Day 6
I am so glad we are here as long as we are so we don't have cram everything into just a few days. We are taking everything very leisurely, doing just one thing each day, and it's working for us. Fortunately, we have both been to the big sights, so cafe sitting and people watching are high on our priority lists.
It was warm today! In the low 80s. We left the apartment around 9:30 to take the #38 bus to the Cluny Museum, officially the Musee National du Moyen Age (National Museum of the Middle Ages). We met a friend I connected with when I was in Paris in 2013. It was great having her along as she speaks and reads French, so could interpret the signage for us.
The Cluny is in a 15th century "hotel," one of only two this old in Paris (per Michelin Green Guide). It is on the Left Bank, near the Sorbonne. Excavations under the 15th century structure revealed Roman public baths from 200 AD. The collection consists of Medieval art, much of it religious. The highlight of the museum is the six Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. They are exquisite. Dating back to the 15th century (1400's), they were found in a castle where they suffered damage from water and rats, but the colors are still brilliant. Reds, blues, yellows, greens. The detail is amazing - flowers of every kind are scattered all over among rabbits, dogs, monkeys and other animals. They must have taken years to complete. These were on loan to a museum in Tokyo when I was here last, so this is the first time I've seen them. There was also a special exhibit of German religious statuary. We found the facial expressions on some of the figures to be interesting.
After touring the museum, we attended a concert that was held in a Roman section of the building which houses the heads of the Kings of Judah which were knocked off from the facade of Notre Dame during the French Revolution. The people thought they were the Kings of France. The concert was medieval song performed by four people, three men and one woman. They had excellent voices. One of the men played instruments similar to violins and violas, and the woman played a small harp. There were lengthy introductions to each song, which Kathy and I didn't understand, though I could pick out a few words. One song was in old English, a couple were in Latin, and the rest were in French. It was very interesting and enjoyable.
After the concert, the three of us went over to St. Germaine to have lunch at Le Comptoir du Relais. I had white asparagus with lemon vinaigrette for my starter (it is in season now and in all the markets) and lamb shank for my main course. It was really good. Kathy had a daube or stew - beef in a rich sauce. We all shared a carafe of rose wine.
It was after 4:00 when we got back to the apartment. We can get a good cross breeze going in the apartment, so it didn't take long to get the place cooled down. It doesn't get too hot because it doesn't get any direct sun. We rested for awhile, then went out to get some ice cream at Amorino across from the Pompidou Center, which has got to have some of the best people watching in Paris. After our large and late lunch, we considered the ice cream dinner.
A word about Paris fashion. Many people visiting Paris obsess about what to wear and how to fit in so they don't look like a tourist. Well, I'm here to tell you that there is no reason to worry. Teenagers, especially, dress just like they do in the US: Have you got ripped jeans? You'll fit in. Cropped tops? Yep. Short skirts, short-shorts, t-shirts. It seems like anything goes. For adults, there's no need to buy a special wardrobe to visit Paris. Of course dark colors are the norm here, and everyone throws a scarf around their neck, but tourists are easily identified no matter what they wear. To find people wearing high fashion, you have to go to the more exclusive areas. Women who work in "les grands magasins" or those who work in the fashion industry tend to be more fashionable, but everyone else looks pretty normal. No need to be intimidated by an idea of Paris than no longer exists, if it ever did.
Paris
View from Montparnasse Tower (2013)
Monday, May 11, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Day 5
Today was market day - there is a market some place in Paris everyday, but on Sunday it is the big market at Place de la Bastille on Blvd Richard Lenoir, and that was where we went.
I think we are finally over our jet lag. We both slept through the night, but got up fairly early. Since it was Sunday, we sat around in our night clothes for awhile. I learned that the local bakery is closed on Sunday, so bought bread for today last evening. It certainly isn't as good as fresh, however.
We took the #29 bus over to la Bastille and got off right across the street from the market. I don't know how many vendors there are, but the market stretches at least 2 blocks up the boulevard and there are four rows of vendors for most of the length, with 6 rows in a couple of areas. In addition to many stalls of flowers, vegetables, meats, sausages, cheeses, fish, olives, nuts, bread, etc., there are stalls selling jewelry, clothing, shoes, table linens, soaps, perfumes, wines, kitchen and household items, etc. To say it is crowded is an understatement. This is where many Parisians do their weekly shopping and many of them pull trolleys to put their purchases in. This is also where people meet up with their friends and neighbors, so getting through the crowd can be somewhat of a challenge. You also have to watch where you are going because the pavement is uneven and there are holes you can easily step into.
This is not a "farmer's market" like we are used to. Rather, the produce comes from the huge wholesale market (perhaps one of the largest markets in the world) in Rungis outside of Paris, which also supplies the supermarkets. Until the 1960's the wholesale market was at Les Halles, not far from this apartment. But, all of the produce is colorful and very fresh - much better looking than produce in the supermarkets, which is often packaged in cellophane. Some vendors allow shoppers to pick out their own fruits and vegetables, but many retain that privilege for themselves and many are experts at picking out the melon or peach that will be perfectly ready to eat either that day or the next.
Many of the vendors are vocal in hawking their wares, but they all seem to have a good sense of humor and enjoy their work. We bought a small roasted chicken and paid with a 50 euro note (I apologized that this was the smallest I had) and the vendor teased that he would take the whole amount in payment. A polite "bonjour" from the buyer is about all it takes to get a polite and friendly response from the seller.
We bought olives and tapenade, chevre (goat cheese), strawberries (the little sweet ones), apricots, clementines, a beautiful head of cauliflower for 1.50 euros, some asparagus, and some "pomme de terre" cooked in the drippings from the rotisserie chickens. Can't wait for dinner.
After we had gone around the market about 1 1/2 times, we stopped at a small cafe for some lunch. I ordered what I called the "French cliche": escargo and onion soup. I got 6 escargo and had a hard time getting them out of their shells, but finally got all of them out after they cooled a bit. I wouldn't bother except for the butter, garlic and parsley they are cooked in. The soup was really good, too, but hot. Kathy had a salad with ham, feta, and potatoes served in a large crockery bowl that she said was really good. After lunch, we finished our second circuit of the market.
When we got back to the bus stop, there wasn't a time indication for the #29, which made me think that perhaps the route had been changed and we would be waiting in vain. They close many streets in the Marais on Sundays for bicyclists, so I figured that the bus had been rerouted. There is a Metro stop right there, so we decided to take the Line 1 and change to Line 11. Admittedly, a short trip, but our purchases were heavy, and it involved a lot of walking to get to the right platforms -- we probably walked almost as far as we would have if we had simply walked back to the apartment. We were able to recharge our Navigo Decouverte passes, so now we are all set for next week.
Chilling out for the rest of the day and doing some laundry.
Today was market day - there is a market some place in Paris everyday, but on Sunday it is the big market at Place de la Bastille on Blvd Richard Lenoir, and that was where we went.
I think we are finally over our jet lag. We both slept through the night, but got up fairly early. Since it was Sunday, we sat around in our night clothes for awhile. I learned that the local bakery is closed on Sunday, so bought bread for today last evening. It certainly isn't as good as fresh, however.
We took the #29 bus over to la Bastille and got off right across the street from the market. I don't know how many vendors there are, but the market stretches at least 2 blocks up the boulevard and there are four rows of vendors for most of the length, with 6 rows in a couple of areas. In addition to many stalls of flowers, vegetables, meats, sausages, cheeses, fish, olives, nuts, bread, etc., there are stalls selling jewelry, clothing, shoes, table linens, soaps, perfumes, wines, kitchen and household items, etc. To say it is crowded is an understatement. This is where many Parisians do their weekly shopping and many of them pull trolleys to put their purchases in. This is also where people meet up with their friends and neighbors, so getting through the crowd can be somewhat of a challenge. You also have to watch where you are going because the pavement is uneven and there are holes you can easily step into.
This is not a "farmer's market" like we are used to. Rather, the produce comes from the huge wholesale market (perhaps one of the largest markets in the world) in Rungis outside of Paris, which also supplies the supermarkets. Until the 1960's the wholesale market was at Les Halles, not far from this apartment. But, all of the produce is colorful and very fresh - much better looking than produce in the supermarkets, which is often packaged in cellophane. Some vendors allow shoppers to pick out their own fruits and vegetables, but many retain that privilege for themselves and many are experts at picking out the melon or peach that will be perfectly ready to eat either that day or the next.
Many of the vendors are vocal in hawking their wares, but they all seem to have a good sense of humor and enjoy their work. We bought a small roasted chicken and paid with a 50 euro note (I apologized that this was the smallest I had) and the vendor teased that he would take the whole amount in payment. A polite "bonjour" from the buyer is about all it takes to get a polite and friendly response from the seller.
We bought olives and tapenade, chevre (goat cheese), strawberries (the little sweet ones), apricots, clementines, a beautiful head of cauliflower for 1.50 euros, some asparagus, and some "pomme de terre" cooked in the drippings from the rotisserie chickens. Can't wait for dinner.
After we had gone around the market about 1 1/2 times, we stopped at a small cafe for some lunch. I ordered what I called the "French cliche": escargo and onion soup. I got 6 escargo and had a hard time getting them out of their shells, but finally got all of them out after they cooled a bit. I wouldn't bother except for the butter, garlic and parsley they are cooked in. The soup was really good, too, but hot. Kathy had a salad with ham, feta, and potatoes served in a large crockery bowl that she said was really good. After lunch, we finished our second circuit of the market.
When we got back to the bus stop, there wasn't a time indication for the #29, which made me think that perhaps the route had been changed and we would be waiting in vain. They close many streets in the Marais on Sundays for bicyclists, so I figured that the bus had been rerouted. There is a Metro stop right there, so we decided to take the Line 1 and change to Line 11. Admittedly, a short trip, but our purchases were heavy, and it involved a lot of walking to get to the right platforms -- we probably walked almost as far as we would have if we had simply walked back to the apartment. We were able to recharge our Navigo Decouverte passes, so now we are all set for next week.
Chilling out for the rest of the day and doing some laundry.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Day 4
Today was bright and sunny with some clouds, so I risked leaving my umbrella at home -- didn't need it.
We batted around a few ideas about where to go and finally settled on Montmartre. I looked at my maps to figure out the best way of getting there - The "Plan 2" map, which is available from Metro stations and free is a great planning tool. Metro on one side and bus on the other, and big enough to read! We caught the #29 a block from the apartment and transferred to the #67, which took us right to Place Pigalle where we caught the Montmartrebus. The Montmartrebus takes a loop around Montmartre with Sacre Coeur at the center. This is the highest point in Paris and the streets are very steep with many staircases going up from one street to another. I was very grateful to be able to ride up those hills.
The bus went up Rue Lepic, where many famous artists lived at various times, including Van Gogh. We passed one of the few remaining windmills (there were once several on the hill), and the only vineyard in Paris, as well as the Agile Lapin cabaret. We didn't see the Moulin Rouge this time.
At one time Montmartre was was a village outside of Paris and it has retained much of its village flavor despite the hoards of tourists that flock there. We knew it would be crowded on a Saturday, but also knew that just about every place in Paris would be crowded today. We got off the Montmartrebus at Place du Tertre, which is a small square, not far from Sacre Coeur, that for many people represents the area. It is surrounded by cafes and shops, with covered dining in the middle. Artists ply their work throughout the square, many of them actually painting. There are also artists doing on site portraits. It was extremely crowded as this is tourist-central on Montmartre.
We walked over to Sacre Coeur without having to use the funicular or go up any steps. Again, it was crowded with people, but less so than it was when we went by on the bus later. When you are up there, Paris lies spread out beneath you. It is quite a view. We didn't go into the church as both of us had been in before and it was very crowded.
One group of Paris' many scam artists infamously work around Sacre Coeur - the "bracelet guys." These guys come up to someone, grab their arm and tie a string bracelet around their wrist. Then insist that they be paid for it. Apparently, they are not as numerous as they have been in the past and we didn't see any of them; however, I think they stay away from the immediate area around the basilica in favor of working the streets approaching it from down the hill. Anyway, we were glad we didn't have to deal with them.
We walked back to Place du Tertre and each of us bought a watercolor we had seen during our first circumnavigation of the square. We also stopped in a shop selling different French products, mostly herbs, salt, candy, etc., in decorated tins. I bought of few of those.
We took the Montmartrebus down off the hill behind Sacre Coeur into a less crowded neighborhood where we had lunch at Cafe de Halte on Rue Custine. I had a salad with foie gras, gizzards, and smoked duck. It was really good, but then I like that sort of thing. Kathy had a cheeseburger and fries. It was very peaceful eating outside in a relatively quiet neighborhood after being in big crowds of people.
Taking the #67 back, we weren't able to get off where we needed to in order to transfer to the #29 - I guess no one else wanted off there and I didn't push the button soon enough. Anyway, we got off at the next stop across from the Palais Royal. Since we hadn't been there before, we took the opportunity to walk through it. This was never a "royal palace," but rather an arcade of shops and restaurants dating back to the 18th century. There is a colonnade and garden and it is a large public space where many Parisians took advantage of today's sunshine to be outdoors.
We had to walk a couple of blocks over to Place des Victories where we could catch the #29 and got off on Rue Beaubourg so we could go to Picard to get tonight's dinner. It was about 4:30 and they were still open. We got four individual-size frozen dinners (some for tomorrow night, too) and some ice cream for less that 15 euros. After taking a short nap, we fixed the chicken with shell pasta and a mushroom sauce, and it was really good with a fresh baguette and some crudites. I think we may be getting more of these for our dinners. By the way, we had Normandy butter on our baguette. I don't know why we had never gotten it before when in France. It is delicious - butter with crystals of sea salt. The saltiness crunches as you eat it. Yummy.
Today was bright and sunny with some clouds, so I risked leaving my umbrella at home -- didn't need it.
We batted around a few ideas about where to go and finally settled on Montmartre. I looked at my maps to figure out the best way of getting there - The "Plan 2" map, which is available from Metro stations and free is a great planning tool. Metro on one side and bus on the other, and big enough to read! We caught the #29 a block from the apartment and transferred to the #67, which took us right to Place Pigalle where we caught the Montmartrebus. The Montmartrebus takes a loop around Montmartre with Sacre Coeur at the center. This is the highest point in Paris and the streets are very steep with many staircases going up from one street to another. I was very grateful to be able to ride up those hills.
The bus went up Rue Lepic, where many famous artists lived at various times, including Van Gogh. We passed one of the few remaining windmills (there were once several on the hill), and the only vineyard in Paris, as well as the Agile Lapin cabaret. We didn't see the Moulin Rouge this time.
At one time Montmartre was was a village outside of Paris and it has retained much of its village flavor despite the hoards of tourists that flock there. We knew it would be crowded on a Saturday, but also knew that just about every place in Paris would be crowded today. We got off the Montmartrebus at Place du Tertre, which is a small square, not far from Sacre Coeur, that for many people represents the area. It is surrounded by cafes and shops, with covered dining in the middle. Artists ply their work throughout the square, many of them actually painting. There are also artists doing on site portraits. It was extremely crowded as this is tourist-central on Montmartre.
We walked over to Sacre Coeur without having to use the funicular or go up any steps. Again, it was crowded with people, but less so than it was when we went by on the bus later. When you are up there, Paris lies spread out beneath you. It is quite a view. We didn't go into the church as both of us had been in before and it was very crowded.
One group of Paris' many scam artists infamously work around Sacre Coeur - the "bracelet guys." These guys come up to someone, grab their arm and tie a string bracelet around their wrist. Then insist that they be paid for it. Apparently, they are not as numerous as they have been in the past and we didn't see any of them; however, I think they stay away from the immediate area around the basilica in favor of working the streets approaching it from down the hill. Anyway, we were glad we didn't have to deal with them.
We walked back to Place du Tertre and each of us bought a watercolor we had seen during our first circumnavigation of the square. We also stopped in a shop selling different French products, mostly herbs, salt, candy, etc., in decorated tins. I bought of few of those.
We took the Montmartrebus down off the hill behind Sacre Coeur into a less crowded neighborhood where we had lunch at Cafe de Halte on Rue Custine. I had a salad with foie gras, gizzards, and smoked duck. It was really good, but then I like that sort of thing. Kathy had a cheeseburger and fries. It was very peaceful eating outside in a relatively quiet neighborhood after being in big crowds of people.
Taking the #67 back, we weren't able to get off where we needed to in order to transfer to the #29 - I guess no one else wanted off there and I didn't push the button soon enough. Anyway, we got off at the next stop across from the Palais Royal. Since we hadn't been there before, we took the opportunity to walk through it. This was never a "royal palace," but rather an arcade of shops and restaurants dating back to the 18th century. There is a colonnade and garden and it is a large public space where many Parisians took advantage of today's sunshine to be outdoors.
We had to walk a couple of blocks over to Place des Victories where we could catch the #29 and got off on Rue Beaubourg so we could go to Picard to get tonight's dinner. It was about 4:30 and they were still open. We got four individual-size frozen dinners (some for tomorrow night, too) and some ice cream for less that 15 euros. After taking a short nap, we fixed the chicken with shell pasta and a mushroom sauce, and it was really good with a fresh baguette and some crudites. I think we may be getting more of these for our dinners. By the way, we had Normandy butter on our baguette. I don't know why we had never gotten it before when in France. It is delicious - butter with crystals of sea salt. The saltiness crunches as you eat it. Yummy.
Friday, May 8, 2015
Day 3
Today we rode the bus. The Metro is just too hard on my knees and hips. We decided to go to Luxembourg Gardens on the Left Bank, so took the #38 bus after walking about 2 blocks to the stop. The bus let us out right at the gate to the gardens.
Since today was a holiday (70th anniversary of VE day), some shops were closed and there were lots of people around, including children. Paris parks have these great green chairs, making it easy to spend lots of time people watching. We found chairs where we could watch the children sail their boats across the pond. They rent the boats and use sticks to push the boats off across the pond. I have no idea how they get their boat back, or even if they do. Perhaps it is simply a case of sending someone else's boat back. At one point someone sent a remote-controlled motor boat out on the pond and I'm sure it was a nuisance to those who were sailing boats. Finally, the motor boat capsized and they had to use fishing poles to cast a line out to bring it back to the edge of the pond. We were impressed by how excited the kids were and how involved their dads were. We also watched some very fat pigeons that seemed to be a different variety than the usual pigeons.
From the gardens we walked down Rue l'Odeon towards Blvd. St. Germaine. This was Hemingway's stomping grounds when he lived in an apartment nearby toward the end of his stay in Paris. The famous bookstore Shakespeare & Company was originally on Rue l'Odeon and its founder Silvia Beach lived above it. By now it was lunch time, so we went to Le Danton, where I had a great salmon lunch when I was here in 2013. Today the "plat du jour" was roast beef, so we ordered croque monsieurs (toasted ham & cheese sandwiches), which came with a salad, but they weren't the best I've had - not even as good as the ones I make at home. Oh, well.
While at lunch, we decided to go to Le Bon Marche. The other famous and oldest "Grand Magasin" (department store) in Paris, and the only one on the Left Bank. We rode the #96 bus, but still had to walk a few blocks to the store. Le Bon Marche is really out of our budget! These "Grands Magasins" are really something. They are like little jewel boxes with everything shown to its best advantage. The jewelry and cosmetic counters sparkle. The stores are crowded and people are buying, but the prices are outrageous; although, I did see some affordable items at Galleries Lafayette yesterday - 20 euros for a scarf, 49 - 69 euros for a purse - but those were store brands, not the designer brands. Each designer has its own alcove to display their wares and some of them have lines of people waiting to get in, as they control the number of people that come into their area so it doesn't get too crowded.
The other feature of these stores is their food halls. The Grand Epicurie at Le Bon Marche is amazing. Fresh fruits and vegetables, jars of mustard, pickles - every condiment imaginable. Fish market, butcher, baker, etc. Some people were actually doing their grocery shopping at those prices! It was an experience.
Our plan for tonight's dinner was to get something from Picard, which is a store selling frozen prepared foods, which are reportedly very good. Unfortunately, when we walked over to the store closest to us, we found out it closed a 1pm today due to the holiday - so, we decided to eat out tonight. We continued to walk around and found the Parc Anne Frank, which is a small park hidden behind some buildings. There were some roses, clematis, and lilacs in bloom, a playground, and children playing. One little girl pushed her doll carriage around while another one rode her bike in circles. It's a nice little park.
On the way back to the apartment, we stopped at a bar, grabbed a table outside and had a couple of beers. This was a busy corner that afforded excellent people watching. There is a bottle recycle station across the way and we watched people stuff empty wine and liquor bottles through the holes -- obviously these were employees of the various cafes and bars in the area. Lots of people walking their dogs and families with kids on scooters. Earlier, in the afternoon, we stopped at a cafe near Le Bon Marche and ordered "Coca Light" (the first Diet Coke I've had since last September and it was pretty awful - I've lost the taste for it, but we did get three ice cubes with it). The 2 cokes were 9.80 euros! The 4 beers we had were 12 euros (3 euros each). Lesson learned: we will now drink beer rather than coke!
I am really glad that we've had these three days to recover from jet lag, and we still have 2 full weeks left!
We went out in search of dinner - admittedly a little early -- and ended up at Le Quincampe, a small tea room and restaurant across the street from where I stayed in 2013. This was the third time I'd eaten there. I had a steak with bearnaise sauce and it was probably the best steak I've had in France. The cuts of meat are different than what we're used to and not as tender. It was cooked medium rare. Kathy had an interesting dish - chunks of white fish with mashed potatoes on top, which was oven baked - shepard's pie with fish - and she said it was quite good. The portions were large and filling.
Other than a few sprinkles today, the weather was nice and we were even sitting in the sunshine while drinking our beers.
Today we rode the bus. The Metro is just too hard on my knees and hips. We decided to go to Luxembourg Gardens on the Left Bank, so took the #38 bus after walking about 2 blocks to the stop. The bus let us out right at the gate to the gardens.
Since today was a holiday (70th anniversary of VE day), some shops were closed and there were lots of people around, including children. Paris parks have these great green chairs, making it easy to spend lots of time people watching. We found chairs where we could watch the children sail their boats across the pond. They rent the boats and use sticks to push the boats off across the pond. I have no idea how they get their boat back, or even if they do. Perhaps it is simply a case of sending someone else's boat back. At one point someone sent a remote-controlled motor boat out on the pond and I'm sure it was a nuisance to those who were sailing boats. Finally, the motor boat capsized and they had to use fishing poles to cast a line out to bring it back to the edge of the pond. We were impressed by how excited the kids were and how involved their dads were. We also watched some very fat pigeons that seemed to be a different variety than the usual pigeons.
From the gardens we walked down Rue l'Odeon towards Blvd. St. Germaine. This was Hemingway's stomping grounds when he lived in an apartment nearby toward the end of his stay in Paris. The famous bookstore Shakespeare & Company was originally on Rue l'Odeon and its founder Silvia Beach lived above it. By now it was lunch time, so we went to Le Danton, where I had a great salmon lunch when I was here in 2013. Today the "plat du jour" was roast beef, so we ordered croque monsieurs (toasted ham & cheese sandwiches), which came with a salad, but they weren't the best I've had - not even as good as the ones I make at home. Oh, well.
While at lunch, we decided to go to Le Bon Marche. The other famous and oldest "Grand Magasin" (department store) in Paris, and the only one on the Left Bank. We rode the #96 bus, but still had to walk a few blocks to the store. Le Bon Marche is really out of our budget! These "Grands Magasins" are really something. They are like little jewel boxes with everything shown to its best advantage. The jewelry and cosmetic counters sparkle. The stores are crowded and people are buying, but the prices are outrageous; although, I did see some affordable items at Galleries Lafayette yesterday - 20 euros for a scarf, 49 - 69 euros for a purse - but those were store brands, not the designer brands. Each designer has its own alcove to display their wares and some of them have lines of people waiting to get in, as they control the number of people that come into their area so it doesn't get too crowded.
The other feature of these stores is their food halls. The Grand Epicurie at Le Bon Marche is amazing. Fresh fruits and vegetables, jars of mustard, pickles - every condiment imaginable. Fish market, butcher, baker, etc. Some people were actually doing their grocery shopping at those prices! It was an experience.
Our plan for tonight's dinner was to get something from Picard, which is a store selling frozen prepared foods, which are reportedly very good. Unfortunately, when we walked over to the store closest to us, we found out it closed a 1pm today due to the holiday - so, we decided to eat out tonight. We continued to walk around and found the Parc Anne Frank, which is a small park hidden behind some buildings. There were some roses, clematis, and lilacs in bloom, a playground, and children playing. One little girl pushed her doll carriage around while another one rode her bike in circles. It's a nice little park.
On the way back to the apartment, we stopped at a bar, grabbed a table outside and had a couple of beers. This was a busy corner that afforded excellent people watching. There is a bottle recycle station across the way and we watched people stuff empty wine and liquor bottles through the holes -- obviously these were employees of the various cafes and bars in the area. Lots of people walking their dogs and families with kids on scooters. Earlier, in the afternoon, we stopped at a cafe near Le Bon Marche and ordered "Coca Light" (the first Diet Coke I've had since last September and it was pretty awful - I've lost the taste for it, but we did get three ice cubes with it). The 2 cokes were 9.80 euros! The 4 beers we had were 12 euros (3 euros each). Lesson learned: we will now drink beer rather than coke!
I am really glad that we've had these three days to recover from jet lag, and we still have 2 full weeks left!
We went out in search of dinner - admittedly a little early -- and ended up at Le Quincampe, a small tea room and restaurant across the street from where I stayed in 2013. This was the third time I'd eaten there. I had a steak with bearnaise sauce and it was probably the best steak I've had in France. The cuts of meat are different than what we're used to and not as tender. It was cooked medium rare. Kathy had an interesting dish - chunks of white fish with mashed potatoes on top, which was oven baked - shepard's pie with fish - and she said it was quite good. The portions were large and filling.
Other than a few sprinkles today, the weather was nice and we were even sitting in the sunshine while drinking our beers.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Day 2
I managed to stay up until about 9 last night, read for about 10 minutes before turning out the light. I slept through until 2, read for 30 minutes and slept through til 8. A good night's sleep is the best remedy for jet lag.
Kathy went out to get a baguette for our breakfast, and I had some yogurt (I love French yogurt, and this came in cute little blue ceramic pots -- it isn't fat free, either) with cassis jam and some Nutella on my baguette.
There is no shower mat and neither of us were willing to risk our necks in the shower/tub without one, so after breakfast we went back to the Monoprix to get a shower mat and a few other items. After dropping them off at the apartment, we retraced our steps to a metro station near the Monoprix where I charged my metro/bus pass (the one I got last time is still good), and Kathy got one. The pass (Navigo Decouverte) when charged for one week is valid Monday - Sunday, so we will need to charge it again for next week. Unfortunately, there is no cost reduction for a partial week, but it is convenient to have the pass rather than having to buy tickets for each trip.
We rode the Metro 3 line to Opera. When you ascend from the station you are right in front of the Opera Garnier, the original Paris opera house, which is all baroque and gilt. A really pretty building. We walked around it, however, to the two "grands magasins" or department stores - Galleries Lafayette and Printemps. Galleries Lafayette has a beautiful glass dome above the cosmetic area, which is so beautiful it takes your breath away. We went up to the roof where there is a wonderful view of Paris to the south laid out in front of you; we got our first look at the Eiffel Tower. We had a rather pricey and disappointing lunch in their cafeteria. While we looked at a lot of things, purses specifically, we didn't buy anything. After lunch we went to Printemps and then over to the gourmet department of Galleries Lafayette, which had moved since I was there last. It was quite a sight with all sorts of pastries, including macarons (I bought some), eclairs, breads, etc. Also, foie gras, truffles, smoked salmon, and several places where you could eat prepared food - we should have had lunch here. Next time. We then went back to the Metro and back to the apartment.
We both took naps and then around 4:30 walked down to the Pompidou Center and up the street where I stayed on my last trip, which is only about 1 1/2 blocks from where we are now. There were so many people about. By this time, school was out, so there were lots of kids. There were also some buskers entertaining people, and thousands of pigeons. We had some ice cream at Amorino, which I think is the best in Paris.
Tomorrow is a holiday -- 70th Anniversary of VE Day -- so a lot of shops will be closed tomorrow and there will be a big celebration at the Arc du Triomphe. We will not try to go there.
Walking around Paris does have its challenges. First, the traffic. It's hard to see the "walk" signals at some corners. Once today, Kathy & I started out and all of a sudden a surge of traffic came up -- we walked against the signal -- we grabbed each other's hand and ran across as fast as we could, which isn't very fast in my case. It was like "well, if you are going to get one of us, you're going to get both of us." Fortunately, this was a narrow street, so we didn't have to run far. Second, the other walkers. Parisians are intent on their objective and will plow right into you if you don't move. Of course, many are intent on their cell phones, just like in the US, too. You have to be constantly aware of what is going on and be ready to step aside if you don't want to be trampled.
We didn't run into any scammers today, but I'm sure they are out there. Also, we didn't see any armed military walking around, which surprised me. They were very evident at the airport. I carried my sweater and umbrella in my shopping bag today and security in the department stores asked to look inside - no problem.
We had good weather today -- somewhat cloudy, but some sun and no rain.
Another nice day in Paris.
I managed to stay up until about 9 last night, read for about 10 minutes before turning out the light. I slept through until 2, read for 30 minutes and slept through til 8. A good night's sleep is the best remedy for jet lag.
Kathy went out to get a baguette for our breakfast, and I had some yogurt (I love French yogurt, and this came in cute little blue ceramic pots -- it isn't fat free, either) with cassis jam and some Nutella on my baguette.
There is no shower mat and neither of us were willing to risk our necks in the shower/tub without one, so after breakfast we went back to the Monoprix to get a shower mat and a few other items. After dropping them off at the apartment, we retraced our steps to a metro station near the Monoprix where I charged my metro/bus pass (the one I got last time is still good), and Kathy got one. The pass (Navigo Decouverte) when charged for one week is valid Monday - Sunday, so we will need to charge it again for next week. Unfortunately, there is no cost reduction for a partial week, but it is convenient to have the pass rather than having to buy tickets for each trip.
We rode the Metro 3 line to Opera. When you ascend from the station you are right in front of the Opera Garnier, the original Paris opera house, which is all baroque and gilt. A really pretty building. We walked around it, however, to the two "grands magasins" or department stores - Galleries Lafayette and Printemps. Galleries Lafayette has a beautiful glass dome above the cosmetic area, which is so beautiful it takes your breath away. We went up to the roof where there is a wonderful view of Paris to the south laid out in front of you; we got our first look at the Eiffel Tower. We had a rather pricey and disappointing lunch in their cafeteria. While we looked at a lot of things, purses specifically, we didn't buy anything. After lunch we went to Printemps and then over to the gourmet department of Galleries Lafayette, which had moved since I was there last. It was quite a sight with all sorts of pastries, including macarons (I bought some), eclairs, breads, etc. Also, foie gras, truffles, smoked salmon, and several places where you could eat prepared food - we should have had lunch here. Next time. We then went back to the Metro and back to the apartment.
We both took naps and then around 4:30 walked down to the Pompidou Center and up the street where I stayed on my last trip, which is only about 1 1/2 blocks from where we are now. There were so many people about. By this time, school was out, so there were lots of kids. There were also some buskers entertaining people, and thousands of pigeons. We had some ice cream at Amorino, which I think is the best in Paris.
Tomorrow is a holiday -- 70th Anniversary of VE Day -- so a lot of shops will be closed tomorrow and there will be a big celebration at the Arc du Triomphe. We will not try to go there.
Walking around Paris does have its challenges. First, the traffic. It's hard to see the "walk" signals at some corners. Once today, Kathy & I started out and all of a sudden a surge of traffic came up -- we walked against the signal -- we grabbed each other's hand and ran across as fast as we could, which isn't very fast in my case. It was like "well, if you are going to get one of us, you're going to get both of us." Fortunately, this was a narrow street, so we didn't have to run far. Second, the other walkers. Parisians are intent on their objective and will plow right into you if you don't move. Of course, many are intent on their cell phones, just like in the US, too. You have to be constantly aware of what is going on and be ready to step aside if you don't want to be trampled.
We didn't run into any scammers today, but I'm sure they are out there. Also, we didn't see any armed military walking around, which surprised me. They were very evident at the airport. I carried my sweater and umbrella in my shopping bag today and security in the department stores asked to look inside - no problem.
We had good weather today -- somewhat cloudy, but some sun and no rain.
Another nice day in Paris.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Bonjour, Paris!
I got up at 3:45am and the taxi picked me up an hour later. By 5:30 I had checked my bag, gone through security and was sitting at Starbucks with my first coffee of the day. My flight from Seattle to Chicago left on time, but the flight from Chicago was delayed by 45 minutes because they had to replace the plane. I think we were fortunate that it wasn't a longer delay. We were only 15 minutes later arriving in Paris than originally scheduled. It was about 7:00am when I got off the plane and by 7:15 I had my suitcase and had gone through immigration, and had arrived!
I met Kathy at the Sheraton, at terminal 2, where she had stayed Tuesday night. I freshened up and we went out to get some breakfast. By 9:30 we were in a cab on our way into central Paris!
We had arranged to meet the "greeter" for our rental apartment, at a boulangerie near the apartment, which is on Rue St. Martin in the 3rd arrondissement. Once she arrived she took us up to the apartment and showed us around, including how to operate all of the appliances. The apartment is exactly as described and pictured on the agency's website and should be very comfortable. It is a lot bigger than the one I rented from the same agency in 2013 with one bedroom and an full-size, fully equipped kitchen. Originally, the plan was for us to drop off our luggage, then come back at the normal check-in time at 2:00, but as it turned out the apartment was ready for us to settle in.
After we unpacked, Kathy and I walked over to Rue Montorgueil, a market street not far from the apartment. Since this apartment is only a couple of blocks from where I stayed last time, I am fairly familiar with the immediate area. We really felt like we were in Paris while having lunch outside at one of the cafes on Rue Montorgueil. It is such fun watching the parade of people go by. We each had a small glass of wine and salads. Kathy's was a chicken caesar and mine was a cobb, but both were very different than what we would have at home. They were both topped with a poached egg. Mine was very good.
After lunch we strolled the street, looking in the shop windows, but we didn't buy anything. By this time, I think both of us were too tired. We got rained on as we were heading back to the apartment. Fortunately, we had our umbrellas, but it was windy and mine blew inside out about five times by the time we got to the Monoprix where we picked up some groceries for breakfast and tonight's supper.
Back to the apartment, we both took naps, and then called home. With a nine hour time difference, we have a limited time frame in which to call without waking someone up in the middle of the night.
On our way over to Rue Montorgueil, we stopped at the first Tabac we passed so that I could buy a SIM card for my cheapy cellphone. I don't try to use my smart phone here. I bought a $30 phone that complies with European standards from Amazon before my last trip to Paris. I got a Lebara SIM card plus 10 euros worth of time, which should be plenty for the two weeks we're here. Back at the apartment I had to call to activate the SIM, which was pretty easy as they have an English option.
Our light supper consisted of 2 different cheeses, sausage, fresh vegetables, very good bread, and a glass of wine.
All in all, not a bad start to our stay in Paris, and even though we did get rained on, it was nice enough for a time for us to enjoy a Parisian lunch at a sidewalk cafe.
I got up at 3:45am and the taxi picked me up an hour later. By 5:30 I had checked my bag, gone through security and was sitting at Starbucks with my first coffee of the day. My flight from Seattle to Chicago left on time, but the flight from Chicago was delayed by 45 minutes because they had to replace the plane. I think we were fortunate that it wasn't a longer delay. We were only 15 minutes later arriving in Paris than originally scheduled. It was about 7:00am when I got off the plane and by 7:15 I had my suitcase and had gone through immigration, and had arrived!
I met Kathy at the Sheraton, at terminal 2, where she had stayed Tuesday night. I freshened up and we went out to get some breakfast. By 9:30 we were in a cab on our way into central Paris!
We had arranged to meet the "greeter" for our rental apartment, at a boulangerie near the apartment, which is on Rue St. Martin in the 3rd arrondissement. Once she arrived she took us up to the apartment and showed us around, including how to operate all of the appliances. The apartment is exactly as described and pictured on the agency's website and should be very comfortable. It is a lot bigger than the one I rented from the same agency in 2013 with one bedroom and an full-size, fully equipped kitchen. Originally, the plan was for us to drop off our luggage, then come back at the normal check-in time at 2:00, but as it turned out the apartment was ready for us to settle in.
After we unpacked, Kathy and I walked over to Rue Montorgueil, a market street not far from the apartment. Since this apartment is only a couple of blocks from where I stayed last time, I am fairly familiar with the immediate area. We really felt like we were in Paris while having lunch outside at one of the cafes on Rue Montorgueil. It is such fun watching the parade of people go by. We each had a small glass of wine and salads. Kathy's was a chicken caesar and mine was a cobb, but both were very different than what we would have at home. They were both topped with a poached egg. Mine was very good.
After lunch we strolled the street, looking in the shop windows, but we didn't buy anything. By this time, I think both of us were too tired. We got rained on as we were heading back to the apartment. Fortunately, we had our umbrellas, but it was windy and mine blew inside out about five times by the time we got to the Monoprix where we picked up some groceries for breakfast and tonight's supper.
Back to the apartment, we both took naps, and then called home. With a nine hour time difference, we have a limited time frame in which to call without waking someone up in the middle of the night.
On our way over to Rue Montorgueil, we stopped at the first Tabac we passed so that I could buy a SIM card for my cheapy cellphone. I don't try to use my smart phone here. I bought a $30 phone that complies with European standards from Amazon before my last trip to Paris. I got a Lebara SIM card plus 10 euros worth of time, which should be plenty for the two weeks we're here. Back at the apartment I had to call to activate the SIM, which was pretty easy as they have an English option.
Our light supper consisted of 2 different cheeses, sausage, fresh vegetables, very good bread, and a glass of wine.
All in all, not a bad start to our stay in Paris, and even though we did get rained on, it was nice enough for a time for us to enjoy a Parisian lunch at a sidewalk cafe.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Paris - 7
I leave one week from today. The past two months since we got home from Hawaii seem to have gone slowly, but now Paris is coming up fast!
I have my clothes picked out, but it's so hard to know what to take. Will it be warm? Cool? Rain? Since I can't predict the weather, I just have to take clothing suitable for whatever happens. I know I will probably take too much. I'm sticking to my black and white color scheme - with just a little bit of color, mostly blue.
I know Kathy is getting excited as am I. She arrives the day before I do and is staying at a hotel right at CDG where I will meet her the next morning, then we'll taxi into Paris together. We can't settle into the apartment until 2:00, but I've arranged for us to drop off our luggage at 11:00. Then we'll walk around the neighborhood for a couple of hours, have some lunch, and buy some groceries.
Stay tuned...
I leave one week from today. The past two months since we got home from Hawaii seem to have gone slowly, but now Paris is coming up fast!
I have my clothes picked out, but it's so hard to know what to take. Will it be warm? Cool? Rain? Since I can't predict the weather, I just have to take clothing suitable for whatever happens. I know I will probably take too much. I'm sticking to my black and white color scheme - with just a little bit of color, mostly blue.
I know Kathy is getting excited as am I. She arrives the day before I do and is staying at a hotel right at CDG where I will meet her the next morning, then we'll taxi into Paris together. We can't settle into the apartment until 2:00, but I've arranged for us to drop off our luggage at 11:00. Then we'll walk around the neighborhood for a couple of hours, have some lunch, and buy some groceries.
Stay tuned...
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