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| WAT in front of Suzanne Lenglen Stadium before match play |
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| My next tennis destinations |
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| Two spectators |
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| Rafael Nadal turning on the crowd |
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| Camp Nadal |
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| Rafa serving #1 |
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| Rafa serving #2 |
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| Yes Andrea, that's Rafa about to serve a mere 30 yards from you! |
Sunday, June 10, 2012
AT ROLAND GARROS PHOTOS
Monday, June 4 is a day I looked forward to with great anticipation. Being at Roland Garros was a dream come true. Today, June 10, Rafa is playing Nole, but play was just suspended due to rainy weather, just like we had all week. Rafa is up two sets to one when play will resume Monday, June 11.
SUNDAY IN PARIS PHOTOS
It's time to play one of my favorite games what was I doing one week ago, two weeks ago, three weeks ago? (The other is: guess what is the price of gasoline)
Three Sundays ago, May 20, we were still in Rome. We spent the day using the tourist bus pass the nice lady at the Marriott gave us. It was a rainy day. We visited the Doria Pamphili palazzo and the Palazzo Massimo.
Two Sundays ago, May 27, we were in Florence, and went to the Accademia, then crossed the Fiume Arno to visit Santo Spirito, saw the Brunelescchi frescoes and the Palazzo Pitti before walking over the Ponte Vecchio.
And last Sunday, June 3, we were in Paris. We went to the Museum of Middle Ages, where we purchased the two tapestries, among other things, and then we went to the Musee Rodin, still a favorite of mine.
We didn't take a lot of photos this day, but here are a few...
Three Sundays ago, May 20, we were still in Rome. We spent the day using the tourist bus pass the nice lady at the Marriott gave us. It was a rainy day. We visited the Doria Pamphili palazzo and the Palazzo Massimo.
Two Sundays ago, May 27, we were in Florence, and went to the Accademia, then crossed the Fiume Arno to visit Santo Spirito, saw the Brunelescchi frescoes and the Palazzo Pitti before walking over the Ponte Vecchio.
And last Sunday, June 3, we were in Paris. We went to the Museum of Middle Ages, where we purchased the two tapestries, among other things, and then we went to the Musee Rodin, still a favorite of mine.
We didn't take a lot of photos this day, but here are a few...
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| In the basement of the Musee des Moyen Ages |
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| Ivory triptych Andrea liked from the Middle Ages Museum |
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| Ceiling in one of the rooms of the old abbey that is now the Middle Ages museum. This room contained some of the panels of the life of St. Stephen that I liked so much. |
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| Dome of Les Invalides from Musee Rodin |
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| Burghers of Calais in Rodin's garden |
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| I love Rodin's work and his house |
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| "The Age of Maturity" by Rodin. At this point in my life, this sculpture really moved me |
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| Andrea in Rodin's garden |
Saturday, June 9, 2012
SATURDAY IN PARIS PHOTOS
From St. Chapelle to L'Arc de Triomphe to the Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower.
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| The windowss at Ste. Chapelle |
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| Hedgehogs on Noah's Ark at Ste. Chapelle |
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| At la Cathedrale de Notre Dame |
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| Inside Notre Dame |
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| Outside Notre Dame |
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| The River Seine |
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| St. Germain L'Auxerois |
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| L'Obelisque a La Place du Concorde |
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| L'Etoile and L'Arc |
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| How many more steps to the top? |
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| Le Tour Eiffel from L'Arc |
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| Move your head so we can see the Eiffel Tower |
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| Le Trocadero |
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| Delta Queen on the River Seine |
PARIS DAY TWO - LE LOUVRE PHOTOS
We spent an entire day at the Louvre. What a wonderful place. Photos will never provide the visual satisfaction of actually being there.
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| The Louvre Museum |
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| Inside the Pyramid main entrance |
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| Form and function |
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| ...Veronese. Now moving on... |
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| Me, and... |
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| ...Mona Lisa |
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| LOVING IT!! |
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| Welcome to dinner at Napoleon III's |
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| Cour Marly |
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| Antiquities |
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| Au Revoir Louvre |
VENICE DAY THREE PHOTOS
Some random shots inclusive of last day in Venice.
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| Transporting goods in Venice |
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| Farmers Market on the canal: Selling produce in Venice |
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| Campo Margherita fish market |
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| CU another fish stall. |
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| Palazzo Stern from Ca Razzonico |
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| Overlooking the terrace and Grand Canal |
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| Campanile and Doge's Palace |
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| From the Bridge of Sighs |
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| The last daylight a prisoner convicted by the Doge's government may ever see |
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| Steps to the Doge's Palace |
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| San Marco Basilica |
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| Good bye Venice |
Friday, June 8, 2012
BACK HOME AGAIN IN INDIANA
Our flight from Paris, while delayed from 12 to 3 p.m., was so relaxing and peaceful, and the service in business class is great. It was such a nice treat to just sit, knowing we didn't have to go somewhere and see something or spend anything. We ate and drank to our hearts delight. I watched Tin Tin and Hugo. We landed safely in a sunny and warm Chicago around 5:00 p.m.
It seemed like we walked forever from the plane to Immigration Services. Once we cleared passport control and then picked up our bags, we had to go through customs. They wanted to charge duty on our tapestries, thinking they were carpets, but once we explained and showed how they hung on the walls, the duty was waived and we walked through the doors, officially entering the United States of America.
While waiting for the 7 p.m. bus back to SB, I called Alexi and Greg. My US cell phone works!
It was around 11:30 p.m. when we walked in the door at Nall Court. Of course, Cricket went nuts when she saw Andrea. That's all Andrea had talked about throughout our travel day; "X number of hours until Cricket!"
It was close to 1:00 a.m. when I fell asleep. I did not sleep well, which countered my plan of not sleeping all day in order to get home and collapse, to wake up fresh this morning. After being up 24 hours straight and only five hours of interrupted sleep, I could take it no more and got out of bed.
In addition to a growing list of chores (partly based on discoveries of things that had gone wrong in our absence) I plan to select and upload photos from France, as I suspect people may be more interested in those than all the text chronicling our trip.
So, it's now back to reality...
It seemed like we walked forever from the plane to Immigration Services. Once we cleared passport control and then picked up our bags, we had to go through customs. They wanted to charge duty on our tapestries, thinking they were carpets, but once we explained and showed how they hung on the walls, the duty was waived and we walked through the doors, officially entering the United States of America.
While waiting for the 7 p.m. bus back to SB, I called Alexi and Greg. My US cell phone works!
It was around 11:30 p.m. when we walked in the door at Nall Court. Of course, Cricket went nuts when she saw Andrea. That's all Andrea had talked about throughout our travel day; "X number of hours until Cricket!"
It was close to 1:00 a.m. when I fell asleep. I did not sleep well, which countered my plan of not sleeping all day in order to get home and collapse, to wake up fresh this morning. After being up 24 hours straight and only five hours of interrupted sleep, I could take it no more and got out of bed.
In addition to a growing list of chores (partly based on discoveries of things that had gone wrong in our absence) I plan to select and upload photos from France, as I suspect people may be more interested in those than all the text chronicling our trip.
So, it's now back to reality...
Thursday, June 7, 2012
DELAYED
So we are sirring in the AA Admirals Club. Our flight has been pushed back to 3:00 pm from 12:15, because the plane from Dallas was delayed by bad weather. Thanks Dallas.
I have stuffed myself full of the free food and drink in here.
I have stuffed myself full of the free food and drink in here.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
LAST DAY IN PARIS
Boo hoo! I am sad to be heading home and back to reality. Andrea is very excited to go home and sit on her own couch with Cricket on her lap and Vixen looking on aloofly.
Today, we went to the Musee d'Orsay, and it is a very nice museum. Neither of us knew it was as large as it is, and I think we both wish we had scheduled more time for it. Add it to the list of reasons to reasons to return. The museum cafes were packed and were not accepting credit cards today, so we exited and found a charming bistro down the street. It was the Parisian version of a New York deli in that there were a bunch of regulars who the staff knew and interacted with convivially. It also served a range of standard French fare, e.g., steak tartare, croque mssrs/dames... Andrea had the salad nicoise and I had a steak slathered in mushroom sauce with pomme frites and salat vert.
We returned to the d'Orsay and finished our rush job, catching the classic collection of Impressionists and Neo-Impressionists plus Manet's Victoria. After some shopping in the gift shop, we walked across the Seine to the Decorative Arts Museum. The collection starts with the Middle Ages and is currently showing collections of Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton. Highlights for us were the Art Nouveau and Art Deco collections, along with a special exhibition about one of my old heroes, Babar the Elephant. Thanks, Andrea, for the book about Babar in French!
From there, Andrea took the Metro to meet Lesley Walker for dinner at Professor Walker's Parisian pied a terre, while I went up to the Jewish Museum near the Centre Pompidou. The permanent collection was already closed, but they had an interesting exhibit about Jews in Orientalism, a subject I had been introduced to only today by Andrea at the Musee d'Orsay. From there, I stopped at a cafe for a few beers and a croque monsieur.
We are 95% packed and ready for the car to pick us up at 8:30 am to take us to Charles De Gaulle airport. Our flight departs at 12:15 pm.
So this will be the final entry for several days. This weekend, I will attempt to upload selected photos from our sojourn in Paris, so check back early next week if you are interested.
Thanks for reading our blog and keeping up with us. We have had more than 1,100 views!
Today, we went to the Musee d'Orsay, and it is a very nice museum. Neither of us knew it was as large as it is, and I think we both wish we had scheduled more time for it. Add it to the list of reasons to reasons to return. The museum cafes were packed and were not accepting credit cards today, so we exited and found a charming bistro down the street. It was the Parisian version of a New York deli in that there were a bunch of regulars who the staff knew and interacted with convivially. It also served a range of standard French fare, e.g., steak tartare, croque mssrs/dames... Andrea had the salad nicoise and I had a steak slathered in mushroom sauce with pomme frites and salat vert.
We returned to the d'Orsay and finished our rush job, catching the classic collection of Impressionists and Neo-Impressionists plus Manet's Victoria. After some shopping in the gift shop, we walked across the Seine to the Decorative Arts Museum. The collection starts with the Middle Ages and is currently showing collections of Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton. Highlights for us were the Art Nouveau and Art Deco collections, along with a special exhibition about one of my old heroes, Babar the Elephant. Thanks, Andrea, for the book about Babar in French!
From there, Andrea took the Metro to meet Lesley Walker for dinner at Professor Walker's Parisian pied a terre, while I went up to the Jewish Museum near the Centre Pompidou. The permanent collection was already closed, but they had an interesting exhibit about Jews in Orientalism, a subject I had been introduced to only today by Andrea at the Musee d'Orsay. From there, I stopped at a cafe for a few beers and a croque monsieur.
We are 95% packed and ready for the car to pick us up at 8:30 am to take us to Charles De Gaulle airport. Our flight departs at 12:15 pm.
So this will be the final entry for several days. This weekend, I will attempt to upload selected photos from our sojourn in Paris, so check back early next week if you are interested.
Thanks for reading our blog and keeping up with us. We have had more than 1,100 views!
VERSAILLES
We started our day's journey to the suburban palace by metro, exited the subway and hopped on a transilien commuter train, which delivered us to the Versailles Rive Gauche train station. Even at 11:30am, the train was packed with tourists, and we joined the herd stampeding the gates of the chateau.
Our Paris Museum passes failed us miserably at Versailles. After 10 minutes of trying to find an expedited entrance line, the inevitability of having to stand in the snaking line occupying half of the entrance courtyard, which in itself is gargantuan (a desriptive word that may often be applied to this place - Louis the 14th may have been the first "Texan" in that everything he did had to be big.) The weather didn't live up to the forecast of dry and 70. The wind whipped temps of 55-60, and yet again, Andrea in her unending quest to appear anything other than American was woefully unprepared for the conditions.
Things had changed slightly since Alexi and I had been there in 2006 in terms of the routing. We entered the Vinci security center about 80 minutes after queueing, and it was nearly 1:30 before we actually began our tour of the king's and queen's apartments.
Like leaves on a slow moving river, we floated from one sumptuous room to the next: the chapel, the ante chambers, the war room, the hall of mirrors, the peace room, the king's chambers, the queen's chambers... At one point, Andrea had to put a couple of people in their place. She had had quite enough of the pushing, shoving and lack of etiquette in this, of all places, where polite society ruled and manners were king.
Andrea was most taken with the Elizabeth Vigee-Le Brun paintings and the embroidery/needlework displayed on tapestries, screens and chairs.
I visited the prince's and princess' apartments on the ground floor while Andrea shopped in the bookstore. We grabbed a bite to eat, and by 5:00, we entered the gardens to see the musical program that we supposed was synced to the fountains. This was the primary reason for coming to Versailles on a Tuesday, and what a rip off it is. Our museum pass doesn't cover this "extra," and while we had thought it was to be an orchestrated program, all it is is canned music piped onto the grounds, and the fountains turn on/off every 10 minutes. Certainly not worth 8.50€ per person at 5:00 pm when the "program" concludes at 4:00!
We then paid another 7€ per person to ride the tram that takes you out to the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon, and Marie Antoinette's hamlet. Given the vastness of the gardens, the tram was the only realistic way to go if we were to see anything. We visited the Little Trianon first, and as a little getaway for Louis 15, it would be considered a mansion and a half by the 99% today. We walked in the on/off misting rain to the farm hamlet MA constructed so she could play "peasant" and entertain her lovers.
We walked to the Big Trianon, the place Louis 14 built to escape the rigors and forced etiquette of the palace, but they were already closing the shutters and shooing away visitors. Luckily, we got the last tram and took it to the Grand Canal, a lake Louis constructed to replay sea battles and which is now used by paddle-boating tourists and rowing crews.
From there, we walked in the chilly mist through the gardens, checking various little "rooms" carved into the elaborately laid out greenery. The fountains spread throughout were not on, but one could get a sense of their grandeur, and as usual, as one of the last tourists on the grounds, it felt as if the gardens were ours to ourselves.
We took a 7:40 pm train back to Paris, and walked around the Javel metro area in search of a decent place to eat. Well after 8:00 pm, most bistros and cafes are either closed or only serve drinks, and we happily came across an empty Lebanese restaurant on a side street. It was a great meal, and we left the place totally stuffed to the gills, because the owner kept giving us food, and I never say no!
Tomorrow is our last day on the continent and in Paris. We will hit as many museums as we can today.
PS- Since Andrea, the PhD, cannot figure out how to post a comment, here is a comment she asked me to post:
"I would like to take this opportunity to "publicly" thank my wonderful husband for this fabulous trip. It has been the experience of a lifetime, so thank you and I love you. (p. s. nice blog!)"
Our Paris Museum passes failed us miserably at Versailles. After 10 minutes of trying to find an expedited entrance line, the inevitability of having to stand in the snaking line occupying half of the entrance courtyard, which in itself is gargantuan (a desriptive word that may often be applied to this place - Louis the 14th may have been the first "Texan" in that everything he did had to be big.) The weather didn't live up to the forecast of dry and 70. The wind whipped temps of 55-60, and yet again, Andrea in her unending quest to appear anything other than American was woefully unprepared for the conditions.
Things had changed slightly since Alexi and I had been there in 2006 in terms of the routing. We entered the Vinci security center about 80 minutes after queueing, and it was nearly 1:30 before we actually began our tour of the king's and queen's apartments.
Like leaves on a slow moving river, we floated from one sumptuous room to the next: the chapel, the ante chambers, the war room, the hall of mirrors, the peace room, the king's chambers, the queen's chambers... At one point, Andrea had to put a couple of people in their place. She had had quite enough of the pushing, shoving and lack of etiquette in this, of all places, where polite society ruled and manners were king.
Andrea was most taken with the Elizabeth Vigee-Le Brun paintings and the embroidery/needlework displayed on tapestries, screens and chairs.
I visited the prince's and princess' apartments on the ground floor while Andrea shopped in the bookstore. We grabbed a bite to eat, and by 5:00, we entered the gardens to see the musical program that we supposed was synced to the fountains. This was the primary reason for coming to Versailles on a Tuesday, and what a rip off it is. Our museum pass doesn't cover this "extra," and while we had thought it was to be an orchestrated program, all it is is canned music piped onto the grounds, and the fountains turn on/off every 10 minutes. Certainly not worth 8.50€ per person at 5:00 pm when the "program" concludes at 4:00!
We then paid another 7€ per person to ride the tram that takes you out to the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon, and Marie Antoinette's hamlet. Given the vastness of the gardens, the tram was the only realistic way to go if we were to see anything. We visited the Little Trianon first, and as a little getaway for Louis 15, it would be considered a mansion and a half by the 99% today. We walked in the on/off misting rain to the farm hamlet MA constructed so she could play "peasant" and entertain her lovers.
We walked to the Big Trianon, the place Louis 14 built to escape the rigors and forced etiquette of the palace, but they were already closing the shutters and shooing away visitors. Luckily, we got the last tram and took it to the Grand Canal, a lake Louis constructed to replay sea battles and which is now used by paddle-boating tourists and rowing crews.
From there, we walked in the chilly mist through the gardens, checking various little "rooms" carved into the elaborately laid out greenery. The fountains spread throughout were not on, but one could get a sense of their grandeur, and as usual, as one of the last tourists on the grounds, it felt as if the gardens were ours to ourselves.
We took a 7:40 pm train back to Paris, and walked around the Javel metro area in search of a decent place to eat. Well after 8:00 pm, most bistros and cafes are either closed or only serve drinks, and we happily came across an empty Lebanese restaurant on a side street. It was a great meal, and we left the place totally stuffed to the gills, because the owner kept giving us food, and I never say no!
Tomorrow is our last day on the continent and in Paris. We will hit as many museums as we can today.
PS- Since Andrea, the PhD, cannot figure out how to post a comment, here is a comment she asked me to post:
"I would like to take this opportunity to "publicly" thank my wonderful husband for this fabulous trip. It has been the experience of a lifetime, so thank you and I love you. (p. s. nice blog!)"
Monday, June 4, 2012
RAFA, WILL & ANDREA AT ROLAND GARROS
At Roland Garros: Some rude French. Some nice French. Lots of inconsiderate people of all nationalities. Really packed. Weather: rough and raw, windy, occassionally wet. We saw Almagro beat Tipsarevic. Went down to the lounge and grabbed a few free drinks and pricey food, saw the very end of Del Potro's match pushed from Sunday. Del Po won in 4 sets. Then went shopping. And who knew I could be such a spendthrift? Really! I quite embarrassed myself with my profligate ways. But, oh well. Returned to the lounge for a drink and for Andrea to put on the socks and sweatshirt we bought. Then it's back in line to wait for a changeover so we can take our seats to watch the conclusion of the first woman's match( Li Na, last year's champion losing to Yaroslava Schvedova) and then, hopefully, the weather will hold and we will see Rafa take on Juan Monaco.
The weather did hold, and we saw Andrea's Rafa put a whooping on poor old Juan Monaco in three straight sets (6:2, 6:0, 6:0.) Rafa was masterful as he dispatched the Argentinian. While I am not a Rafa fan, it was so cool to be so close to this international sports superstar as he went about his business cooly and comfortably. We were within 25 yards of him. Being at the court in person provides a much different perspective on the game versus viewing on TV. The court itself appears much smaller, but the play is so much faster. It was an incredible experience, and even Andrea commented that other than Rafa, she thought she would be bored. That was never the case, and she did not pull out her knitting or reading! And indeed, it was Uncle Toni I had walked side by side with last Thursday (take that you big chicken.)
Then it was back to the lounge with the rude French bartender. We went back into the stands around 8:00 pm to watch the Estonian, Kanepi, beat the young Dutch girl, Rus, who does have some game and promise. There were few people in the stadium, and not many on the grounds by the time we left at 9:00 pm.
Did any one see us on TV? We were sitting in the seventh row, behind the chair umpire and just to his/her left.
We walked back, and finally found a decent bistro open on Rue de la Reine. The doctor ordered a Caesar salad and a deliciously warm, creamy vegetable soup. I had a steak with spinach and a couple of glases of red wine.
Back "home" by 11:00 pm. I told Andrea that while totally unrealistic, there is a part of me that wishes we could could keep on like this, travelling from place to place, unconnected to our real world concerns of work, paying the mortgage, walking the dog, even talking to friends and family on a "daily" basis. Andrea does not believe me, but I am even fine without our "habitudes" of TV and other home comforts. Of course, I am sure the first thing I will do when we get home is turn on the TV and sit in our comfortable chairs.
Tomorrow, we visit Versailles...
The weather did hold, and we saw Andrea's Rafa put a whooping on poor old Juan Monaco in three straight sets (6:2, 6:0, 6:0.) Rafa was masterful as he dispatched the Argentinian. While I am not a Rafa fan, it was so cool to be so close to this international sports superstar as he went about his business cooly and comfortably. We were within 25 yards of him. Being at the court in person provides a much different perspective on the game versus viewing on TV. The court itself appears much smaller, but the play is so much faster. It was an incredible experience, and even Andrea commented that other than Rafa, she thought she would be bored. That was never the case, and she did not pull out her knitting or reading! And indeed, it was Uncle Toni I had walked side by side with last Thursday (take that you big chicken.)
Then it was back to the lounge with the rude French bartender. We went back into the stands around 8:00 pm to watch the Estonian, Kanepi, beat the young Dutch girl, Rus, who does have some game and promise. There were few people in the stadium, and not many on the grounds by the time we left at 9:00 pm.
Did any one see us on TV? We were sitting in the seventh row, behind the chair umpire and just to his/her left.
We walked back, and finally found a decent bistro open on Rue de la Reine. The doctor ordered a Caesar salad and a deliciously warm, creamy vegetable soup. I had a steak with spinach and a couple of glases of red wine.
Back "home" by 11:00 pm. I told Andrea that while totally unrealistic, there is a part of me that wishes we could could keep on like this, travelling from place to place, unconnected to our real world concerns of work, paying the mortgage, walking the dog, even talking to friends and family on a "daily" basis. Andrea does not believe me, but I am even fine without our "habitudes" of TV and other home comforts. Of course, I am sure the first thing I will do when we get home is turn on the TV and sit in our comfortable chairs.
Tomorrow, we visit Versailles...
Sunday, June 3, 2012
A WEEKEND IN PARIS
Saturday, June 2
A decision has been made, but as I sit on this wonderful, little out ofthe way restaurant not far from the Eiffel Tower at 10:30 pm,u it has yet to be executed. The decision is to rebook our flights for a Thursday or Friday return. I must work on this when I return to the hotel tonight.
Today's highlights include: St. Chappelle (magnifique) where King Louis built a small, intimate place as a reliquary for the thorns of Christ's crown and some wood from the cross. The book said those items cost him three times as much as the construction of the chapel in 1248. Andrea was agog. Simply so. "It was like a little jewel box, a reliquary," said Andrea
From there, we zipped over to cathedrale du Notre Dame. A relatively short line (@ 10 minutes) and we were in. Admittedly, Andrea stated her two favorite churches on this trip so far are St. Chappelle here in Paris and St. Marks in Venice.
However, the architectural significance of the church is without question. It is celebrating its 850th birthday starting Dec. 12th this year. Andrea was doubly pleased by our visit as a special ceremony initiating knights into an order of the country. A procession down the main nave of the church replete with smoking incense and a choir of sweet voices made our experience complete, and Andrea would not have to wake up extra early to experience mass!
From there, we made our way out and walked around to the eastern side of the cathedral, checking out the flying buttresses that made this soaring medieval structure possible. We visited the memorial to all the French "undesirables" during the Nazi occupation who were deported to the camps. It is a stirring place on the end of the Ile de Cite right on the banks of the River Seine.
Crossing the bridge onto the tiny island of St. Louis, a variety of street performers entertained tourists and Parisians alike on this warm, sunny day. On Rue St. Louis, we found a quaint little creperie in which we drank the house specialty of "cidre" with our crepes (cheese/jambon/egg for Will and immantaler/tomatoes/olives/creme fraiche/herbs de provence for Andrea.
From there, we began our long journey back across the river and along street that runs along the north side of the Seine, looking at all the stalls full of used books. Once past the Pont Neuf, we walked by the Hotel de Ville (City Hall.) there was a huge rowd gathered on the square where a huge screen had been set up for people to watch the French Open. Special flooring had also been installed to imitate the color and lines of the "terre battu." The crowd was vocal as they cheered for Richard Gasquet, a Frenchman.
We found our way onto Rue de Rivoli, packed with people out to shop in the big stores and boutiques, and to be seen by others. We stopped at St. Germain L'Auxerois, an old church from the 1500s. We were treated again by the choir practicing for 6:00 pm mass.
Trudging up Rue de Rivoli, past the Louvre, past Les Halles, Place de Vendome and the Tuileries, we walked onto Place de la Concorde with its obelisk given to Phillipe Louis by Egypt in 1836. Tons of tourists and Parisians going into and out of the gardens and having their photos taken.
Here is where we began our walk up the leafy portion of the Champs Elysees, past the Grand Palais and its cavernous glass covering of this exposition place. Soon we encountered another crush of people shopping in the designer and big stores that make this part of the city synonomous with the grand shopping districts of the world. In fact, if one didn't know they were in Paris, one could mistake it for Fifth Avenue in New York or Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Globalization of brands. Homogenization of shopping.
Finally at the top of this street, we encountered Place d'Etoile where 12 streets converge at the Arc de Triomphe. Andrea was a good sport, and she relented to climbing up the 250 approximate steps to the top of this massive monument to France's military achievements and patriotism. The breeze was intoxicating after the climb, and the views of the sprawling city were stupendous.
From there we began the walk down to the Trocadero, site of the 1937 international decorative arts exposition. And across the river stood Paris's trademark landmark: the Eiffel Tower. Andrea was in awe as we walked under it. She hadn't expected the massiveness of the structure, nor its fine, artistic flourishes. We had tried to buy tickets online back in late April, but we were unable. We could have bought a ticket for the elevator, but a daunting 2-hour long line dissuaded us. And after the miles already tread, there was no way we were going to climb the stairs!
After referring to our guide books for area restaurants, we began our search for them, only to discover one was not open and the second had closed! But we really lucked out by deciding on a restaurant on the small side street of Rue de L'exposition where we saw a table for two by the open window.
Le P'tit Troquet is a find. A small, intimate place. The cusine to savor for days, and in my opinion, certainly the best food we have eaten on this trip. I started with a salmon pate, boeuf Bourginone, and had the chocolate cake with a hot chocolate center accompanied by a sweet creme. Andrea ate the chickory pie with goat chese and herbs, fried scallops with ratatouille and poached pear with vanilla ice cream. Superbe et magnifique in taste and presentation! We thought we may have to stay and wash dishes for a ,onth, because their credit card machine did not work and we were perilously low on cash. However, we mustered just enough cash and coin to pay the bill!
Tired, yet well sated, we ambled down to Ecole Militaire where we took the Metro home, arriving after 12:30 am.
But a traveler's work is never really finished. It was not until 2:30 am that I completed the calls and e-mails to change our departure flight to Thursday, June 7.
Sunday, June 3
As one may expect, it was nigh on 10:00 am when we awoke. We treated ourselves to the breakfast buffet in the hotel, got ready and left for an afternoon of museums. The first Sunday of each month allows free entrance, and while we certainly lost the morning, we spent a considerable a,ount of time in what Andrea claims has been her favorite museum: the Cluny Museum of Medieval Art. A not insignificant amount of time was spent negotiating and executing the purchase of two small replicated tapestries of the Lady and the Unicorn series: one of the five sense (hearing) and the enigmatic piece de resistance, A Mon Seul Desir, the sixth tapestry of the series. I am so very pleased with our purchases, which also included a bell-pull and embroidered pillow, in addition to a book about the tapestries. More heirlooms for posterity, which should look quite handsome on our dark blue living room walls.
With a huge bag in hand, we went back down into the Metro and popped up again at my favorite museum, the Rodin. Te line was long, so Andrea stood in line for 20-some minutes while I walked the gorgeous grounds of the garden. Inside the house, Rodin's works are displayed. They have such dynamism and force in them. It is a shame you cannot touch them, because they cry out for human contact. And once again, we were one of the last to leave shortly before 6:00 pm when the museum closes on Sunday.
We returned to our perch in Boulogne-Billancourt, deposited our belongings and set out again for dinner. Sunday is a quiet day, with most stores closed and many restaurants in this residential area also closed. We found a little bistro showing tonight's tennis match and sat down to an ordinary dinner.
Tomorrow is the big day. It is going on 12:00am now, and we must get some sleep so we can awake by 8:00 am, get ready and make our way to Roland Garros to attend the Frech Open. Watch for us on the Suzanne Lenglen court, and keep your fingers crossed for us that Rafa plays on our court (and not Andy Murray!)
A decision has been made, but as I sit on this wonderful, little out ofthe way restaurant not far from the Eiffel Tower at 10:30 pm,u it has yet to be executed. The decision is to rebook our flights for a Thursday or Friday return. I must work on this when I return to the hotel tonight.
Today's highlights include: St. Chappelle (magnifique) where King Louis built a small, intimate place as a reliquary for the thorns of Christ's crown and some wood from the cross. The book said those items cost him three times as much as the construction of the chapel in 1248. Andrea was agog. Simply so. "It was like a little jewel box, a reliquary," said Andrea
From there, we zipped over to cathedrale du Notre Dame. A relatively short line (@ 10 minutes) and we were in. Admittedly, Andrea stated her two favorite churches on this trip so far are St. Chappelle here in Paris and St. Marks in Venice.
However, the architectural significance of the church is without question. It is celebrating its 850th birthday starting Dec. 12th this year. Andrea was doubly pleased by our visit as a special ceremony initiating knights into an order of the country. A procession down the main nave of the church replete with smoking incense and a choir of sweet voices made our experience complete, and Andrea would not have to wake up extra early to experience mass!
From there, we made our way out and walked around to the eastern side of the cathedral, checking out the flying buttresses that made this soaring medieval structure possible. We visited the memorial to all the French "undesirables" during the Nazi occupation who were deported to the camps. It is a stirring place on the end of the Ile de Cite right on the banks of the River Seine.
Crossing the bridge onto the tiny island of St. Louis, a variety of street performers entertained tourists and Parisians alike on this warm, sunny day. On Rue St. Louis, we found a quaint little creperie in which we drank the house specialty of "cidre" with our crepes (cheese/jambon/egg for Will and immantaler/tomatoes/olives/creme fraiche/herbs de provence for Andrea.
From there, we began our long journey back across the river and along street that runs along the north side of the Seine, looking at all the stalls full of used books. Once past the Pont Neuf, we walked by the Hotel de Ville (City Hall.) there was a huge rowd gathered on the square where a huge screen had been set up for people to watch the French Open. Special flooring had also been installed to imitate the color and lines of the "terre battu." The crowd was vocal as they cheered for Richard Gasquet, a Frenchman.
We found our way onto Rue de Rivoli, packed with people out to shop in the big stores and boutiques, and to be seen by others. We stopped at St. Germain L'Auxerois, an old church from the 1500s. We were treated again by the choir practicing for 6:00 pm mass.
Trudging up Rue de Rivoli, past the Louvre, past Les Halles, Place de Vendome and the Tuileries, we walked onto Place de la Concorde with its obelisk given to Phillipe Louis by Egypt in 1836. Tons of tourists and Parisians going into and out of the gardens and having their photos taken.
Here is where we began our walk up the leafy portion of the Champs Elysees, past the Grand Palais and its cavernous glass covering of this exposition place. Soon we encountered another crush of people shopping in the designer and big stores that make this part of the city synonomous with the grand shopping districts of the world. In fact, if one didn't know they were in Paris, one could mistake it for Fifth Avenue in New York or Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Globalization of brands. Homogenization of shopping.
Finally at the top of this street, we encountered Place d'Etoile where 12 streets converge at the Arc de Triomphe. Andrea was a good sport, and she relented to climbing up the 250 approximate steps to the top of this massive monument to France's military achievements and patriotism. The breeze was intoxicating after the climb, and the views of the sprawling city were stupendous.
From there we began the walk down to the Trocadero, site of the 1937 international decorative arts exposition. And across the river stood Paris's trademark landmark: the Eiffel Tower. Andrea was in awe as we walked under it. She hadn't expected the massiveness of the structure, nor its fine, artistic flourishes. We had tried to buy tickets online back in late April, but we were unable. We could have bought a ticket for the elevator, but a daunting 2-hour long line dissuaded us. And after the miles already tread, there was no way we were going to climb the stairs!
After referring to our guide books for area restaurants, we began our search for them, only to discover one was not open and the second had closed! But we really lucked out by deciding on a restaurant on the small side street of Rue de L'exposition where we saw a table for two by the open window.
Le P'tit Troquet is a find. A small, intimate place. The cusine to savor for days, and in my opinion, certainly the best food we have eaten on this trip. I started with a salmon pate, boeuf Bourginone, and had the chocolate cake with a hot chocolate center accompanied by a sweet creme. Andrea ate the chickory pie with goat chese and herbs, fried scallops with ratatouille and poached pear with vanilla ice cream. Superbe et magnifique in taste and presentation! We thought we may have to stay and wash dishes for a ,onth, because their credit card machine did not work and we were perilously low on cash. However, we mustered just enough cash and coin to pay the bill!
Tired, yet well sated, we ambled down to Ecole Militaire where we took the Metro home, arriving after 12:30 am.
But a traveler's work is never really finished. It was not until 2:30 am that I completed the calls and e-mails to change our departure flight to Thursday, June 7.
Sunday, June 3
As one may expect, it was nigh on 10:00 am when we awoke. We treated ourselves to the breakfast buffet in the hotel, got ready and left for an afternoon of museums. The first Sunday of each month allows free entrance, and while we certainly lost the morning, we spent a considerable a,ount of time in what Andrea claims has been her favorite museum: the Cluny Museum of Medieval Art. A not insignificant amount of time was spent negotiating and executing the purchase of two small replicated tapestries of the Lady and the Unicorn series: one of the five sense (hearing) and the enigmatic piece de resistance, A Mon Seul Desir, the sixth tapestry of the series. I am so very pleased with our purchases, which also included a bell-pull and embroidered pillow, in addition to a book about the tapestries. More heirlooms for posterity, which should look quite handsome on our dark blue living room walls.
With a huge bag in hand, we went back down into the Metro and popped up again at my favorite museum, the Rodin. Te line was long, so Andrea stood in line for 20-some minutes while I walked the gorgeous grounds of the garden. Inside the house, Rodin's works are displayed. They have such dynamism and force in them. It is a shame you cannot touch them, because they cry out for human contact. And once again, we were one of the last to leave shortly before 6:00 pm when the museum closes on Sunday.
We returned to our perch in Boulogne-Billancourt, deposited our belongings and set out again for dinner. Sunday is a quiet day, with most stores closed and many restaurants in this residential area also closed. We found a little bistro showing tonight's tennis match and sat down to an ordinary dinner.
Tomorrow is the big day. It is going on 12:00am now, and we must get some sleep so we can awake by 8:00 am, get ready and make our way to Roland Garros to attend the Frech Open. Watch for us on the Suzanne Lenglen court, and keep your fingers crossed for us that Rafa plays on our court (and not Andy Murray!)
Saturday, June 2, 2012
FRIDAY IN PARIS
...So we put in some loads of laundry Thursday evening, grabbed a quick bite at a nearby bistro (boeufstec, salad and pomme frites pour moi and a croque madame - jambon, frommage et un oeuf on toated, crunchy pain - pour Madame Turbow), and then picked up a few items for breakfast, because the hotel only serves a buffet for 18€ per person. This Marriott is not as guest friendly as our previous hotels. The wireless Internet service is a PITA, and the petit dejeuner (a French tradition at hotels, B&Bs...) is not even an option.
At Andrea's request, I called American Airlines to inquire about an earlier departure. The fees involved for that change and cancelling our Normandie hotel reservations may not outweigh by much any cost savings gained from going home early.
Of course, the real reason Andrea wants to go home early is 1) she misses Cricket and Vixen fiercely and desperately, and 2) She is "nervousing" about Russia and the plannning that is still involved.
Friday, we ate our little breakfast on our balcony overlooking Leon Blum park. We bought a carnet of 10 Metro tickets, and took the "subway" to the Louvre.
What else can you say? The museum is awesome! It is numbing AND overwhelming! We spent 9.5 hours there, and while Andrea thinks we saw all the paintings, I feel we only scratched the surface of what the place offers. They kicked us out at 10:00 pm upon closing as we attempted to infiltrate the ancient works of the Mideast.
A few highlights: an exhibit on "Les Belles Heures," hand-made calendar for the Duc du Barry in the very early 1400s with fabulous, intricate illustrations for each day by the Limbourg brothers; a special exhibit about Da Vinci's final master piece, "St. Ann," which also included Da Vinci's, "Madonna of the Rocks;" the French Romantic painters; medieval objets d'art; the Maximilien Hunting tapestries; Angelina's for coffee and pastry; French paintings, and the Northern painters.
All day long, I asked myself (and Andrea) how so much could be accumulated in one place, and who would have the chutzpah to build a palace for themselves many city blocks long with gardens as extensive as Chicago's Grant and Lincoln parks combined while their people wallowed in ignorance and poverty?
KINGS and QUEENS! That is who. Obviously, I say that as a person of modest means born in the latter half of the 20th Century. And certainly, had those French kings and queens not done so, I would have nothng to marvel at now (nor would I have had anything to strive for as a teen when I first visited the Louvre in 1975.)
Regardless of politics, the Louvre is quite remarkable and a wonderful experience. Andrea was in art history heaven, going from room to room, exclaiming "I teach that!" or "That's bigger than I thought it would be."
Our loose plan for Saturday is to visit Notre Dame and St. Chapelle, and then walk the Champs Elysee. As the first Sunday of the month, national museum admission is free, so we will hand pick a few to visit, such as my personal favorite, the Rodin Museum, and Museum d'Orsay and Decorative Arts for Andrea. Monday is Roland Garros. If we stay in France, we will probably buy a two-day museum pass for Tuesday and Wednesday, one of which will be for Versailles. I have never been to the castle at Fountainbleu, so that is also a possibility, and of course, there are the many different areas and neighborhoods of Paris to simply walk.
I will let you know how it actually goes down in a few days, but do not expect any photos. Sorry.
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