What a wonderful first night we had! Our apartemento, Le Eriche, is perfect. With the bedroom shutters and the salon shutters open, a lovely perfumed breeze fills the air. What a way to wake up to the beautiful sunshine! Today we are headed down to Menaggio, via the local bus. It will pick us up early right outside our retreat or if we want to go later in the day we will walk down the road to the big curve. See (La Bella Lingua post for more info on that) Menaggio is picturesque and quaint with buildings of soft colored patinas of ocher, watermelon, cantaloupe and sage that seem to float in the sunlight. Menaggio is also the place to stay to avoid the hot, hot, hot afternoon sun rays. Of our three favorite villages, Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna, it is the only village draped in shade late in the afternoon. We enjoyed walking the promenade and eating at the outdoor restaurants along the beach. There is also a boat rental shop here, in case you want to rent your own boat to motor to the other villages and sights, without taking the ferry. Here are some of my favorite pictures of Menaggio!
Menaggio
My Favorite!
Heaven!
The Shore Square
Shore Square
Fun Along the Shoreline
Fun for Everyone!
The Promenade
The Restaurant
Here is what we came home to every night! I can not say enough wonderful words to describe the stay we experienced at the Apartment Le Eriche ! Thank you Piero and Fiametta!
Il Salotto
La Camera da Letto
La Cucina
Il Bagno
Apartment Le Eriche, Via Per Barna, Plesio, Italy or see TripAdvisor under their B&B of the same name.
I have a pasta maker/roller/flatener (my made-up word) that has been stashed under one of my cabinets and as yet, has never been used. Making pasta looked so easy when I saw it demonstrated at the local Saturday market in my hometown! I thought if I took an Italian cooking class that I would finally get the hang of pasta making. On this beautiful Italian day we (SB is manly enough for this) are headed to Varenna, (population 800) to a cooking class with Chef Moreno at Ristorante Il Caminetto in Perledo. He teaches the basics of Italian cooking including pasta and regional specialties. The ferry has become our friend. Every morning we are up and out the door to the bus, chatting with the Italian nannies as we all head down to Menaggio. Then at the dock we sip more latte, espresso or Coke (for SB) and watch the world go by as we wait for the ferry to arrive. I could really get used to this lifestyle!
Varenna is even more laid back then Menaggio. I love the grand yellow hotel at this dock location too. It seems very large, but when you look at it from the side, how narrow it is! Check out the video I made! There are several groups of people mulling about the dock and soon we see a man in a chef’s apron, who has come to reign us all in. His son’s have arrived in various vehicles from the mountain village to retrieve us and take us to the restaurant. I can see why on the trip up. I thought the drive to Menaggio was twists and turns, but this road comes in first place.
At the Restaurant Caminetto we are greeted with wine and home made cookies as we wait for everyone to make it up the mountain. Chef Moreno washes up (his hands and arms) and washes down the wooden table ( a good 20 minute scrub) while chatting along the entire time about his life in the village and life as a chef here. Then he begins to prepare the dough: flour, scant water, eggs, flour, knead, eggs, flour, knead, roooooooooll! Repeat! And repeat! Rooooooooooooll every which way with the longest, skiniest rolling pin I have ever seen! What no pasta maker? He would never consider it! We started at 10 am in the morning. We laughed, we roooooolled, we pinched, we patted, we made sauce with tomatoes from his garden, and we ate several servings of our makings and drank a lot of wine in between! We had the best time and then finished up with a stroll through the petite mountain village. It was 4pm! Taxis have been dispatched to return us to Varenna. We have a woman cab driver. She looks like a housewife who got the call to come fetch us. I can’t believe they have cab service here!
Back in Varenna, we stroll to the left of the dock, into the neighborhoods, to find the local train station. How about that tree? Then we back track and go to the right of the dock into the village shopping and main restaurant areas. Eventually on another day in Varenna we would go to the tippy top of town and visit the local church and eat pizza under giant smooth barked trees. This is HEAVEN!
For information about Chef Moreno and Ristorante il Caminetto visit: http://www.ilcaminettoonline.com Price includes transportation to and from the Varenna dock landing, the lesson, and lunch including wine, cookies and coffee. A must do!
For a Valentine’s posting I was thinking of the most romantic spot I have journeyed to. For me it would be Lake Como, Italy. The romance begins on the journey to get there. This vacation offered everything I consider romantic, a lake and the mountains. The Zurich train depot set the tone for our vacation. It was one of the most artistically pleasing train stations I have ever been in. The compact green Italian train departed from a lively open warehouse-looking building filled with shops and restaurants and a large flower stall.
Sunflowers
The Shops in the Warehouse at Zurich Train Station
The train ride through tiny mountain villages and lakes in the Alps from Zurich to Como went by very quickly because the scenery was breathtaking. We arrived in Como just in time for an afternoon glass of wine before embarking a Rapido-Hydrofoil to go from the bottom left leg of Lake Como up to the split in the lake, to one of the triangular points of the lake, Menaggio.
The Walk from Como Giovanni Train Station to the Dock in Como
The Hydrofoil Dock in Como
Como Lakeside
During our stay on Lake Como we would be exploring Bellagio and Varenna also. The hydrofoil stopped at several small villages along the lake and it was exciting to see what the other villages looked like from the waters edge. Villas, surrounded with immaculate gardens and landscaping, were most impressive! After each stop, to let passengers off, I would tick the villages off in my head. Well we didn’t pick that one. Next…..
When we got to the dock at Menaggio, I knew I had picked the right place. Near the shore and the landing area for the hydrofoil and the ferries, was a hip coffee/pizza/breakfast restaurant with outdoor seating. This spot would be our favorite spot for morning cappuccino, espresso or latte while we waited for the ferry to take us on various excursions. We would just sit and watch the seagulls and the early strollers. Nearby was a beautiful yellow villa, Hotel du Lac, and across from that the grocery store. Perfect! (For more insight into grocery shopping in Menaggio see the post, Il Negozio di Alimentari)
Soon after arriving at the dock in Menaggio, about 4 hours behind schedule, but right on time following Italian time, we were met at the wharf by our host, Piero. Six months previous, I had asked to rent one of his rooms in his B&B, but it was full. He had suggested an apartment, that he and his wife also rented out, since were staying over a week, and we agreed. We were not exactly sure what we would be getting. Piero had a tiny hatchback car, so we piled the luggage in as best as we could, but SB still had to scrunch up and fold himself over the luggage (and we travel light) that had to be squeezed in the back hatch seat. With Piero and I buckled in the front seats, we set off up the hill. We went up and up, curve, up, up, curve, tight curve, back up and take a second go at the curve-turn combo. Up, Up, past San Marco, past Ligomena, another tight curve. Stop. Here we are and the rest is history!
For a week we lived in an outstanding apartment on the mountainside of Menaggio with a heavenly pool and a dream view of Lake Como. Our neighbors, who stayed in other apartments, came from all over the world. We had the best time getting together in the evenings by the pool and trying to figure out what everybody was saying! It was fantastic! Enjoy the view!
PS. We traveled from Zurich, Switzerland to Como, Italy because after leaving Lake Como we would be spending a week in Interlaken, Switzerland. You could fly into Milan and take a train from there to Como to get a hydrofoil to the other villages along Lake Como.
For information about the apartment see: Apartment le Eriche, Via per Barna, Plesio, Italy.
For the B&B see: B&B Eriche, Villa alla Grona, Menaggio, Italy or view on TripAdvisor
Reflecting on our trip to Paris, I must tell you it was one of our best vacations, although it was not our first time there. I think there are several explanations why we had such an enjoyable time. Because it wasn’t our first visit, we could focus on things that we had missed on previous stays. We were, for the most part, out of the tourist mode and more into the relaxing/really get to know you mode. We rented an apartment, we shopped locally in our neighborhood and ate most of our meals in restaurants in the neighborhood too. There were not many Americans, if any, to be found in the places we liked best. The French people were most polite, helpful and actually acted like they enjoyed us as much as we were enjoying them. This was especially noticeable in the restaurants. The key to starting off on the right foot, for me, is trying to fit in. I start with the language. Knowing some words in their language can go a long way. Trying to carry on a conversation in their language takes you even further. Learning words to be polite, like please, thank you, and your welcome should be the bare bone basics in any language. Where is, also comes in very helpful along with the word for bathroom. Ha! Another good reminder: things are not going to be the same way as I am accustomed to in my home, in a different country. Isn’t that the reason I travel? If my new surroundings were not going to be different, I might as well stay at home. So be prepared for different. Look for new ways of doing things. Try new foods. Go with the flow, but be prepared. I study every day on Duolingo, sometimes for as little as an hour sometimes more. It is a free App and internet sight, that is fun, and can be studied with as little or as much time as you want to take for it. I am on my 110th day studying French and before that I studied Italian on Duolingo, after I came back from Italy where I took a full immersion language course at Il Sasso. I didn’t want to lose my skills. Through Duolingo I have met friends, asked a bazillion questions to French speakers and others, learned something about their culture and translated articles. It has been so valuable to me. So to me this was a stepping stone that made my time more enjoyable on my vacation. I think it also made a huge difference to the people I interacted with. With that said, here are my four favorite eating spots in Paris during our stay this time. Practice those language skills!
Camille, right around the corner from our apartment in Paris, was the closest and had the most delicious traditional french food and pastries. It was packed with locals at all hours. I would highly recommend it. Like any great Parisian food spot the tables were small, very close together and you had to move the table or climb over other guests to get to the table. A great conversation starter!
Les Philosophes, was the restaurant wine bar, coveted by locals and especially young people. Located on a very busy walking lane, the people watching was excellent. Sitting outside under the big umbrella heaters, enjoying a wine and salad for hours, made me feel like I was part of the neighborhood. Everyone talked with everyone! We spent one enjoyable evening in conversation with a couple from Hong Kong.
Les Philosophes
Sorza Restaurant and Bar, on Saint Louis-en-L‘ile, was one of the most romantic and charming spots with a fabulous selection of food. We had the best pasta dishes here, but what set it apart from the other restaurants was the sorbet! The best I have ever eaten! The lime was so fresh and fruity with bits of lime peel. Other flavors were raved about too. I crave that sorbet now that I am at home!
King Falafel Palace in the Jewish Quarter, is an Israeli restaurant famous for their falafels. There were long long long lines daily just to get a carry out. I had never tasted a falafel and had never even heard of one, but I couldn’t wait to try it. One evening we got into the tiny tiny restaurant and were seated under the Israeli flag draped on the wall. I had the biggest pita sandwich ever! I am not sure what the contents were, but it was meat and sausages with fresh vegetables and some kind of sauce, all plumped and over flowing in that pita. It was delicious and well worth the wait. Also I had the best pomme frites in all of Paris I am sure! I sat and watched a server/helper slice pitas, hundreds of pitas. Each individual pita was slit open with a box cutter and stacked to be prepared for the falafels. That was his only job and he had a hard time keeping up!
The Falafel
Finally, as one of my blogger friends pointed out, http://www.delightfullyitaly.com, it is also good to know hand gestures ( a form of communication) and what they might mean in another country. I think you will find this video most helpful when planning to visit Italy. Something to be aware of before you make that hand sign!
For more interest see:
Duolingo, Language Studies, http://www.duolingo.com
Il Sasso, Premier Italian Language School, Montepulciano, Italy. http://www.ilsasso.com
Camille, 24 Rue de Francs-Bourgeois, Paris, France. See TripAdvisor
Les Philosophes, 28 rue Vieille du Temple, Paris, France. See TripAdvisor
Sorza Restaurant and Bar, 51 Rue Saint Louis-en-L’ile, Paris, France, http://www.sorza.fr
King Falafel Palace, Specialités Israéliennes, 26 Rue des Rosiers, Paris, France, See TripAdvisor.
I have to rest my knee today after yesterday’s shopping spree. (See previous posts) When I mentioned to the perfumer that I wanted to go to Père LaChaise Cemetery, he warned me it was not very level and down right steep in some areas. So today Baby Bear and Papa Bear are off to see one of the famous cemeteries of the world without me!
The cemetery is named after Father Francois de la Chaise, (1624-1709) the confessor to Louis XIV, who lived in the Jesuit house that was on the property at one time. The sight opened as a cemetery on May 21, 1804 with the burial of a five year old child. That first year only thirteen people were buried here because it was felt the cemetery was too far from Paris. Also, Catholics would not be buried here because the Catholic Church had not blessed it. Later in 1804, with great fanfare, the decision was made to transfer the remains of Jean de La Fontaine (poet) and Molière (actor/writer), seen as rock stars in their day, to the cemetery. Again in 1817, the purported remains of Abélard (philosopher) and Héloise d’Argenteuil (his lover) were also transferred with their monument’s canopy made from fragments of an abbey. This strategy led to the desired results: people were determined to be buried among the famous citizens. The famous and wealthy people buried here would try to out do each other, even in death, with beautiful burial chambers, most the size of a phone booth, but some very extravagant. Père Lachaise was expanded five times and today over one million bodies are buried here in 110 acres. Many, many more are in the columbarium, which holds the remains of those who have requested cremation.
Today, strict rules apply to be buried in the cemetery. To be buried here one must have died in Paris or lived there. Also there are 50, 30 and 10 year leases on the burial sites. After the lease is up the remains are removed and placed in Aux Morts, (to the Dead) an ossuary, similar to the famous catacomb sights. When the ossuary is full, the bones are cremated and then returned to the sight. I wanted to see the graves of Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, and Oscar Wilde. A roster of all the famous people buried here can be found on the internet. I would suggest taking a map of the cemetery with you or download the Maplet of Père Lachaise Cemetery (Maplets App) on your IPhone as we had. After all there are 110 acres to explore and Papa Bear acknowledged it is very steep and uneven with forest like ledges in some areas. Also note, that at 4pm in the winter, bell ringers ringing old fashioned school bells, walk the cemetery to announce that the cemetery closes at 5pm. You do not want to be locked in the cemetery left to scale a 20 foot gate! I hope you enjoy the video!
In my pre-travel readings I read a fabulous book titled, The Perfume Collector, by Kathleen Tessaro. I could not put it down. I was mesmerized. It would set the mood for the Paris vacation.
In Kathleen’s words about the book:
An inheritance from a mysterious stranger…….
An abandoned perfume shop on the Left Bank of Paris……….
And three exquisite perfumes that hold a memory…….and a scent.
It put me on a quest for perfume in Paris!
After the events of the past days I am determined to go shopping today. I have been ogling shop windows filled with beautiful bling and nuggets and watched women spray perfume on what looks like white plant garden markers, long enough. I have stopped at every little stand in front of the perfume shops and followed suit. The perfume dealers are very smart. These little stands have two or three perfume bottles on them and the white markers. I spray the marker and “oh” and “ah” over the scents. Off I would go with the markers in my inside coat pocket and whenever I reached into my pocket what a delight of delicious fragrances I received!
One day, before Christmas, I ventured into a tiny perfume shop. There was one French woman there discussing a perfume with the owner. She went on and on……..and on….the gentleman giving her full attention. Now, here is where I want to add my view of French shopping, well most European shopping for that matter. No one is ever in a hurry. The customer may take hours looking, selecting, trying, and asking questions. More samples are brought, more questions answered. Get the picture? Shopping is an art form here. One customer at a time. The customer is special. The clerk sees to that. My first observance of this was seen in the movie, Love Actually. In one scene, a man is looking at jewelry and the elegant man behind the counter enlightens him on the art of shopping. I loved it! This is a Christmas movie, my favorite Christmas movie, but the message of the movie holds true, so I like to watch it throughout the year. Put it on your movie list, you will not be disappointed! The salespeople in Paris are exactly like the behind the counter clerk in this movie. Here in Paris, I was fascinated just watching the scene play out before me and could not wait for it to be my turn! On this pre-Christmas day we couldn’t wait, but I vowed to be back.
The Perfume Man
Atelier Cologne
Today I hobble to the perfume shop, that in my mind is the greatest perfume shop ever! It is tiny with bricked walls and wooden tables with a selected few perfume bottles. Papa Bear and I are the only customers here today! The gentleman addresses me. I tell him I have been here before, when he was busy with another customer. He shows me all the perfumes. I sniff, I doodle. I think. I sniff some more. I ask about the fragrances. We carry on a conversation for over an hour and I make my selections. Oh, but we are not through! Now he will make me leather covers with any initials or wording I like, to be placed on the smaller bottles I have selected. The leather covers come with the perfume, he explains.
One of the Finished Perfume Cases
My Perfume Collection
I choose from the many leather color options. More time. We take a seat before his work desk. A large machine (made in the USA, he tells me) is prepared to take a silver leafing paper that will heat up, leaving the initials I have selected pressed into the leather. The handle is lowered and the foil heats up, transferring silver initials onto the leather case. This takes several minutes, since the heat must reach a certain temperature and the foil pressed evenly. When the process is complete, he takes the leather case from the machine and rubs and buffs and rubs and buffs the leather some more. He puts on his glasses to inspect the results. He doesn’t like the look of the initials so he throws it away! He starts over on another piece of leather of my choosing. Again, it does not meet his inspection. Third try on one bottle and it is perfect! We have more bottles to go! At last we have completed the sale of perfume and after individually tissue wrapping each one and putting each one in an individual box, he places the lot in an elegant looking carrying bag, and thanks me. Next he reaches into a drawer and selects a handful of french postcards, each with a different perfume scent artfully tied to them with brown cording and places THEM in my elegant bag. YES, this is shopping in Paris! Let’s move on to the next shop! Before the day is over I have almost as many free gifts, as the gifts I bought! Not just trinkets either. In one shop I got a small bound diary/calendar that also explained the history of charms. I loved it! As Kathleen said, “What memories! What scents!”
Also Baby Bear shared her tip from her perfumer. He suggested spraying or dabbing your favorite perfume on the BACK OFYOUR NECK, for the most lasting results that is pleasant for you (you can smell it) as well as those around you. It really works! At the end of the day I continued to smell a whisper of the fragrance on my pillow!
PS: The day would not be complete without a stop for shopping fuel.
Must Stop for Shopping Fuel!
Shopping Fuel
It’s Night Time Already!
It’s getting dark. Back to the apartment! I am really hobbled now!
The Perfume shop was: Atelier Cologne, Nenesse, rue de Poitou, Paris, France
Today I am licking my wounds.(not literally) My hand is fine, which I am surprised about, but there is a big bruise, black and purple, that runs from my wrist to my elbow on my left arm. Hmmmm…. My biggest problem though, is the knot with black and blue swelling, below my right knee. It feels like there is a giant rubber band tightening the dickens out of the tissue below the kneecap. I might as well have a tourniquet on! I have had this problem on numerous occasions. I have twisted my knee. AGAIN! I can’t walk. I hobble to the couch. Maybe if I just stay off of it a few days…….Bummer!
Baby Bear and Papa Bear feel bad for me. Baby Bear goes to Paul’s and buys croissants and those baby doughnut holes. Papa Bear brings back more café and baby, baby Coke in six ounce cans. They are so cute! Who knew they made aluminum cans this tiny for Coke? Comfort food. I am propped up on the couch, my right leg extended as much as it will, with several pillows underneath it, café at hand, croissants within reach. I will study my French lessons on the Ipad. The sun is shining. It looks so warm and beautiful out there! Papa Bear announces he will finish the three bus tours we had tickets for and take lots of pictures on his cell phone. The camera batteries are still dead as a doornail and we can’t get them to recharge no matter what plug we use. Baby Bear is going shopping. Oh, how I love shopping! I settle into French adverbs. Bummer, bummer, bummer!
In the late afternoon the Bears return and I announce I am better. Hmmmmm… I can hobble down to the Jewish quarter to eat something I am sure. The T street is one of my favorite’s to watch the world go by. There is a big yellow Jewish bakery, Sacha Finkelsztajn, that can’t be missed. Down this lane are tiny tiny stalls and tiny tiny restaurants, where there are always lines to get falafels (I’d never seen or eaten one before) and crêpes.
The Crêpe Maker
I have set a goal to stand in one of those lines and see what all the hubbub is about concerning a falafel, but tonight won’t be the night. We hobble into a restaurant. We have not been here before, but I am curious about it because the windows have so many hand written messages on it, in French. Because of the writings it is impossible to see in, but the tables are always full outside. There are lines to get a table inside, so eating in will be out of the question too. I think I’ll just look over all the goodies in the sandwich and pastry counters. There is a waiting line for the to-go items also. The women in front of us take matters into their own hands. Reaching for the tissues and bags they begin placing assorted pastries into a bag. A gent in a white apron comes to the front of the counter and points to one of many signs behind the cash register area. Do Not Touch Pastries, Ask forAssistance. These women speak French and ignore him. More signs. There is no Wi FiHere. Please Wait to Be Seated. Wait to be Seated Outside. Cash Only. Do Not MoveBeyond This Line. You Can Find Us on TripAdvisor. Just a few of the instructions that I remember. These pointers are in English, so I know who they are for. As we wait our turn I study the people, the signs, the food. The apron gent now nods to a helper/cook/waiter, I am not sure who he is, but this man comes to help us, although not happy to have been given such a lowly assignment. I point, he selects. He drops the goodies into the sack. We take the bag to apron man, who has been giving all the directions and I see he is also the man in charge of the cash register. I think this is sooooo French. They have a way of doing everything…..
I hobble gingerly back to the apartment with the help of Papa Bear. As we munch on the sandwiches and cakes, and swizzle tiny cans of Coke, Baby Bear is modeling and revealing all her shopping goodies. She tells me all about her lesson in “PERFUME.”
I insist tomorrow I will be able to shop!
Enjoy the Video, these are just a few of the hundreds of pictures Papa Bear took for me!
It is Christmas Day and we have slept in late. Mostly due to the fun of the evening before and the rule “we are on vacation after all” and the combination of the blackout velvet drapes. Time to open presents! Baby Bear is the only person I know who would come to France with her spare luggage full of Christmas presents for us! One of my BEST gifts was a new pair of boots! Green plaid for Christmas and they are so cute and comfortable.
I will wear them out today as we are making our way to the Champs-Elyees to look at more Christmas lights. We didn’t expect too many people out today, but was I ever wrong! Everyone is on the Champs-Elysees. Throngs and throngs of people and a Christmas Market along the entire route! I am thinking what a heyday this would be for pick pockets. But, hey it’s Christmas so only pleasant thoughts allowed. Every store is decorated to the hilt and it gets dark quickly. La nuit est déjà noire. One of my French lesson sentences we practice over and over. Now I know why. So we are scrambling along.
Shopping Along the Champs Elysees
Here, I must tell you that a few days ago my battery and the backup battery for my camera died! You gotta be kiddin‘ me! I’ll just use my cell phone from here on out, I tell myself. I don’t want to take the time on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to look for a battery store, too much I want to see. So we are traveling in the step, shuffle, stop, step, shuffle, stop routine all along the avenue while I hold my camera above the heads and try to take pictures. A feat all in itself!
The Crowds
The Traffic
More Crowds
The Christmas Market
The Ferris Wheel
More Pictures of THE Beautiful Blue Lights
We come upon some especially beautiful blue light displays in a Wonderland Garden and I am determined to get closer to them and in the process I trip over the only exposed curb of the street. Most of the street crossings have plywood boards to walk up on making it easier for the pedestrians and those with strollers. You never know where the side street meets the avenue this way. The side streets are all blocked off, keeping everyone moving on the avenue. It is just one long continuous walk. I go flying and land on the pavement with my left hand caught in the spokes of a baby carriage! I cling tightly to my cell phone in my right hand. There is a cry of “OH” in the crowd and then everyone parts way leaving me in the center of a large circle with my hand snagged. Papa Bear tries to help me up, but I can’t get up. Then someone behind me frees my hand from the carriage and between him and Papa Bear grabbing me under each armpit, I am sprung up in a flourish. It seems like I am in a fog. A young police officer is standing before me and prattling on. I remember thinking, “They still wear those hats and uniforms like in the movie Casablanca!” He keeps on talking and finally a word resonates with me that I understand, “Medical.” He is asking me if I need an ambulance or a doctor. All my perfect 546 words that I know (I’m Type A so I keep track) in French are useless because I am in such a fog I can’t speak! What an opportunity I am missing and all I can squeak out is, “Non, merci.” The crowd in the circle has seen enough and returns to their shuffle down the avenue. Baby Bear who always walks far ahead of us, returns and asks,
“Mother what are you doing?” She knows there has been a disturbance.
“I fell”.
“You did not!”
“I did.”
Getting Close!
The Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe
The Arc and the Eiffel!
The Arc de Triompe
We continue in the shuff-along. I am limping. Papa Bear is asking me if I am all-right, but everything seems far away. Time to go home. We find a side street and turn into it.
The Side Street
I Am Still Taking Pictures!
We are walking past the US Embassy and I realize the French Police on guard here wear black stocking caps and carry oozies. Not one of us says a word, as we creep past. Are we supposed to even be on this street? We make it back, but I hope you REALLY enjoy these pictures! I did!
There are bus tours, four that cover the city, so we are taking one of them up to The Basilica du Sacré-Cœur. On the double decker red buses we are bundled up even though it is a bright warm day, but on the top tier the wind is brisk! The buses stop a little too frequently for my liking, often sitting for twenty minutes or so at each stop, but the narration of the view from the bus is very good. We reach Place St Peters and look up the hill to a pedestrian traffic jam. The narrow street appears to be THE street needed to get to Sacré-Cœur. Narrow and filled with peddlers selling cheap souvenirs or executing some sort of shell game, we make our way slowly up the hill to the funicular or stairs (your choice) that will take us to the next level of steps and the church.
One Level of Sacré-Cœur
Getting off the funicular there is another plaza level of men selling bracelets or miniature Eiffel Towers that light up in pink or green. The souvenirs are displayed on small rugs on the ground, so watch your step! We take the final set of steps and reach the square of Sacré-Cœur, where there are tents set up and another Christmas Market in full swing.
Sacré-Cœur
Passing the market tents we reach the church. There has been a line to get in at every church we have visited during our stay and there is no exception here. At Notre Dame the line wrapped around itself and kept on going with hundreds lined up to get in. My real surprise has been the Muslim families lined up with their children waiting to get in the churches. My second surprise was the Nativity scenes inside the churches. They are not outside as we see in the US, most likely due to their shear size and their age perhaps. Inside Sacré-Cœur the pasty white nuns are scurrying to add more chairs and others are managing a gift shop. The church is beautiful, however the signs says, “NO PICTURES” and these nuns look like they mean business. Outside again we head up to the village above the church where there is a small square with artists at their easels busy sketching or painting.
The Artists at Sacré-Cœur
We decide to eat at one of the cafes along the plaza perimeter, Cadet de Gascogne, and watch the crowds before the sun sets. After eating we walk around the artists easels and look at their work. I notice that many of the children in the crowd are carrying small paper plates with a tiny piece of pottery on them that is freshly turned. They are gingerly guarding the plates so passers-by in the crowds don’t touch them or tip over the plate.
The Pottery Man
Further along the market stalls we see children standing around a man who is busy making them a piece of pottery. Having seen what we came to see we peer over the wall and look out over the city. It is spread out and beautiful. I love the picture I took of the Eiffel Tower from the top. (See the video)
I Love This Twisted Vine
Looking down at the street below I can also see the hubbub street we walked up. There is a parallel street one block over that is absolutely empty of travelers or peddlers! We walk down that one instead of the one we came up on. So blissful! Our stop at Sacré-Cœur would not be complete without pictures of the Moulin Rouge which is on the base street below the church. It wouldn’t even stand out if the windmill was not on the roof. Enjoy the video of our day at Sacré-Cœur!
I want to go to the Lafayette Galleries. It is a department store on the order of Macy’s, Herrods and Selfridges with fabulous decorations I am told. I look at the map. It doesn’t look too far really. We head out to the big street. In my mind there is our neighborhood with the tiny streets and cafes and when you come to the edge of it you are at St Paul’s Metro stop. I don’t care for the metro. Down a bazillion stairs, walk a mile to the subway, get on, get out, walk a bazillion miles and climb more stairs. I would rather just walk. If there was only a straight line to all the places I want to see. The Parisians like angles with triangle shaped buildings sitting in the middle of the street you are walking on so it splits into two, then that one splits and then that one.
I Like This Building
And the Bows on all the Balconies
There is no walking in a straight line so far. On the street of St Paul’s there is a boulangerie/patisserie/bakery called Paul’s, believe it or not, and there is always a line for their goodies. We get in it. There is bread and baguettes, cakes, tarts and Buche de Noel’s and delicious donut hole thingys! One young girl behind the counter speaks English, but I try my meager skills in French. We immediately made Paul’s a daily stop.
A Daily Stop
After the stop at Paul’s we walk on in our bear formation. And on…….. and on…….. The sidewalks got wider and wider and then when we could no longer see the sidewalks because of the masses we knew we were there. I couldn’t see anything, but the head of the person in front of me and to the side. Papa Bear stays close to me or I will never be found. Baby Bear is probably in the hinterland! Bumper to bumper. I could see the department store building, in the distance, but getting up close to it would be another story. Tiny steps, stop, tiny steps stop. Everyone in Paris must be here. Children are perched on the shoulders of their parents. There are windows and hundreds of people surrounding them. What is in the windows? I push in farther determined to see. There are three wooden stairs up, a viewing stand section and three stairs down, for the lucky and the smallest to stand on to see the window displays. Behind the platforms are throngs of people. The window has stuffed monkeys, polar bears, black bears, birds and other creatures swinging and dancing, and a clock. There are twelve windows, I discover, all with a different scene and a different clock.
The Lafayette Galleries Windows on Christmas Day When Things Had Calmed Down
I am ready to go inside. It is bumper to bumper inside too. The line, we are all scrunched in, is heading past the perfumes, no one drops out of line. It certainly smells good here! Suddenly there it is! The most beautiful and tallest tree in the middle of the store, well it seems like it is in the middle, with a domed glass ceiling above it. It is beautiful and we all fiddle for different angles to get a picture. I realize you can go up an escalator and get pictures at a different angle so up we go. Is anybody shopping? It’s too crowded to shop! It seems that everyone here is here to see the tree! We snap more pictures and then head for the cafe on the fourth floor.
THE TREE at Lafayette Galleries
The Dome Above the Tree
I need to sit down. There is a walk through cafeteria and smaller eateries scattered on this floor to spread the customers out. It is hot in here!
So many people! I decide on sorbet and sit at a window table, looking out at the city. Suddenly the lights go on at the Eiffel Tower and Baby Bear notices this. It is breathtaking! How far are we from that? It doesn’t look that far, um hmmmm. I need to look at the items on this floor, it IS the Christmas decoration and ornament section and how can you walk past that and not look? It is sooooooo crowded, but we find an ornament or two and out the door we go to go to the Eiffel Tower which I am sure is just a mile or two up the road!
Along the Walk
More Along the Walk
The Eiffel at Night
At the Eiffel Tower was a Christmas Market where we stopped to eat!
Down this lane are tiny tiny stalls and tiny tiny restaurants, where there are always lines to get falafels (I’d never seen or eaten one before) and crêpes.
The Travel Lady In Her Shoes 