Oh Sweet Paris

Oh sweet Paris, how you have smitten my heart. You are the only city I’ve returned to on my many travels around the world with the intention to visit again. And you’ve smitten my husband as well! Thank you, you dear sweet city.

You had us from the start. We got off the Metro to be graced by one of your many wonderful treasures, the Louvre. We didn’t go inside this time, but we were able to peer in through the windows on our way from the Metro station.

As with last time, I had no problem with the Parisian attitude I used to be warned about.  Maybe it’s because I start every interaction with Bonjour and Parle vous anglais? The French love their language and appreciate atleast the attempt and acknowledgment that we are in a nonEnglish speaking country.  Besides, your language is beautiful, people should try to learn a few polite phrases.

Paris, you have so much history, culture and beauty that you put right infront of our faces.   As we walked through Montepart with Alec’s friend Noelwynn, we were graced by the view of and from  Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart), one of the second most known tourist places in Paris (oddly I hadn’t heard of it).   Perched high above the city, we could see the Seine, Notre Dame, the Eiffel tower, many of your beautiful sites. We spent hours walking past landmarks like the Opera House (and one of the most expensive cafe’s in Paris which has a view of the Opera House), Le Moulin Rouge, Parisian Vineyards and the old streets beyond the glamour of Paris with the painters selling their art. I can’t wait to walk through those streets again.

And your passion and life!  What can I say?  The experience of being surrounded by a hundred or so people celebrating a unity with drums, dancing and praise.  I have no idea what it was all about, a Brazilian celebration maybe?  Whatever the reason, being surrounded by the drums, whistles and people made me want to dance and weep with the sheer energy from it.

Last time I had visited your beautiful city, I didn’t go up the towers of Notre Dame.  This time I did.  And continuing with the apparent theme of our honeymoon, winding staircases, we climbed up and up the tower, the staircase getting more and more narrow and the stairs changing from wood to stonework.  Guarding from above are the gargoyles leaning out over the city.

Tucked behind Notre Dame is the Isle of Saint Louis. Here resides another one of your hidden gem’s Paris, Le Flore en L’Isle. Here we had some amazing crepes, fascinating ice cream and sorbet and a wonderful waiter. We were told to seek out this place by Parisians and tourists and it did not fail to impress us with the view of river and the accordion player a short distance away.

Walking in your parks, like Jardin du Luxembourg, makes us want to live here. The statues, the art, the open space of your parks, Alec playing in the leaves trying to catch them falling in the air just reminds us of what it’s like to be alive, and lucky to have the experiences we are having.

We finished our short but full stay in your beautiful city with a glass of champagne (for me) and a Johnny Walker Black (for Alec) at the top of the Concorde Hotel, to watch the Eiffel Tower light up and sparkle. Thank you for the wonderful stay. Until next time, au revoir!