Category Archives: France

We meant to get an early start today but it’s Sunday and apparently Paris doesn’t get up early on a Sunday. So after discovering that none of the local bakeries are open on Sunday and we were nearly out of milk for our one box of cereal, we finally found an open grocers and got some sliced bread and eggs for breakfast – oh and milk.It does take a while for four people sharing a single bathroom to get up and organized so it was already 10 a.m. before we headed to a local street market on the Boulevard de Grenelle where I made out like a bandit (silk scarf for 5 euro, linen dress for 15, silver bracelet for 10! Woo-hoo!) then we braved the metro and headed out to the Ile de Cite to explore Notre Dame. We started by wandering around the Latin Quarter (I’ve never seen so many restaurants in one place!) and stopping by some kitchy souvenier shops (ask Gillian to see her Eiffel Tower earrings!) and then wandered around the great cathedral. The line was too long to go in yet so we’re back to the Latin Quarter for a bargin 3 course lunch (me: french onion soup, boefe bourginion?, and crepes flambe with Grande Marnier!) and the mandatory vin rouge then we’re headed off to see the Stained glass of Sainte Chappelle. The look on my almost 14-year-old son’s face when he entered the main hall was priceless. This place is beautiful and it would have been stunning if the sun had actually been out. Really breathtaking!

So now it’s time to actually go inside Notre-Dame and see that stained glass. I lit a candle for my mom (I swear she’s still around because she has a candle burning for her in every major cathedral in northern Europe!) and wandered quietly around. Then we decided it was time to tackle the arch so we headed back across town to actually climb the bazillion stairs to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Wow – talk about a view! You really feel like you are the center of the city.

By this time we were really tired and cranky so we walked home and picked up some Chinese take away – let me tell you what kind of talent it takes to read a Chinese menu written entirely in French! – and stopped for more French beer to go with the French Chinese food. Up the 4 flights of stairs to the flat and we’re pooped! Today’s pedometer reading: 22, 450! And we actually *did* take the Metro!

Tomorrow is a big day – Duncan’s 14th birthday….. we may start with the Louvre… what better way to edge into your teenage years than by waiting in line to see old paintings!

/san/

without even trying…. don’t use the Metro! According to my trusty pedometer, we covered 30,642 steps today – which is approximately 15 miles! The day started with a quick trip to the boulangerie across the street for fresh bread and pastries – YUM! Then walking shoes on and umbrellas in hand, we’re off to explore Paris! We wandered past our local landmark (the Eiffel Tower), up past the Trocadero and over to the Arc de Triomphe. Concerned about the ominous looking clouds overhead, we decided not to pay the 8 euro to get to the top in case we got poured on but instead opted to wander casually down the Champs Elysees and browse through stores we could never afford to even think about shopping in. Then it was time for lunch – can’t climb all those steps to the top of the arc on an empty stomach!

So we’re off down a side street to find a non-touristy cafe (which turns out to be harder than we thought!) and coincidentally wind up on a street which seems to have nothing but motorcycle shops on it…. curious! We eventually found a lovely brasserie where Gillian had her first encounter with a French hot dog (in a baguette and covered in melted cheese!) and I confirmed that the French do not ever make omelets well done! But a nice beaujolais (at least I think that’s what kind of wine the nice non-English speaking waiter bullied us into!) made it all worthwhile!

Thus fortified, we headed back to the arch to arrive at the ticket window behind not one but two tour bus loads of people. Needless to say, we weren’t pleased with this development so off we head back toward the flat and to a small market area we found too late yesterday afternoon. We bought some crepes from a stand (one strawberry jam, one Nutella) and did some shopping. We picked up some fruit and vegetables and a roast chicken and headed home for some serious strategizing and a “home” cooked meal in Paris!

But Frank still had the wandering bug so we headed out after dinner for yet another walk around the 15eme and picked up some sorbet to congratulate ourselves on making through a full day.