The Good:
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| Gelato. yum! |
Sacre Coeur. Paris is pretty flat but a 15 Euro taxi fare (from the Louvre) took us up the only hill where my favorite part of the trip awaited. The picturesque little neighborhood is filled with cafes, artists, little boutiques and plenty of photo ops. After strolling around the artists and declining to have our faces sketched, we sat at an outdoor café and I enjoyed some fabulous people watching over a savory crepe. After lunch we toured the winding cobblestone streets and checked out the amazing views over Paris – It’s HUGE. We did a little shopping and more eating. Soon I found cherry gelato dripping down my cup while trying to tell my mom (on the phone) how great everything was and take pictures of all the impressive architecture at the same time. Finally we caught a taxi and headed to the room for a two and half hour power nap. Whoops!
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| Artist's paint board. |
Notre Dame/Arc De Triomphe/Eiffel Tower
All different. All amazing.
On our second morning we woke up early and headed to the Arc De Triomphe after grabbing a cappuccino and croissant. It is stunning…but we never figured out how to cross the crazy round-about traffic to get up close and personal.
We visited Norte Dame on our final day and I think we saved one of best stops for last. The architecture is absolutely incredible, almost indescribable. The line was long but it moves fast and there was no entrance fee. The inside was pretty dark but it only added to the humbling atmosphere. After lighting some candles, observing the two euro recommended donation, we made our way around the church taking in the stained glass windows, various paintings and sculptures. We sat in a row towards the back and let it all wash over us before heading to café for some breakfast.
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| Me, after the tour. |
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| The sun's halo effect on the bell towers. |
The Eiffel Tower was amazing to look at, especially at night when it glitters with lights but my friend and I made the mistake of saving the “going up it” part for our last stop in Paris. The line for elevator tickets was outrageous and the gypsies in that area had me on edge. After a few frustrated and confused moments we finally decided to climb the stairs to the first level….doesn’t seem that high until your huffing and puffing on your second “break” looking up and trying to count the flights of stairs you have left. Also I do not recommend wearing a dress or skirt for this activity, maybe some yoga pants and sweatband, because it gets pretty windy the higher you get and between the wine and pastries I wasn't ready for much activity. The views make the hike worthwhile and the elevator down is free, but the overall area is crowded and a little stinky. Guard your purse from the gypsies at all times.
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| View during dinner. |
The In-between:
The Louvre. Obviously the art was fantastic and the building itself is beautiful and shockingly large but the crowds were almost too much. (Check out my picture of people taking a picture of the Mona Lisa) Don’t get me wrong I loved the Louvre it was just the other people pushing me and sweating all over me that I wasn’t wild about. I’m still not accustomed to the lack of personal space most Europeans allow and the combination of the sticky heat, jetlag remnants and sore feet took a little something away from the experience. Also some people are stinky and it’s really hard to appreciate a Botticelli or Leonardo while holding your breath. Tip: Don’t hold your bladder…the ladies room line is long, slow and really unpleasant when you need to go.
The Bad:
Dining and shopping were utter fails for me, which really is a bummer since we were in Paris of all places! The first night we were directed to the equivalent of the cheesecake factory if we were in Seattle…a big, crowded, over-priced restaurant right on the corner facing the Eiffel towel. We decided to skip that place and look for something on our own. That decision led us on a 45-minute walk around the empty streets of Paris – I was convinced that a perfect little café was going to pop up at any moment– it never did because it was Sunday night and most restaurants are closed Sundays! Finally we made our way back toward the hotel and found a cute little place with outdoor seating. Two entrees, a couple glasses of wine and a cheese platter ran us 81 Euro!!!! The service was slow, but I soon learned that’s how it is everywhere in Paris. (and in most European countries) The food was so-so, I had a goat cheese risotto that was filling but a little mundane. The next night we followed Rick Steve’s advice to a restaurant that no longer existed and after another long hungry walk we finally went back to the cheesecake factory equivalent. I think it was called Chez Francis, but I have to give it credit because my mozzarella/tomato salad was very tasty and the bill reflected the service and quality…until a mouse scuttled out under the table next to us. Not cool.
As for shopping... I'm not sure what happened, I failed miserably though. (Some Band Aids and a belt - that's literally all I bought!)
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| The simple understated beauty of Paris. |
The Ugly:
My French and my feet! Paris is dirty and hotter than hell in August. When in Paris look where you’re going but keep your gaze elevated on the beautiful buildings and not and the trash and pigeons at your feet and be prepared to hold your breath should you get a random whiff of something rank. Another ugly thing was the line at the Musee d’Orsay…we were short on time and had to bag it until the next visit. Still upset over this.
Until next time Paris…Au revior
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