I'm so glad you had a nice day! The restaurant looks delightful, so I look forward to hearing more about it. Enjoy the rest of your time in Paris.

Right, The Barcelona Flat.

Actually, that is what it's called! I found it during a google search, when Barb and I were hunting for a cheap apartment in a good location. And I mean cheap. This place is only 80 euros a night, with the bonus of a discount if you book 5 nights or more, ie one free night. So we only paid a total of 400 euros for the 6 nights.

We realised early on that all those lovely Habitat apartments were out of our price range! We wanted to stay in the old town, be it Barri Gotic or Born, and we definitely wanted 2 bedrooms, because neither of us was prepared to spend 6 nights on a pull-out-sofa-bed.

I found this place in the La Ribera district, which on the other side of Via Laietana to the Barri Gotic. La Ribera is divided in half, with El Born being to the south and San Pere to the north. The apartment is literally steps from La Palau de Musica Catalana, and maybe 5 minutes walk from Placa Catalunya.

It is also 2 minutes walk from the Santa Caterina market, and around the same to the Catedral. 5 minutes would get you to the Picasso Museum, and it's also around 5 minutes to Las Ramblas.

So, all in all a terrific location to be situated in.

The apartment itself is on the first (European) floor, above a small grocery store. There are other stores around, the market is very close, there are internet cafes, the tapas bar El Bitxo (slightly smelly) and a restaurant on the corner which didn't look like much but was fully booked every night we were there.

There was also an Irish bar round the corner on Via Laietana, where I went early one morning to watch England lose in the quarter-finals of the rugby world cup, and to which we returned on the Saturday evening and spent a riotous couple of hours! Think Guinness moustaches, dancing on the bar (no, not us!) and buckets of Baileys. It was good fun!

OK, back to the apartment. Outside door on the narrow street, narrow steps up to the first floor. This is an old building in an old neighbourhood. The apartment has a largish hallway with the kitchen (old-fashioned but has most things you might want for a short stay), bathroom and separate toilet, one (twin) bedroom with a small balcony overlooking the street - and straight into the room opposite! The sitting room leads off the hallway as well, and the main bedroom (double bed) is off this room. The sitting room has a small balcony and a window as well. The main bedroom also has a window looking onto the street.

The apartment was clean, the beds were comfortable. There is no airconditioning but we didn't need it. Plenty of towels int he cupboard, there was a bath tub as well as a shower, and the water was hot and plentiful. It did go a bit cold here and there if someone ran a tap in the kitchen or flushed the loo, but it was not a big deal.

The apartment is bigger than it looks in the photos, and we were very impressed with it overall. The major downside is that the narrow street outside are noisy, every footstep echoes upwards. After the 3rd night I found I slept through the noise much better, but I found the first few nights a bit difficult. But I am used to a very quiet house. Barb was affected less by the noise.

I paid the deposit by PayPal, and then a week before the final installment also by PayPal. The owner is an Indian man living in London, and he was very pleasant and easy to deal with. We also paid 60 euros cleaning fee to Montse who is the cleaning lady who lives nearby and who manages the apartment for the owner Deepak.

Anyway, here's the link...

http://www.thebarcelonaflat.com/The_...t/Welcome.html

Julia... great description of our apt. I loved it, especially for the space that it gave us and that our bedrooms were at opposite ends and would afford a lot of privacy if you needed it. All the windows gave great ventilation and the nice deep tub and separate shower were a bonus. The location was great, other than the noise at night. The price was amazing for the size and amenities. I would definitely stay there again, I would bring earplugs next time. LOVED Barcelona and we had no problems whatsoever with pickpockets or ever feeling unsafe, even late at night.

Thank you, Barb and Julia, for the reporting. The Barcelona apartment looks terrific.

Well, I got home safe and sound and unfortunately back to the real world and work, but I shouldn't complain too much, that's what makes traveling possible.

I will be working on the trip report as I can, just wanted to mention my last morning in Paris though. As I said, I reserved a taxi with Taxi G7 for a 9:00 am pick up. I was all packed and just wanted to tidy up the apt. before I left, wash my teacup, make sure the lights were all out and the window shut, but luckily I happened to look out the window at about 8:49 and, oh no, the taxi was pulling up!!! I grabbed my backpack and ran down the stairs. When I got to the street, no taxi, OMG. There was some construction going on next door and there was big dumpsters parked at the curb, so I stepped out into the street to see if I could see the taxi. It was at the end of the block with the turn signals on like it was going to turn the corner. In a panic, with my heart thumping, I literally ran down the street waving my arms frantically and yelling, stop, stop. I actually got to the back of the taxi and was banging on the trunk.

I threw my backpack in the trunk and managed to get the driver to follow me back to the apartment and help me carry my BFH down the two flights of stairs. He did not speak English and I am sure he thought I was a crazed tourist trying to lure him up to my apt. because he kept stopping and giving me this look. Because of the rushed exit, I did not get the windows shut, but I called the owner from the airport and apologized and explained what had happened. So here I was worried the taxi would be late and I would miss my flight, ha, never imagined it would be early! The fare was 54 euros, but I gave him a nice little tip (don't arrive early), just kidding, a real tip.

Sorry for the delay, but work and life just keep getting in the way. So... I've tried to figure out a way to organize this, but I think it's easiest just to do a quick overview of each day and then I can fill in with any details if requested.

As I said earlier, it was chillier than I had expected, so that rather eliminated some of my plans of walking through parks and some outdoor venues. Luckily, it did warm up after a couple of days, so it made walking much more enjoyable.

Friday, 10/21:

After a leisurely breakfast of baguette, butter, jam and tea, I hopped the metro to St. Paul. Walking along some little back streets, I spotted a charming little cafe, so I stopped for a cafe creme and some great people watching. On to Place des Vosges. I have to visit here every trip just because I love it that much. I also love window shopping at all the beautiful galleries which surround the Place. My next stop was Victor Hugo's apt. I can't believe I have never been here before and what a wonderful surprise it was. It is in the south east corner of Place des Vosges, #6. The apartments themselves are opulent and made me dream of what a wonderful place that would have been to live in the day with beautiful furnishings and art, much of which were Hugo's own drawings and sketches. Open 10:00 am to 6:00 pm except Mondays and holidays. Free admission.

Then it was on to the Cognacq-Jay Museum, 8 rue Elzevir, Metro: St. Paul. Open every day, except Monday 10:00 am to 5:40 pm. Free Admission.

Ernest Cognacq and Marie-Louise Jay made their fortune with La Samaritaine Dept. store. Between 1900 and 1925, they amassed one of the finest private collections of 18th century paintings and objects d'art, which the couple then donated to the City of Paris. While the collection is quite stunning, the rooms themselves did not wow me like the Hugo apartments did. But it certainly is worth seeing and I'm glad I did.

As I was getting hungry, I decided a falalfel was just what I needed, but unfortunately L'As Du Fallafel was closed - on a Friday?? so, I just went around the corner to Chez Marianne, 2, rue des Hospitalieres-Saint Fervais. Because it was cold and I had been on my feet all morning, I decided to eat inside. Oh my, what an experience that was. It is small and cramped inside, but I loved the decor and the coziness factor. I ordered one of the falafel platters with warm pita and different essentials, hummus, grilled eggplant, a tomatoe relish, cornichons and olives. It was absolutely delicious. But, the real hoot was the very flamboyant waiter and the rest of the crew! Seriously, it was like an episode of Steinfeld. Certainly not as cheap as the take away falafels, but the "entertainment" was pricelss.

A walk around the Marais was a good way to work off some of that lunch and of course the obligatory stop at BHV. Bought a couple of tea towels and resisted buying more, remembering the BFH that I still had to get to the airport. I decided to walk "home". Dinner was wonderful, salad makings from the market on rue du Buci, rillets du canard and crusty bread and, of course, my favorite chilled muscadet from the Carrefour.

Of course that should be Seinfeld.

Sat. 10/22

The first thing on the agenda today is the Musee Nissin de Comondo, 63 rue de Monceau, Metro: Villiers or Monceau. Open Wed-Sun 10:00 - 5:30, 7 euros.

I would advise taking the audio tour. This mansion was built in 1911 by the Comte Moise de Camondo, a banker, to house his collection of 18th century furniture and art objects. Both the house and the collection were bequeathed to his son, but sadly he was killed in WW1. The mansion was then opened as a museum in 1935. More tragedy followed when a few years later, Moise's daughter and her family were deported to Auschwitz where they died. The mansion is maintained as if it were still a private home preserved in its original condition, even down to the bathrooms and toilets. I found the different kitchens fascinating and the gardens were lovely. I really enjoyed this museum, even though there was a lingering sadness about it. I think this is definitely a must see!!

Stopped and had a cafe creme on the wide, tree lined Blvd Malesherbes. This area was new to me and if it had not been so cold, I had planned to walk around and stroll through Parc de Monceau. The waiter was even complaining about the chilly weather. Next trip for sure.

I took the metro back to Les Halles area and walked to E. Dehillerin, a 190 yr.old kitchen supply store - a true cook's paradise!! I was in kitchen heaven. At first I was a little underwhelmed as the front is very plain and the aisles are narrow and the shelves are cluttered and the floors creak, not what I was expecting at all. But after browsing a little, I was hooked. I could have spent hours here. The salesmen are a little standoffish, but they are very knowledgeable and will make sure you get what you are looking for. The system of making a purchase is intersting. You take your items to the first guy who wraps them up and another guy then looks up the prices in a big book and writes them down. You take that slip to the guy who tallies it up for you and takes your money and gives you a receipt, then it's back to the first guy who has wrapped it up for you. If I had the room in the BFH, believe me I could have done some real damage in there. I did manage a small paring knife with Dehillerin engraved into the blade, a small wire whisk and 5 small individual bundt type cake pans. Other than the knife everything went into the growing backpack for the trip home.

Late lunch was at Au Pied Cochon, 6 rue Coquilliere, which is just around the corner from Dehillerin. There was a bit of a wait and I'm not sure it was really worth it. I ordered the famous onion soup, which was good, but not brilliant and a salad, which was ok, but not really worth the price. Well I can say I've been there at least. I was going to walk home from there, but I was tired and it was cold, so I took the metro, which was packed as it was now the rush hour.

There were tons of people out strolling the streets on this cold Paris evening, almost a festive atmosphere. Folks were huddled outside the cafes under the heaters. After a walk around trying to decide if I wanted to eat out after that late lunch, I just opted for take away from one of the wonderful places on rue du Buci. So, my evening was spent eating delicious potatoes dauphinoise, a 1/4 roti chicken and arugula w/vinegarette, sipping muscadet and listening to my French music collection. Doesn't get much better than that!

Barb, so enjoying your "road less traveled" adventures in Paris. I try to do that each time I'm in Paris, but I'm never in Paris enough . I'm bookmarking for future trips. Have you been to the Musee Marmottan? It's a lovely little museum, a former hunting lodge across from a park in the 16th filled with Monet's work - heaven!

Can't wait for more!

ellen, I love Musee Marmottan and that area. The day I went to the Musee there was a man with donkeys giving children rides in the park. The tree lined streets were gorgeous and getting out of the hustle bustle in a quieter part of town was a nice respite.

Sunday, 10/23

Today was market day!! Starting at rue Montorgueil. I just touched on this area when I went to Dehellerin, but I needed to go back and spend more time there. Things were bustling even at 9:00 am. It was cold, but sunny and I actually just blended in with the ladies with shopping carts and people out for their morning baguettes. Of course, I had to stop at Stoher bakery, just because.... I had to line up! As I nibbled on my delicious little pastry, I walked to Chatelet metro and went to, yes, my favorite market street and yes, I do have to go here every time I am in Paris - rue Mouffetard. There is a little nondescript hardware type store there, where I always find little treasures. 5 tiny spoons, perfect for jam jars and I was on to my next stop where I bought 6 little tins of various pates, I couldn't resist a vendor on the street selling lovely sweet black suede gloves with three little buttons for a bargain at 10 euros- who knows, probably made in China, but I love them, even if they only last one winter here. By this time, almost noon, the narrow street was crowded with locals and maybe just a few tourists.

I always enjoy the music and dancing at the end of the rue, beside St. Medard. How beautiful that these wonderful dancers and singers come here every Sunday at noon and share their joy and exuberance with us all. Perfect Parisian moment. The sights, smells, gorgeous cheese shops, seafood and meat displays, amazing and I never tire of this experience.

Because I was on a quest to find the perfect Croque M. and upon some recommendations here on Fodors, I found Cave la Bourgogne, 144 rue Moufftard, at the bottom of the rue and across from the fountain. It was such a great place, a large terrace, perfect on a sunny day, and yes, definitely, the perfect Croque Complet in town. I now know that will be my go to place for Croq. M. and the bonus, is a great morning shopping on the rue Moufftard before lunch.

Ok, I had to drag myself away, because I wanted to catch a Paris Walks tour of Le Pere Lachaise. I had thought about doing it on my own, but I am SO glad I opted for the tour. It is huge and I would NEVER have found the graves I wanted to see, ie, Modigliani. As an artist, I have such an emotional relationship with him and his unfortunate, tragic life. Paris Walks does such a great job with their tours. At 12 euros, it is a bargain!!! seriously. Chopin, Edith Piaf, Collette, Oscar Wilde and many more. But, I have to say the streets are rough cobblestones and hard to walk on for 2+ hours. My feet and ankles were screaming by the time I left. And, then it was onto a very packed metro home.

I would l have killed for a bathtub, or even a bidet, to soak my aching feet, but in lieu of that, a glass of vin, a personal foot massage, that's what you do when you are on your own ... and I was thinking about dinner. I decided on a restaurant just a short walk from my apt. Chez Calde, 54 rue St. Andres des Arts. When I arrived, it looked very full and I almost turned away, but then I spotted a tiny table tucked in a corner, which actually had a wonderful view of the whole resto. I walked in and was immediately welcomed by a cutie waiter, who said, of course you can sit there. In minutes I had a glass of vin and was perusing the menu. There were various formulas, but I knew what I wanted and it was not offered on them. Escargot, which were six succulent, already plucked out of their shells and in a garlicky, buttery, made in Paris heavenly sauce. The duck confit was utterly perfect, with comforting velvety smooth potatoes and a little glass of pureed vegs of peas, sweet red peppers and celeriac.

The young cute waiter who greeted me was in charge of the whole room!! He was literally flying around, but he never lost his cool, even with a table of 4 who were rather demanding, but who had to smile at his efforts. For me, it was a great meal and entertainment.

My bed felt really warm and welcoming. What a fabulous Paris Sunday!