3 women, some wine and Paris. May 23-May 31 2011
Jun 2nd, 2011, 06:40 AM
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3 women, some wine and Paris. May 23-May 31 2011
Just back from a fantastic trip to Paris with 2 of my good friends. It took 2 years of planning and delays (cancer scare and loss of parents) but we’ve finally undertaken our great Parisian adventure.
Our flight over from JFK was thankfully uneventful and pretty routine. One word of caution, we had a layover in Madrid Spain. Madrid’s airport is huge and in my opinion not very well laid out. We thought a 2 hour delay would be sufficient to catch our connecting flight but we barely made it. You arrive in one part of the airport and then have to literally run and catch a tram to take you to a totally different part of the airport, going through security once again. If you have to connect through Madrid I would suggest a longer layover.
Monday May 23rd.
finally, finally we land safely at Orly international tired but extremely happy. We've pre- arranged for a car to pick us up and I’m glad we did. 12 hours of travel time with an overnight flight can be brutal. not having to worry about transportation to our hotel is great. We arrived at the Concorde Opera hotel on Rue Saint-Lazare in the 8th around 1:00 pm but our room is not ready. Hotel is very pretty and luxurious. Nothing left to do but walk around and explore. The area is very nice, very Parisian (or at least what my mind has envisioned Paris to be). The buildings are absolutely gorgeous with windows covered with ornate railings and flowers (I’m sure there is some architectural name for this but I don’t know it). We travel down the Rue Saint Lazare past Galaries Lafayette, wander past boutiques and Brasseries until we get to the Palais Garnier also known as the Opera house. Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. Since this is our first time, the wandering is slow and cameras are clicking fast and furious.
After a few hours of this we are bone weary and really just want a hot shower and a warm bed. I had been warned before hand of the small size of European hotels but was surprised to find our room was very comfortable with ample space to move around. Entering the bath room, I fall in love with our tub. I’m 5’8 which is on the tall side for women and my tub at home is not large enough nor deep enough for me to ever soak in. Our hotel tub is not only long enough for me to stretch fully out in, it’s also very deep. A long soak is just what I needed!! Getting in was great, getting out was a comedy of errors. While the tub was long it was extremely narrow and skinny is not adjective that would be use to describe me, after soaking for some time I realized that my wet thighs have created a sort of “suction” along the side of the tub and since the tub is narrow, I don’t have any room to do what I call the “senior citizen, roll onto your knees and stand” maneuver. Did I mention that we had been “sipping” on a bottle of red wine we picked up so the combination of alcohol, hot water and sleepiness did not leave me a lot of upper body strength to hoist myself out. Needless to say we found this hysterical and many minutes of hilarity over this predicament followed.
Later that night, just as I’m getting ready to sleep I realize that these are the moments that memories are made of, these are the stories you tell when some one ask about your trip.
I go to sleep beyond happy.
Tomorrow: Day 2. In this corner, the Hunchback of Notre Dame….
Our flight over from JFK was thankfully uneventful and pretty routine. One word of caution, we had a layover in Madrid Spain. Madrid’s airport is huge and in my opinion not very well laid out. We thought a 2 hour delay would be sufficient to catch our connecting flight but we barely made it. You arrive in one part of the airport and then have to literally run and catch a tram to take you to a totally different part of the airport, going through security once again. If you have to connect through Madrid I would suggest a longer layover.
Monday May 23rd.
finally, finally we land safely at Orly international tired but extremely happy. We've pre- arranged for a car to pick us up and I’m glad we did. 12 hours of travel time with an overnight flight can be brutal. not having to worry about transportation to our hotel is great. We arrived at the Concorde Opera hotel on Rue Saint-Lazare in the 8th around 1:00 pm but our room is not ready. Hotel is very pretty and luxurious. Nothing left to do but walk around and explore. The area is very nice, very Parisian (or at least what my mind has envisioned Paris to be). The buildings are absolutely gorgeous with windows covered with ornate railings and flowers (I’m sure there is some architectural name for this but I don’t know it). We travel down the Rue Saint Lazare past Galaries Lafayette, wander past boutiques and Brasseries until we get to the Palais Garnier also known as the Opera house. Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. Since this is our first time, the wandering is slow and cameras are clicking fast and furious.
After a few hours of this we are bone weary and really just want a hot shower and a warm bed. I had been warned before hand of the small size of European hotels but was surprised to find our room was very comfortable with ample space to move around. Entering the bath room, I fall in love with our tub. I’m 5’8 which is on the tall side for women and my tub at home is not large enough nor deep enough for me to ever soak in. Our hotel tub is not only long enough for me to stretch fully out in, it’s also very deep. A long soak is just what I needed!! Getting in was great, getting out was a comedy of errors. While the tub was long it was extremely narrow and skinny is not adjective that would be use to describe me, after soaking for some time I realized that my wet thighs have created a sort of “suction” along the side of the tub and since the tub is narrow, I don’t have any room to do what I call the “senior citizen, roll onto your knees and stand” maneuver. Did I mention that we had been “sipping” on a bottle of red wine we picked up so the combination of alcohol, hot water and sleepiness did not leave me a lot of upper body strength to hoist myself out. Needless to say we found this hysterical and many minutes of hilarity over this predicament followed.
Later that night, just as I’m getting ready to sleep I realize that these are the moments that memories are made of, these are the stories you tell when some one ask about your trip.
I go to sleep beyond happy.
Tomorrow: Day 2. In this corner, the Hunchback of Notre Dame….
Jun 2nd, 2011, 06:51 AM
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LOL, I don't do the tub very often anymore. I think the last time was in Copenhagen and I had much the same experience you did.
I'm looking forward to following you and your friends around Paris. My last trip was with my best girl friend and we made great memories.
I'm looking forward to following you and your friends around Paris. My last trip was with my best girl friend and we made great memories.
Jun 2nd, 2011, 10:37 AM
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Can't wait to hear more...love to live vicariously through others trips! Enjoy the wine (and the cheese, pastry, baguettes, pain au chocolat, Bertillon ice cream...oops I slipped away on my own vacation)!
I stayed near Opera Garnier a few years ago...if you enjoy champagne, we loved the bar at the Le Grand Hotel Intercontinental. We stopped in for a glass every night before we turned in (and several other times). They always served it with these great little chips, olives and a third snack that I can't remember..but we always ate all the olives & chips.
Opera Garnier is lovely and we went to a ballet there last year. Such a decadent, opulent theatre.
waiting for more, eliza
I stayed near Opera Garnier a few years ago...if you enjoy champagne, we loved the bar at the Le Grand Hotel Intercontinental. We stopped in for a glass every night before we turned in (and several other times). They always served it with these great little chips, olives and a third snack that I can't remember..but we always ate all the olives & chips.
Opera Garnier is lovely and we went to a ballet there last year. Such a decadent, opulent theatre.
waiting for more, eliza
Jun 2nd, 2011, 11:55 AM
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Sounds excellent, and I think your hotel location was much better than people who want to stay in the dead center of Paris -- this allowed you much more room to explore things other than the obligatory tourist sites.
Jun 3rd, 2011, 03:25 AM
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Day 2: And in this corner, the hunchback of Notre Dame
After a great nights sleep and a very good breakfast courtesy of the hotel we are prepared to start our day. First up, Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle. Now as an East Coast American my knowledge of history is really, really limited. I’m sad to admit that although I had history as a school girl (and we’re talking pre computers here, heck we’re almost talking pre TV!!!) much of my knowledge of history has been gathered via the History channel and Ken Burns miniseries on PBS TV.
Paris had done a marvelous job of being very up to date and retaining it’s history. It’s a bit humbling to realize the building you’re sleeping in is older than the country you live in.
Since sadly my knowledge of Notre Dame comes from the 1939 movie, “the hunchback of Notre Dame” featuring Charles Laughton, nothing prepares us for the Grandeur of the cathedral. Even from the outside, she is magnificent. The detailing on the outside of the doors is absolutely amazing. The front façade is made up of 3 doors each with detailed engravings of what I assume are saints, priest, knights and kings. It’s a great day for touring and while there is a crowd, it is light and we can move freely around the plaza. As we cue up to enter the cathedral I notice that although the crowd is light there seems to be a backup right at the entrance of the church, as I clear the information desk on the right (tip: pick up one of those hand held self guided tour thingy’s, it gives you a wealth of information. It cost 5 or 6 Euros), I see the reason for the back up. Your first glimpse of the inside is mind boggling, you simply stop and stare. In the back of my mind I can almost hear the cathedral whisper “wait until you get inside”. I won’t go into all the detail, let’s just say it deserves all the accolades you hear.
In order to visit the gargoyles and see the view you must go outside the church and cue up again to climb the stairs up the tower. Ladies and gentlemen, it is here that I learn that yes, the story of the hunchback is a myth. No way in heck could anyone climb these stairs while rescuing a damsel in distress, even if she does look like a Hollywood starlet. I grew up as a Catholic and halfway up I’m thinking maybe I should have popped into one of the cathedrals confessionals and went to confession. I’m seriously going to have a heart attach. Midway up we come to a gift shop selling souvenirs & personally I think they’d make a lot more money if they install some Oxygen tanks and defibulators but that’s just me. The flow of traffic is regulated due to the small stairs so we get a chance to catch our breath. We are given the ok to continue our climb and with a deep breathe off we go. Now we are punch drunk, people are cracking jokes about the climb, laughing and trying to breathe at the same time. My lungs are screaming and my calves are promising dire retribution until… I step onto the parapet and look out. Now this is what I call a room with a view.
After a great nights sleep and a very good breakfast courtesy of the hotel we are prepared to start our day. First up, Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle. Now as an East Coast American my knowledge of history is really, really limited. I’m sad to admit that although I had history as a school girl (and we’re talking pre computers here, heck we’re almost talking pre TV!!!) much of my knowledge of history has been gathered via the History channel and Ken Burns miniseries on PBS TV.
Paris had done a marvelous job of being very up to date and retaining it’s history. It’s a bit humbling to realize the building you’re sleeping in is older than the country you live in.
Since sadly my knowledge of Notre Dame comes from the 1939 movie, “the hunchback of Notre Dame” featuring Charles Laughton, nothing prepares us for the Grandeur of the cathedral. Even from the outside, she is magnificent. The detailing on the outside of the doors is absolutely amazing. The front façade is made up of 3 doors each with detailed engravings of what I assume are saints, priest, knights and kings. It’s a great day for touring and while there is a crowd, it is light and we can move freely around the plaza. As we cue up to enter the cathedral I notice that although the crowd is light there seems to be a backup right at the entrance of the church, as I clear the information desk on the right (tip: pick up one of those hand held self guided tour thingy’s, it gives you a wealth of information. It cost 5 or 6 Euros), I see the reason for the back up. Your first glimpse of the inside is mind boggling, you simply stop and stare. In the back of my mind I can almost hear the cathedral whisper “wait until you get inside”. I won’t go into all the detail, let’s just say it deserves all the accolades you hear.
In order to visit the gargoyles and see the view you must go outside the church and cue up again to climb the stairs up the tower. Ladies and gentlemen, it is here that I learn that yes, the story of the hunchback is a myth. No way in heck could anyone climb these stairs while rescuing a damsel in distress, even if she does look like a Hollywood starlet. I grew up as a Catholic and halfway up I’m thinking maybe I should have popped into one of the cathedrals confessionals and went to confession. I’m seriously going to have a heart attach. Midway up we come to a gift shop selling souvenirs & personally I think they’d make a lot more money if they install some Oxygen tanks and defibulators but that’s just me. The flow of traffic is regulated due to the small stairs so we get a chance to catch our breath. We are given the ok to continue our climb and with a deep breathe off we go. Now we are punch drunk, people are cracking jokes about the climb, laughing and trying to breathe at the same time. My lungs are screaming and my calves are promising dire retribution until… I step onto the parapet and look out. Now this is what I call a room with a view.
Jun 3rd, 2011, 04:08 AM
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Eliza, great description of Notre Dame! My knees are turning to jelly as I recall my climb up to the top parapet!
I was puzzled by your comment "as an east coast American, my knowledge of history is limited." Are you implying that only east coast Americans are the only ones deficient in history?
I was puzzled by your comment "as an east coast American, my knowledge of history is limited." Are you implying that only east coast Americans are the only ones deficient in history?
Jun 3rd, 2011, 04:43 AM
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>3 women, some wine and Paris.<
Now that's a very nice combination. (Accompanied by various Gallic gestures, a few low volume snorts and an Oh La La).
Glad that you had such a good time in Paris, E.
May you have many more.
Now that's a very nice combination. (Accompanied by various Gallic gestures, a few low volume snorts and an Oh La La).
Glad that you had such a good time in Paris, E.
May you have many more.
Jun 3rd, 2011, 04:47 AM
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The first time I took my Lady Wife to Paris, our room at the Bonaparte had a large <i>salle de bain</i> with a similar tub. It looked like black Onyx, was over 6 ft long and quite deep.
I drew Madame a bath, added some bath salts and left her to soak before taking a nap after a day of sightseeing.
I went out, as is my wont, to visit the neighborhood and renew some acquaintances.
I returned several hours later to find my very pruney wife trapped in a tub full of cold water.
She, too, couldn't get out.
I drew Madame a bath, added some bath salts and left her to soak before taking a nap after a day of sightseeing.
I went out, as is my wont, to visit the neighborhood and renew some acquaintances.
I returned several hours later to find my very pruney wife trapped in a tub full of cold water.
She, too, couldn't get out.
Jun 3rd, 2011, 04:52 AM
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Hi Irishface,
Not at all, I'm in the Philly area which sorts of prides itself on it's historic building and such. I do find my southern US friends do have a more through knowledge of early american history (although it could simply be my friends).
More than likely I'm probably trying to find a plausible excuse for why I royally suck at history. lol.
Not at all, I'm in the Philly area which sorts of prides itself on it's historic building and such. I do find my southern US friends do have a more through knowledge of early american history (although it could simply be my friends).
More than likely I'm probably trying to find a plausible excuse for why I royally suck at history. lol.
