Good morning Paris! After a good nights sleep (except for the 1a.m. talkie-talk of our neighbors in Room 23 and the subsequent call to the front desk asking them to call the noisy bitches and asking them to shut-up!) we slept great and woke up fresh and ready to go. Gordon went down to the local Starbucks and asked the gal behind the desk in perfect French - " Bonjour, duex cafe americano's si 'lvous plait." She responded in perfect English "your vento coffees will be right up". Gordon thought he looked and sounded completely French, but the French aren't easily fooled are they? Oh well. We are feeling way more comfortable here and fitting right in with the lifestyle. We have traveled enough to know HOW to fit into the lifestyle I think and feel very fortunate to have visited yet another European city in our lives. After all the walking we've done and the climbing of stairs, we realize if you don't travel and visit the places you want to while you are young.....or reasonable young, you won't be able to. We feel so blessed to be able to travel and hike and navigate and climb and see all the wonderful places we have wanted to see.
Today we set out for Montmartre and we have to negotiate the Metro and at least a train change in order to get there. We walk WAY OUT OF THE WAY to catch the right train but when we do find the right station and as we walk down to the train we converse about whether or not we are headed in the right direction on the right train. This incredibly beautiful, sophisticated and elderly French woman with cool black and white checked gloves stopped to help us. We didn't ask her, she just noticed that we were confused. She was totally polite and took the time to talk through our destination. She did not speak English and we speak little French but we were able to convey each others thoughts. It was a beautiful moment with a woman we will never meet again and she was delightful and gracious. Where do we get off thinking the Parisians are rude? or the French for that matter? We have not met anyone we would classify as the least bit rude or arrogant. I think it's the other way around.....case in point:
When we arrived in Montmartre we got off the train and stood right in front of the Moulon Rouge. Next to us were 4,
obviously Americans.....tie dyed tee-shirts; white tennis shoes; sports team shirts and speaking very loudly...."check this off your list as another site we've seen"....like that's all they were there to do....check the sights off their list! How 'bout walk up the hill to Montmartre? See the White Church? Enjoy the artists? Sit in a cafe? Be quiet and observe the French and the lifestyle? These were the rude people in France. It made Gordon and I feel embarrassed.
Gordon and I were thrilled to hike up to Montmartre to see the artists; to peek in the old church; to enjoy the view from the "butte"; to take in the sights and smells and sounds of a bustling destination full of locals and tourists alike. To go into a shop and say "bonjour" and "merci" and "au revoire". What's wrong with learning a little and being polite? Afterall, it's their country.
The first stop on our trek today took us to the Pantheon. The Pantheon was originally a church but was changed to a place for famous French people to be buried like Westminster Abbey in England. For instance, Marie Curie and Voltaire are buried here. It is a magnificent building and our photos do not do it justice as most pictures we've taken. It is equally as impressive as St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
 |
| The view down the hill from the Pantheon. Oh what's that? The Eiffel Tower? |
Now we board the train for Montmartre.
And we get off at the Moulin Rouge!
And head up the hill to Montmartre.
 |
| An artists dream! |
 |
| We look at art......pigeons watch us! |
 |
| The plaza in front of the Basilica. |
 |
| This is for you Ali! |
 |
| Beautiful flowers. The weather is unbelievable. |
 |
| As we walk down the stairs in front of the Basilica we notice a Top Model Van......this is for you too Ali! |
 |
| A model waits to be photographed. |
 |
| The set up for the model's photo shoot. |
After Montmartre we make our way back to the Luxemborg Gardens and sit and enjoy the views before.....
 |
| This is for you Nat and, by the way, Dad ate that the other night! Not yum! |
 |
| .....we eat moules mariniers and frites and rose at a G R E AT restaurant just up from the gardens and down from the Pantheon. Please come here if you are ever in Paris! Ce bonne! |
and then we visit a little artshop and pick up a little something special for Natalie. Look at all the fantastic paints, chalks, and pastels!
And, again, the sky, fantastic!
No market today! Sad....but tomorrow first thing!
We stopped for an espresso and water shot! before heading up for a bath and a rest and reconnoiter. Next.....who knows? We have had VERY full days in Paris and loving every minute.
P.S. Provence needs to introduce their "savon" (soap) to Paris! don't these people communicate?
Tomorrow is the Louvre! Can it get any better? We'll just see. Merci beaucoup, bonne nuit!
No comments:
Post a Comment