Warning: Very lengthy, and not as many photos as it seems I have deleted a bunch. Yup! And, I'm just SICK about it, so I had to borrow some from
Debby's blog. Thanks Debby!
Going to Paris, was the part of my trip that I was most excited about before leaving Texas. I've seen every movie with Paris in it, read books and magazines about it, you name it, and I've romanticized the city so much in my head. I couldn't wait to experience the City of Lights, and especially wheel and deal at the world famous flea markets. However, after loving England so much more than I thought I would, I have to confess I didn't want to leave yet. It was hard saying good bye.
The high speed train ride to France was thrilling! The countryside southeast of London was so beautiful, and then the 20 minutes of darkness while under the English Channel was just plain cool! At last, we were confronted with daylight again and the most charming French countryside views...straight out of fairytale books! There were rows and rows of crops, and the greenest of green grasses, and villages here are there with the same basic layout...a rustic Church at the heart of each village, surrounded by red roofed stoned cottages and houses, patterned with cobble stone paths and streets. There were no neon signs or store signs at all until we came a city, and wow oh wow did we come to a city...Paris. However, the train ride views of the city were not very attractive, especially after all the beauty I just ingested through the countryside. In fact, the views were down right frightening to me, and then I stepped off the train. Immediately, I was engulfed with a not so pleasant smell and my throat tightened up, and my eyes started watering. I could feel a pressure in my face like nothing I'd felt before, and boom it hit me...headache. I realized right then and there that Paris, is like all big cities...there are some unsavory parts, and it seemed as though I was allergic to this particular part...well, whatever was in the air in this part anyway.
The long wait for a taxi and the taxi ride to the hotel was all a blur under the headache cloud, but the Tylenol finally kicked in, and when we reached the hotel, I got to say my very first "Bonjour" to a real cutie I nicknamed Jacques Stamos, as he could have been brothers with John Stamos, 80's hair and all. I loved saying it the Julia Child way to my friends, but didn't dare to anyone else. After resting and unpacking, I felt so much better, so it was time to hit the city.
First, we went to go get my Metro card, so I could ride the Metro all week long. It was so exciting, as I really loved riding The Tube in London. As we walked down into the subterranean railway system, again with the allergies, but this time, my eyes poured like I was crying. The rest of the night's adventure was a blur to me as well. Why oh why was this happening? Debby was perfectly fine, but Michelle did have some of the trouble I was having too. I know we did some shopping, and saw a protest going on, but that was about it, until we got back to the hotel, when we were confronted with another disaster at home, the explosion at West, Texas, along with the news continuing of the Boston Marathon Bombings. So, this new news started really making me feel homesick too. Am I bumming you out? Sorry! It will get better I promise.
The next day was a new day! New drugs had been taken, and we had a car tour booked. My dream of charming Paris awaited!
 |
| Our driver Travis, and our authentic Citroen 2CV. Very cool!!! |
 |
| Travis took us to places off the beaten path, and places we never heard of, or knew about. Even Debby, who has been several times to Paris had never heard of some of these spots. This ultra beautiful and charming tiny neighborhood was La Cite Florale. All the little roads (They look like sidewalks to me.) were named after flowers. I would love to see it in full bloom. I could so live in this spot. I took so many photos here. |
 |
| Then Travis drove and drove, and talked and talked, and I soaked it all in. |
 |
| I caught a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower in the distance while we drove...it was my first peek at it. I was beyond thrilled even for that snippet! |
 |
| This gorgeous Church Saint Sulpice was not finished on this side. See how each tower is different? |
 |
| I forgot the name of this gorgeous Church. |
 |
| We went down the most narrow streets, that I would just love to have an apartment. Look at the charming graffiti...yes, charming! Some of the wall Art was fabulous! |
 |
| Le Pantheon National up ahead. |
 |
| We crossed over one of the two islands in Paris, the Ile de la Cite, the famous one where Notre Dame is, and turned down into a tiny inlet few tourists know about, that opens up into Square de la Place Dauphine, which is really a triangle, and is where the right and left banks of the Seine River meet at the bridge called Pont Neuf, and that is basically the only place I really learned the whereabouts in Paris. |
 |
| Another graffiti wall Art I loved. It would be fantastic to live in Place Dauphine as well. |
 |
| Cathedrale de Notre-Dame and all the many "love locks" that people put on the Pont de l'Archeveche Bridge. People write on the locks, usually their name, and place them on the bridge in hopes of gaining love or some other wish. They have become illegal due to maintenance issues and the extra weight on the bridge, but people do it anyway. Some of the locks are massive...Texas sized! I took SO MANY photos of Notre-Dame, all of them deleted...ugh! |
 |
| Then we journeyed up a hill, past the Moulin Rouge cabaret, to Picasso's, Monet's, and van Gogh's old stomping grounds, the area of Montmartre. Here is gorgeous Basilica of the Sacre Cceur |
 |
| From the butte, I finally got to see the whole Eiffel Tower. I stared for what seemed like an hour! I wish the day was less hazy, but I think this is just beautiful. |
 |
| The view is just gorgeous from the steps of the Basilica. I remember several movies using this spot. |
 |
| Then we headed down, and finally down the long Avenue des Champs-Elysees, and around the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile, which honors those who fought and died for France during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. |
 |
| And...just around the corner, we drove around this thing! WOW!!! Checked off the bucket list! |
 |
| After our tour with Travis, we shopped and shopped, and picked up some macarons at Laduree. I picked out a special box, selected my flavors carefully, and only purchased a few for me, as I was going to go back and get some later in the week for my family. Well, as we shopped, I left mine at the Repetto store. YUP! And, my friends never shared with me! And, I never was able to get any more for the family at the airport, because they kept our plane occupants so long in the holding pen (That's what we all called it.), we all had to run to our plane, and there was no time to stop and shop at some of the most wonderful shops you've ever seen at an airport in your life. Crappy! So, I still have no idea what a macaroon tastes like!!! |
 |
| We finished that day, and what an awesome day it was, by eating at a fabulous cafe called Esmerelda, which was across from Notre-Dame. |
 |
| The ladies told the waiter that I had never gotten a french kiss...one on each check...and so he obliged to my shock and dismay and red cheeks! Today was the Paris of my dreams, full of charm and beauty like nothing I'd ever seen! |
 |
| The rest of week, was more shopping and sight seeing, and I kept popping the allergy pills. I did go to a flea market, French phrases ready, Euros burning a hole in my pocket, but the experience was horrible at the time, although comical now, and even involved a stalker who kept following me and whispering "s'il vous plait". That has been quite fun for the family to reenact around the house let me tell you!!! Needless to say, I didn't buy anything, and it was the experience I was looking forward to the most...go figure! |
 |
| Nice bench area to wait at. |
 |
| The Louvre |
 |
| It was awesome to walk along the very long Jardin des Tuileries at Place du Louvre. The gardens were gorgeous, filled with tulips and various bulbs, and the greenest grass. There were statues everywhere, fountains, and cafes of various sort. The smaller Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel is there, and lines up exactly with the larger at the opposite end, very cool. |
 |
| I love where the bird is perched! |
 |
| I had to get a shot of this from a gallery window. |
 |
| And of course a pic from this very famous street sign. We visited #31 Rue Cambon, and were treated very very well! We were even given the tour of the famous stairs, and came out with many samples. |
 |
| Although my sinuses and olfactory senses hated it down there, often musicians played for money while we rode the Metro, and it was fun. I will say that I loved the smell of the burning rubber coming from the tires on train. I'm crazy I guess. |
 |
| On our last night, we decided to do a night cruise on the Seine. I took a ton of photos...haha...not! All I have is what I had on my phone. It was an amazing experience, even though I felt the worse than I had the whole time. The meds could not help me anymore, and make up was useless as it just came right off. Anyway, right when we came to the Eiffel Tower, the lights started to twinkle and the waiter came out with a cake and a firecracker candle and the whole boat sang Happy Birthday to me...RIGHT AT THE TWINKLING EIFFEL TOWER!!! How cool is that??? I will ALWAYS remember this birthday...always! |
No city is perfect. The Paris of my dreams did and does exist! It was a wonderful experience, and one I will cherish. However, if I ever have the chance to go back to France, I will visit the countryside first, especially the South for a much longer period of time, and only Paris for a day or two to shop, and to get some macarons!. While my dreams may be simpatico, my sinuses are NOT! Sorry Paris, please don't take offense at my poor immune system!
I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon, and your bags get packed to some wonderful place to visit!
