Paris 2008 - 19-20 Juillet

19 Juillet (Samedi) - Another new adventure for us today. We bused over to Place de la République, walked up rue du Faubourg du Temple to the Canal Saint-Martin. I've been reading how it has become the latest "in" area of Paris with trendy bistros and restaurants where all the hip people like to be seen. I was kind of disappointed, although it looks kind of cool in this video.. We walked quite a way along the canal, where we did get to see a tour boat that had to wait at each lock before it could advance in its journey. We passed a few restaurants, but certainly nothing that looked the least bit trendy. Even Hôtel du Nord didn't look all that famous. It is, you know. It was the title and the feature of a romantic movie made in 1938. It has since become a pretty well-known comedy club.

During our walk, we saw this colorful, rather artistic sign for summer festivals throughout the city. Now, if summer would only arrive. I can't believe we have to wear jackets and scarves with only a few days left in July.

We walked as far as Place du Colonel Fabien, where we got the 46 bus to Nation. We then boarded the 57 and rode to Italie2. It is the last day of the soldes and Robb was hoping to find something he liked on sale.

As we were walking through the mall, he became aware that the gold chain he had bought during our first Parisian vacation, had broken. He luckily, found his ankh and his Aries pendant inside his shirt, but the chain itself was gone. We found a jewelry store and he bought a new chain. Then, for some reason, he was feeling dizzy, so we stopped at the Brioche Dorée for a sandwich and a café. When he was feeling a bit better, we bused back to the apartment.

Dinner at L'Angella.

20 Juillet (Dimanche) - Today we made good on our resolve to visit the Petit Palais. It was a much better experience than the Grand Palais, and it is free. You do need to go to the reception desk to get a ticket, but there is no cost for it. Another example of French logic. Both the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais were built for the Universal Exhibition in 1900. If you decide to visit, be forewarned that there is a lot to see and several floors on which to see it. Although most of the art and artifacts are clearly labled, some are not, this was at the bottom of the staircase going downstairs (according to Wikimedia, it is Ugolino by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux) and Sur les Ailes de la Victoire greets you when you first enter the building. Robb stated, and I agree, the building itself is worth the visit without all the fantastic art and artifacts. Even the garden in the center is worth a visit. There are some nice views from the garden. If your visit wears you out, there is a nice, though expensive, snack shop just off the garden.

There are some interesting things to see outside, also. I'm not sure if this was part of the grounds or something entirely separate. This, of course, is on the top of the Grand Palais. Another surprise, was this vintage Citroën driving past on the street in front of the palais.

After, we walked across the Pont Alexander III and boarded the 63 bus. The 63 is one of the best for seeing some of the sites of Paris on both sides of the Seine, and you'll remember, it was the one I thought we were getting on when we were returning from the Grand Palais. We rode it to the end of the line, stayed on and rode it back to Le Jardin des Plantes, where we got the 61 home.

Dinner at Au Cadran Voltaire.

Plus à venir, mes amis.

Paris 2008 - 28 Mai

Mercredi - At last!

The sun came out and lasted most of the day. I could breathe sufficiently to do something beside sit around the apartment.

After sitting around the apartment for the past three days (going for groceries doesn't count), we finally got out and did something. Of course, hanging around the apartment did afford me the opportunity to wash the jeans I had worn for the karaoke drama. But, because of the tiny size of the washer, they were barely cleaner than when I put them in, so they're going to have to go to a real laundry facility as soon as we get around to it.

We walked to the bus stop to take the bus down to Place Léon Blum to get the métro to Franklin D. Roosevelt. I've been wanting to go to the top of l'Arc de Triomphe and today seemed like the perfect day for it. I checked the bus schedules but we would have to have taken at least different busses to get there, so I opted for the métro with only one train all the way over. I did miscalculate the vicinity. I thought FDR was one of the streets radiating from l'Arc de Triomphe. It isn't. It's off the Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées. So we ended up walking the rest of the way to the Arc. Passed a lot of neat stuff, of course, including the Renault showroom where I saw this beauty. We also passed Ladurée, but decided we would stop on our return to the métro. Then we passed a theater where people were lined up in what would have been about two blocks if the line had been straight. Today was the first showing of Sex and the City, Le Film.

Upon arriving at l'Arc, I began looking for the tunnel that takes you under the traffic swirling crazily around it. It's possible some brave souls might be able to somehow get through all those vehicles, but I didn't want to even think about trying it. It's much easier and safer to use the tunnel, which brings you right into the ticket office if you want to go to the top, and that was our goal. I have been putting it off for years, thinking it would just be too difficult for me. Then, after all these years of visiting Paris, I only recently discovered that there is an elevator to the top of l'Arc de Triomphe, well, almost to the top. You still have to climb stairs for the last few feet, but it's nothing daunting.

It's worth the trip no matter whether you climb to the top or take the elevator. What a gorgeous view. And what a gorgeous day it was for us on which to finally make this trip. I really don't think it could have been any better. Of course, I took the obligatory pictures; La Defense, Sacre Coeur, Tour Montparnasse and la Tour Eiffel. It was so beautiful, we didnt want to leave, but it was getting late and we wanted to stop at Ladurée.

Ladurée was great. We each had an éclair café, followed by a café. Then I purchased a box of 15 mini-maccarons, while Robb bought a couple of croissants and a couple of strawberry tartes. I had wanted the regular size, but remembered how long it took me to eat the one we got about a week or so ago, and figured the minis would be just right.

We left there with the idea of getting the métro back, but I thought that since we were so close, we should check out the Petit Palais to which entrance is always free. Unfortunately, we were on the wrong street. So close and yet so far, we were only a couple of streets off. I knew we were close but I couldn't remember which street it was. Oh well, next time.

Since we couldn't go to the Petit Palais, we went down to get the métro. Every one that pulled into the station was overflowing with passengers. We waited. And waited. And waited. Finally jumping onto one that wasn't quite so crowded.

Back at the apartment, we indulged with a framboise mini-maccaron. Now we understand how Ladurée got their reputation.

Around nine-ish, we decided to go out for dinner. Robb wanted to go to a place we've passed several times in our travels about the area, Le Rey, so we walked down to Boulevard Voltaire, taking a bit of a different route so that we could check out some new things.

Once at the restaurant, we wanted to sit inside, but Robb wanted to sit all the way in the back, where we couldn't see the street or any of the other customers, but we did find these signs of the new times in Parisian dining. I would have preferred sitting a little closer to the action, mais c'est la vie. We started with a Kir Maison, which was champagne, Mandarine and Grand Marnier, that was served with a plate of sliced ham of a kind with which I am not familiar but it was a bit like hard salami. Then Robb ordered his salad, which for anyone else would have been a meal. For our main courses, I ordered Duo de Côte et Selle d'Agneau Grille (lamb chops) and Robb had Cou de Canard Farci Maison Lentilles du Pay (duck with lentils). I like lentils and tasted his; they were really good. After we got our main courses, the place started filling up and became somewhat lively. Because of all the food, and the snack at Ladurée, we passed on desert and just had coffee.

After dinner, we went for a short walk down to rue de Charonne for a look around. It was quite nice. We are, if you haven't guessed yet, looking for a place we can afford in a section of Paris we find attractive (which is most all of the city).

Plus à venir, mes amis.