Paris

As it turns out, I'm a liar.

I promised photos over a week ago to a couple of people, yet between attending a conference (at which the conference hotel was set ablaze!) and finally getting back to Chicago, I simply didn't want to. Not because I don't love editing and posting photos (because I love feeling artsy!), but because of the finality that seemed to come with doing so. I am back to the reality and actuality of my life here in the city, where there are deadlines and meetings and demands made on my soul! (Okay... that was a bit melodramatic... but only by a bit.) I've heard of the post-wedding and post-baby melancholia- is post-trip ennui an acceptable woe nowadays? If so, I'm afraid I've been infected... 

At any rate, my friend Lynn and her family are in Paris at the moment, and she's posting photos on Instagram and filling me in on their adventures (or at least she will be, once she wakes up and checks her Facebook messages and finds out that I'm bugging her for details!). But for now, I will be content with the moments I captured myself and the memories of walking through neighborhoods, speaking very, very poor French to a guy I met at the train station (aided by hand gestures, we kind of understood one another), and eating wonderful food and drinking horrible French beer (sorry, France... Belgium has you beat in this category). Below are a few of my favorite photos from my almost three day excursion to the city, as well as the itinerary my wonderful friend, Anahit, made for me before I left. (She, by the way, is a Parisian expert who absolutely needs to open her own business creating itineraries and planning trips to France for clueless people like me.)

Jouir! 

Day 1:

I hadn't really planned on going to Paris; I was actually thinking of flying to Berlin after coming back from Johannesburg. However, tickets were a bit more than I had wanted to pay, so I stuck around London and Cambridge for about a week before hopping the EuroStar train to Paris. It's only about a 2.5 hour trip and absolutely worth doing, even if you only go to the city for a day or two. I stayed at Smart Place hostel (smartplace.com), which is located by the Gare du Nord train station. Doing so was not only cheaper than most places in Paris, but it's also a safe neighborhood and you can easily walk (or meander) to your destination from there. For the first day, I was sent to many of the more touristy sites in the city- which was great, because I think that those should be on anyone's to-do list. The listed itinerary is a mix of what Anahit sent me and my additions/notes.

1. Paris Opera House: Exquisite architecture on the outside, and you can go inside and nose around a bit without having to take the tour. But if you have the time, I am sure the tour is worth it. (The photo below was taken outside- I'm amazed at how ornate even the most commonplace items were in Paris and London.)

2. Eiffel Tower- it's super touristy but it's an icon of Paris. If the lines aren't too big, then head to the top for incredible views- it's one of those totally overpriced and cheesy things, but it really is gorgeous up there. (On a side, I did not venture up into the tower... I am too terrified of heights to do something like that on my own. So, Anahit, when you and I go back to Paris one day, you can pat my shoulder and make sure I don't pass out as we go up. I did, however, linger in the park and people watch while I was there.)

3. Head to a Seine River Cruise for a one hour cruise along the Seine in a Bateau Mouche- you will see signs for them all over the place and you can book a ticket in advance. (Again, I didn't do this, but only because I wanted to save time for a few other things, instead.

4. Explore Champ de Mars, a large public park located right in the middle of the Eiffel Tower and the Ecole Militaire- you can grab a croissant and have yourself a little picnic on the lawn.

Pretty sure this says: Joy of balloons strictly enforced (here).

5. Pop into the Hotel des Invalides, which is a French historical military museum. I didn't go into the museum, itself, but the grounds are stunning and worth walking around.

6. Head to the Rodin Museum, which is worth the visit for the grounds alone. This is one of the places I'm so happy I chose to visit- the museum was actually once a hotel, and the art against the divine design of the space is something I've not experienced elsewhere. 

Finally, someone with larger shoes than me!

7. Stroll your way to the Alexander Bridge, the most popular and decorated bridge in Paris.

8. From there, you can make your way over to the Champs Elysee... if you walk all the way to the beginning of the street, you will be at the Place de la Concorde. 

9. Right between the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre is the Tuileries Gardens, which were designed by Catherine de Medicis and they are absolutely stunning. (There was also a carnival taking place near here when I visited, which was also fun to stroll through.)

10. From the gardens, walk to the Louvre. In my opinion, unless you have an entire day to spend there, it's not worth visiting. During August (when I was in Paris), it's super crowded and you'll waste time indoors when you can be outside, exploring!

11. End the day by going to Angelina's at 226 rue de rivoli (at the Tuileries- not a very long walk from the Louvre) - they are LEGENDARY for their hot chocolate. In fact, after I drank my small pot of hot chocolate and had my (second) croissant of the day, I was feeling very diabetic-y. Seriously. It will leave you in a happy, chocolate-infused coma. 

 Day 2

I started out my day a bit later than I had wanted (being un-young and traveling can make one very, very tired, apparently). But I still had a fun time wandering through the different arrondissements and seeing how the character of each neighborhood changed as I moved throughout the city.

1. Visit La Pistacherie. It is a small shop filled with nothing but pistachio-based treats, and it is expensive (because pistachios, regardless of where you buy them, are ridiculously expensive), but it is incredibly good.

2. Walk to the Paroisse Saint Merri, a gothic-style church that now houses an art gallery. It is just south of The Centre Pompidou, on Rue Saint Martin.

3. There is quite a lot of shopping that one can do between Saint Merri and Notre Dame. However, if you see a place called "The Love Store", don't assume that it is anything other than an adult-themed store. I don't know why I thought it was anything other than that, but it's not. 

4. Keep walking south to the Ile de la Cite. This is Anahit's favorite little plot of land in Paris (I mean, I guess it's okay...). This is where you can find Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie (where Marie Antoinette awaited execution), and also general architectural splendor as this neighborhood is where you can find some of the oldest residential areas in Paris (and the richest, bein sur!).

Famous lock bridge. Don't worry if you forget your lock to put on the bridge, someone will be close by to sell you one.

5. While you're there, walk down to the Square du Vert-Galant, which is a park at the end of the Ile de la Cite that juts out into the Seine, with a beautiful willow tree at the very edge. You can see Paris in front of you and it is a beautiful (and VERY romantic!) spot to go with a blanket and vino and watch the sun set over Paris. (So find someone to smooch while you're there!!) 

6. In the evening, head to the Latin Quarter (Rue St. Michel) or St. Germain de Pres to see how lively Paris is at night. While there, go to Les Pipos, an authentic French restaurant with amazing filet mignon and great food, wine, and ambience. 

 Day 3

(Sorry, no photos from the day... I think this was the day I grabbed the camera but forgot the battery.)

1. Head to Montmartre for the day. 

2. Go to Le Relais Gascon. When you go to Montmartre, don't even think of going anywhere else for lunch (or dinner - I think they are open for both!). You can sit on the patio outside which overlooks charming hilly Montmartre streets and they serve THE BEST SALADS and really good rosé. Like, plates the size of your face piled with deliciousness. And really well priced, which is always a bonus in Paris. And from there you can walk all around Montmartre. (Disclaimer: I didn't get to eat here, but Anahit is never wrong in her recommendations!)

3. Walk around Montmartre, then head to the Sacre Coeur for stunning views of Paris and beautiful architecture. Just be prepared to deal with some shady people while you're here- if people approach you, just be rude and give them a pre-emptive no. Seriously, it's okay to be a rude American in this situation. 

4. From Montmartre, you can go to Moulin Rouge. They have an adjoining museum, which I passed on, but it's also an option while you're there. 

5. If you are in the area during the weekend, there is a giant flea market called Les Puces that you must visit. For info on this and other flea markets, visit: parisperfect.com/paris-flea-markets.php. 

This, for me, was it! I had such a short amount of time in the city, but I really enjoyed walking around and taking in all of the beautiful architecture, winding streets, and eating. I ate a lot. Like, more than any person ever should, even on vacation. But the crepes, the bread, the chocolate... they were all begging to be eaten! Hopefully these recommendations will help you in planning your own trip.

Bonjour!