I love Paris, even with 10 people in tow
WARNING: This is long. You are excused from reading this entire post because it goes on and on. Though this blog is ostensibly for family and friends, I think in the end it is really for me. Keeping a travel/life journal is essential, otherwise I forget where I've been and what I've done and what was fun or said or awful or silly. Feel free to skip around.Day 0.5 - 1 (July 6-7)
Summer began with the US trip and continued with Hunter, Hannah and Kenley here in Bremen for two + weeks at Camp MeeMaw (or MeMa or Sharon, depending on who's doing the writing). For that report, you have to visit the kids' blog that details all those adventures. If you don't want to slog through it all, I'm afraid I don't have a suitable Summery Summary for that except that we did a lot, ate a lot, biked a lot and had a lot of fun. Having an extra kid was not extra work - it was extra fun. Kenley is welcome back any time.
But everything comes to an end and then comes the beginning. Oh Philosophy! Saga Bremen ended and with all the luggage and souvenirs and with the kids, we headed for Paris on the overnight train. I warned them that they had to pack whatever they needed for the train trip in their carry-ons. "Why, MeeMaw? The suitcases are right there with us!" Well, yes, but big suitcases for big people in a very small compartment. After we boarded the train in Hannover, they understood.
We had hoped that since we were taking up 5 of the available 6 bunks that we'd be on our own in our compartment. No such luck, but as they say in German, Glück im Unglück, or a blessing in disguise. First, everyone settled down quickly. But BEST, our bunky was Mary Poppins! Really! A nice young woman from California who plays Mary Poppins at Euro Disney, on her way back to Paris from the US via Hamburg. She was - of course - personable and the kids had fun talking to her.
And honestly! Sleeping on the train is great, almost like being in a cradle. The down side is when you get out of the cradle in the morning, your head is still rocking back and forth for a bit. Takes a while to get your land legs back, but sooooo much better than a 10-hour boring, long, hot ride in the car and then a battle with the Paris traffic which has not abated since the Middle Ages. At least! Given the choice, I will always take the train.
Hello Paris. Hello Street Beggars. We didn't even get out of the train station before the kids got their first lesson in dealing with these ubiquitous professionals. Say NO then turn your back we told them. They got plenty of practice with that maneuver! But beggars or no, I had tears in my eyes when we walked out of the Métro and saw the Louvre. Paris - it just takes my breath away. Honest.
We waited at the corner Bistro to meet the check-in guy (Vincent, delightful) and after more or less settling in and getting the beds made and such, we scouted out the local grocery, made essential purchases and then went exploring.
WONDERFUL neighborhood. We were only minutes by foot from Notre Dame, the Île St. Louis, the Centre Pompidou, and of course in sight of the Louvre. The Métro stop was at our door, and quite frankly, the little restaurants in our tiny quarter served delicious food with smiles and great service. This is Paris?? Yes, it is. Kenley continued her search for the perfect strawberry ice cream; I kept looking for the perfect chocolate scoop. I have to check out a few more....... That night, Germany played Spain in the semi-finals of the World Cup and we watched it at the corner bistro. What a disappointment - we lost! But from all the horns and noise late into the night, we knew there were a lot of Spanish/fans in Paris.
Day 2 June 8
Thursday was a big day. First I met Lee and Crissy early (and thank goodness I left with time to spare since I took the wrong train! Geeze. Good practice) and then they recouped while Werner and I took the kids to meet --- Moms and Dads!!! Yeah! After all the reunion stuff, we showed everyone our neighborhood - Notre Dame, the Seine, the Palais du Justice. In addition, something we weren't prepared for - locks, and LOTS of locks, locked along the fence of the Pont des Arts. We had to get home before finding out that it is a new thing - lovers, partners, parents, pairs - sign the locks and profess their unbreakable love by putting a lock on the fence then throwing the key into the Seine. The local magistrates of course see a need to manage this. It could be dangerous after all. Who knows, maybe all that love will make the bridge collapse.
Later David the pharmacist got a picture of himself in front of a French drug store and wouldn't you know it, we found a charming bistro for dinner. And the food was good.
Day 3 July 9
We took the touristy city tour bus so everyone could get an overview of this wonderful place, beginning at the Pyramid of the Louvre. We walked to the Louvre to catch the bus and that provided the first of many photo ops.
Paris, we can all attest, is full of Photo Ops: Place de la Concorde. La Tour Eiffel. Le Obelisk. Les Invalides. Le Moulin Rouge. L'Arc de Triomphe. W O W.
Along the way, we opted to get off on the Champs d'Elysée and walk up toward the Arc de Triomphe. Great idea - we got to peek in the windows of Louis Vuitton (didn't go in, can you imagine!) and Werner and Hunter were able to get fleeced. What, you say? Werner? The cosmopolitan? The European?
Day 2 June 8
Thursday was a big day. First I met Lee and Crissy early (and thank goodness I left with time to spare since I took the wrong train! Geeze. Good practice) and then they recouped while Werner and I took the kids to meet --- Moms and Dads!!! Yeah! After all the reunion stuff, we showed everyone our neighborhood - Notre Dame, the Seine, the Palais du Justice. In addition, something we weren't prepared for - locks, and LOTS of locks, locked along the fence of the Pont des Arts. We had to get home before finding out that it is a new thing - lovers, partners, parents, pairs - sign the locks and profess their unbreakable love by putting a lock on the fence then throwing the key into the Seine. The local magistrates of course see a need to manage this. It could be dangerous after all. Who knows, maybe all that love will make the bridge collapse.
Later David the pharmacist got a picture of himself in front of a French drug store and wouldn't you know it, we found a charming bistro for dinner. And the food was good.
Day 3 July 9
We took the touristy city tour bus so everyone could get an overview of this wonderful place, beginning at the Pyramid of the Louvre. We walked to the Louvre to catch the bus and that provided the first of many photo ops.
Paris, we can all attest, is full of Photo Ops: Place de la Concorde. La Tour Eiffel. Le Obelisk. Les Invalides. Le Moulin Rouge. L'Arc de Triomphe. W O W.
Along the way, we opted to get off on the Champs d'Elysée and walk up toward the Arc de Triomphe. Great idea - we got to peek in the windows of Louis Vuitton (didn't go in, can you imagine!) and Werner and Hunter were able to get fleeced. What, you say? Werner? The cosmopolitan? The European?
Yes, that guy. So, the scam is, you see a guy (or gal) pick up something on the street and look at it questioningly and then look at you and then ask Hey is this yours? It isn't mine. It looks valuable - here there's a special mark here. Well, Hunter and Werner got hooked and by the time Werner realized he'd been scammed, he gave up and gave the guy 3 euros, the change in his pocket. The scammer tried for more, but Werner wasn't that stupid! Dear Hunter still wanted to believe the ring was gold but when his finger turned green, he was convinced - fool's gold. Regardless, the experience was easily worth 3 euros!!
And the view from the top of the Arc wasn't bad either.
The second leg of the tour was less enjoyable - the sights further out on the right bank were not so interesting and, truth be told, a lot of sun and hot.
Hot was the operative word and better less said of that than more. But all in all, a good first day.
Day 4 July 10
Off to the Chateaux! Of course we wanted to see the wonderful castles of the former kings, but I'd be the first to admit that the air-conditioned bus was a major draw for all of us!
We'd bought stuff to make sandwiches and had snacks and fruit for the trip since it takes about 2 hours just to get to the first chateau. (Have I mentioned that they make baguettes in Paris and they all tend to taste fantastic? Oh, and they do cheese, too.) We bounded out of the apartment at about 7 am to meet the bus, a few blocks down. The beginnings of the day were not auspicious, big gray clouds and rain, but when we arrived at the first chateau, Amboise, the rain had split and the sun was shining through.
Amboise was one of several homes for Francis I who was the first of the major French kings of the Renaissance. He was also a friend and patron of Leonardo da Vinci who came to Amboise (and brought with him one of his favorite paintings, the Mona Lisa, or La Gioconde as she is known in France) and stayed until his death in 1519. His tomb is in the small chapel on the grounds and here we are in front of his bust in the gardens.
We were able to lunch in the town, and hey, it was good, too! The local buildings were a feast for the eye as well.
Then to Chenenceau, a charming place. Hey, we could live here - it's really not soooo big, though it would require a gardener or two to help with the weeding and clipping and such.
We were all impressed by the flower arrangements in the castle, all fresh from from the gardens, and the the kitchen was something to behold. We all coveted the copper pots.
Chambord is the over-the-top chateau. 440 rooms. Towers and turrets. Gardens. But in my mind it disappoints a bit since it seems a shell - there are few furnishings and though many royals "lived" there, no one stayed for all that long. Well, imagine the heating costs. But the central double spiral staircase is a little wonder - two can go up or down and never meet, though you can see each other along the way. Some say it was designed by da Vinci, which ties it into the first Chateau of our tour.
And then back. It was a looooong day but great weather, wonderful coolness in the bus, a chance to snooze along the way.
Was this the day Lee and I played Gin rummy and the day we taught Crissy how to play Hearts? And she RAN them and we didn't even know it? I'm not sure. If I don't have pictures as witness, I tend to confuse and conflate.
Chambord is the over-the-top chateau. 440 rooms. Towers and turrets. Gardens. But in my mind it disappoints a bit since it seems a shell - there are few furnishings and though many royals "lived" there, no one stayed for all that long. Well, imagine the heating costs. But the central double spiral staircase is a little wonder - two can go up or down and never meet, though you can see each other along the way. Some say it was designed by da Vinci, which ties it into the first Chateau of our tour.
And then back. It was a looooong day but great weather, wonderful coolness in the bus, a chance to snooze along the way.
Was this the day Lee and I played Gin rummy and the day we taught Crissy how to play Hearts? And she RAN them and we didn't even know it? I'm not sure. If I don't have pictures as witness, I tend to confuse and conflate.
Day 5 July 11
EIFFEL TOWER DAY. Actually, I'd have chosen to do this visit a bit later in the trip simply because the kids wanted to do it SO BADLY that I was afraid that after they went up the tower, they'd be totally uninterested in doing anything else. (I was wrong!) We opted to not buy tickets ahead of time since naturally we needed a pretty day, and this was a pretty day! The wait for tickets and the elevator was not as long as feared, and we had lots of practice telling the local beggars NO! GO AWAY! (Speak English? Speak English?)
The tower met all our expectations. Tall. Lots of iron. Beautiful. Incredible views.
And of course we found another cooperative tourist to take a group picture!
But the Tour Eiffel can't take up the whole day -- after that, it was off to Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart). Well, they have steps there. It seems we've run into a lot of steps all over Paris. This particular church was built to commemorate the resistance of the Commune but in a general sense a commemoration of all conflicts and a prayer for the end of conflicts. The view from the top is incredible. Besides that, not far from Sacre Coeur, there is a square where artists still gather to sell their wares or entice you into sitting for a masterpiece of your own. We enjoyed wandering around and looking at the works and in the end settled for another kind of artistry - ice cream.
Later we took the kids to eat and the other adults had a night to themselves. We all had fun!
Day 6 July 12
But the Tour Eiffel can't take up the whole day -- after that, it was off to Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart). Well, they have steps there. It seems we've run into a lot of steps all over Paris. This particular church was built to commemorate the resistance of the Commune but in a general sense a commemoration of all conflicts and a prayer for the end of conflicts. The view from the top is incredible. Besides that, not far from Sacre Coeur, there is a square where artists still gather to sell their wares or entice you into sitting for a masterpiece of your own. We enjoyed wandering around and looking at the works and in the end settled for another kind of artistry - ice cream.
Later we took the kids to eat and the other adults had a night to themselves. We all had fun!
Day 6 July 12
Oooohhh. Big planning boo-boo. I thought we would visit the outdoor markets today but that was so wrong. I don't know what I was thinking, but there are no markets on Monday. Really, practically NOTHING happens on Monday. We went to the Mouffetard and then went to the Bastille finding nothing, nothing, nothing and then just punted and started to walk around. It was time to eat and though the neighborhood didn't look all that inviting to me, we were hungry (that happened more than once) and so we found a place that in desperation looked OK. Plastic covered menus with pictures. I was less than optimistic, but wouldn't you know, it was really good! Hunter continued his evaluation of lasagna in every possible restaurant, Joey had an incredible lemon basil pasta and we enjoyed good service and cold beers (or coke as the case may be).
Walking around was entertaining in its own right - we got to see a bit of how "regular" folks live and operate in this place and there is always something interesting to look at. And since it turned out to be a not so busy day, there was time for - ta da! - laundry. Yes, the mundane inserts itself into the exotic. But of course you don't have to sit in the Laverie because you can sit across the street in the Bistro Bar and have a beer! It's all good.
Day 7 July 13 Versailles and Chartres
Versailles. A VERRRRY early morning. We were out of the apartments before 7:30 and in Versailles at 9:00 without complaint from anyone. And have I mentioned already what troupers the kids were? GREAT travellers (except for the occasional eating thing, but you know ....).
Versailles itself is a pretty little town, but coming up to the "Chateau" - well, it is overwhelming and overwhelms the town. Quite. We didn't have to stand in line for tickets since we'd arranged for that ahead of time and that pre-planning got me a bit off the hook for the previous day's poor planning! We got our earphones, got underway and got impressed. I think you have to wait and process the magnitude of the place later - the building, the gilt, the furnishings, the decorations, the paintings and of course the gardens - to be fully impressed with this, this, this "hunting lodge" for a king who had no concept of anything except extravagance.
The rest of the group opted for the garden visit while Werner and I opted to walk into the town. We were surprised by - wouldn't you know it! - a market. (Poor planning again.) And what a market! Fish! Meats! Veggies and fruits! Jellies and jams and hams and sausages and friendly vendors. I wanted to buy some of all of it. But alas, we had to head off to Chartres.
But not before getting some sustenance that took way too long to order and gather and put in our packs and so then we had to really hoof it to the train station and made it to the platform exactly one - ONE - minute before the train left!! Weren't we lucky that the train was 5 minutes late. Sigh.
Chartres - and the ride there - provided another respite from the hectic of hoards of tourists. Perhaps we hit an off day or time, but there was practically no one there and we thoroughly enjoyed the leisurely walk to the cathedral, the interior and exterior, and the Ginns enjoyed a walk up the tower for a closer look at the gargoyles.
In the evening we ended up sitting along the Seine since I had read somewhere about fireworks and such. Oh well, wrong again. It was Paris Picnic - and they did picnic and we sat and watched and had a glass of wine and enjoyed the atmosphere, feeling almost like Parisians. Could there be something better????
Day 8 July 14 Bastille Day
Bastille Day. If you will, French Fourth of July though I am CERTAIN most French would object to that characterization since things American are often sneered at. There was nothing specific planned except to watch the Bastille Day parade and take part in the neighborhood celebrations. But it was time for a break - besides, it rained! We all slept in a bit but couldn't miss the INCREDIBLY LOUD jets that flew almost directly over our apartments spewing trails of the red white and blue of the French flag. As fast as they appeared, they were gone; Michelle (correctly) observed, it would have been nice to have that fly over at the END of the parade when we were all a bit prepared to watch it! After the fly over, there was an aerial parade of all kinds of planes and helicopters and not long after we could see the tanks and Jeeps and horse brigades and marching soldiers returning to their barracks near the Louvre. (And since the streets were closed, the respite from the noise of traffic was a special gift.) The rain did not abate, so "museum day" was in order and all our guests enjoyed the Louvre while we double-checked train connections for the next day and the boat cruise in the evening.
We were just a littttle off on timing the boat cruise so we could see the fireworks from the Eiffel Tower up close, but the ride was lovely (see all the jackets? the heat left!) and later we went down to the river to see the display from afar.
Bastille Day. If you will, French Fourth of July though I am CERTAIN most French would object to that characterization since things American are often sneered at. There was nothing specific planned except to watch the Bastille Day parade and take part in the neighborhood celebrations. But it was time for a break - besides, it rained! We all slept in a bit but couldn't miss the INCREDIBLY LOUD jets that flew almost directly over our apartments spewing trails of the red white and blue of the French flag. As fast as they appeared, they were gone; Michelle (correctly) observed, it would have been nice to have that fly over at the END of the parade when we were all a bit prepared to watch it! After the fly over, there was an aerial parade of all kinds of planes and helicopters and not long after we could see the tanks and Jeeps and horse brigades and marching soldiers returning to their barracks near the Louvre. (And since the streets were closed, the respite from the noise of traffic was a special gift.) The rain did not abate, so "museum day" was in order and all our guests enjoyed the Louvre while we double-checked train connections for the next day and the boat cruise in the evening.
We were just a littttle off on timing the boat cruise so we could see the fireworks from the Eiffel Tower up close, but the ride was lovely (see all the jackets? the heat left!) and later we went down to the river to see the display from afar.
Day 9 July 15
Champagne Day. Well, yum !
Champagne is a region, just as Bordeaux or Mosel or Tuscany, and the grapes are named for and bound to the region. In Europe, that means that you cannot legally (or otherwise) call a wine "champagne" unless the grapes come from the Champagne. Prosciutto comes from Parma. Moet and Chandon (and now Dom Perignon) are married by name and tradition and law to the vineyards and villages around Épernay, our goal for the day.
I had my doubts. Why get up early, travel an hour for an hour-and-a-half tour and then another hour back to Paris. Is it worth it? Short answer, YES. For lots of reasons.
First, the trip itself was relaxing - quiet train, comfortable seats. Some slept. Some played cards. Some looked at the countryside flashing by. And then the town. Oh la la. Charming. Joey got his picture taken in front of a French bank and we all got our picture taken with Dom. (Note to myself: Hunter wanted to read the paper but thought it was in French or something he didn't understand. I said "It's English!" and he was immediately interested and asked a lot of questions about the news. Neat.
Then there was the tour, with lots of information and lots of history and lots and lots and lots of bottles. Werner asked our guide if she knew how many bottles were in the cellars. Yes, she said, but I can't tell you. That's a secret. But I can tell you that there are more bottles there than there are people in France. OOOOOOOHHHH.That would be about 60 million.
We loved the tour and loved the gift shop (though the 1,850 euro bottle was out of our range) and loved the lunch in town. LOVELY day.
On getting back to Paris, we went our separate ways. The cemetery of Pére Lachaise was on Michelle's list and I was happy to go along. Serendipity. Serendipity. While standing at a crossroads in the cemetery, trying to get our bearings, an older gentleman came to us and said "Avez-vous perdue?" "Are you lost?" I had to laugh. What an existential question - can one answer simply "yes" or "no"? I think not, but I decided to make it not so complicated and explained we were looking for Chopin's tomb. He knew where it was, as he knew where all the major tombs were since he'd come every day for the last 15 years to visit his mother's tomb, there in Pére Lachaise. I got a chance to practice my French with him, Michelle got a chance to practice her Spanish a bit, and he got a chance to be playful and tell stories and explain some monuments. Another bit of Parisian magic.
Werner and I had a quiet dinner while the others ventured to the Eiffel Tower once more to see the light show. Even more magic....
Day 10 July 16
We finally got to an outdoor market. Geeeeze. I thought we would do two or three. But what a great day it was. The Moufftard market is a draw for tourists and locals alike, a winding narrow street that begins with the fresh veggie and fruit stands and continues with bakeries, patissieries, butchers, oliveries (is that a word?), this and that and and the other and so much food that you want to eat!! Oh, ice cream, too. Joey bought a whole roasted chicken, Michelle got the roasted potatoes that were dripping with the chicken drippings, the kids found breads and sandwiches and we ate fruit and drank wine sitting on the stones around the trees in the sunshine and then there was a shop across the way that had antique monogrammed dishcloths and does it get any better than this??? I cannot imagine how. Here I am, surrounded by all the people I love, in a city I adore, eating delicious food, enjoying the fruit of the vine, sitting in the warm summer sun. These moments cannot be bought and can never be sold. They belong to me forever.
Afternoon trips were here and there, trying to fill in the blanks. Who knows when we will be back again?? The guys went to the Catacombs. The ladies went to the Rodin Museum particularly to see "The Thinker" and then, since it was close by, Napoleon's Tomb at Les Invalides.
And then reality bites. Bit. Dinner was a slight disappointment, this last lovely day in Paris. OK, the world is not perfect. Even in Paris. But it just ain't bad. Lee and Crissy arranged for fresh croissants to pick up the next day to take back to Orlando. Doesn't that sound silly? But I noticed that, as much as I love German bread, French baguettes are better. Lots better. I should have brought back one or two of those myself.
Then pack up and get ready for the early departure. (DON'T tell me I spelled Les Invalides wrong. I know. Redoing the video is too much to ask at this point.)
Day 11 July 17
We finally got to an outdoor market. Geeeeze. I thought we would do two or three. But what a great day it was. The Moufftard market is a draw for tourists and locals alike, a winding narrow street that begins with the fresh veggie and fruit stands and continues with bakeries, patissieries, butchers, oliveries (is that a word?), this and that and and the other and so much food that you want to eat!! Oh, ice cream, too. Joey bought a whole roasted chicken, Michelle got the roasted potatoes that were dripping with the chicken drippings, the kids found breads and sandwiches and we ate fruit and drank wine sitting on the stones around the trees in the sunshine and then there was a shop across the way that had antique monogrammed dishcloths and does it get any better than this??? I cannot imagine how. Here I am, surrounded by all the people I love, in a city I adore, eating delicious food, enjoying the fruit of the vine, sitting in the warm summer sun. These moments cannot be bought and can never be sold. They belong to me forever.
Afternoon trips were here and there, trying to fill in the blanks. Who knows when we will be back again?? The guys went to the Catacombs. The ladies went to the Rodin Museum particularly to see "The Thinker" and then, since it was close by, Napoleon's Tomb at Les Invalides.
And then reality bites. Bit. Dinner was a slight disappointment, this last lovely day in Paris. OK, the world is not perfect. Even in Paris. But it just ain't bad. Lee and Crissy arranged for fresh croissants to pick up the next day to take back to Orlando. Doesn't that sound silly? But I noticed that, as much as I love German bread, French baguettes are better. Lots better. I should have brought back one or two of those myself.
Then pack up and get ready for the early departure. (DON'T tell me I spelled Les Invalides wrong. I know. Redoing the video is too much to ask at this point.)
Day 11 July 17
They left early, too early to get pictures that they weren't in the mood for anyway. Down to the Métro one more time, push luggage through the stiles. Quick hugs and thanks and last minute ticket check, and gone. See ya. So it is.
Werner and I dealt with the detritus - stripped the beds, collected the linens, took out the trash. How ordinary, the end of a dream vacation. So it is.
And then we were off to our second location, a small hotel not far from the lovely Moufftard Market. We checked in and then wandered. Where's our folks? What do we do all alone??? At first we didn't know what to do with our new aloneness.
But we found something to do, lots of somethings: eat Vietnamese food, wander through a strange market (it was Saturday, after all!), locate the fabric market and ogle the miles and meters of tissu, a quiet dinner.
Day 12 July 18
Breakfast on a sunny terrace, a croissant and a café crème got the day off nicely. Then we strolled to see if the needlepoint shop was open, not expecting it, but what a nice surprise - it was! I found a small piece to remind me to visit Paris again, and after a last look at Notre Dame, a last breath of Paris, we boarded the night train back to Bremen.
______
It was lovely. Or maybe not lovely, but wonderful. Something worth remembering with little bits to treasure and recall and savor once again. Without doubt a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Thanks, ya'll.
Breakfast on a sunny terrace, a croissant and a café crème got the day off nicely. Then we strolled to see if the needlepoint shop was open, not expecting it, but what a nice surprise - it was! I found a small piece to remind me to visit Paris again, and after a last look at Notre Dame, a last breath of Paris, we boarded the night train back to Bremen.
______
It was lovely. Or maybe not lovely, but wonderful. Something worth remembering with little bits to treasure and recall and savor once again. Without doubt a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Thanks, ya'll.
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