Not Your Usual week in PARIS, or Michelangelo at the Police Station??
Jan 1st, 2012, 05:16 AM
#63
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Yes, Judy, that fits us, and many others on this site, I'll bet. I am still gaga over Paris, and can't get enough of it.
But, unfaithful once more, like Denise, I'll probably go on to another relationship, with another part of Italy, since there are places in that country yet to fall in love with!!
But, unfaithful once more, like Denise, I'll probably go on to another relationship, with another part of Italy, since there are places in that country yet to fall in love with!!
Jan 1st, 2012, 05:39 AM
#64
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What a great report, tt - looking forward to the rest! Thanks for posting.
Judy, I lol'ed at your comment. Yeah, my husband and I are pretty sleazy as well on the travel front. ;-) I would love to go to Paris every year PLUS be able to visit new places. Just can't swing that right now, but maybe someday...
Judy, I lol'ed at your comment. Yeah, my husband and I are pretty sleazy as well on the travel front. ;-) I would love to go to Paris every year PLUS be able to visit new places. Just can't swing that right now, but maybe someday...
Jan 2nd, 2012, 11:02 AM
#66
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Our last day in Paris, alas ……..
We lolled about in the morning, despite it being our last day in Paris.
We finally got our act together and walked to Pont Marie metro and switched at Opera to get to Monceau. (took the M3 to Villiers, then the M2 to Monceau, thanks to the “ratp” app on my iPhone, which is fabulous for metro destinations.)
We had a lovely walk through the park, photographing the floral displays, still vibrant in October. As we exited on our way to the Jacquemart-Andre museum, we too the time to enjoy all the lovely townhouse buildings, and thought a lot about a book I’d recently read, called The Hare With Amber Eyes, much of which describes the life of wealthy Jewish families who lived in that part of Paris.
The Jacquemart-Andre is a very elegant former town house, with a fabulous collection, and a current exhibit of Fra Angelicos. It is a visit to another era, and well worth the time.
We decided to forego lunch there, as tempting as it looked, because it was also very crowded due to this popular exhibit. By the way, the museum shop is an excellent one!
So we wandered down Haussman to rue de la Boetie, and when hunger pangs got the best of us, we stopped in a fairly non-descript bar/café for a bite. It was a VERY pleasant lunch of avocado and shrimp salad, while DH had some sort of delicious ham sandwich. We shared a dessert which we saw being delivered to another table. It is called a “tart mendiant” and had almost paste, prunes, almonds, apricots, served with a bit of ice cream. I have no idea what the name is, but local business people seemed to fill up the place. It was at 20 bis rue de la Boetie.
After several more blocks of walking on the chilly cloudy day, we metro’d down to the Palais Royal, and decided to go back to the apartment to start packing. Then we got the idea to take one of the OpenTour buses, which, though chilly up top, gave us a great last view of all the beloved Paris icons: up the Champs Elysees, view of Eiffel Tower, Invalides, Notre Dame, et cetera. It was a good idea, I took photos of every one!
Our evening started with packing, drinking up all the wine, and leftovers, but since it wasn’t quite enough, and we simply had to go out to experience the Ile St. Louis one more time, we walked down to Sorza, a small restaurant at #51 rue St. Louis en l’ile, where we had a sort of Italianate meal of risotto and raviolis.
By our final morning, the guys at Guest Apartment Services had moved, so we checked out their new digs the next morning, waited there for our ride to CDG, thanked them for being so helpful at every request, and off to the airport.
It was a long and complicated trip, full of changes and excitement, a lot of which was accomplished by the help of Fodorites and their splendid advice, for which I will be eternally grateful.
Now in the new year, I can spend lots of time on the Internet, looking longingly at photos by Kerouac, and trip reports by great Fodorite travelers, and pine away for Paris.
Or Tuscany
Or a place I’ve never been!
We lolled about in the morning, despite it being our last day in Paris.
We finally got our act together and walked to Pont Marie metro and switched at Opera to get to Monceau. (took the M3 to Villiers, then the M2 to Monceau, thanks to the “ratp” app on my iPhone, which is fabulous for metro destinations.)
We had a lovely walk through the park, photographing the floral displays, still vibrant in October. As we exited on our way to the Jacquemart-Andre museum, we too the time to enjoy all the lovely townhouse buildings, and thought a lot about a book I’d recently read, called The Hare With Amber Eyes, much of which describes the life of wealthy Jewish families who lived in that part of Paris.
The Jacquemart-Andre is a very elegant former town house, with a fabulous collection, and a current exhibit of Fra Angelicos. It is a visit to another era, and well worth the time.
We decided to forego lunch there, as tempting as it looked, because it was also very crowded due to this popular exhibit. By the way, the museum shop is an excellent one!
So we wandered down Haussman to rue de la Boetie, and when hunger pangs got the best of us, we stopped in a fairly non-descript bar/café for a bite. It was a VERY pleasant lunch of avocado and shrimp salad, while DH had some sort of delicious ham sandwich. We shared a dessert which we saw being delivered to another table. It is called a “tart mendiant” and had almost paste, prunes, almonds, apricots, served with a bit of ice cream. I have no idea what the name is, but local business people seemed to fill up the place. It was at 20 bis rue de la Boetie.
After several more blocks of walking on the chilly cloudy day, we metro’d down to the Palais Royal, and decided to go back to the apartment to start packing. Then we got the idea to take one of the OpenTour buses, which, though chilly up top, gave us a great last view of all the beloved Paris icons: up the Champs Elysees, view of Eiffel Tower, Invalides, Notre Dame, et cetera. It was a good idea, I took photos of every one!
Our evening started with packing, drinking up all the wine, and leftovers, but since it wasn’t quite enough, and we simply had to go out to experience the Ile St. Louis one more time, we walked down to Sorza, a small restaurant at #51 rue St. Louis en l’ile, where we had a sort of Italianate meal of risotto and raviolis.
By our final morning, the guys at Guest Apartment Services had moved, so we checked out their new digs the next morning, waited there for our ride to CDG, thanked them for being so helpful at every request, and off to the airport.
It was a long and complicated trip, full of changes and excitement, a lot of which was accomplished by the help of Fodorites and their splendid advice, for which I will be eternally grateful.
Now in the new year, I can spend lots of time on the Internet, looking longingly at photos by Kerouac, and trip reports by great Fodorite travelers, and pine away for Paris.
Or Tuscany
Or a place I’ve never been!
Jan 2nd, 2012, 11:25 AM
#67
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A "mendiant" is a beggar. A dessert mendiant is a dessert with dried fruit (almonds, nuts, hazel nuts, raisins,figs, apricot) because the color of the fruit is the same as the robe of the "begging" Catholic religious orders : Franciscan, Dominican, Carmelite, etc...
They are part of the 13 traditional desserts served in Provence on Christmas Eve.
They are part of the 13 traditional desserts served in Provence on Christmas Eve.
Jan 2nd, 2012, 12:04 PM
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Glad you had a great time taconic. I'll give you something to look forward to when I post my report about spending 5 days near Dinan/Saint-Malo last week. And if your trip to Italy includes anywhere near Genoa/Savona I'll have some tips for you on that area.
Jan 2nd, 2012, 06:30 PM
#69
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Pvoyageeuse: oh, good. I was hoping someone would know. I sort of remembered the word meaning something to do with religious orders but couldn't connect it.
FMT: i would happily go to either location, and always looking for your name for whatever you're reporting on.
Re: Italy, have not been to Sicily, nor to Turin area, and both are on my list.
FMT: i would happily go to either location, and always looking for your name for whatever you're reporting on.
Re: Italy, have not been to Sicily, nor to Turin area, and both are on my list.
Jan 2nd, 2012, 09:45 PM
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I truly enjoyed reading this report over this past month, but I must confess I must have had a glass of wine or two over my usual allotment while I was reading one night because I cannot remember where you talk about the thread's intriguing topic title. Where do you talk about "Michelangelo at the police station"?
Either I skimmed right over it, or I am starting to suffer symptoms or "What's-his-name-disease".
Either I skimmed right over it, or I am starting to suffer symptoms or "What's-his-name-disease".
Jan 3rd, 2012, 06:12 AM
#71
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Nukesafe: it was in the posting on December 19, Day 5.
Don't blame yourself, by the way - it was a pretty long and meandering report! I sort of got carried away at times, which would have been fun, if it was REALLY funny, but I hope it was at least informative for those patient readers who stuck with it!
Don't blame yourself, by the way - it was a pretty long and meandering report! I sort of got carried away at times, which would have been fun, if it was REALLY funny, but I hope it was at least informative for those patient readers who stuck with it!
Jan 4th, 2012, 06:40 AM
#72
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I should also add, to sum up, that our car rental thru AUTO EUROPE, which resulted in a Europcar car, worked out very well. We have found them to be always reliable on other rentals also. Our requirements were a midsize with good room for 4 people and their luggage, and that is what we got: a Renault Scenic, which all the drivers liked a lot.
Also, our experience with GUEST APARTMENT SERVICES was excellent, the only slight problem being MY choice of apartment which was dark (on the ground floor, which DH needed). The guys who run it are very hands on, cheerful and helpful.
We flew AIR FRANCE Premium Voyageur,(JFK - CDG) which was a good choice for us, as we need more space (DH is a big 6'2") but can't afford Business class except with miles. We were very satisfied with that choice.
All these choices were aided by help from these forums, for which we are always very grateful. so thanks to all who helped us narrow down choices, and make well informed decisions.
Also, our experience with GUEST APARTMENT SERVICES was excellent, the only slight problem being MY choice of apartment which was dark (on the ground floor, which DH needed). The guys who run it are very hands on, cheerful and helpful.
We flew AIR FRANCE Premium Voyageur,(JFK - CDG) which was a good choice for us, as we need more space (DH is a big 6'2") but can't afford Business class except with miles. We were very satisfied with that choice.
All these choices were aided by help from these forums, for which we are always very grateful. so thanks to all who helped us narrow down choices, and make well informed decisions.
Jan 4th, 2012, 09:02 AM
#73
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OK, Taconictraveler, now I see the Michelangelo/Police Station connection while you were walking the Promenade Plantee. Must have skimmed right over that in my search for something juicier, like you being locked up in a cop shop for some misdemeanor involving the painter. Now THAT would have added spice to your TR!
Jan 4th, 2012, 12:05 PM
#74
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You mean for instance, if I had stolen a Michelangelo and got caught? Yeah, that would have been fun!!
I've never been arrested in Europe. Or anywhere else for that matter.
Boring, eh? even in my youth, which was a LONG time ago!
I've never been arrested in Europe. Or anywhere else for that matter.
Boring, eh? even in my youth, which was a LONG time ago!
Jan 8th, 2012, 07:14 AM
#75
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I noticed that on the South America forum, avrooster has put together a thread of certain fodorite reports, to make it easier for travelers to get concentrated information from reports on a certain place.
I'm wondering if there is such a thread about PARIS reports, and if not, could someone start one. (I would if I knew how)
There have been so many really good reports from Paris in the past few months, it would be great to have them all together!
I'm wondering if there is such a thread about PARIS reports, and if not, could someone start one. (I would if I knew how)
There have been so many really good reports from Paris in the past few months, it would be great to have them all together!
Jan 9th, 2012, 06:34 PM
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I've enjoyed your report taconictraveler. Since I walked the Highline last June, I think I should make a point of going to the Promenade Plantee in March! I hope I have a day nice enough to do so.
Jan 9th, 2012, 06:37 PM
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Denisea: You made me laugh. I guess everyone is taking a Day Off.
Toucan: I would go in any weather, it is that interesting! It's different from the Highline, but similarly gives you an entirely different view of the city.
Toucan: I would go in any weather, it is that interesting! It's different from the Highline, but similarly gives you an entirely different view of the city.
