Steve and Dorothy Reinhardt's

Paris Blog

September, 2005

 

 

 

 

This is the completed Paris Blog from our trip in day-by-day order. 

September 15, 2005—Paris!

The jet-lagged travelers have finally made it to the City of Light.  After hours navigating the endless series of car rental van-planes-busses we have arrived at our stated goal:  Paris, France.  Now what?  Way too much to see, and we are tired.  The hotel lets us check in early and we get a nice room on the third floor.  As usual, telling folks we are from San Francisco elicits the same response…either they love it or they want to go there. We have one night at the Le Meridien Etoile before we get our apartment tomorrow.  We attempt to follow the advice of veteran traveler, John Morgan, who states:  “Arrive, get your hotel, eat something and take a nap.  In the evening, go out and try to stay up as late as you can so you’ll be on the right time the next day.  Don’t let the jet lag get you.”

Speaking of the jet set, last night as we were having dinner at Logan in Boston, John Malkovich, the actor, strolled cooly past us several times on his way to and from the special Air France club lounge.  We met him again at the baggage claim area in Paris.  We think he probably had a better seat than we did, but we both got here at the same time, and he had to wait for and schlep his baggage too.  Now on to Paris.

We went out in search of lunch and found a nice bistro called “Le XVI”. Lunch outdoors with the hum of Paris all around, just steps from the Arc de Triomphe.  D looks a little overwhelmed  by being a pieton  (pedestrian) in Paris traffic in the picture below, crossing the Avenue de la Grande Armee.  But she did enjoy our first meal in Paris and the cute French waiter.

  

 

After lunch D headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest while Steve climbed the 200 plus steps to the top of the Arc de Triumph for the panoramic view of the city.  This landmark monument to the wars and armies of France during the times of Napoleon is so huge that pictures do not do justice.  From below, the aches and stonework provide an awe-inspiring canopy against the blue gray of the cloudy sky.

From the Arc, Steve took some photos of the Paris streets below.  The gray sky and haze made the pictures less than spectacular, so nothing made it to the blog except the picture below of the spiral staircase inside the monument.

 

September 16, 2005—Steve and Dorothy’s 27th Wedding Anniversary

Just like in the movies, we kissed on a bridge over the Seine a little after midnight on our 27th.  The Eiffel Tour’s lights and beam provided the cinematic background.  A fitting end to our first day in Paris and the beginning of our trip.  By day’s end we had made our way to our rental apartment at 16 Rue de Chanoinesse on the Ile de la Cite.  The apartment is all we had expected in a very, very old building with low ceilings and a slight hint of mildew in the air.  This place is old (from the 14th century, they tell us), but as you can tell, the DSL is working and the modern features were kindly explained to us by the landlord’s rep this morning.  The key to the door is about 4 inches long, looking from the early 1900’s.  The bed is new and the kitchen has all the conveniences. It’s just our style. C’est tres bon.

Afternoon found us out shopping for the basics: wine, cheese and bread.  While on the trip, Dorothy happened into the Amorino Gelato shop she’s been dreaming about.  I captured the moment below.

 

Walking through the streets of the islands, Cite and St.Louis turned up too many picture ops.  Below, “Pipes of Paris”, suggested by Dorothy, and “Lace Curtain” for those who enjoy my “art shots”.

   

Too tired for more, we came home to our Parisian diner and planed for tomorrow.  I did get an after dinner walk around the neighborhood, by Notre Dame and a stroll by the moonlit Seine.  The full moon is out tonight and the party is going on everywhere you look.  I peered into the crowded restaurants and saw the candlelit dinners and also passed the young people sharing a bottle of wine while smoking and laughing by the river.  Cars sped by and couples walked hand-in-hand.  The moon rose over the cathedral. One night in Paris…

 

September 17, 2005—Paris Birding

Today’s blog by Dorothy. Spent the morning birding in the Bois de Vincennes with a small group of Parisians. They didn't speak much English, and my French is one thing that's not too BON, but I'm managing to understand most of what's going on and communicate on a basic level. There was one older gentleman (M. L.) who spoke slowly and knew a lot about birds, and I could understand almost all of what he was saying. He was very nice. I was thinking that maybe my grandfather, Edward d'Entremont, might have been like this guy.

 

 

I had a little bit of a handicap because I couldn't manage to get my contact lenses in this morning because one of them was covered with fibers. I hope I can fix it. So it was quite a challenge between the jet lag, the language barrier and the fact that most of the birds I've never seen before. The most exciting bird of the day was a Chouette hulotte, a tawny owl, that this guy Michel found. Steve and I got all excited about seeing a Rouge-gorge, which is a very beautiful bird, but it's a Robin and very common here. I think the others got a kick out of how excited we got about it. The group leader, Simone, was very nice. She kept looking up the birds in her book so she could tell me the English name. After the walk we went to a brasserie for lunch with one of the other participants, Francoise, who was also very nice.

 

 

In the afternoon as the rain clouds gathered, Steve went looking at the book and poster vendors that line the Seine.  There are one after another of these vendors of used books, posters and other oddities. Items included the infamous “French Post Card” and photos of the Notre Dame gargoyles from every possible angle.  I happened upon some antique French postcards, either real or very good reproductions  (not completely clear) some with stamps and notes written to friends in French.  These seemed like the best value if not the easiest to bring home as a souvenir.

 

 

 

The evening plan was to go to a jazz club, however the timing was bad, the club was small, and on Saturday night a reservation for dinner was required.  Long story short, after a walk by the Seine, we went to a place requiring no reservation: Quick Hamburger. Saturday night with a young crowd, we ate late and wandered the streets till midnight.  It’s a late night here in Paris every night.

 

 

 

September 18, 2005—Sunday in Paris

Sunday in Paris is church and the park.  Like so many other Parisians (not that we are), we began today by attending church at St. Sulpice. It is on the Left Bank, a church dating back to 16th century.  This morning it was filled with the sounds of organ music and the catholic Mass service all in French, with only a welcome in English.  After the service, we had a brunch at  the sidewalk café, “Les Deux Magots”, famous meeting place of Sartre’s and other French intellectuals.  Today, it’s tourists, high prices and rude service. But the day was saved by the afternoon spent in Luxembourg Garden among the flowers and children at play. We happened upon a band concert in the park and were entertained for two hours with the works of Wagner, Bizet and Santana from the group, Afreubo. At one point, Dorothy remarked, “I was hoping that Paris would be just like this.”  And it was.

 

 

Night found us on a tour cruise of the river Seine after a lovely dinner in a neighborhood bistro.  Being close to Notre Dame in the oldest part of the city is great—we are just a walk to the river and can visits the cathedral whenever the tourist crowd leaves. 

Roses by Notre Dame (Photo by Dorothy)

 

 

September 19, 2005—Monday Blues

Paris returns to work after “le weekend” and outside our apartment this morning the garbage men make a ruckus and the children are off to the school a few doors down.  We are learning today as well, on a walking tour of our island, Ile de la Cite.  The tour guide fills us in on the little known facts about our current home. Of prime interest, of course, is Notre Dame, but the most moving experience of the day was a visit to the Deportation Memorial. This austere monument is so emotionally moving that it is hard to describe in words. Build in 1962 to remember the 200,000 French lost to the Nazis concentration camps from1940-45, walking down into this memorial is a solemn experience.

 

We also learned that our street is one of the oldest remaining streets in Paris, many older ones were torn down around the cathedral. In the year 1118, the uncle of the famous Heloise, lived at number 22 Rue Chanoinesse. Heloise and Abelard, the famous lovers of the Middle Ages, are now buried together in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Inside Notre Dame, we lit a candle at the statue of Joan of Arc.

 

Our late lunch was in the Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris, the park was finished 1612. Then on to the market, for dinner tonight is at home.  MONOPRIX is sort of a “Target” with food. Dorothy is amazed at the variety of cheese and yogurt in this country.  It’s an adventure trying to figure out what to buy, sizes and weights as well as brand names.  

 

 

September 20, 2005—d’Orsay Can You See

Today was our visit to the Musee d’Orsay, the finest collection of impressionist art in Paris.  The building was built as a train station in 1900 with a grand hotel attached.  It was almost lost to the wrecker’s ball in the sixties, but survived. The renovation into an art museum was completed in the seventies and eighties and what a grand job was accomplished. The old features of the station, high glass ceiling and huge clock dominate the main floor, but the real treasures are the great impressionist paintings on the top floor. Some people whip in and out of the place in a few hours, but we managed to take most of the day enjoying the paintings and sculptures.  Art-lover Steve ponders the statue below.

 

 

After hours of art, a rest in the park (Tuileries Gardens to be exact) for an afternoon coffee and tea service was in order. Children played on the carousel and the sunshine kept the native Parisians at their sun-worshiping best.

 

Later, a walk along the Seine on our way to the Saint-Germain district for a wonderful dinner at “Fish, La Boissonnerie”.  The day was “tres bon” and love was in the air.

“Arbre sur la Seine”

 

September 21, 2005—Out in the Country

Late night again tonight.  Long day.  Started at Notre Dame with a climb to the top for the view of the gargoyles and aerial view of our apartment and Paris below.

 

This afternoon we met up with our friends, Ken and Sophia who were also visiting Paris this week.  We planned a day trip out to the champagne country in a tour van.  After an hour of “regular” Paris traffic (a bumper to bumper crawl), the city was finally behind us and the fields and vineyards spread out on the landscape.  We took a tour of famous Moet & Chandon cellars and got to see the sleeping bottles of Don Perignon that will be opened in future years on many a momentous occasion. 

 

On the way back we visited the church where the noble monk, Don Perignon was buried and passed several World War I graveyards.  The most poignant image of the day was one I was not able to record on my camera.  Two graveyards, row after row of the fallen from a war almost a hundred years before were on a hillside beyond the vineyards. The first was the British marked with white crosses. Then over the ridge facing them, were the dark black crosses marking the graves of the fallen Germans. I do not know the battle, or the date, but the image was striking in it’s meaning.

 

 

September 22, 2005—Divide and Conquer

Today Dorothy and I split up to follow our own agendas and give each other some space.  Too much togetherness on vacation makes for some tense moments.  D wanted to go to the Cluny Museum of the Middle Ages and do some market shopping for foods for dinner. I had no plan in mind, just a few destinations as the day went on.

The Pere Lachaise Cemetery is the final resting place of many of the Paris famous.  I took a long bus ride out to the cemetery and spent an hour or most wandering among the graves.  At first I was trying to find specific people, but the task became too daunting and the cemetery is so crowded with poorly marked graves, that I gave up and focused on picture-taking instead.  I always like taking photos in graveyards, and today was no exception.  Here are two I took today.

 

After hours among the dead, I needed to get back to the living.  Back on the bus, I crossed the city toward the Eiffel Tower.  A stop for lunch at Rue Cler where I ate my sandwich on a park bench. I was joined by a French bag lady, chain smoking and carrying on conservation with herself in French. I moved on toward the Tour de Eiffel, a mammoth structure now “protected” by soldiers with automatic weapons that peer over the crowds looking for terrorists. Of course, I got my picture of the structure, but didn’t have the patience to wait in the line to go up to the top.

Next, a walk back over to the Champs-Elysees.  I was on a mission.  Purchased a CD of Gershwin's "American in Paris," and with headphones on high, set off towards the Tuileries Gardens, the soundtrack making the scene radiant. After all that walking, I sat in the sunny café in the gardens, had my café au lait and wrote in my non-digital journal. You may be able to make out the writing in the photo below.

 

September 23, 2005—Life is a Cabaret or Saints and Sinners

Back on the tourist trail this morning, we toured the Sainte-Chapelle famous for the most exquisite stained glass in the world.  The sunlight pouring in almost makes you forget all the hundreds of tourists that are surrounding you.  Every so often one of the docents leading tours in French, English or Italian make a resounding “SHUSSSSSSH” to quiet the crowd back to a low murmur from the roar.  No picture you can take can do justice to the colors of the glass, so I won’t load one here.  It was remarkable.

Then over to Montmartre for lunch and a walking tour of the streets of this district. An old village, Montmartre was not part of Paris for a long time and locals called it “going out to the country” many years ago. Today, there is nothing left of the windmills and vineyards that once covered this mountain. The church of the Sacred Heart now occupies the peak—dedicated to the victims of war and revolts in 1870-71.

The hill was the home of Van Gogh, Picasso and Lautrec. There are many a starving artist still in the lower part of this district, but the real estate is so expensive at the peak that apartments go for 2 million euros plus. 

 

We loved this area so much we decided the have dinner and take in a show at the Au Lapin Agile Cabaret. The show was a traditional French cabaret with singers, music and even a poem or two. All in French!  We met a few fellow travelers here looking for a night out and got one of them to take our photo.  The accordion musician was great and kept everyone entertained with her songs.  We had to get out before midnight to make the last metro train, and crashed at the apartment contented in a wonderful “day in the country”.

 

 

September 24, 2005—Shopping In Paris

Saturday already and it’s shopping day in Paris.  Time to get out there and get those souvenirs as time is running out on our trip.  I was out of the house as early as I could after last night heading to the Paris Flea Market for bargains.  D, of course, left later and made only one stop at “La Tuile A Loup” a very fine shop near Jardin des Plantes. Guess who spent more euros?  My trip took me to one of Paris’s smaller markets (I think it was described as intimate in some guides) near Porte de Vanves.  It was still overwhelming.  Stall after stall of strange and interesting items, from books to art to junk to well, everything.  The two and a half hours barely gave me time to see it all, let alone buy anything. I made it back with some treasures, but enjoyed the picture taking opportunities as much as the merchandise.   

  

 

It’s just before six o’clock.  The bells of Notre Dame have just rung out a 5 minute concert and Dorothy and I are busy resting up and writing some cards.  Tonight, after dinner at home, a night trek to the Eiffel Tower. I took a few pictures of the apartment this afternoon and the view of the church from our street.

     

 

September 25, 2005—Last Day in Paris

The day broke cooler but still sunny. The promised rains never did arrive and we have been blessed with ten days of almost perfect weather. A last day to enjoy Paris and now that we’ve been here so long, we are just realizing how much we still want to see and how great it is just to take a day and go where the day leads you.  Our friend Lisa has just come to town from a hiking trip in the South of France and we planned to see her today.  She’s been to Paris many times and speaks French so much better that we do.  So great to speak English and be with someone who can help us translate both the language and the culture.  We meet at the reasonable hour of 11:00 at the Musee Rodin.  Here the works of the great sculpture are displayed in his former estate.  The gardens are wide and peaceful and in the warm day it makes a great location for these timeless works.  Looking at works like “The Gates of Hell” and “The Thinker” while learning about the life of Rodin is interesting.  But we needed lunch.  We found a little place off the main street and was greeted by the maitre d’, the little cat below.  Lunch was well done, like most of the food in Paris always very different.

     

Walking on we passed a demonstration of French military might.  There was some national exhibition of military hardware and recruiting going on in the square. With all the history of wars we have seen in the past week, it’s hard to imagine people wanting to enlist. But the French are a proud people and that have a long history of military service.  We instead made it towards the Jardin de Plants, where Lisa and D posed for a picture.

  

As the afternoon progressed we wended our way through the streets of Paris, checking in on an old Roman ruin once used for gladiator fights.  Today an intense game of boules was in progress and we watched the competition. Lisa’s friend from San Francisco, Shelley invited us over to see her apartment and go out for dinner.  Shelley, a former American, (“I’m Irish” she says about herself) has done all the considerable paperwork to establish herself in Paris. We were treated to the beautiful sunset views from her 3rd floor apartment while the light was just perfect. The evening stroll along the canal on our way to a local wine shop/restaurant was equally pleasant. There Shelly and Lisa ordered in French and we settled in for a typical two-hour plus dinner, animated by the local patrons. A young couple seated right next to us followed the French eating ritual: Drink wine, smoke cigarette, kiss across the table, first course. Drink wine, smoke cigarette, kiss again, second course.  Oh so very French.

 

 

We had to leave to get back to packing for our return and left our friends with hours more of conversation, dessert and coffee. On the way home by Notre Dame we saw a mime dance troupe performing in the darkness of the square.  How could we come to Paris and not see a mime?  They must have known it was our last night in town.

 

September 27, 2005—Flying Home

As I write this I am high in the sky, somewhere above the “flyover States” on the way to San Francisco.  We got bumped from our non-stop flight and now have to make a connection through Salt Lake City.  I don’t have much battery power left, but I wanted to finish this up so I can post it when I get home. This marks the end of the blog for now.  I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed composing the words and pictures. It was a lot of work and at times felt my duty was more than I should undertake on a vacation.  But I needed a record as well, because sometimes it was hard to keep track as one day mixed with the others. Feel free to email me a note if you can.  Aurevoir and bon chance!

Message to Steve

Message to Dorothy

 

©Copyright 2005 Steve and Dorothy Reinhardt