Paris

I was going to load up this post with lots of pictures but I deleted them all off my SD card after uploading to Flickr.  So to see photos, check out my flickr (kqom) or click on the photos link on the bottom right of this page and youºll be taken to my page.

Paris was much like I imagined it.  I loved the city.  The buildings, the bustle, fantastic food, walkability, fast Metro, cheap beverages.

We had an overnight flight from Newark and landed in Brussels, Belgium in the morning.  After grabbing a 4 hr bus, we finally made it to Paris.  Thanks for Lara, we stayed with Sarah — and American living and working in Paris.  She has a great apartment in the Marais that was the perfect launch pad for our days.  Sarah took good care of us and invited us out to a picnic on the Seine with her housemates and some other Anglophones on the first night.  Although we were exhausted, we knew we had to stay awake to beat the jet lag… Iºm glad we did!  I forgot my camera at the apartment that night… but we joined thousands of other people on the banks of the Seine, waved at tour boats, and watched the sun set over Notre Dame.

After a night of solid sleep, we headed out to the Catacombs but found they were closed due to flooding.  Weºre planning on checking out the Catacombs in Rome now, since we need our fix on bones.   We then headed to the George Pompidou Centre — a large modern art museum.  The largest in Europe I believe.  It was a lot to see in one day.  We did the best we could, and then immediately grabbed a baguette and cheese to replenish ourselves (we were in France!) so we would have the energy to go to the Eiffel Tower.

So weºre on a bit of a budget here.  It cost much less to climb the stairs at the Eiffel Tower than take the elevator. Plus the line was much shorter.   So we walked.  It wasnºt as bad as I thought it would be.  Besides, I had a lot of cheese calories to burn off.  We arrived while it was still light and hung out until after sunset.   At 10pm, it was dark and strobe lights went off for 5min.  A bit overkill.  Note photos galore.  All and all it was a perfect Paris day.

The next day we did what Iºm calling the “Tour des Churches.”  First Sacre Couer in Montmarte and then Notre Dame.  Both beautiful.  The throngs of tourists were overwhelming in the sense that they took away from the sanctity of the experience.  People talking loudly, violating all the rules.  I imagine that in India, visiting holy sites, will be much different. 

On day three we walked… and walked.  First to the Bastille Sunday market.  We bought a fougasse, some cherry tomatoes, and salmonberries.  Yum.  Then we walked all the way to the Louvre (didnºt go in), bought a hot chocolate at Angellinas (recommended by Julie and sooo good), then on to the Champs Elysee.  I donºt know what the Champs Elysee is normally like, but on the day we went it was mobbed, wall to wall, with people.  There was a nature exhibit happening and it felt like half the city was there.  I was determined to see the Arc de Triomphe up close, so we fought our way to it and I got my obligatory snap. 

On our final day in the city, Brandon went to see a movie and I walked around the Marais.  It was good to wander without guilt (I donºt mind getting myself lost, but prefer not to lead us both in circles!).  We got crepes and then began our journey to the airport for our flight to Faro, Portugal.

Next post — Portugal!  I


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