Paris!! (a quick review) (in more ways than one)

"Paris is always a good idea." - Sabrina (the movie)

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” - Miriam Beard

(Reykjavik, Iceland June 30)


Last Wednesday I took the train (Castillion to Bordeaux, Bordeaux to Paris) up to Paris. I met Dorothee, a German friend I had made in New Zealand, at our hostel in Montmarte around 4pm . . . and we didn´t stop going until Thursday night! With only a day and half in Paris we made every moment count! Luckily Dorothee knew Paris well enough to get us quickly and efficiently to the main sights, and we managed to spare plenty of time to wander through small charming streets and stop regularly for coffee and or crepes. Thursday we wandered around Montmarte, visited Sacre Coeur, saw the Arc de Triumph on Champ Elysses (many apologies for poor French spelling!), passed by the Grand and Petit Palais, saw the Eiffel Tower, grabbed cheese, baguette and wine and picnicked in the Tuilleres, and went out to a Jazz club in Montmarte. Quite amazing for having only arrived at 4pm!

Thursday we headed out to the Louvre first thing and arrived around 9:30. No waiting in lines for us, we got our tickets and headed straight in! We only spent about two hours there, not wanting to be completely overwhelmed. We did the obligatory Da Vincis, and visited a lot of other important and interesting bits. The whole time I kept thinking "I am in the Louvre!!!!!"
The whole Paris/Louvre thing felt fairly surreal to be honest. One of the places you hear about all your life, and then . . . to actually BE there. Well, anyway . . . it was fantastic.

After the Louvre we headed over to the Left Bank for some shopping and gallery hopping. The Paris sales had JUST started so we enjoyed quite a bit of poking in shops. We had lunch near Sainte Michel Boulevard (I think!), followed by a visit to Notre Dame. By this point there were lines, but they moved relatively quickly. Then we headed to Sainte Chappelle which was beautiful. More leisurely walking on the islands was followed by a coffee & creme brulee stop and then more shopping!

Friday morning before my flight I headed back over to the Left bank and visited St. Sulpice . . . of Da Vinci Code fame. Took a picture of the "rose" line and headed off to Charles de Gaul . . .