies are not cheap, but I could not resist!
Back home, I met up with Mom and Bob, and we headed off for our day's adventures. We took the bus to the Marais, getting off near the Hotel de Ville to admire its grandeur, before wandering deeper in search of lunch. Since I do love falafel, I wanted to try the famous L’As du Falafel.
We were delayed for a short time by a colorful group of dancers and singers who appeared to be shooting a music video. All of them were wearing moddish black clothing, accessorized with ... bananas. I wish I knew what the final result looked like!
There was a line (of course) for falafel, but the folks working at the shop were cheerful and nice -- one fellow took our order and accepted our payment while we were in line, giving us a ticket to hand in when we reached the window. I enjoyed watching the cooks compose the sandwiches: swooping tongs across the tubs of tomato, cabbage, eggplant, freshly fried falafels, layering them all together into the warm pita so you never get a bite that's all cabbage or all falafel.
We ate our messy meals along the street, leaning against a nearby wall -- and definitely needed plenty of napkins. It was tasty, but I think I preferred my falafel from Maoz, because I could control what toppings I put on.
We watched other tourists struggling to consume their falafels with dignity (a seemingly impossible task), then headed onward toward the Place de Voges. Along the way we found an Amorino shop, and got gelato for dessert. I love how the servers will shape your gelato into a flower with such care -- mine even had a pistachio nut at the bottom of the cone to stop drips, and more on top to form the eye of the "flower." We ate our dessert in the peaceful green of the Place de Voges.
Then it was onward toward the Bastille, to catch a #69 bus to take us to Pere Lachaise cemetery. This was an atmospheric site, with the long, sleepy "streets" bordered by the tombs, and all the silent faces of the angels and cherubs watching over us. It seemed as if autumn had come earlier here than anywhere else in the city: brown leaves flitting along the paths, chestnuts thumping down, and the sky turning gray to match the stones. Wandering along one of the outer walls, the song of a saxophone from the living world was a surreal counterpoint. My favorite part of this visit was just wandering the tombs and seeing what sorts of inscriptions and statuary people had chosen to memorialize their dead (or themselves). We picked up maps at the offices just inside the main gates (where we also found bathrooms, a happy discovery). We entered via the entrance on Boulevard Menilmontant (there are several others).
Then it was time to return home, once again via bus. We had our dinner out, at a brasserie just around the corner from our apartment, Le Raspail. Our food was excellent! I had a salad with Emmantal cheese and potatoes on top, with just the right amount of dressing. Bob had ravioli, and Mom had a cheese omelet. We headed home for the pastries I’d procured earlier. The vanilla tart was particularly amazing, especially for something that appeared relatively simple. But the combination of layers and textures and slightly different flavors was perfect. Even now, as I write this months later, my mouth is watering, thinking of it.
Tuesday, 01 October: Catacombs
I finished off the last slivers of the Pierre Hermé pastries for my first breakfast. Then Mom and I went out to get a warm baguette and coffee from Secco, which we brought back to supplement (second) breakfast in the apartment. I went out solo to collect another carnet of tickets, and also to visit La Pâtisserie des Rêves. The shop is beautiful, with display pastries under glass bell jars, like precious art. I chose the Saint-Honoré, with its layers of caramelized pastry and chantilly cream, and those cute little mini cream puff baubles along the top. The staff disappeared into the mysterious magical back chambers and returned with one for me, which was beautifully wrapped and presented to me to carry home.
Mom and I then visited the Marché Raspail, which was set up just around the corner from our apartment. We had fun ogling the fruit, fish, and roasting chickens, though we did not end up buying anything to eat. We did, however, get a number of towels similar to those in our rental apartment: thin but absorbent, woven in pretty colors and patterns, to bring home as gifts and souvenirs. I am still using mine happily, a year later! It works well for packing as it is so much thinner than a standard towel.
Then Bob and I headed out on our own, for our tour of the Catacombs. Mom had declined to join this particular trip, since the long climb down would not be good for her knees, so she planned to spend the time sight-seeing on her own. When Bob and I reached the entrance, we were very glad we had splurged for a guided tour, as the line was very, very long! I was a little nervous about meeting up with our tour, but we quickly found some other folks waiting for it, and our guide Adam arrived soon afterward to collect us. He was a lovely young Canadian PhD student, quite a character, charming and capable.
With Adam to guide us, we bypassed the line, and descended into the catacombs. It was very dark and slimy in places, adding an appropriate atmosphere for the tales of overflowing cemeteries that led to the construction of the underground tunnels full of bones! The bones themselves were beautiful, macabre, and bittersweet. I was pleasantly surprised to discover there were other interesting subterranean sites, especially the whimsical miniature houses carved by one of the craftsmen. We also heard stories of the man who designed the bone placement schemata (including the artistic designs in which bones were placed to form hearts, crosses, and abstract patterns), who worked six days a week for thirty years on the project (can you imagine?).
After we emerged once again into the light, we found ourselves some quick takeaway food from the shops on Rue Daguerre and ate in the small park near the Catacomb entrance. Then it was off on the RER to Saint-Michel, where we met up with Mom at our planned meeting spot outside Shakespeare & Company.
The rest of the day was spent ambling around: through the Tuileries gardens (the Luxembourg gardens remain my favorite!) and over to Angelina’s, to sample their famous hot chocolate. It was fun to see the interior of the tea room and imagine Coco Chanel dining there -- I also enjoyed spying on our fellow guests. Most appeared to be tourists, but there was one very regal and well-heeled blond woman at a table nearby, carefully and precisely eating her dinner of salad and salmon, drinking tea, and working determinedly in her small notebook.
As to the famous chocolate, I found it too rich to enjoy, alas! I don't regret going, but I will be in no hurry to return.
Back home again we had leftovers for dinner, and that beautiful (and delicious) Saint-Honoré for dessert.
Wednesday, 02 October: Musée d'Orsay
I woke feeling a little sad that we had only two full days left in Paris. But at the same time. I had begun to look forward to being back in our cozy home and seeing our dog again! And by this time, I was also beginning to feel a bit tired and overwhelmed by all the sensory input!
I worked off my feelings by taking a solo early morning trip to the Champ de Mars, to visit the Eiffel Tower and then hunt up the various prime examples of Art Noveau architecture in the nearby neighborhoods. I then walked to the Pont Alma, reaching it just as the sun began to break through the clouds. I had a lovely walk along the right bank, then back across Pont Alexandre III, enjoying a close-up look at the gilded sculptures decorating the bridge.
After catching a bus home again, I collected Mom and we walked over to the Luxembourg gardens to sit in the sun and relax and read. We watched the gardeners up on ladders, trimming the topiaries, and packs of school children on educational tours, and lots of health-conscious Parisians. Eventually Bob joined us, and we headed north to see if we could secure a spot for lunch at Little Breizh, the younger sibling of the main Café Breizh in the Marais. We were in luck, snagging one of the few open tables! (Later diners had to wait, or go elsewhere).
I enjoyed the white-washed walls and dark beams, and the comfortable, homey atmosphere. It was rather packed, however, and we had trouble getting our overworked server’s attention for more water, and some forgotten salads. But everyone was very nice, and the food was delicious! I had a savory buckwheat crepe with cheese and tomatoes for my meal, and an amazing salted caramel crepe for dessert. We had some of the Breton apple juice as well, which was tasty!
After lunch we walked to the D'Orsay museum. It was crowded, but not so much as the Louvre! And much more manageable in scope, though I still skipped several exhibits. I especially loved the views of Sacre Cour from the cafe, through the face of the giant clock. And the enormous space of the main gallery!
We each went at our own speeds. I appreciated the no-photo rule, as I felt it cut down on traffic (unfortunately many folks seem to become oblivious to their surroundings when they are running around trying to take pictures of everything). My personal favorites were the works by Morisot, Manet and Van Gogh, and the Art Nouveau rooms. I also stumbled upon the enormous gilded ballroom when there was no one else in it!
We headed home again, stopping en route to pick up sandwiches from Secco to take home for dinner. I still had too much energy (fueled by pastries and end-of-vacation desperation) so I took one final solo jaunt, via metro, to Montmartre. I appreciated it more on this visit than in 2006, when there was a great deal of construction work on the streets. There were still a lot of crowds, but the atmosphere was festive, with buskers dancing and singing and playing. One guitarist had a large crowd singing along, seated on the slope leading up to Sacré-Coeur. It was surreal to pass from this into the shadowy solemnity of the church, lit by flickering votive candles, with nuns singing an ethereal hymn amid the gilt mosaic grandeur. I sat in one of the side chapels to listen to the service (mostly the singing, as I do not speak French!).
When I returned outside the weather had clouded over, so I abandoned any hope of watching the sun set, and instead headed back home.
Thursday, 03 October: Jardin des Plantes
Mom and I ventured out together in the morning, taking the bus to the Marais, to visit a "hidden" garden near the Archives. It was a lovely, peaceful spot, and a nice time to reflect on our wonderful, though nearly-concluded, vacation. Then back to Saint-Sulpice, where we visited Pierre Hermé once again, and faced the nigh-impossible task of choosing a last pastry (or two, or three). We each picked one (the Sarah and the Ibiza), plus a single macaron (apricot-pistachio). Returning to our apartment, we set these treats aside for later, and headed out with Bob for our final day.
We headed out to the Jardin des Plants, where we ate our takeaway Secco lunches along one of the shady trails. Mine was a Thai chicken salad, which was tasty and fresh but not as flavorful as I'd hoped. By this time we were tired and overwhelmed, so an aimless ramble through the banks of flowers (and to see the red pandas in the zoo) was a perfect way to spend our time.
Our wanderings took us onward to the Île Saint-Louis, where we visited the main Berthillion shop. I preferred our visits to the smaller stalls elsewhere, as the line here was quite long! But my black sesame ice cream was delicious, as was Bob’s cherry cone.
Then we sadly headed home to our apartment, to begin to pack for our early departure. Bob and I ventured out to collect food from a near-ish restaurant called “The Wok Bar” which we enjoyed. It was all freshly cooked, and you could choose a number of combinations of rice/noodles/protein/sauce/veg. I had rice with tofu and sate sauce, yum!
And for our last dessert of the trip, we had our pastries. I preferred the Sarah, which was formed of layers flavored with passion fruit, chestnut and matcha tea. The Ibiza was too overpoweringly orange flavored for my tastes, but when I tried to excise that layer the remainder was too sweet! But the apricot-pistachio macaron was delicious!
Friday, 04 October: Do We Have to Leave?
We woke at 6am, ate up the last of our croissants and eggs, then made jam and butter sandwiches out of the last of our bread to eat later on the plane. Our trip to the airport was a bit confusing -- though we finally located a board that listed the stops for the RER, so that we were reasonably certain we were getting on the correct train!
The airport was also quite confusing -- finding a working electronic kiosk, and then the proper baggage drop off -- but the personal were very helpful and friendly. We were just in time for our boarding call!
Overall, I think this was the best trip I have taken so far. I have no regrets about visiting somewhere I'd been before (of course, it helped that it was my favorite previous destination!).
Things I learned/confirmed about myself:
- 10 days might be too long for me to visit in one location. Not because of a lack of things to do, but because I run out of mental energy to appreciate them. We did spend two weeks in England, but I think that was different because one of those weeks was spent in the Cotswolds, where more of my energy went into just absorbing natural beauty and hiking.
- It is good for me to be able to go out solo in the mornings, to work off some of my extra energy while my traveling companions enjoy their sleep!
- I would prefer to pay more to get an apartment with a bathtub, a more comfortable bed, and a quieter location! (Mom's bed was very comfortable and quiet, but the front room loft was not).
- I really enjoy a city that is beautiful, in and of itself: architecture, gardens, quaint streets.
- I love vast, large interior spaces (cathedrals, the D'Orsay).
- I love people watching!
- I love having the ability to make my own breakfast and tea early in the morning, and to be able to go shopping in local markets and grocery stores.
Photo Albums
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