Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Paris Day 3
Paris day three: Ray is a man of few words (written words). So, I will fill you in on the last few days of fun in Paris.
I forgot to mention that during our first day here, I started talking to some Americans in our hotel lobby. I thought this couple was from Oklahoma because they said, “Mercy,” for “thank you”. Well, as it turned out, they lived in Seattle……it’s a great shock to find anyone who has a worse French accent than mine. Also, I have to tell you, they thought I was French. My guess is that my hat and my (Monoprix 2-Euro) scarf threw them off. Also, these two fellow travelers did not notice my flawless Seattle accent.
I want to tell everyone that I loved the Trilogy tour and the fun I had with all my new friends, but Ray and I should have hit Paris before The Terrific Teutonic Tour. Barbara, Peter, Debbie, and Gary did the right thing, by exploring Paris before the guided tour, when they were still fresh in spirit. I have to admit that I’m a bit exhausted after all those weeks of sightseeing.
But we must press on. Paris awaits! This city is the best of all places to visit….though, Kaanapali is a close second. I think that it's much, much easier to spend a few days or a week in one city. Paris can be relaxing as well as exciting, because you don’t have to follow a schedule. You can choose to wander, to shop, to eat fab food, or to just rest in your room, depending on your mood of the moment.
OK! Let me review our adventures from yesterday. The first thing we did was to go to Place de Vosges, the loveliest little city park in MY world. I had a hot chocolate and some crepes at a small restaurant in the square. There can be advantages to sleeping through the hotel breakfast.
The day was sunny and magnificent, so we entered the garden to sit on one of the benches. Ray and I watched the luckiest little children on earth playing with their preschool classmates, doing cartwheels, and chasing each other around the fountain. Then, these toddlers went into their preschool, which was right in the Vosges Square. Oh, these are children who live in a dream world. I wish I had been able to take my daughters to this beautiful city. (I have always said that it is “child abuse” not to take one’s children to Europe.
I hate to spend ridiculous amounts of money on vacation, so Ray and I went to two free museums in the Marais district (near our Castex home). The first museum was Victor Hugo’s house and the second was the Carnavalet. I believe these places were as good as the castles and monasteries, we saw on the Trilogy tour. I felt that they were authentic and not very touristy.
Victor Hugo was the author of Les Miserables. His house was exotic and filled with ornate European and Chinoise furnishings and wallpaper. Gorgeous! It was interesting to see his library, too. (I am promising myself that I will read Les Miz someday.)
Then the Carnavalet museum was a peek into the bygone era of Parisian luxury and wealth. This former home (palace?) held artifacts from all over the area and the house had beautiful artwork and decorative furniture. The architecture was spectacular. The gardens were calming.
Back to the current moment, just now, Ray came in with a “chantilly au fraise” and an éclair from his favorite bakery. It’s a good thing we walked all over town, or we would certainly need bigger seats on SAS, when we return. MMMMMMMmmmm strudel and French pastries. Can life get any better? Well, maybe watching channel 19 in Salzburg comes close….haha….joke.
Paris has a good influence on people, and certainly on my husband! Ray is cultivating a new appreciation for the arts. When we were at today’s museum, the Orsay, he could tell the difference between a Monet, a Van Gogh, a Gaugin, and a Renoir. I am very impressed! I am certainly pleased! Ray used to think that a chainsaw bear was art. (Merci Dieu. C'est un miracle!)
I want to see two other museums tomorrow, though if we only get through one of them…that is what’s meant to be…serendipity and all that. (Anyway, I’m not sure if the Picasso Museum will be too much for Ray. I hate to overload him with this stuff!)
I forgot to mention that during our first day here, I started talking to some Americans in our hotel lobby. I thought this couple was from Oklahoma because they said, “Mercy,” for “thank you”. Well, as it turned out, they lived in Seattle……it’s a great shock to find anyone who has a worse French accent than mine. Also, I have to tell you, they thought I was French. My guess is that my hat and my (Monoprix 2-Euro) scarf threw them off. Also, these two fellow travelers did not notice my flawless Seattle accent.
I want to tell everyone that I loved the Trilogy tour and the fun I had with all my new friends, but Ray and I should have hit Paris before The Terrific Teutonic Tour. Barbara, Peter, Debbie, and Gary did the right thing, by exploring Paris before the guided tour, when they were still fresh in spirit. I have to admit that I’m a bit exhausted after all those weeks of sightseeing.
But we must press on. Paris awaits! This city is the best of all places to visit….though, Kaanapali is a close second. I think that it's much, much easier to spend a few days or a week in one city. Paris can be relaxing as well as exciting, because you don’t have to follow a schedule. You can choose to wander, to shop, to eat fab food, or to just rest in your room, depending on your mood of the moment.
OK! Let me review our adventures from yesterday. The first thing we did was to go to Place de Vosges, the loveliest little city park in MY world. I had a hot chocolate and some crepes at a small restaurant in the square. There can be advantages to sleeping through the hotel breakfast.
The day was sunny and magnificent, so we entered the garden to sit on one of the benches. Ray and I watched the luckiest little children on earth playing with their preschool classmates, doing cartwheels, and chasing each other around the fountain. Then, these toddlers went into their preschool, which was right in the Vosges Square. Oh, these are children who live in a dream world. I wish I had been able to take my daughters to this beautiful city. (I have always said that it is “child abuse” not to take one’s children to Europe.
I hate to spend ridiculous amounts of money on vacation, so Ray and I went to two free museums in the Marais district (near our Castex home). The first museum was Victor Hugo’s house and the second was the Carnavalet. I believe these places were as good as the castles and monasteries, we saw on the Trilogy tour. I felt that they were authentic and not very touristy.
Victor Hugo was the author of Les Miserables. His house was exotic and filled with ornate European and Chinoise furnishings and wallpaper. Gorgeous! It was interesting to see his library, too. (I am promising myself that I will read Les Miz someday.)
Then the Carnavalet museum was a peek into the bygone era of Parisian luxury and wealth. This former home (palace?) held artifacts from all over the area and the house had beautiful artwork and decorative furniture. The architecture was spectacular. The gardens were calming.
Back to the current moment, just now, Ray came in with a “chantilly au fraise” and an éclair from his favorite bakery. It’s a good thing we walked all over town, or we would certainly need bigger seats on SAS, when we return. MMMMMMMmmmm strudel and French pastries. Can life get any better? Well, maybe watching channel 19 in Salzburg comes close….haha….joke.
Paris has a good influence on people, and certainly on my husband! Ray is cultivating a new appreciation for the arts. When we were at today’s museum, the Orsay, he could tell the difference between a Monet, a Van Gogh, a Gaugin, and a Renoir. I am very impressed! I am certainly pleased! Ray used to think that a chainsaw bear was art. (Merci Dieu. C'est un miracle!)
I want to see two other museums tomorrow, though if we only get through one of them…that is what’s meant to be…serendipity and all that. (Anyway, I’m not sure if the Picasso Museum will be too much for Ray. I hate to overload him with this stuff!)
# posted by Ray and Tina Gregoire @ 10:23 AM 
