Arrivee (Arrival) plus Jour Un (Day 1): The City of Lights
"Not all those who wander are lost." -- J.R.R. Tolkien
K: Bonjour! Armed early with the name of our Paris hotel, we took advantage of Rick’s recommendation to arrive a day before our scheduled tour. This gave us time to adjust to our jet lag and squeeze in a few more sites – especially important since the weather was an uncooperative pouring rain!
E: We pinched ourselves upon arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport – are we really in The City of Lights? It was a little eerie standing on the littered, deserted (minus a woman who appeared to be having a conversation with herself) train platform at 7:00 am, having just missed an RER-B into the city. In no time, the train rolled in and it took us through the slums on the outskirts of Paris, where we had time to view the countless amount of French graffiti decorating the buildings; beautiful in its own right. Soon we were exiting at the Saint Michel-Notre Dame stop. But, which exit would land us closest to our hotel? There were about four possibilities, so embracing the spontaneity of travel, we picked one and went with it. Okay, so we probably picked the wrong exit, but we did enjoy a quintessentially American snack at the Golden Arches with a southern twang on “je voudrais.” A couple of Egg McMuffins later, and we were ready to tackle the city, or at least locate our hotel. As we wandered slightly off course, we took in the charm of Paris, the chic shops lining the streets, and the gorgeous architecture. Eventually we oriented ourselves and followed Rick’s easy directions to our home for the next 3 days, Hotel Central Saint Germain.
K: We had arrived! What?! Our room is not ready and waiting for us at 9:00 am? No, we don’t mind waiting in the quaint lobby, where Elizabeth promptly fell into a deep sleep on a sofa. Shortly behind us entered two that we would soon learn were members of our My Way tour. This was really happening! After a restful nap in our room, and a humiliating but informative lesson on how to keep the lights working in our room (it’s the card key, dummy!), we set out for Notre Dame. It was Sunday, and a service was just beginning, adding to the solemnity of this remarkable cathedral. So incredible that we could walk from our hotel to these legendary places! Thank you, Rick, for making it so easy for us to take advantage of this beautiful city and its sights!
Next, we meandered across the bridge to Ile Saint-Louis, where we had secured dinner reservations at Le Relais de L'Isle. Duck was the specialty on the evening’s menu – I love that Elizabeth is adventurous enough to immerse herself in the cuisine of a new country. The tables in the restaurant were very close, so it was easy to make conversation with an Aussie seated beside us, and unfortunate for Elizabeth that her photo-taking upset the pianist on the other side of us. A short walk back to the hotel and to bed.
K: So, what would tomorrow bring? Rain – and lots of it! We scrapped our plan to travel to Giverny – too much exposure to the elements – and opted instead to set out on the Metro to explore some lesser-known museums and sites. Indeed, the Musee Jacquemart-Andre was well worth it, with an amazing exhibit called "Twilight of the Pharaohs," which included a reconstruction of an entire Egyptian tomb, sarcophagus and all. Had to pause for tea and dessert at the museum's cafe. Then, we struck out on the “Best Bathroom” (“a little-known Belle Epoch gem, perfectly preserved” per our other sourcebook "Parisian Chic" by Ines de la Fressange) in front of the Madeleine church – it had been shuttered. Oh well! Next!
The rain made it difficult to locate a Metro stop, and we were late arriving back at the hotel to meet our group and our tour escort, Margaret. One of Margaret’s first rules was not to be late for group activities. Oops! Lesson learned. Margaret had a wonderful way about getting to the point, but always politely and without admonishment. E: Thankfully, the rain subsided in time for a stroll to a corner cafe -- nothing fancy, just a friendly-looking establishment with a French menu -- followed by an after-dark visit to the Eiffel Tower. We stood under the magnificent structure and truly absorbed the moment. As we prepared to head back to our hotel, The Eiffel Tower began to twinkle; the perfect topping on the beginning of our grand adventure.
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Our Favorites:
K: Teaching Elizabeth to navigate via the Metro. That is a skill that she can use to travel on any underground system in the world.
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E: The delightful food: duck, salmon, croissants, gelato, and so much more....
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