gomiki

WillTravel: me too. It was scary to think of him not showing up and not knowing what happened. He was upset that they gave him such a hard time. He suggested they call the hotel or go back to the hotel with him for the money and passport. No Dice. They only let him go because the police did not come. (And they probably got tired of listening to him).

Travelnut

Re: Defense and the Carte Orange, zone 1-2. I believe that the Metro for Defense falls within zone 1-2, but the RER does not, hence the confusion and the partially-correct advise given by the hotel.

stormygirl

I'm enjoying your report!! Very fun.

My SO and I always take our mobile phones with us when we travel, that way we can call or text each other. Just a suggestion for your next trip!

ira

>...how to copy something from a post into the response to the post ...<

Left click at the start of what you wish to copy. Hold down the button and drap the pointer to the end of what you wish to copy. The text will be highlighted.

Enter "CTRL+C". This copies the text.

Go to where you wish to post.

Enter "CTRL+P". This pastes the text.

gomiki

Travelnut: thanks. That makes sense.

stormygirl: yes, good idea.

ira: Thank you once again. (I will refrain from using a smiley!!)

hopscotch

Great post, gomiki, and great title. Let's hear more. Thanks.

gomiki

hopscotch: Thank you so much. I was nervous about doing this.

The feedback is great. Away for the weekend. More on Monday.

Scarlett

I am enjoying this all so much!
Looking forward to Mondays report ..

I will suggest some favorites of ours if you like, opaldog and anyone else who needs a name or two:

Relais Louis 13 8 rue des Grandes Augustines > 01 04 26 75 96

Helen Darroze 4 rue d’Assas > 42 22 00 11 ( eat downstairs)

L’Epi Dupin 11 rue Dupin > 42 22 64 56

Le Petit Maguery 9 blvd Port-Royal > 43 31 58 59

D’Chex Eux 2 ave de Lowendale > 47 05 52 55 ( love it, can't wait to go back)

Chez Rene 14 blvd St Germain/rue Cardinal-Lemoine

Thomieux rue St Dominique > 47 05 49 75

Les Booknistes 53 quai des Grandes-Augustines > 43 25 45 94

Mariage Frers - salon de the - 13 rue de Grandes-Augustines *tea=Grand Bois Cheri

Les Olivades 41 rue Segur > 47 83 70 09

Le Vioin D’Ingre 135 rue St Dominique ( good & bad reviews since we were there)

Benoit 20 rue St Martin > 42 72 25 76

Petit Benoit, rue Benoit



Henri 4th - wine bar 13 place du Pont neuf

Au Savignon - wine bar

Laduree and Angelinas (for a chocolate fix)

gomiki

Scarlett: Thanks for the suggestions. They will be in my "next time" file.

A few random thoughts about Paris:

The department stores are SO warm. Serious shoppers beware!

I have never seen such beautiful clothing for infants and children (or expensive).

The window treatments for sale are unlike anything I see here. The fabric is beautiful, sheer but with pattern and I love the ribbon trims and unusual styling. I will need to do some Metric homework before I tackle this!! Bouchara (next to Galeries Lafayette) has a nice selection of ready made as well as fabric. The prices were not much different from what I saw in Anvers.

Notre Dame reminds me of a big, beautiful wedding cake at night with the spotlights on.

I love the flocked Christmas trees! We popped out at Metro Franklin Roosevelt on the Champs and they were on all four corners. There were several white trees on each corner with one natural one in the center. Also saw red ones on the Champs.

The cemetery at Montmartre is fascinating. It is so old and hilly and the monuments are elaborate. Another thing to learn more about! We happened upon the cemetery at Montparnasse which is newer, flat and neatly laid out. No random charm.

Next: organ concert at Notre Dame.

richardab

I was there at the same time you were. Did the sun ever come out?

http://richardab.typepad.com/iheartparis

Where did you eat? Where did you stay?

gomiki

richardab: I just briefly went to your
site. Wow, do you do this for work? Were all the photos from this trip? We only saw the sun on Friday when we did the Promenade Plantes and of course on the morning of the 23rd when we left! It was very damp and raw but I'll take Paris anyway I can.

We stayed at the Best Western Aida Opera. It was a good experience. We had not been given a room w/tub as requested. I asked if we could be moved and the next morning were given a TRIPLE w/king bed! And it was a corner room. Breakfast included. Very nice staff.

I have read about poo in Paris on other posts and never had noticed it that much. However this time, the middle block of the three short blocks to the Metro seemed to be the neighborhood dumping ground (so to speak). The conversation went like this, "Watch out!" "On your left (or right)!" It was brutal. There is an official "poo wagon". It is a small green truck with a water tank and very long hose. They just hose everything off the street. (That's actually worse because it's harder to see what's left!!)

I digress. Across the street was the church, Eugenie and Cecile (sp. don't have my info with me.) It was charming and we enjoyed a choir performance on Saturday evening.

I will spend more time looking at your site. I actually brought the address with me but never went to an internet cafe.

FAMOUSUNCLEART

It was SO hot! Does that mean the place was Significant Other hot! (I am at french computer and cant find the question mark)SO could also stand for Stupid One, or Stupid One, or Sullen One, or Serious One, or Simple One, or Suspicious One, Mine called Me SO for Silly One and you can see why<

gomiki

famousuncleart: Hmmmm. I think it was hotter than the SO. Just kidding. Good point about the acronym. But if you look at it like that, it covers all the possibilities!

elle

I love this report! Your trip sounds like our kind of trip and I'm smiling at all the little details.

We stayed on the rue Lepic once. The neighborhood really grew at me and I miss coming "home" to it.

gomiki

Sunday we went to the organ recital at Notre Dame. I was disappointed because it seemed rather ordinary. We then walked to Les Halles and went into St. Eustache. It was full of people and someone was playing the organ from a keyboard in the middle of the church. It was very loud and vibrant and filled the building with amazing sound. That is what I was expecting at Notre Dame. Then a procession came from the rear of the church and at the very end were about a dozen chefs wearing butcher's aprons and pleated toques. The gentleman next to me handed me a program for the event to view. In French of course. It had something to do with butchers and bakers and E'Glise (?) In the space behind the altar were tables and tables of wine and bread and pastries for the participants after the service. If anyone reading this could tell me what it was for I would love to know.

BlueSwimmer

Great trip report; great title. Thanks for sharing!!

gomiki

elle and BlueSwimmer: Thank you for the kind comments. I have to wrap this up tomorrow!

richardab

gomiki,

The pics on my site are all mine but from a past trip. i am still planning on adding pics to all my posts but right now i seem to be doing mopre holiday shopping then anything!

gomiki

To wrap this up:
Monday night we went to Trocadero one last time to see the Eiffel Tower. I saw a shooting star just to the left of the Tower!! It was becoming quite foggy and moments later everything was fogged in. It was magical.

Tuesday morning we went to the fashion show at Pringtemps. It is at 10:00AM, free and no reservations are needed. The fashion show at Galeries Lafayette is on Friday at 3:00 and requires a reservation. That show features dressier fashion. And the cruel shoes. Very nice. Pringtemps has more outfits and is more casual.

The show at GF is on the 7th floor, under the beautiful stained glass dome. On the way up in the elevator a passenger (American) heard us speaking and asked us where we were from. It turned out that he is a cameraman for the Discovery/Travel channel and was filming the fashion show for a new series about Americans traveling in Europe. We were given a reserved front table and will be shown in the audience when it airs!!

We took the Roisseybus to CDG. We were hoping to be bumped as we were last time. When we asked if they needed volunteers the agent said they needed volunteers to TAKE the flight as there were only eighty passengers. He then proceeded to assign us seats in the next to last row!! When I asked him if there were any other seats, he told
us that everyone had to sit in the back because otherwise the plane wouldn't be able to take off safely!!! We could move after take off. We did not argue but I did NOT believe this. My SO thought that was possible (and he is actually a smart guy). When we boarded, the passengers were assigned seats all over the plane! After everyone was seated we moved and each took a row. It's not business class but the next best thing. I collected extra pillows and blankets and spent much of the flight happily prone! I just wish I knew what was going on with that agent.

I am looking forward to the reports from you lucky Fodorites who will be in Paris for Christmas/New Years.

Nikki

gomiki, I don't know anything about the service you witnessed at St. Eustache with the butchers and bakers, but "eglise" is the French word for church.

Thanks for the report, sounds like a great trip (well, except for the almost getting arrested part).