Hello from Paris! I’m sitting here at Le Café Marly, enjoying a Cafe au lait w the great view of The Louvre. It has been quite a journey, and the past four days here have been amazing. and, that goes without saying, even more than before, I think Paris is one of the most extraordinary cities in the world.
I truly explored the city, and even were in areas where tourists seldom venture out to. What was vividly in my memory of Paris were the steps going up to Montmartre and the majestic Sacre Coeur, the breath-taking Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame and its famous gargoyles, the bridges over the Seine, Arc de Triomphe, Musée du Louvre, Opéra Garnier, and the different neighborhoods. The beautiful architecture everywhere, the street lights, and strolling down Champs- Élysées. I loved walking through the gardens and parks and take a rest in one of the local cafes, the weather was perfect with sunshine every day and we were treated with temperatures of 21 -14 degrees. Autumn in Paris, what could be nicer?
We started Paris with the Tour of Illuminations, and the view of the entire city from the top of Eiffel was breath-taking. Every hour it goes all sparkly & everyone screams. In a happy good way, mind you.
The next morning, we visited Musée du Louvre, and it was just splendid, both inside & out. There is just too much art to take in or to describe. You have to really want to appreciate pre-impressionist and like religious paintings, because 75% of it is in European adulation of Christianity and the story of Christ. We headed for the obvious, the Mona Lisa and its quite disappointing when you finally see her. The crowd was so huge that i had to literally be on tip toes and crane my neck just to get a glimpse of her. The rest of the paintings were really cool to see, tons of roman sculptures, the Venus de Milo and the ancient Greek artifacts were amazing too. After a sumptuous lunch of Foie Gras Terrine w Gewurztraminer Gelée & Pavé de Saumon Grillé in a charming, welcoming French brasserie, we strolled down Place de la Concorde to Champs- Élysées, and then settled at Trocadero just looking at the Eiffel Tower in all its glory. In the evening, I had the most amazing feast, thanks entirely to the gift of a fantastically aromatic (and of course ridiculously expensive) white Alba truffle at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, and an array of sumptuous entrées & desserts.
On the third day- my South African friend, Wendy & I took the RER (Réseau Express Régional) to Château de Versailles. With its baroque château and gardens, the Hall of Mirrors, King’s Grand Apartments, the Grand Trianon and Marie-Antoinette’s domain, it represents luxury at its finest- I was speechless. Versailles was magnificent beyond words. In the afternoon, we headed back to Paris & visited the Notre Dame. It was quite an ominous sight, with its huge spire and creepy gargoyles. But it was glorious being up there overlooking Paris in all its glory especially when the bells started ringing. That alone is worth to climb the spiral stairway of 387 stone steps that lead you to the bell that was tolled by Victor Hugo’s fictional character named Quasimodo. Meanwhile, the cathedral’s interior was undeniably impressive, and retained, oddly enough, all the sacredness and functionality of a working cathedral space despite the throngs of visitors - parishioners lighting votive candles, priests hearing confessions, and prayer in the pews.
In the evening, I had another sumptuous dinner at Le Train Bleu in Gare de Lyon & headed out to watch “Féerie”, a traditional French can-can at Moulin Rouge. Yes, Moulin Rouge. It was spectacular, full of bright lights, sparkles, feathers & dancing. Absolutely amazing and something I will always remember.
Not enough to have that on its own, I went to numerous brasseries and cafes, and enjoyed the most fabulous croissants, and ate plenty of canard (well, when in France..) and of course a decent smattering of some expensive french red wine, fromage and baguettes.
Walking off the sugar load was possible in my last trip to the Eiffel Tower. I meander along the banks of the Seine through a photographic exhibition and into the throng at the bottom of the tower. Taking the life to the top - Paris! In all its glory, the city spreads out beneath as the sun sets and the twinkling lights of Parisian city life start to appear. And so it is with Paris.
After four days in this city, I still find myself halted by the sight of the Eiffel Tower from the steps of the Trocadero. There is nothing like it. The vibe and feel that you get from walking down the romantic, cobblestone streets is itself uplifting and that’s not even mentioning the beautiful architecture, the history and the enticing smells of the boulangeries everywhere. You can have an amazing time just sitting with your espresso and pain au chocolat in a little cafe on some random corner, watching as people walk past speaking the most beautiful sounding language. Every stereotype of the “City of Love” came true right before my eyes. Young couples kiss on the park benches, little boys play in the streets and you’ll see more than a few people walking around with baguettes under their arms or in the basket of their bicycles. I can spend a whole month in this city just sight seeing and there would still be something left that I hadn’t seen.
Paris is just splendid! So charming, so romantic and so elegant; there is a sense of culture here; plenty of picturesque old buildings and beautiful architecture all around. It’s funny, how places like Paris will live up to the stereotypes even as they defy them. ‘Joie de vivre’ is after all a French phrase! 22.09.10 //
