Post Trip Reflections

I've been home five days and I'm pretty much recovered from jet-lag.  It's a good time to reflect back on my trip.

First, it wasn't long enough.  I don't think one can spend too much time in Paris.  My first trip in 1994 was for three days and Mom and I covered all the big sights. Looking back at it I'm amazed at how much ground we covered, but we were 23 years younger, too.  Our next 2 trips were about the same length and covered different activities. Now, after three trips of two weeks each, I am amazed how much more there is to see in Paris.

Physically, though, I was ready to go home (mentally, I could have stayed longer).  At 70 and after recent hip and shoulder replacements, I just wasn't up to the physical demands required of this sort of travel.  I had to watch every step I took, but was able to remain upright. It was exhausting, but that doesn't mean I didn't love every minute.

Getting Around

The Navigo pass is convenient and cost-effective.  At 22.80 euros for a week (Monday through Sunday) and covering five zones, there is no less expensive way to use public transportation. I got the pass in 2013 and have used it for three trips.  My Barclays Visa card with a PIN (and no foreign transaction fee) allowed me to recharge at a machine. I needed to buy Metro tickets only on the first Sunday I was in Paris.

I used the Metro much more on this trip than on prior trips.  Having the Line 1 station nearby was probably a factor.  There was also a nearby bus stop servicing 3 lines.  The Metro requires lots of stairs and walking through tunnels, but the trains are frequent and they get you to your destination quickly.  I always looked for the exits with escalators, but stairways are unavoidable.  Between the Metro and buses, I could get to any place in Paris and even the suburbs pretty efficiently.

One challenge with the buses is that they are often rerouted.  The driver would make an announcement, which was understood by the locals, but totally over my head.  So, I would end up being let off someplace where I had to figure out how to get to my destination.  It happened two times, both when on the way back to the apartment.  Once I was able to walk, and the other time I switched to the Metro.

Paris is a great city for walking.  It is fairly flat and the tourist sights are in a fairly central and compact area surrounding the Seine River.  However, many sidewalks are narrow and uneven.  Many slope toward the curb (so they can be hosed off) and some have broken pavement.  I literally had to watch every step to avoid tripping and falling. 

People

Despite what is commonly believed, I have always found the French to be polite and easy to deal with - as long as you observe their standard of politeness.  This includes beginning every encounter with "Bonjour" and ending it with "Merci, au revoir." If you do otherwise, you will be met with aloofness and the brush-off.  But, if you need help, the French will go out of their way to provide it.

The locals and others who know where they are going walk purposely and if you aren't paying attention you risk being bowled over.  Other pedestrians don't give way!  Groups, often teens, stand in the middle of the sidewalk talking, and it is up to you to either plow through or go around - they won't move.  "Pardon," was the password I used to get through.  It is ironic to me that in a city where politeness is nearly a religion (see above), street behavior is so abrupt, brusque and outright rude. However, drop something and five people with rush to help you pick it up.

Food

Of course, the food is great!  The best bread and pastries in the world.  The pastries are eye-candy and taste as good as they look.  This is not the place for anyone who is eating low carb - in fact, I just ate and enjoyed with no regrets.

I ate breakfast at the apartment as well as most dinners, which consisted mostly of cold foods -- I didn't cook, using the microwave once and never using the cooktop.  All my lunches were out and were the opportunity to enjoy French cuisine.  I know a lot of people - so called "foodies" - obsess about what and where they will eat while in Paris, but I mostly just pick a place as I walk around and I've rarely been disappointed.  Ordering salads is fun because they would never be as expected.  The French put their own spin on a Caesar salad and most salads come topped with a poached egg.  I saw more hamburgers on menus, and had two, and they were good.  Again, the French have put their own spin on the lowly burger and have improved upon it.

You can buy coffee anywhere, from a simple espresso to elaborate coffee drinks.  I would order an espresso after a meal or when I just wanted to use the restroom (toilette), or a café crème (coffee with milk) if I wanted to sit, rest and people watch for awhile.  I think my most expensive café crème was 7 euros (yikes!), but when you are tired and the people-watching is good, it's worth it.

My most expensive lunch was 70 euros, including 21 euros for a glass of champagne! I was planning on the splurge, but 21 euros for a small glass of champagne.  It was a nice experience though and I had a view of the Eiffel Tower.

I did my grocery shopping at the G20 Supermarche where I thought the prices for the things I bought were very reasonable.  I also enjoy shopping at the outdoor markets.  There is an outdoor market somewhere in Paris, sometimes at two or more locations, everyday except Monday.  They are a great way to mingle with locals and get some local color.  Some of the markets are huge and include clothing and houseware items, and souvenirs for the tourists, as well as food. One could literally buy everything needed for a week's groceries except for staples at an outdoor market.

Language

I didn't practice my French as much prior to this trip, but what French I had seemed to be enough.  Even if I had practiced more, I wouldn't have had enough to converse with a local.  I just don't understand spoken French well enough - they speak really fast.  As fast as we do in English, I'm sure. But, using French did open doors allowing me to have some interesting conversations in English with some of the locals, mostly people in shops who weren't busy while I was there. In most cases when I spoke French, people weren't quick to switch to English - they waited until my French ran out.  Knowing some basic French words and phrases, though, is essential to having a positive experience interacting with people in France.

Scams

This trip I mostly avoided places where large crowds gather, which means I didn't see any scammers. No petition girls, no gold ring drop, no bracelet guys.  I know they are still there, but I managed to avoid them.

I used a cross-body bag and kept it close, so didn't run into any pickpockets either.

Favorite Moments

I think my favorite moment was being at the Champs de Mars while the Eiffel Tower sparkled.  It was magical.  I'd seen it before, but it is still magical.

My other favorite moments involved people: the interactions I had with a few locals; a conversation with a young woman at a café, who was newly arrived from Australia; spending a day trip with young women from India and Japan; and meeting up with some friends of a friend. I like solo travel, but that doesn't mean I don't like interacting with people.

Day 15, September 23 - Au revoir, Paris; 11,000 steps

I got most of my stuff packed Friday night, so after breakfast I just had to finish packing the odds and ends, tidy the apartment and take out trash. Joanna from Cobblestone arrived right at 10 to help me take my suitcase down the steep stairway. I had specifically asked for assistance as there is a handrail for only a third of the stairway, and although there are only 16 steps, I could visualize me and my suitcase ending up in a heap at the bottom.

I had arranged for a G7 taxi to pick me up at 10:20 and he arrived a few minutes early to take me to the Novotel at the airport terminal. I had registered online that morning, so when I arrived before noon I was able to drop my luggage off in my room, which was ready for me.  I then took the train back to Paris, using my Navigo pass.

When I was in Paris in 2013, I had lunch at La Rose de France on Place Dauphin on the Ile de la Cite. It was my most memorable lunch as the starter was three different preparations of foie gras: a slice of pure foie gras, creme brule made with foie gras, and foie gras glace (ice cream), which was absolutely the best thing I have ever had in my mouth. For four years I have thought about this, so decided that this trip my last lunch in Paris would be at La Rose de France. Unfortunately, their foie gras starter no longer includes the glace, but it was excellent nonetheless. I also had a kir royal, which is champagne with creme de Cassis  (black current liquor). The main course was a veal chop with mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes, and for dessert fresh strawberries with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream, finished with "un cafe" and a perfect chocolate truffle. Even without the foie gras glace, it was the perfect lunch for my last day in Paris.

After lunch I took a one-hour Seine River cruise. There was a "techno festival" as well as a demonstration against changes in France's labor laws happening over on the Right Bank near the Louvre and I could hear the loud music  and shouting from where I was on the Left Bank, being thankful that I was not in the midst of the huge crowd of people over there. It was peaceful on the river, though, and nice to see so many landmarks - a good ending to a wonderful visit to Paris.

I took the train (RER B) back to the airport. The Novotel is conveniently located very close to the CDG train station. In my opinion, the RER, which is a system connecting Paris to the suburbs, is not as nice as the Metro. The stations seem to be more grim as are the trains themselves. A lot of people use them as cheap transport to and from the airport, but with luggage consisting of more than carry-on, they aren't very convenient as there are lots of stairs.  I really prefer taking a taxi, which is now a flat rate of either 50 or 55 euros depending on whether you are going to the Right Bank or the Left.

I had a chicken Caesar salad for dinner at the restaurant at the hotel.  What is it about the French that they always want to top every salad with a poached egg? It was pretty good, anyway.

The  Novotel is a 4-star hotel, part of the Accor group that includes Ibis in France and Motel 6 in the US. The French hotel star system is different than in the US as it reflects amenities more than luxury. For me, staying at the airport the night before a morning flight is more convenient than staying over in Paris proper. The recommended arrival time for an international flight is 3 hours prior to flight time, so for my 10:10 flight, I needed to be at check-in by 7:10. At the Novotel, I was less than 15 minutes away from Terminal 2E via the free subway shuttle.

The next morning, I had a quick breakfast at the hotel and was at check-in by 7:00. I had checked in online the day before, but needed a boarding pass and to drop off my suitcase. They do a passport  check at check-in. Then you go through passport control to exit the country, then they check it again when you go through security, and again  when you board the plane,  Surprisingly, all of that went very quickly as there were not yet huge lines at the time I was going through. Our flight was delayed about an hour, though, because there were 20 passengers from connecting flights who were running late, including my seat mate.

The fight seemed long to me, but I was in the  "comfort" coach section, which is worth every penny with roomier seats, priority boarding and reserved overhead storage compartments.

Passport control and customs in Seattle was efficient and went pretty quickly.  Much improved over the old system, but it will be nice when the new international arrivals area is completed.

Katie and Mom picked me up and I was home a little after 1:00 to share some of the goodies (macarons and chocolates) I brought home with me.  Simon was happy to see me,  too.

Day 14 -Wandering around the 1st Arrondissement; 12,000 steps

Today was an unplanned day.  I completed my planned itinerary, missing just a few minor sights, either because of inconvenience, fatigue, or lack of time.  My card system worked really well.

After a few days of sunshine, today was grey, but it didn't rain. I set out a little after 10 this morning, stopping to get some more cash at the local ATM before getting on the bus.  I headed down to Palais Royal and strolled through part of it.  So many locations are under some sort of construction or renovation.  Not sure what was going on here, but I watched a guy who was straddling the top of a stepladder and using it like stilts to move along a wall.  I stopped at a cafe for a cafe creme - 5 euros!  Geesh!  I walked up Rue St. Honore where there are many high end boutiques.  I thought much of it was gaudy, certainly not my taste, but way far out of my price range anyway.  The last time I was here, Place Vendome was under renovation with the column enclosed in a box, and the Ritz Hotel had been closed for three or four years for renovation.  Now the renovation is complete, so everything is back to normal.

I had lunch at Da Rosa.  I stopped here four years ago for "un cafe and les toilettes," and the people were so nice that I've wanted to go back for a meal.  The place has been rearranged inside and the nice lady wasn't there, but the staff was friendly, and became quite busy for lunch.  They still have their nice main floor "toilette."  In so many places, les toilettes are either up or down a steep spiral staircase, so having one on the ground floor is rare, though I have come across a few of them on this trip.  My risotto was really good with thin slices of Spanish ham, which is their specialty.

After lunch I walked up to La Madeline, which is undergoing its own restoration or cleaning.  Fouchon is a specialty food shop behind La Madeline and I walked up there, but ended up not buying anything.  About this time, my feet started to protest loudly, so I rode the bus up to La Opera, and transferred to the #29 that stops at Place des Vosges, which is 2 blocks from the apartment.  With just 3 or 4 stops to go, the driver made an announcement and some people got off, but instead of turning left onto Rue Rambuteau, he went straight.  I finally, asked to get off near the Hotel de Ville and walked over to the Metro for the short ride to the St. Paul stop and home -- feet protesting all the way.

This is my last night in the apartment.  This morning I spent some time trying to get organized and did a load of laundry, which is drying now.  I need to check out at 10 tomorrow morning and someone is coming to help me get my luggage down the steep stairway with no handrail.  There are just 16 steps, and they haven't been hard to deal with, but I can just seem me and my suitcase ending up at the bottom in a pile.  No thank you!  I asked for assistance and I am grateful to them for the help.

The plan for tomorrow is to take a taxi to the Novotel at the airport where I'll drop my luggage, then take the train back into Central Paris -- unless my feet protest too much.  We'll see.

Day 13 - Rue Mouffetard and the Pantheon;  16,600 steps

Yesterday and today have been noticeably warmer, and both days were clear and sunny.

I rode the bus over to the 5th arrondissement, which is across the river from where I am in the 4th.  The 5th is also referred to as the Latin Quarter.  The Sorbonne University is in this district.  In the early days of the university (13th century!) Latin was used for instruction and was the language spoken by the students.  Since that was the language heard in the area, it was dubbed the Latin Quarter.

The bus stopped right out side Luxembourg Gardens, so I took advantage of the opportunity to stroll around a little.  There are still many flowers blooming, in particular a bed full of beautiful begonias. Parisians use their parks.  I think much more than we do, at least in Seattle.  And, while I have seen many homeless people on the streets, I've not seen that they are camping out in the gardens.  Doesn't mean they don't, but if they do, I haven't seen them.

I walked over to the Pantheon, but the gates were all closed and there was a notice that the site wouldn't open until 1:30 today.  So, I walked over to Rue Mouffetard, which was a fairly long walk (for me, anyway).  Rue Mouffetard is a popular shopping street. Mostly, I just wanted to see it as I had not been there before.  There was one of the most beautiful fish markets I've ever seen, lots of fruit and vegetable shops, crepe shops, fondue shops, etc.  Lots of shoppers, too.  I just bought some chocolate to take home at the Jeff de Bruges shop.  I had lunch at Place St. Medard.  It was a tough cut of beef cooked somewhat like swiss steak in onion gravy.  It was chewy but tasty; served with really good fries and a field green salad.

I rode the bus back to the Pantheon.  In my seven trips to Paris, this is the first time I've been there.  It is a huge building.  It was originally built as a church to honor Ste. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris. However, after the revolution its function as a church was suspended in order to "receive the bodies of the men to died in the period of French liberty."  The building was secularized and most of the religious symbolism was removed.  French writers and poets are also buried there, including Voltaire, Rousseau, Zola, and Hugo.  I didn't go down to the crypt because the stairs leading down just looked too scary. So far on this trip I have remained upright and I intend to stay that way!

I rode the bus back to the Right bank and was going to walk back to the apartment, but when I came to the Hotel de Ville Metro station, and decided to ride - just one stop, but worth it!

After dinner - a hamburger, can you believe it?! - and a beer, I rode the #69 bus to the Champs de Mars, the park at the base of the Eiffel Tower.  It has lights on it all night long, but on the hour it sparkles for 5 minutes.  It is magical.  There was quite a crowd there to watch - very festive - and, of course, the guys hawking their souvenirs.  My timing was just right.  Got there about 10 minutes before sparkle time, so had time to find a good spot, and when I was ready to go back, there was a bus there ready to take me. It was really neat riding through the streets at night.  All of the cafes were lit up and full of people, and you could see into some of the buildings - even into some apartments.  All of the monuments and major buildings are all lit up, too.  I actually got better pictures on my cell phone, including a video.  When I get home, I'll try to transfer the pictures from my phone (that's where all my food porn pictures are) and post them.  The video is posted on my Facebook page.

By the way, the hamburger, which I had at a neighborhood bistrot, was really good.  Good bun - toasted with lots of sesame seeds.  No one makes bread like the French.

Day 12 - September 20 - Aligre Market & Fabric Stores - 12,800 Steps

Today was spent mostly in the 11th & 12 arrondissements, using the bus for transportation. I started off at Place d'Aligre where there is a large covered market that is open everyday except Monday; however, the building is currently undergoing renovations, so the produce market is on the adjacent street while the meat and cheese remains in part of the building.  There is also a flea market in the square.  Since my trip is winding down, I didn't buy any food, and I'm not much of a flea market shopper, though I did look around.  Lots of old silver, mostly plate, china, and jewelry, as well as some clothing, books and art.

When we were here in 2015, Kathy & I went to the St. Pierre Fabric Market on Montmartre, which is so huge it is overwhelming.  This time I was looking for smaller quilt or patchwork shops.  I found three online, which are all in the 11th, fairly close to each other.  Of the three, two were a disappointment.  One had virtually no fabric but mostly notions, such as trims, ribbon, buttons, thread, zippers, etc.  I bought some #7 needles with large eyes.  The other had fabric, but mostly for garments. I bought a few remnants that should be okay for quilting. The third was a Patchwork Boutique and quite a nice quilt shop.  Lots of cotton fabrics from all over the world, including France, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, and Moda fabrics from the US.  I bought several fat quarters of French fabrics.

I had lunch at Place Voltaire - a salad with warm chevre on toast with tomatoes and hard boiled eggs. While riding the bus home, I realized that I was really tired, so decided to just go back to the apartment to rest for the remainder of the afternoon.

I met Sandy and Susan for dinner at Ambassade d'Auvergne.  This was the third time I'd been there as it is very close to the other apartments I've rented.  Our reservations were for 7:30, but we weren't actually the first ones there, and by the time we left, the place was full and lively.  Generally, the French are fairly quiet in restaurants, but this crowd was pretty loud - maybe they weren't French.  The wait staff was very attentive.  We ordered a bottle of wine and a starter of snails to share.  I ordered the roasted duck, which was cooked perfectly.  It was served with aligot, which is one of their specialties. It is mashed potatoes, garlic, and cheese that is whipped until it is a stringy/sticky consistency.  They bring the pot to the table while beating it, raising the spoon up high with the gooey stuff.  I love it! But, I couldn't eat all they gave me -- probably because I was looking forward to their other specialty: chocolate mousse, dark chocolate mousse that they bring to the table and serve from a big bowl.  I was even asked if I wanted more, but I passed.

It was fun visiting with Sandy and Susan, but I'm envious because they are here for yet another week.

It was 10:00 when I got back to the apartment.

Day 11 - Montmartre; 12,000 Steps

Today was pretty much unplanned.  I did know that I wanted to go back to Passage Panorama to see if the shop where I saw something I wanted to buy was open.  Happily, it was.

I thought about walking down Rue de Rivoli to the stop for the #67 that would take me up to Grands Boulevards as well as Montmartre, but since a #69 was at my stop when I went by, I jumped on, and I'm glad I did.  Because of construction on Rue de Rivoli, the next 2 stops were blocked, so I would have had to walk a lot further than I had planned.  I transferred and got off a block from Passage Panorama.  It was really quiet in the Passage, but it was just a little past 10, so many places were just opening.  I was so happy to see that the shop was open.  The proprietor was very friendly and we chatted in a combination of French and English, and I was able to buy what had caught my eye in the window last week.

I rode up the hill to Montmartre and got off at Pigalle where I could get on the Montmartre Bus, which meanders through the narrow streets in a circuit.  I rode all the way up the hill to Place du Tertre, which is near Sacre Coeur.  This square is quite touristy as it is where the artists are located.  The artists are vetted, however, and some of their work is quite good.  I walked around for awhile, but didn't buy anything this time.  I didn't go over to Sacre Coeur as my objective this trip is to avoid crowds wherever possible, and I have been there before.

For lunch, I went to Chez Plumeau on Place du Calvaire, which is just around the corner from Place du Tertre.  This restaurant is mentioned a lot on the Trip Advisor Paris Forum, but it was a slow day and I was the only one there.  I had an interesting salad with ham, onions, poached egg, and tomato.  The ham, onions (cooked), and egg were served on the lettuce in a cup made from a crepe.  Under the crepe was a piece of toast with melted cheese on it.  As I said, it was interesting.  I washed it down with a glass of white wine.  The server spoke excellent "American English," but had never been to the US.  He said he had been to England, but he watches a lot of American TV, thus his accent.

After lunch, I walked down Rue Lepic - a long downhill street, if you start from the top.  This is the neighborhood where many artists like Monet and Van Gogh lived, but it is pretty much gentrified now. Originally Montmartre was the country and there were several windmills.  There are only two left.  One is a restaurant - where Renoir painted a famous picture - and one is privately owned.  Then, of course, there is La Moulin Rouge, but that's another story.  I walked all the way down the hill back to Pigalle where I caught a bus.

I got off the bus near Rue Cadet, which is a shopping street in the 9th Arrondissement off Blvd. Lafayette.  When Mom and I were in Paris in 1994, we stayed at Hotel Cadet Opera, which is on that street.  However, my reason for going was to use one of my Food Passport coupons at a small shop specializing in all things duck; specifically, foie gras and pate.  The shop is owned by a young man fro Southwest France.  His partner's family raises ducks and processes all of their product.  He gave me a tasting of duck pate with foie gras on toast that was delicious.  He also spoke excellent English and we must have talked for at least 45 minutes.  It was hard to drag myself away.  I did buy some foie gras and rillettes (sort of like pate, but spiced) to take home.

Back on the bus and "home."  It was a fun day.  I really enjoyed visiting with these locals who were so friendly and forthcoming.

I did not study French as much as I should have before this trip, but I do seem to be doing okay with what I know.  I can make myself understood better than I can understand spoken French.

Paris is not exempt from homelessness.  I have seen more homeless on this trip than on prior ones.  Just about everywhere I go I see people sleeping in doorways or on the sidewalk next to a building.  Sometimes they have a sleeping bag, or even a mattress, but I have seen some who have nothing more than cardboard for a cover.  There are also lots of beggars sitting on sidewalks, many with dogs.  Yesterday, as I was waiting for the tour bus to pull out, I saw two different men dig through trash, checking Starbucks cups.  If there was anything left in the cup, they drank it, then put the cup back in the trash.  To travel, I think, means seeing the ugly as well as the beauty; otherwise, you are not experiencing the truth.  But, it is still very sad to see.

Day 10 - September 18; Two Chateaux; 11,250 Steps

Another early rising, and I took the Metro (during rush hour, yet) to the Tuileries Gardens. It was a short walk to the Paris City Vision office at Place des Pyramides with its gilded statue of Joan of Arc. Of course, I was there far too early, but soon boarded the bus, heading to the Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte.

The bus was huge, very comfortable, and full.  I was one of 12 people who had signed up for the guided tour.  It was nearly an hour before we arrived at the Chateau, which is literally out in the middle of nowhere. It was blue-sky-sunny when we left Paris, but as we drove deeper into the countryside, it got very foggy.  We couldn't see much, but drove through cultivated fields.  They grow sugar beets, canola, and wheat in the area.

Vaux-le-Vicomte was built in the mid-1600's by Nicolas Fouquet, who was finance minister and tax collector for Louis XIV.  Upon completion, he through a lavish party, and invited Louis.  The chateau was grander and more elegant than anything Louis owned, so he got miffed and returned to Fountainebleau.  I think Louis must have started to think about how his finance minister and tax collector was wealthy enough to build something so grand, so a couple of weeks later he has Fouquet arrested.  So, the poor guy never really got to live in the chateau, but Louis, not to be outdone, took possession of all of the furnishings at Vicomte and built Versailles.  The chateau fell into decay until the late nineteenth century when the ancestor of the current owners bought it at auction.  It was restored and opened to the public in 1968.  It is the largest privately owned chateau in France.

The chateau is fully furnished, but most items are either replicas of original furnishings or antiques purchased in the 19th century.  There are also extensive gardens with water features, including a moat - the building on the site when Fouquet bought it was a fortress.  Our tour included rooms on two floors plus the kitchens and our guide provided a great deal of information, both about the furnishings and the history of the property.  It was all very impressive.

At the end of the tour we had some free time, and had lunch at the cafeteria located on the property, as well as a visit to the boutique.

I slept through the entire 45 minute drive to Fountainebleau.  By contrast, while Vaux-le-Vicomte is in the middle of nowhere, Fountainebleau is in the middle of the small town by the same name.  The chateau was built by Francois I, the renaissance king of France.  His contemporary was Henry VIII.  It was added onto over the years by other kings, including Henri I and Henri IV.  It was the favorite chateau of many of France's kings, and especially Napoleon I.  Our tour included the private apartments of Napoleon.  The property includes extensive gardens as well as the Forest of Fountainebleau, which is the largest forest in France.

These are definitely the chateaux you want to visit if you want to get away from the crowds.  It has been years since I visited Versailles (other than the town and King's vegetable garden), but I do know it is very crowded.  What the three chateaux have in common, other than their beauty, are their paving stones -- big and uneven -- very difficult to walk on.

It took a little over an hour to get back to Paris due to heavy rush-hour traffic, but it seemed a lot longer. I rode the crowded Metro back and was offered a seat by at least 5 different people, but I politely declined since I didn't have many stops before getting off.

It was a nice day -- good weather, though it did rain on the drive back to Paris.  I'm glad I did the guided tour, but otherwise have little interest in long bus tours.

Well, I want to get my day started, so will post pictures later.

Day 9 - Monet and Van Gogh; 10,400 Steps

I got up at 6:30 this morning to be ready to be picked up by Paris City Vision tour company.  I decided to take a tour to Giverny and Auvers-sur-Oise mainly so I could do both in one day, though since I have been to Giverny twice before, it wasn't high on my priority list.  I just didn't feel up to taking the train to Auvers-sur-Oise at it would involve a transfer, and more complicated than the Metro.

This was to be a small group tour (8 max) in a van, and I lucked out: first with an excellent driver/guide who was very patient with me; and second, there were only three of us in our group!  My companions were a young woman from Tokyo and another from Bombay.  We were a very international group, and by lunch time, we felt more like three friends spending the day together than like a tour group.  The woman from Bombay speaks excellent English and she should as I learned that English is her only language. The woman from Tokyo speaks some English, but was more difficult to converse with.  She studied French in school and learned some English when she was in the US for several months.

Our first stop was Giverny.  Our guide took us through the group entrance and helped us get through the big groups gathered there, then left us on our own for about 90 minutes.  This was my third visit to Giverny and it has always been one of my favorite places, but today it was so crowded.  The river cruise boats, ie., Viking, all stop here, plus the big tour buses from Paris.  There must have been 6 or more large tour groups.  We got there about 9:30, and still didn't beat the crowds. The line to go into Monet's house was so long that I didn't even try to go in because I knew it would be cramped inside.  My biggest challenge was to take a picture without 100 other tourists in it.  When Mom and I first visited Giverny in 1994, I don't think there were more than 50 other people there.  It wasn't this crowded even in 2010.  I am so glad we visited when we did.  If this had been my first visit, I would have been very disappointed.

Of course, it is September, so many of the flowers are past their peak, and it rained last night, so the flowers looked a little drippy.  But, the lily pond, which is my favorite spot, was beautiful - despite all the people crowded onto the little bridges.

After visiting the garden, we made a short visit to the Impressionist Museum down the road.  Originally, it was a museum dedicated to American Impressionists who either studied with Monet or were inspired by him.  That is what it was when we were there in 1994, and it was one of our favorite museums - not just because they have some of the best "toilettes" in France.  Now, though, it is simply the Museum of Impressionists and they display the work of one artist, changing the exhibit a couple of times a year.  The featured artist right now is Henri Manguin.  His work seems to borrow heavily from Monet and Gauguin, and others - as though he couldn't decide on his own style.

We had lunch at a charming place, Le Moulin de Fourges, which has an old water wheel.  The restaurant in the building with the water wheel caters to individuals, but  the pavilion where we were caters to tour groups.  Again, I was glad we were a group of just three.  I made the comment that I could tell that the people there were not French because it was so noisy!  If the room had been full of French, the noise level would have been considerably lower.  However, the food was actually pretty good.  The starter was a fish tureen - tuna, I think - with lettuce and tomato.  It was good, but a little fishier than I prefer.  The main plate was a chicken breast with a mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes - also good.  And, for dessert, an apple tart with a very small scoop of really delicious vanilla ice cream.

Our next stop was Auvers-sur-Oise, which is a small town north of Paris where Van Gogh spent the last two months of his life.  We visited the house where he rented a room; unfortunately, we couldn't take pictures.  The room is very small and the only thing in it now is a chair, but there had been a bed and dresser when he lived there.  The only window was a skylight.  There were three other artists living in the house at the same time.  We walked up the hill to the church and were surprised that there was a choir and small orchestra practicing for a concert later today.  I got a copy of the program, which includes Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schubert, and Strauss, among others.  We then went up to the cemetery to see the graves of Vincent and his brother Theo, who died just six months later.  While officially Van Gogh's death was ruled a suicide, there is still some question about the circumstances.

It was a long day riding in the van, but it was nice to get out in the countryside, seeing small towns and villages, grazing cows, and fields of crops.  It started to rain as we got closer to Paris, but most of the day was partly cloudy and chilly.  It was after six when I got back to the apartment.

Day 8 - Covered Passages; 13,700 Steps

The covered passages were built in the early 19th century and were a precursor to the modern shopping mall. They allowed people to shop out of the weather and off the dirty streets.  There are not many left, but those that remain have shops and cafes, and are pretty much grouped within the 2nd arrondissement.  The first one I visited was Passage du Grand-Cerf, which took me to my next destination...

Before leaving home, I bought Le Food Passport online, and today I picked up my Passport at a little tea shop near the market street Rue Montorgueil, which is close to the neighborhood where I've stayed previously.  Le Food Passport allows you to visit artisan food shops and get a tasting with a coupon.  You can buy 6 tastings for 35 euros or 12 tastings for 45 euros.  Naturally, I went for the 12 tastings.  Actually, some of these are more than just tastings.  At the tea shop where I picked up my passport, I got samples of three different teas.  They do cold brewed teas of blended flavors and serve it as iced tea, but without ice.  The the teas are infused with fruits and herbs and the three I had were delicious.  I especially liked the herb tea, and the green tea was infused with Golden Delicious apple.  I bought a cup of the herbal tea. I enjoyed talking with the young man who owns the shop with a partner.  He got the idea when he lived in Taiwan.

I walked around Rue Montorgueil for awhile, enjoying my "old haunt."  It was really busy with lots of people around.  I had lunch at a place on a side street that specializes in dishes made with fresh mozzarella.  I had gnocchi with cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.  It was really good. I had the Cafe Gourmande for dessert, which was an espresso with three small bites: a custard with raspberry sauce, a molten chocolate, and a terimissu (still don't know how to spell it).  It was fun watching a grey cat stalking pigeons, but I think it had little chance of catching one.

Another shop on my Food Passport was just down the street from the restaurant and this one specialized in eclairs -- nothing but eclairs -- and each one was prettier than the others.  I had a chocolate eclair with an espresso.  I feel like I need to buy something as the coupons are a way of getting people into the shops to buy their products.

I then walked toward the Grands Boulevards, taking a bus part way.  I visited two more covered passages, Passage des Panoramas and Passage Jouffroy.  The shops were interesting and I even found something I wanted to buy, but the shop was closed with a sign indicated they would be back at 1:00, but they still weren't back at 2, so I moved on.

I walked down Rue Vivienne, through Place de la Bourse (the French stock market), where they were having a flea market or "brocante".  It had rained quite hard a little while before, so the vendors, were all taking the tarps off their wares and trying to dry everything off.  I've decided that flea markets really aren't my thing.

Passage Vivienne was next up and it has a lot of book shops - all French books, of course.  It is quite beautiful.

I then walked over to Place des Victoires and caught the #29 bus back to Place des Vosges, and walked home from there.  I rested for awhile, then went to the G20 supermarket to pick up a few things.

Another stop on my Food Passport is conveniently on the same street as my apartment.  Rainettes specializes in frog legs.  I had never had them before, but was game to give them a try.  My coupon was good for two frog legs and I bought a glass of wine to go with them.  It is true: they do taste like chicken with maybe a little fishiness.  I think I can take them or leave them.  It is hard to get over the dissections I did in biology all those years ago.

Day 7 -  September 15 - St. Denis, Musee Nissim de Camondo, Concert; 16,400 Steps

I have planned this trip a little more thoroughly than I planned my last two trips to Paris.  I listed what I wanted to do and grouped two or three things together than could easily be done on a single day.  I wrote everything on note cards, including directions for Metro and/or buses (I used my bus and Metro maps to figure out routes), and attached copies of any pertinent information from guidebooks. Except for a few things that I booked in advance, nothing was scheduled for a particular day.  I simply pick out a card for the day and set out.  So far, this system as worked very well, and I have three or four extra days to be spontaneous.

So, Friday, I once again headed to the Paris suburbs.  This time north to St. Denis to visit the Basilica of St. Denis.  St. Denis was the first bishop of Lutetia, which was the Roman name of the settlement on what is now the Ile de la Cite in the middle of the Seine.  St. Denis was beheaded in Montmartre in 250 AD and according to legend, he picked up his head and carried it to where the basilica is now, which is where he was buried.  The basilica is the mausoleum for the Kings of France.  Of course, one can visit the church itself for free, but there is a charge (15 euros, included in Museum Pass) to visit the crypt.  I got the audio tour, which made the visit much more interesting.  The tombs have recumbent sculptures of the deceased. Catherine de Medici, her husband Henri II, Marie Antoinette, and the various Louis are all represented, among others.

It was market day in St. Denis, and this is a huge market.  I'd say it is about one-third clothing and housewares.  I walked through, but didn't buy anything.  If you've ever wondered where the average French person buys their clothing (not everyone can afford haute couture), it is at these markets.  This is where you can buy underwear for 1 euro, a bra for 2 euros, or a man's shirt for 5.  It was a very busy market with people filling their trolleys with purchases.

It took two Metro lines to get to St. Denis, and two to get back to Central Paris.  I rode to the 8th arrondissement and got off at Parc Monceau.  I stopped at a cafe for lunch, and for the first time, had a hamburger in Paris.  It was very good, but huge -- I had to eat it with a knife and fork, which made it easy to skip the bun - it was even toasted.  You know, they really know how to make "French Fries" in France - pommes frites are crispy and good.

After lunch, I went to the Musee Nissim de Camondo.  This is a mansion filled with the lifetime collection of a wealthy banker.  His plan was to leave it all to his son, but he was killed in World War I, so everything was left as it was as a museum.  When Kathy Larison and I were here in 2015, we tried to visit, but the upstairs was closed until 1pm.  We went to get some lunch, but the timing was such that we decided not to go back.  I'm glad I took the time yesterday to visit as it was really impressive.

I rode the bus back to the apartment and rested for a couple of hours.  My apartment has a washer/dryer combination - all in one unit.  A quick wash takes 30 minutes, but it takes up to 3 hours to dry.  I washed a load before leaving in the morning and did a 1-hour dry cycle when I got home. Things were still damp, so I laid everything out on the bed to finish drying.

My friend Marilyn Butler put me in touch with a friend of hers who is in Paris while I am here.  We arranged to go to a concert at Ste. Chapelle together, and decided to meet at 6 for an early dinner.  Sandy Kube lives in Stevenson, WA and her friend Susan lives in Ohio.  Very nice ladies.  We had dinner at a brasserie across the street from Ste. Chapelle.

Ste. Chapelle was built by King Louis IX (St. Louis) to house the "Crown of Thorns," which he had bought during the Crusades.  The chapel is like a little jewel box with brilliant stained glass windows, arguably the most beautiful chapel in Europe.  It is no longer a consecrated church and the "Crown of Thorns" is now located in the Treasury of Notre Dame.  When we arrived in the chapel, it was still light enough to see the windows.  They are breath-taking.

The concert was the Four Seasons by Vivaldi, as well as a piece by Pachelbel and one by Handel.  It was a string quintet and the lead violinist was quite a performer.  The program was fairly short, lasting only an hour.  The music was wonderful and the venue magnifique!

I rode the bus over to the Ile de la Cite to meet Sandy and Susan, and there was a lot going on - apparently, there was a big celebration in front of the Hotel de Ville because Paris got the 2024 Olympics.  There were police all over the place and traffic was practically at a stand still, and the bus had to reroute.  I figured I could take the same bus home, but that line wasn't running due to the celebration.  So, I walked over to the Right Bank and waited for another line for more than 20 minutes. While waiting, I struck up a conversation with a very friendly French woman who had lived in New York and speaks very good English.  She made the wait very pleasant.  We could hear the celebration going on at the Hotel de Ville and there was a light show as well. Of course, once the bus came, it was also rerouted, so by-passed my stop, going all the way down to La Bastille.  I ended up walking from there to the apartment, which I had done before.  It was about 10:00, but the streets were very busy, cafes were open and even the crepe stands a couple of fruit stands were still open.  I felt very safe walking. And, when I got home, my clothes were dry!

Day 6 - Josephine & Napoleon; 14,000 Steps

This morning I ventured outside of Paris to the suburbs to visit Josephine's Chateau Malmaison. I took Metro line 1 up to La Defense - the end of the line.  Following signs for "BUS," I found my way to the stop for bus #258.  The Metro/train/bus station under the Grande Arche is huge with lots of shops and kiosks and lots of people. The bus ride out to Malmaison was quite long, and then there was a little walk (300 meters) to the chateau. The ride out there was interesting as it went gave a glimpse into suburban Paris, which is quite different than Central Paris.  Modern office buildings, high rise apartment blocks, plus what one would expect to find in the suburbs.

Josephine bought Malmaison while Napoleon was off fighting his many wars.  He actually spent very little time there himself as he was headquartered in Paris when he wasn't taking over the rest of Europe. Josephine lived in at Malmaison after she and Napoleon were divorced, and she lived there until her death in 1814.  According to a recent novel I read "Destiny," they were divorced because Napoleon needed an heir and while Josephine had two children from a prior marriage, she wasn't able to have a child with Napoleon.

The chateau isn't very large and it takes only about 30 to 40 minutes to go through it - takes much longer to get out there.  The rooms are beautifully furnished, but I don't know how much of the furnishings are original.  There is a very beautiful tapestry of Josephine that was woven in Paris. There are also some lovely gardens - mostly dahlias in bloom right now.

While waiting for the bus to go back to La Defense, it started to rain.  I had planned to go to the roof top of the Grande Arche, but decided not to since it was raining; however, by the time we got back to La Defense, the sun had come out, so I went up.  It was 15 euros to take an elevator up to the top floor, then a long flight of stairs to the roof.  The Grande Arche is huge.  In fact, Notre Dame could fit under it.  When I first got to the roof, it was still sunny, but a few minutes later the wind came up (cold!) and it started to rain, so I went back to the next level down and had a coffee.  Thinking of the 15 euros spent to get up there, I went back up when it stopped raining, so I feel like I got my money's worth.  The view was fabulous, but would have been even more so if it had been a clear day.  The main landmarks that can easily be identified from there are the Eiffel Tower and the Arc du Triomphe.  The Grande Arche is positioned so that a straight line can be drawn from it, through the Arc du Triomphe, to the Carrousel Arch at the Louvre.

I took the Metro back into Paris, getting off at La Concorde, thinking I would go to the Petit Palais after I had some lunch.  Wandering around looking for someplace to have lunch - I really just wanted a sandwich today - I found myself at the Laduree Tea Room.  I have had their macarons, but had never been to the tea room.  It was late, so I easy got a table and ordered a club sandwich; however, as typical in Paris, it wasn't exactly what I expected.  It had chicken, lettuce, tomato, hard-boiled egg, and mayo, and was served with pommes frites (fries).  It was really good.  For dessert I ordered macarons.  The waiter asked me what flavors I wanted, and I asked him to choose.  He brought me a lemon, a raspberry, pistachio, and caramel.  He asked if I wanted to switch any out, but I said "no, these are perfect."

Ultimately, I decided not to go to the Petit Palais.  I was tired, so back to the Marais on the Metro.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, Parisians are not rude.  In fact, the ones I have been in contact with are quite nice.  If a bus or Metro is full, I have always been offered a seat, but there is a strange quirk.  If there is a bunch of people standing in the middle of the sidewalk talking (sometimes teenagers), you have to either barge through the group or skirt around it - they never step aside.  If someone is walking toward you on a collision course, be prepared to step aside because the other person won't, and this is especially true when two or three people abreast are walking toward you.  And, if you should be in someone's way, chances are they will plow right into you.  It just seems quite odd that a people who are so intent on politeness - all encounters must start with "bonjour" and end with "merci" and "au revoir" - act like steamrollers on the sidewalk.  Oh, well, "c'est la vie."

Day 5 - Lunch with the Eiffel Tower - 13,800 Steps

I rode the Metro to the Franklin D. Roosevelt station on the Champs Elysees.  I walked a short distance down the Champs - it isn't the romantic street most people dream about when they think of Paris.  Mostly chain stores and auto showrooms, pricey restaurants, and lots of tourists.

My objective was to stroll down Avenue Montaigne.  I have a French movie DVD of that name, but saw little on the street that was in the movie.   Most fashion houses have shops on the street - Chanel, Dior, Valentino, Prada, etc.  There is a green AstroTurf carpet running down the entire length of the sidewalk on both sides of the street.  The symbolism is not lost -- lots of money on this street.  Most of the people I saw were well dressed -- they looked like the fashionistas one often associates with Paris, but many of them probably work in the shops.

I stopped at a cafe for a cafe creme and was shocked that it was 7 euros.  I've been thinking the 4.50 euros I've been spending for the same is steep.

At the end of the street at the Place d'Alma is the replica of the Statue of Liberty's flame.  There were lots of flowers around it, so I think it was probably used as a memorial for the 20th Anniversary of Princess Diana's death.

I walked west along the river for a distance, past the Palais de Tokyo, which is a museum of modern art, and crossed over the river on a pedestrian bridge, ending up at the Branly Museum.  I bought a 4-day museum pass and spent about an hour in the museum, which is art and artifacts from places other than France - mostly Africa, Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia, etc.  There was a small collection of Pacific Northwest Coastal Native artifacts, including some totem poles from the Skeena and Nass Rivers in British Columbia where my Great-grandfather and Grandfather Tomlinson were missionaries.  I couldn't help but wonder how they were obtained.

I had a 1:00 lunch reservation at Les Ombres, the restaurant on the 5th level of the museum.  It was to be my splurge lunch, and it was.  The restaurant has a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower, which is how I can say I had lunch with the Eiffel Tower.  When I first sat down, I was given an "amuse bouche," which was a mousse made from garbanzo beans - it tasted a lot like hummus, but much smoother in texture.  I ordered a glass of champagne, and the 42 euro three-course lunch.  The starter was roasted prawns in gazpacho with a little spoonful of "ice cream."  It was really good.  The main course was duck with some vegetables and a light sauce, which came with what they called polenta, but it wasn't made with corn meal, rather it was light, frothy, and lemony. Very refreshing.  The dessert consisted of three small puff pastries each with a different filling, including coffee ice cream.  I have posted pictures on Facebook.  Each presentation was lovely and everything was delicious.  The service was attentive as well.  A very nice experience.  The only downside was that it was raining.  When the bill came, it was 70 euros! I knew it would be a splurge, but that "coup" (small glass) of champagne was 21 euros! I thought about asking if it was correct, but decided against it.  And, again, my cafe creme was 7 euros.  Oh, well.  It is only money and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Fortunately, I believed the forecast for today, so had my raincoat and umbrella with me.  I walked over to the bus stop where there was a 25 minute wait.  Many bus shelters have reader boards that indicate the ETA for the next bus, which is really handy.  However, after waiting much longer than that in the cold and rain, the reader board indicated that the bus had been diverted and wouldn't come to this stop.  I got out my map to locate the nearest Metro station and was about to set out when an available taxi came up, so I flagged it down and got in.  The fare was 20 euros - it was about 4:00 and the traffic was terrible - but it was worth it to get out of the rain, and it was a fairly long ride.  Taxis in Paris can use bus lanes, so they can move through traffic faster than cars, including Uber.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to accomplish the rest of what I planned to do today, which was go to the Musee du Petit Palais which houses the City of Paris' art collection.  The building itself is left from one of the World Fairs held in Paris in the late 19th or early 20th century.  This museum is also free as are all of the City operated museums.

All in all, despite the rain, it has been a good day with a memorable lunch.

Day 4 - Wandering around the 4th & 5th Arrondissements; 11,250 Steps

Supposedly there was some sort of national strike today, but I saw no evidence of it.  The river cruise I had booked for today to go down river into Normandy was cancelled allegedly due to the strike; however, the local Seine cruise boats were running, although there were some signs I couldn't really understand that appeared to have something to do with the suburban trains (RER).  Well, it didn't interfere with what I decided to do today, anyway.

I didn't wake up until after 9.  I slept really good from about 10:30 to 12:30, then woke up and, unable to go back to sleep, I read for a couple of hours before finally going back to sleep - all part of jetlag.  It was nearly noon before I left the apartment.

Before leaving home, I read a book called "Lost Paris," which compared what is seen in Paris today to what was once here before "urban renewal."  Much of the book was about the Marais, which is the area where I am staying.  Originally, it was a swampy area that tended to flood before the river was diked.  In the 17th Century, Henri IV developed the area which is now called the Place des Vosges.  The buildings that are there now housed the aristocracy, and many other "hotel particulares," or mansions, were built by the wealthy. But over the years, the area fell into decay and the elegant houses around the Place des Vosges were broken up into smaller apartments, and even used as factories and to house munitions during the war.  Now the buildings have been converted to individual flats with high-priced shops and cafes under the arcades, and the square itself is a popular gathering place for locals as well as tourists.

At one time, there was a high rate of TB in the area, and it was believed that the buildings themselves harbored the disease, so they figured that if the buildings were demolished, it would eliminate TB. In the 1970s buildings closer to the river, including what is now Village St. Paul, were tagged for demolition.  Fortunately, someone woke up and stopped the carnage, so many of the buildings were saved and have been renovated.  Anyway, the area I walked through today was the area covered in the book.

I started out by visiting the Church of St. Paul and St. Louis.  The neighborhood where I am and its Metro station is called "St. Paul" because of the church.  Then I found the only two remaining medieval half-timbered buildings left in Paris - there are some other half-timbered buildings, but these are the oldest.  Next up was the Church of St. Gervais.  There is a pedestrian only cobbled street behind it with some shops and cafes.  One shop window was full of what I assume are glove molds, but what attracted my attention was the hand-lettered sign above them making note of Boeing's 100th anniversary -- seems a little odd here, and I have to wonder about it.

I crossed the river over to Ile St. Louis - the small island east of Ile de la Cite.  I walked a short way down the main street doing some window shopping, or as the French call it "window licking."  Then, crossed over to the Ile de la Cite behind Notre Dame and took a short rest at Place Jean XXIII.  This my favorite perspective of Notre Dame because you can see the flying buttresses.  There were lots of people there, most taking selfies, and even a segway tour group came through.  I crossed over to the Left Bank via Pont de l'Archeveche, and couldn't help but notice that ALL of the darn "love locks" are gone!  The bridge is back to its original condition.  The City of Paris has spent a lot of money removing those locks, which were weighing down the bridges to the point that the panels were falling off into the river.  Don't worry, I did see some locks at another spot, though not on a bridge, and I noted that some of the bouquinistes (booksellers on the quais) are still selling padlocks.  

I decided to have lunch at Le Petit Chatelet, which is one of my favorite restaurants.  It has a very nice terrace, which would have a great view of Notre Dame if they would trim down the trees.  I had a starter (entree) of chevre in puff pastry with greens and pesto, and my main plate was a skewer of lamb cooked in their wood-fired oven with some yummy potatoes.  I am having my main meal at noon and a light dinner at the apartment - this allows me to sample the local fare without breaking the bank. The restaurant is right next door to Shakespeare & Company, the famous English bookstore.  There were bunches of tourists in front of it taking pictures and selfies.  I don't know how many actually went in and bought something.  I went in once, but it is so crowded that it isn't a very satisfying experience.  They have recently opened a cafe next door.

After lunch I walked up Rue St. Julien where there are some old buildings, including the church St. Julien le Pauvre, which is one of, if not the, oldest churches in Paris.  I don't think it is still an active parish church, but they do hold concerts there.  I then visited St. Severin church, which is also old and has some interesting modern stained glass windows, as well as some old ones.  The pillars holding up the vaulting look like palm trees.  I mingled with the tourists for awhile on Rue St. Severin and Rue Hachette.  Both streets are full of cheap eateries and souvenir shops.  I crossed back to Ile de la Cite and walked closer to Notre Dame.  I sat and watched some people feeding pigeons - I don't know how people can let those birds sit on them. I debated about going into the cathedral, but there was a long line and while it seemed to be moving quickly, I decided I didn't want to go in with a crowd.

I walked through the flower market, which just isn't what it used to be.  Maybe it is because the summer flower season is about over, but it just seemed to be a shadow of its former glory.  By then I was getting tired, so walked back over to the Right Bank and took a bus back to the St. Paul bus stop, and back to the apartment.

The weather was variable today.  It rained pretty hard for a short time while I was at lunch - under cover - and it rained again once I got back to the apartment.  In between, it was either partly sunny or partly cloudy, and still a little cool.

By the way, many of the French names and words I use need some accent marks, but I can't figure out how to access them on this Chromebook, so please bear with me.  I do try to check the spelling.

Day 3 - Adventures on the bus!  Steps: 12,000

I was surprised to see it was close to 9 AM when I woke up this morning - 10 hours of sleep!

I still hadn't decided what I would do today, but since many museums and other sights are closed on Monday, I finally decided to go La Butte-Aux-Cailles, an area where I had never been.  It was 11:00 before I left the apartment, and I walked over to Rue de Rivoli to take bus #69 to the Hotel de Ville where I transferred to the #47, which crossed the river and went through the Latin Quarter to Place d'Italie where I transferred to #67. If you are counting, that is 3 buses, so far.

La Butte-Aux-Cailles is in the 13th Arrondissement, which is in the southeast corner of Paris.  It is supposed to be somewhat like Montmartre was before it got run over by tourists.  Its claim to fame is that in 1783 a hot-air balloon landed on the hilltop - first free flight in a hot-air balloon. Narrow cobbled streets, charming buildings, etc.  There is a mixture of new and old buildings -- some high rise apartment blocks surround the area.  I found the area to be quiet without a lot going on, but I did have a nice lunch at Chez Nenesse on Rue de la Butte aux Cailles. My starter of fresh mozzarella with tomato and field greens was delicious, but the main course was so-so.  It was billed as "porc," which it was, but it was more like ham and was accompanied with plain white rice.  Tasted fine.

After lunch, I walked down the hill to find bus #62, which I stumbled onto quite by accident.  While at the bus stop, I consulted my map and decided I should be waiting across the street, so headed over there.  After being on the bus for several stops and getting closer to the end of the line without coming to my stop, I looked at my map again and realized I was headed the wrong direction.  I jumped off and went across the street to catch the bus going the other direction.  I transferred to the #28 at the proper place and got off at the Cemetery of Montparnasse in the 14th.

I wandered through the cemetery for a little while.  It is a lot like Pere Lachaise - same sorts of monuments.  It does have its share of famous people buried there, but I didn't seek out any of the sites.  I came out on Blvd Raspail where I was to catch another bus, but stopped at a cafe for coffee and some dessert, which turned out to be a very good pistachio creme brulee.  While at the cafe the wind came up, blowing things off the outside tables, and it started to shower, so I moved to a table closer to the building where I enjoyed a chat with a young woman from Australia, who had just arrived in Paris from London.

The #68 bus got me to where I could transfer to the #69 - so that's 4 more bus rides, not counting my backtracking on the #62.  Good thing I have a Navigo pass!  I finally got off at the Hotel de Ville (the City Hall for the City of Paris.  Each arrondissement also has its own city hall or "Mairie".)  I went into the BHV department store, which used to be the store for the more budget conscious, but it has been taken over by Galleries Lafayette and is now more upscale.  I wanted to see if I could get a more satisfactory light blanket.  I did find one, but it was a lot more than the 20 euros I spent on what I bought at the Monoprix yesterday.  However, I think it will work better and I'll take it home.  I walked back to the apartment, arriving around 5:00 -- tired and ready to chill out.

I did catch my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower today, though just the tip-top peeking over the top of the d'Orsay museum.  I also saw my first armed military guards outside the Louvre.  One thing about where I've been these first three days is that I haven't been around a lot of other tourists, thus no petition girls or other scam artists.

So many people who come to Paris obsess over what to wear.  They seem to think everyone dresses like they are on the cover of Vogue.  Well, no need to worry - I've seen every costume imaginable and nothing that looks like it belongs in Vogue, except maybe some things in shop windows.  Most people look like they would fit right into Seattle's grunginess.

Day 2 - Bastille Market and Parc de la Villette; Today's steps: 15,000

I got a solid 8 hours of sleep last night and woke up feeling pretty good, and so far seem to have overcome jet lag, but I always find jet lag to be worse after getting home.  I made coffee, showered and dressed, then had a breakfast of yogurt and some of last night's left-over baguette slathered with the delicious butter containing sea salt crystals - it is so yummy.

I walked over to the Place de la Bastille, which Rick Steves refers to as "Europe's greatest non-sight" as the Bastille no longer exists - torn down by disgruntled Parisians in 1789 at the beginning of the French Revolution.  On Thursday and Sunday mornings one of the biggest outdoor markets in Paris is held on Blvd Richard-Lenoir, one of the streets coming off of the square.  This market has everything from apparel to zucchini and is crowded with people buying their weeks groceries.  There are butchers, fishmongers, fruits and vegetables, fromageries, charcuteries, flowers.  You name it, you can probably find it.  Very little is "farm to table" as most of the produce comes from the big wholesale market south of Paris in Rungis. I bought some strawberries, olives, a cauliflower, and a little quiche for tonight's dinner.

On the way back to the apartment, I stopped at the Monoprix to find a light weight blanket.  The only cover here is a sheet and a heavy comforter.  I was a little chilly last night with just the sheet, but I knew I didn't need the comforter.  The Monoprix can be compared to Target.  They have groceries as well as clothing, household goods, etc.  Surprisingly, I couldn't find what I wanted in their bedding department. All they had were comforters and duvet covers.  I found a light cover with the throw pillows, but when I got it home, I discovered that the tag indicates it is a bath sheet. It really isn't big enough for a blanket, but it is thermo-weave, so it should be okay.

After taking my purchases back to the apartment, I went to a nearby cafe for lunch.  I had escargo as my starter - with lots of garlic, butter, and parsley, and good baguette to soak it up.  For my main course, I ordered the Salade Cesar du Chef.  You never know what you are going to get when you order a salad here.  This was a Caesar salad in that it had lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing, but in addition, it had a hard boiled egg and tomato, plus chicken breast crusted with a corn-meal type breading.  The disappointment was that the root end of the lettuce leaves were rusty, so I had to cut them off.  Otherwise, it was pretty good.

In the afternoon, I walked to the Metro station at Place de la Bastille.  I successfully loaded my Navigo Pass using my Barclays chipped Visa Card and PIN, and also bought 2 Metro tickets with cash from the machine (the Navigo is valid Monday through Sunday, so I had to buy tickets for today).  This is no small feat as prior to having chips, US credit cards didn't work in most machines in France, making machine purchases difficult for Americans.  My card is one of the few that has a PIN - most are signature only.  By the way, there is some evidence of the foundation of the Bastille prison in the Metro station.

I rode the Line 5 up to Parc de la Villette - a long ride of about 12 stops.  La Villette is up at the northeast corner of Paris and is the largest park in the city.  I went up to see the Imagine Van Gogh exhibit.  Today was the last day and there was a fairly long line for tickets - I waited in line about 20 minutes.  The exhibit was interesting.  Details of Van Gogh's paintings were projected onto multiple huge screens (this was in a very large building, probably bigger than anything we have in Seattle). Each screen had a different detail from the same picture.  As the pictures changed, classical music played in the background, including that of Eric Satie, a French composer who was a contemporary of Picasso. Mom and I visited a museum in his home in Honfleur years ago, so I am somewhat familiar with his music.

After the exhibit, I walked around the park for a little while.  I wanted to see the big sphere or La Geode.  The Canal de l'Oureq, which joins Canal St. Martin further into Paris, cuts through the park and a tourist boat was going through the locks. The park was crowded with Parisians at play.  There are a lot play areas for kids and many kids had push scooters.  Everyone was having such a good time, and I just may have been the only tourist there!

When I got out of the Metro station to walk back to the apartment, it was sprinkling a little; otherwise, it has been a very nice day - partly sunny or partly clouding, depending on how you look at it.  It is cool, in the mid-60's, but I do get warm walking around.

There were lots of shops open today.  Historically, part of the Marais is the Jewish quarter, so many of their shops are closed on Saturday but open on Sundays. However, the City of Paris recently relaxed the the city's rules about stores being open on Sundays, especially in Central Paris where most tourists hang out.

The sidewalks in this neighborhood are a hazard!  Most sidewalks in Paris are uneven and often slant toward the curb, so shopkeepers can hose them off, but the ones around here are especially bad.  There appears to be some utility work being done, so there are areas where there is a patch of dirt or a metal sheet (or even plywood) in the middle of the walkway.  I have to constantly watch where I'm walking and not because of doggy doo (actually haven't seen any) - falling is not on my itinerary.

It was a good day and I did exactly what I had planned to do today.  Still need to firm up my plan for tomorrow.

Day 1 - Je suis ici!

I arrived at SeaTac, used curb-side check-in to check my suitcase, and easily got through security.  I was classed as pre-check, so didn't have to take off my shoes or remove anything from my carry-on or purse (I had no liquids).  I think they have started a new protocol.  But, with five artificial joints, I did have to go through the dreaded pat-down, but they didn't swab my hands, which they used to do.  I got out to the South Satellite with lots of time to spare.

I had upgraded to "comfort" coach and it was worth every penny.  The seats are wider - by at least 2 inches - and there is an extra 4 inches of leg room.  I was in a 2-seat row and it was actually roomy.  Plus we got priority seating and got off sooner. The flight itself was uneventful - no one had a melt down.  There were several young children, but they were fairly quiet.  I was probably the noisiest with my dang cough! There was hardly any bumpiness and we touched down a good 30 minutes earlier than scheduled.  I was impressed with Delta - the service was attentive, and the food, while pretty blah, was plentiful: lunch, a snack, and breakfast.  As usual, I didn't sleep.  I watched a couple of movies, read, and played games on my tablet.

It took about 20 minutes to get through immigration (passport control), but we had to wait a long time for our luggage.  Baggage from several flights was coming through the same conveyor and got piled up.  I was able to buy a SIM card for my cellphone near the luggage conveyor - took less than 5 minutes.  All in all, it took about an hour from disembarking to getting a taxi.

I arrived at the apartment just after 10 am, but my meeting with the greeter was scheduled for 11:45.  I tried calling and texting him, but wasn't able to reach him, so had a cup of coffee at a nearby cafe.  He finally called me and we met at the scheduled time.  It was really cold and breezy.  Fortunately, I always pack my coat in the outside pocket of my suitcase, so it was handy.

David, the greeter, showed me through the apartment, which didn't take long because it is "tres petite."  Only 16 square meters - less than 150 square feet - but it is really well organized with lots of storage.  The bathroom is quite nice with a roomy step in shower.  There are way more stairs than I was lead to believe, and they are steep, but just one flight, so I think it will be okay.  The murphy bed is pretty heavy to put up, so I think I may end up just leaving it down even though it takes up a lot of floor space.  It is easy to put down.

After David left, I unpacked - everything is stowed - then I went around the corner to my favorite crepe shop for lunch - La Ciderie du Marais.  I "discovered" it when I was here in 2013.  They make Brittany style "galettes" made with buckwheat flour.  I had the one with ham, cheese, and an egg.  After lunch, I went to the nearby G20 supermarket to get some groceries, then back to the apartment.

The apartment is in an old building (18th century?) across the street from Place du Marche Ste. Catherine, which is a small square with a bunch restaurants and cafes around it - very Parisian.  One street over is Rue St. Antoine/Rue de Rivoli, which is a busy street with lots of different shops.  This is on the Right Bank (North of the Seine) and the Seine is just a short walk away.  The Place de la Bastille is also fairly close to the east. This is the 4th Arrondissement - there are 20 of these in Paris.  In my last 2 trips, I stayed in the neighboring 3rd, so I'm somewhat familiar with the area.

There was a little shower awhile ago, but it seems to have stopped, so I think I'll go out again and walk up to Place des Vosges - it's not far - and I need to keep moving to combat jet lag.

Back from a short walk to Place des Vosges - it is about 2 short blocks away.  There is an Amorino gelato shop on the corner - handy.  Well, it rained, so I ate my gelato sitting under the trees somewhat protected from the rain drops. Lots of people around.

I am really starting to feel the lack of sleep, so I think I'm going to just rest for the remainder of the day - it's now 4:15 PM - 9 hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time - so I've been up since 7 AM PDT.