After ten days touring around Morocco, we spent four days in Paris. We stayed at the Hotel Bonaparte. Thank you Ira for such a great recommendation. We mentioned you to the front desk, and of course they knew who you were. Our room was a lovely second floor room with a comfy bed for me and my wife and second bed for our daughter. We had a little balcony as well. Breakfast was delicious. And we really appreciated being on a quiet street - it was exactly what we wanted.

The morning after we arrived, we put on our walking shoes and got onto a bus that took us to the Trocadero Hill, where we got our first look at the Tour d'Eiffel. From there we walked to the Arc de Triomphe. From there walked down the Champs-Élysées toward the Musée du Louvre. We spent the rest of the afternoon there. Afterwards we walked toward Pont Neuf and crossed back over to St. Germaine. The first night we ate at a lovely crêperie. We walked back to our hotel and got a good night's rest.

The next day we decided to walk to Notre Dame. After walking through the cathedral, we crossed over to Le Marais and visited the Musée Picasso. We walked back to Notre Dame to see it lit up at night. We had dinner at a cute little cafe around the corner from our hotel.

The next day we took the bus to the Tour d'Eiffel and hung out there for a while. Then we walked to the Musée d'Orsay. This was what we really wanted to do on our visit to Paris. We got in after waiting in line for about an hour. We made our way up to the impressionist galleries, and what should happen? Someone left a backpack in one of the galleries so they had to evacuate the museum. We didn't get a refund, and because we were leaving the next morning, we didn't get to go back! So we walked back to St. Germaine and by the time we got to our hotel, our daughter was feeling a little crabby (especially after all our walking that day, not to mention spending 14 days non-stop with her parents) - so she went back to the hotel and my wife and I got to have a romantic dinner at a restaurant (Bistro D'Opio) featuring food from the Bordeaux region. It's just around the corner from St. Sulpice Church.

When we got back to the hotel, she was happily watching the Simpsons in French on TV. Maybe all she needed was some time alone to do her thing.

I loved our visit to Paris. I can see why other people do too. I fantasized about our spending a year there, continuing to see my psychotherapy patients via the internet, and learning to speak French fluently. My wife is a neuropsychologist, and I reassured her that there are people with head injuries in France just as there are in the US. We even met a psychotherapist who was staying in our hotel. She gave us the scoop on practicing in France.

We are definitely going to visit Paris again. Maybe next time, we could actually get through the impressionist exhibit. Without a doubt, we would stay at the Hotel Bonaparte again. The staff was fantastic, the breakfast was great, and the room was very spacious.

The photos from our Paris trip can be found here:

http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/gallery/2336680

Regards,
Daniel

Daniel, thanks for sharing your brief Paris experience with us. Sorry that you missed the impressionists at Musée d'Orsay but this means that you definitely have to return!

Your photos are wonderful, especially the many imaginative views of the Eiffel Tower. What camera did you use?

I'm sorry that you missed the Orsay but glad you had a great time. I went to the Orangerie on my last day and they also had to evacuate "due to an incident". I was freaking out because I hadn't yet seen the water lillies. Fortunately we were allowed back in after about 1/2 an hour ... otherwise there would really have been an incident!

I'm really impressed that two physicians would happily stay at the 2* Bonaparte. What is it about that hotel that people love so much -- it's a bit of a mystery to me.

i know this is very gauche to say, I have a weak self-censoring mechanism. sorry.

Oh, and I love your pictures too, they're really great -- I'm going to guess digital SLR...?

Lovely photos beautiful use of light, Thank you. - I think I would have guessed your profession from the pictures (especially the twisted ones of the Tower.)

At least now you know where the Impressionist galleries are and you can go there on your return. I always go to the Musee D'Orsay early in the day and go immediately up to the Van Gogh room....with any luck, most people start with the lower floors and I can spend time, without crowds, just enjoying the art!

Thank you for sharing you trip with us. The photos that you took are amazing, you are a great photographer.

Looks like you got bit by that "bug"! We've been to Paris 3 times (and yes...we hit the d'Orsay every time) in the past 5 years and can't wait to return. Last time we were there we rented an apartment for a week and were able to buy bread, wine and cheeses to our hearts content. Thank you for sharing your report.

Daniel:

Your photos are beautiful. You know how to use the light, they're amazing.

Your first stop in Paris next time will most likely be the Orsay!

I enjoyed your report, thanks for sharing.

Di

Those are really the BEST night shots of Paris I've EVER seen! You might be a psychotherapist but you should be a professional photographer as well! WOW is all I can say!!

Daniel, many thanks for posting this. Your photos are spectacular.

Anselm

OK, please tell us the camera used for these great pictures! I think you had LONG apertures for the night shots at the Louvre...just guessing. I will be back in about a month and want to take tons more pictures. (My 7th trip) This will be the first time I can have this luxury, no other agendas to get in the way. Thanks for sharing your report.

Daniel,
Thank you so much for your trip report and your BEAUTIFUL photos!

It's always good to have reasons to go back to such a wonderful place as Paris, yes?

Daniel,
Your photos of the tower were so good I felt a little nauseated in my slightly inebriated state!

Wonderful report and the photos!! Fabulous!!
Thank you.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful feedback.

I took those photos with my Panasonic cameras. Most of the Paris pictures were with my FX01 digital camera. It's a great little point and shoot with good low-light capabilities. My other camera is the Panasonic FZ7. The reason for that one is it's 400mm telephoto lens and it's electronic view-finder. When we were in Paris I was using the FX01 mostly. In Morocco I was using both. For those of you wanting more information about them, please feel free to email me.

Thanks again for the kind and enthusiastic feedback.

Daniel

To indulge your dream of living in Paris for a year further, I recommend "Paris to the Moon", by Adam Gopnik (a writer for the New Yorker).

As Elton John sang, "Daniel, my Love," I love the way you captured Paris after dark and the lacey aspects of the Eiffel Tower. Thank you.

Great photos, thanks for sharing.