Oh, the places you'll go! I absolutely love to travel. New places, different cultures, unfamiliar food, I love it all. And although I know that there are people who have traveled a great deal more than I, you may be hard pressed to find one who can say they've enjoyed it more.
I wish I had more photos from my earlier travels, prior to digital cameras, when sometimes the trip itself was a financial stretch, let alone spending $20 a roll for film and developing. So, I am now going to recount many of my favorite places...please make sure your seatbelts are securely fastened and your seatbacks are in a full upright position.
This is stop #1
Ile Saint-Louis is one of two little islands in the Seine River smack dab in the middle of Paris. It's a quaint neighborhood that looks like a movie set, almost like you've traveled back in time and it boasts a fantastic view of the rear of Notre Dame.
The Ile Saint-Louis is full of sidewalk cafes, shops and such but it just seemed to have a different flavor than the rest of Paris. Cleaner? Smaller? Cuter? I guess all of those things. I think if I return to Paris, which I hope I will, I'd stay on Ile Saint-Louis instead of near the Sorbonne, which truthfully wasn't bad at all.
I truly loved all of Paris (and all Parisians I met were very kind). I was especially enamoured of the Louvre -being the art geek that I am, I actually teared up looking at Michelangelo's slaves. Norte Dame was like a giant cave, a good place to explore, and it was great fun just walking around the city. I also loved the cemetary and yes, was photographed at Jim Morrison's grave. I was so poor when I was in Paris that I really didn't eat much of the fabulous French cuisine. I did, however, partake in a morning ritual of French pastry.
Mon Dieu! The patisserie near my hotel was enormous and I would stop by there first thing in the morning and thoughtfully choose a pastry from the colorful case along with a bottle of Evian water and walk a few blocks to dine in front of Notre Dame. Heaven! Lunch was usually a crepe du frommage from a street vendor. It didn't matter...I was in Paris!
I recall one afternoon a gypsy woman was panhandling rather agressively near the Eiffel Tower and after I politely declined to donate, she poked me and held out her hand in a surprisingly demanding gesture. "I can't afford to eat here, either!", I exclaimed (In English, so I'm sure she had no idea what I was saying). "I ate a Snickers bar for lunch! A cup of coffee is $4! Move elsewhere!" She moved on quickly.
I hope to return to Paris one day, it's history and beauty are intoxicating and there is so much more to explore than I was able to do in one trip.
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Ile Saint-Louis is one of two little islands in the Seine River smack dab in the middle of Paris. It's a quaint neighborhood that looks like a movie set, almost like you've traveled back in time and it boasts a fantastic view of the rear of Notre Dame.
The Ile Saint-Louis is full of sidewalk cafes, shops and such but it just seemed to have a different flavor than the rest of Paris. Cleaner? Smaller? Cuter? I guess all of those things. I think if I return to Paris, which I hope I will, I'd stay on Ile Saint-Louis instead of near the Sorbonne, which truthfully wasn't bad at all.
I truly loved all of Paris (and all Parisians I met were very kind). I was especially enamoured of the Louvre -being the art geek that I am, I actually teared up looking at Michelangelo's slaves. Norte Dame was like a giant cave, a good place to explore, and it was great fun just walking around the city. I also loved the cemetary and yes, was photographed at Jim Morrison's grave. I was so poor when I was in Paris that I really didn't eat much of the fabulous French cuisine. I did, however, partake in a morning ritual of French pastry.
Mon Dieu! The patisserie near my hotel was enormous and I would stop by there first thing in the morning and thoughtfully choose a pastry from the colorful case along with a bottle of Evian water and walk a few blocks to dine in front of Notre Dame. Heaven! Lunch was usually a crepe du frommage from a street vendor. It didn't matter...I was in Paris!
I recall one afternoon a gypsy woman was panhandling rather agressively near the Eiffel Tower and after I politely declined to donate, she poked me and held out her hand in a surprisingly demanding gesture. "I can't afford to eat here, either!", I exclaimed (In English, so I'm sure she had no idea what I was saying). "I ate a Snickers bar for lunch! A cup of coffee is $4! Move elsewhere!" She moved on quickly.
I hope to return to Paris one day, it's history and beauty are intoxicating and there is so much more to explore than I was able to do in one trip.
3 comments:
Love this post, Jana. How did you get your scans to turn out so well? I also love my earrings. They arrived today. I want to go to this little island. Is next week good for you?
Oh, yes, let's go. Coffee is probably $10 a cup now! I ripped these pics from the internet. I suck. :*P We can sit at a sidewalk cafe all day and drink wine. I'm soooo happy that you love your earrings. Send me a pic with you wearing them!
Ahhhhh. Some day I'd love to go. I got married way too young and never traveled. I'm going to make up for that in my old age!
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