May 8, 2007
Again we were up early, not too early, and packed before an 8:30 breakfast in the garden area. We then headed over to stroll along the Promenade one last time. After about an hour we headed back to the room to get our luggage and make our way back to the train station.

Finding our way to the correct car was a bit of a challenge here. Fortunately, with departure quickly approaching, and quite by a quirk of fate, I stumbled upon the correct car when actually just getting on to ask directions. We ran into a very nice gentleman who spoke just enough English to point us in the right direction. This time we had a sweet, no, the sweetest, First Class car. This car was two levels, and we were upstairs in a finely appointed Living Room! We had the entire car to ourselves.

Departing Nice the scenery en-route to Paris was breathtaking. The hillside of the south of France was lined with beautiful vineyards and manicured fields of flower. My only regret is that you couldn’t get a worthy picture shooting through the windows. Following along the shoreline we sped along taking in the great vistas at every turn. Yacht-filled marinas, mountains, and lapping shorelines created a coffee table book come to life.

We arrived in Paris full of anticipation and yet with more than a little apprehension and trepidation. Upon hearing we were traveling to Paris, the typical response of our Midwestern friends was one of either caution, or pity for our obvious ignorance. Hadn’t we heard the French hate Americans?

In addition to internet research and the perusal of several guidebooks, we bolstered our nerve by reading two books to help prepare us for the Parisian culture. Almost French by Sarah Turnbull, and A Year in Merde by Stephen Clarke are both highly recommended reading for an introduction into the Paris culture and mindset. Having said all that, the events of our first hour in Paris were most harrowing and left us praying it was not a foretelling of the days ahead.

My research told me that in order to get from the Gare De Lyon station to our hotel I needed to take Metro Line 14 to the Madeleine stop, then switch to Line 8 and get off at the Ecole Militaire stop. I should then be about a block away. That sounded simple enough. Also my research told me that the most efficient tool to take in Paris’ attractions economically was to purchase a “Paris Museum Pass”. These can be bought at the Paris Tourist Bureau which has a branch in Gare de Lyon. So the first task was to find the Tourist Bureau and then get our Metro pass.

It should be noted that the little exposure to French that I get in St. Martin, F.W.I., and neither my internet French lessons, nor my one Community Education class had left me fluent enough to feel very confident about where we were to go. But I could read just enough to follow signage to the Tourist Bureau. It should also be recorded for your visual understanding that we arrived amidst rush hour. The place was a maze literally buzzing with people rushing in every direction. Obviously they all knew better than I where they were headed. Eventually we found our way to the Grand Reception Hall and ultimately to the area where we believed the Tourist Bureau to be.

“Bonjour Monsieur.”
“Bonjour”
“Parle vous Anglais?”
“Yes, a little”
“Can you tell me where the Tourist & Convention Bureau is located?”
“They’re closed. It’s a holiday”
“Do you know if…”
“They’re closed. Come back tomorrow.” He said, cutting me off. Strike 1.

We obviously wouldn’t be getting museum passes today, so the next item was to get our Metro Pass so we could head to the hotel. Having overlooked this instructional feature of the guidebook, I suddenly realized I had no idea where to buy the metro passes. We therefore set out to find an information booth that might be able to point us in the right direction. Situated in the middle of the Grand Reception Hall was a SNCF (France Railway) information kiosk. Yes, we recognized they weren’t responsible for the Metro, but we assumed anyone working there was probably familiar with Paris and the intricate workings of the Metro system.

“Bonjour Monsieur.”
“Bonjour”
“Can you tell me where I can buy a Metro Pass?”
“Ne parle pas Anglais”, he answered looking over my shoulder to the next person in line behind me. Strike 2.

Now upon our arrival at Gare De Lyon we saw signage pointing down a staircase to Metro Line 14 when we had first gotten off the train. Our only choice at this point was to retrace our steps and see if we could figure out where to buy our passes. Back out the Reception Hall, around a corner, down a concourse or two, and then down an elevator and we are finally, amazingly, back where we started.

Peering down the staircase we are looking into an abyss that is the bowels of the Paris Metro. Residing in a small Midwestern town our entire lives, venturing down unprepared would have been akin to leaping off the Empire State Building. With our luggage in tow we looked down at the swirling cauldron of humanity and decided we didn’t dare descend until we had our passes in hand and were fully aware of what lay ahead.

At the top of the stairs to the Metro 14 line we see a small yellow ticket kiosk, selling tickets, for what we don’t know, but this seems a smaller leap so we venture over. I must stop to reinforce the picture that there are people absolutely everywhere racing in every conceivable direction to catch a train, a subway car, a taxi, or who knows what else. What is clear is that no one is stopping to have a chat or taking the time to visit. This is function driven only and not a soul is concerned for two hapless Americans dragging luggage around the train station looking hopelessly lost. I approach the kiosk to see a petite young lady inside, relaxing and filing her nails. She looked to be worlds apart from the hectic pace just outside her door. I lean forward to speak through the small circular opening in the glass enclosure.

“Excuse me, do you know where I can buy a Metro Pass?”
“What, you don’t even say “Good Day” first,” she asked in perfect English better than my own. Following her directions proved fruitless but I couldn’t bring myself to go back to see her for a second round. Strike 3 and we were very nearly out.

With this I was just about ready to seek a taxi and let someone else maneuver us about the city. But having to this point manipulated the trains and busses from Italy to Nice and finally to Paris, I was determined not to give in. We are big fans of the popular television show The Amazing Race, and up until this point had considered ourselves to be worthy opponents to Rob and Amber. Our accomplishments to this point had led us to believe we could tackle anything with a little perseverance and ingenuity. I was determined not to give up. Bonnie had by this time spied out two young men in maroon vests whom she determined “looked” helpful. Maybe I should go ask them. At the conclusion of this leg of the trip, we had determined that the generation of our fathers, those with memories of the historical contributions of the USA, and the generation of the twenty-somethings, were the most apt to lend assistance or show kindness to a forlorn American traveler. I’ll detail more about that in the conclusion.

With the simplest of directions we found the ticket booth, got our passes, and were quickly on our way to board Line 14.

**Tip** As you board the metro, the doors slide open and everyone hurries on board. We didn’t understand why the rush until after we heard the chime, or gong ring. We now know what we didn’t know then. When the bell tolls, you had better already be on board, or don’t even attempt it. Within just a matter of two to three seconds, the doors began to shut. Not the gently sliding elevator door kind of shut, but the guillotine type of shut. It is not only irony that the word “guillotine” is of French origin. Apparently its usage is not completely abandoned. I jumped on with all our bags, but Bonnie was caught by the doors nearly dissecting her longitudinally in half. It took all my might to push the doors apart just enough that she could squeeze through, and then they slammed together pinching my fingers in the process. The other crowded passengers surrounding me merely looked on as if watching a scene at a stage show. Ah yes, Paris in springtime!

That, in totality, was the extent of the less than warm reception we encountered in the entirety of our stay in Paris. It was a good thing too, otherwise it may have been cut short.

We had no trouble manipulating the transfer to Line 8 and exiting at the correct stop to get to Ecole Militaire. We climbed out of the subway to a dull grey daylight and began to try to orient ourselves to the map and landmarks in the area. Almost immediately we were greeted by an elderly gentleman who in broken English set out to point us in the right direction. Just as quickly a very proper French woman stopped to be sure he was getting it right. That was more the typical reception we had when encountering the French during our stay. Everyone was very kind and couldn’t have been more accommodating.

We quickly manipulated the single block to the Hotel Muguet , an above average 2-star, located in the 7th Arrondessmont immediately behind Hotel Des Invalides. The Hotel Muguet was once again a small hotel, but this one had an elevator, a very well appointed continental breakfast, and very up to date restroom furnishings. Arriving on the 5th floor, we dropped our bags and determined we would immediately walk over to see the Eiffel Tower. I went over to the window and threw open the curtains. Bonnie melted to see the Eiffel Tower right outside our bedroom window! Home Run!

It was cold outside so we quickly changed and walked over to see the Eiffel Tower. We approached from the southwest walking down one of the avenues along side the Champ De Mars. I loved the lawn stretching out in front (Parc du Champs de Mars) and it was full of lovers, families with children, and old men settling the world’s problems. We spent over an hour just watching the crowd. My journal entry states that it was a real carnival atmosphere, aside from the soldiers with machine guns patrolling the grounds! What I find so interesting about a place like this, or the Colloseum in Rome, is the diversity of cultures that all seem to convene here. It puts an exclamation point on the notoriety of such a physical landmark

After about a two hour stop, we decided to return to the room and stopped for our first Parisian dinner along the way. Bonnie and I both love French cooking. The meals we have on the French side of St. Martin are our favourites so we were really looking forward to it. We stopped very near the hotel at Comptoir Du Sept and I was now officially going to get my first attempt at French conversation. We perused the menu, I ordered, and the food delivered matched our expectation. Chalk one up for the visiting team! The food was outstanding and we were really starting to settle in to what would surely be a wonderful stay.

**Tip** If you don’t like cigarette smoke I would advise that you eat outside in Paris. Smoking is very big in Paris.

May 9, 2007
We got up this morning and headed down to enjoy a leisurely breakfast before heading out for the day. Our itinerary this day was going to cover more ground than usual so we decided to head for the metro right away. I love the Metro by the way, and by now we’d begun to feel as if we were accomplished experts. It is such a great way to get around town and really quite easy to maneuver. It is great to walk around looking at all the monuments, museums, gardens, churches etc. on foot, but eventually you will get tired of all the walking and then you will need a good efficient way to get around. That would no doubt be the metro. However if you are going to use this method, recognize that few, if any, of the metro stations have escalators or lifts, and they can be quite formidable. Keep that in mind before you stuff too many changes or souvenirs from previous destinations into your suitcase. Also don’t be surprised if you get some free entertainment on board. We were treated to some really bad singing on one trip, and a solo accordion offering on another. They were of course hoping to entice a small offering out of the passengers, but most of those appeared non-plussed as we, and instead stared blankly at the space ahead.

We hopped on board the metro, amidst morning rush hour, to make our way to the Visitor’s Bureau located in the 1st Arrondessmont. Paris is a big city, with the emphasis on ‘big’. It took a little doing, but we eventually find it, arriving a little after 9 AM. The fact that our sources said they should open at 9:00 was lost on them as the sign in the window said they wouldn’t open today until 10:00. We passed the time chatting with a Canadian who as it turns out is from an area just a short distance from Bonnie’s hometown.

We got our passes and then discover we are standing just a few blocks from the Louvre. We decide to head on over to mark the first destination off our itinerary. On arriving we quickly find out we are supposed to come in through a under utilized side entrance since we were “Pass Holders”. This was a major coup and avoided the seriously longer lines at the Main Entrance. We gleefully marched inside trying to hide our enthusiasm.

Once a fortified palace in a previous life, today the building itself remains a massive structure that houses an enormous art collection. The main entrance of the museum is a great glass pyramid designed by I. M. Pei. There is too much to see to list it all but we thought the most prominent of our sites we enjoyed were Winged Victory, the Venus de Milo, the Raft of Medusa, and of course Mona Lisa. We also really enjoyed seeing the Apollo Gallery, specifically the Coronation Crown of Louis XV. We could have spent days in there if we wanted to see all the paintings and sculptures, but someone was getting tired so we stopped for a bite and a drink in the food court before leaving. We’ll have to return again in the future, to really absorb all that is within its walls would probably take two days.

Leaving the Louvre we decided to head through Le Jardin Des Tuileries all the way to the Arc De Triomphe via the Champs Elysees. Napoleon had promised that his army would go home under triumphal arches, and to that end the Arc de Triomphe was finished in 1836 and today it stands as a national symbol. As soon as we left the Louvre grounds you could see it looming largely ahead 2 miles in the distance.

We set out for the long walk but stopped right away for a hot dog from one of the stands in the park. We passed through the Place de la Concorde and took pictures of the large obelisk that was given to France from Egypt. After taking photos we started walking up the Champs Elysee towards the Arc de Triomph. We did a little window shopping but the price tags scared us away. Standing on the sidewalk and watching the traffic maneuver the circle around the Arc is more than a bit unnerving, but exhilarating all the same. I was convinced that at any moment we would see someone careening out of control and jumping the curb, landing at our feet amidst the flowered cafes. Some consolation was taken in the fact that the small energy efficient tin cans they drive wouldn’t carry sufficient weight to do considerable damage even if you took the full brunt of the collision. The Champs Elysee was a great experience and we enjoyed just soaking it all in. The weather was a perfect day for enjoying the march down the famous shopping district and once again another of Bonnie’s fantasies was played out before our eyes.

We then walked back to the room down the Ave. D’Iena and the Palais De Chaillot. This put us now coming up to the Eiffel Tower from the back side, across the Seine River. The brevity of the lines convinced us now was the time to go up the tower. We only went as far as the 2nd platform but that was sufficient. The view from the platform was awesome looking across the Champ De Mars and down the Seine, but it was a bit chilly and windy so we decided to head down.

After a failed attempt to take one of the dinner cruises down the Seine we settled for dinner at another sidewalk café. Walking back to the room we reflected that it was another fantastic day in another fantastic city.

May 10, 2007
We got up and again enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the hotel before heading out to the metro station for the first leg of today’s adventure. The breakfast at the Hotel Muguet was well above average for a continental breakfast. There were the requisite cereals and fruits, but keep in mind this is France and thus the pastries and croissants were melt in your mouth delicious. Also they had a selection of sliced meats and both hard and soft-boiled eggs. We decided to take the metro to see the Notre Dame Cathedral and walk our way back via the Orsay Museum. Notre Dame is situated on a small island in the middle of the Seine River. Ile de la Cité is by many considered to be the very birthplace of Paris and we looked forward to another day of exploration.

The church, like every one we have seen before on this trip, was impressive and massive. From the courtyard out front I took lots of photos while Bonnie relaxed and soaked up the morning sun. The church with its twin 200’ tall towers is absolutely polluted with gargoyles of every size and description. Ornate carvings of the apostles and saints adorned the façade. A depiction of the Last Supper adorns the main entrance. It really is hard to image how all this work is completed. We spent some time just enjoying the crowd and then stopped in some of the tourist shops for souvenir shopping.

**Tip** A nice pair of binoculars or a camera with a telephoto lens is really a must here. Without it you would miss much of the detail on the façade, which is considerable.

About this time we decided we’d really like to see Montmartre, even if it meant we cancelled our planned stop at the Musee D’Orsay. Secretly I had to admit that by this point in our trip I was more inclined to sitting at a little café sharing a leisurely drink and exchanging furtive glances with my wife than sauntering through the silent halls of yet another museum. So we made a quick change of plans and hopped back on board the metro to make our way to Sacre-Coure. This proved to be a most auspicious change and reflecting back on the day we were glad for the impromptu cancellation.

Sacre-Coure is a historic church located on a hill high above the city. The view from the stairs in front of the church is spectacular in spite of the throngs of tourists. We were fortunate that we were there on a nice clear day and we could see the entire city spread out before us. The rooftops below appeared as a blanket of multi-hued flowers. There is supposed to be a train service to the church from the Anvers metro station, but you probably have to know what you’re doing to find it. That left us out, plus we are still so young and physically fit that we disembarked at the Chateau Rouge stop and opted to walk up the stairs. Upon our arrival in the Market District, we were blasted full face with the overwhelming scent/odor of not so fresh meats and vegetables. It really was a unique experience, as I do find that I love to explore the inner workings of different cities and cultures, but this was more the inner bowels than we wanted at this particular time. Bonnie was less than impressed by the raw meats and sundry animal body parts proudly displayed in open carts and in shop windows. I might add here that they were also displayed quite proudly in full sun. I wondered silently if they had health department inspections in Paris.

The stark white church is absolutely stunningly beautiful against the blue sky. I hereby declare that Sacre-Coeur was probably my favorite church structure of our entire trip. Maybe I’ll concede that it is a tie with Notre Dame as it too was spectacular. Maybe a three-way tie as I really liked St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice too. Oh well! It was nice to stop out front and relax to take in the views of Paris. There were a number of tourists gathered, but I would say it wasn’t overly crowded. The street musicians and trinket vendors reminded me of some of the stops we’d seen in Rome. Again a nice pair of binoculars or telephoto lens is almost a prerequisite.

The Sacré-Coeur Basilica is located in the Montmartre area, so we walked the short distance to the Montmartre artist’s district. This area is well known as the former haunts of the likes of Monet and Renoir, and yes even for the less reputable landmarks like the Moulin Rouge. Its natural setting is high above the city and thus made it an ideal place of inspiration to sit and paint the scenes of the city below. To this day the area remains an artist’s Mecca. We didn’t get very far from the church before we were “approached” by artists that wanted to draw our portrait. We managed to effectively say “no” and settled into a little sidewalk café (Au Clairon des Chasseurs) for the French national sandwich, a croque-monsieur for me, and a croquet-madame for the lady. This was the Paris Bonnie had longed to see. With its narrow cobblestone streets, lined with quaint little flower-lined cafes, and row after row of beautiful paintings, the setting was a fantasy land come to life. We sat out along the sidewalk and enjoyed one another’s company just taking in the beauty of the day and our surroundings. We met a group of three young Canadians seated next to us. One was studying in Paris and the other two were along for a visit. The “local” admitted this was her favorite place in all of Paris. We asked for a restaurant recommendation, and ironically she listed as her favorite a spot very near our hotel. It was La Terrasse, and we had just stopped to look at the menu board the night before. We would definitely add this to our “must do” list before we left.

We concluded the stop by walking the streets, getting lost, and purchasing some art in a local gallery. I would say that upon reflection, this was our favorite part of Paris. Its quaint streets and cafes seemed worlds apart from the bustling streets laid out below us. There appears a literal convergence of cultures when you compare the ultra modern and efficient metro system deep beneath the city streets, with that of the quiet flower box lined sidewalks of Montmartre. We much preferred the latter. Difficult as it was, we pulled ourselves away from the area and headed back to the Hotel Muguet. Bonnie was less than impressed with the restroom facilities at the restaurant. Washing her hands, she looked up in the mirror to discover that she was peering at the backside of a man using the urinal. Note to self, not all cultures are as discreet as the Middle American, even less so than a Mennonite from the plains of Canada!

After a brief stop in the room to recharge our batteries, we decided to head over to Tour Montparnasse. This is a real insider tip that I discovered in one of the guidebooks I read. Tour (Tower) Montparnasse is a 59-story office building situated southeast of the Eiffel Tower. From the observation deck you get wonderful views of the entire city of Paris.

Leaving our room we passed the Hotel Des Invalides. This is no small inn to be sure. Guards stood sentry at the gates through which we peered to catch glimpses of a massive front lawn lined with cannons, long ago fallen into silent furnishings, mementos of a bygone era. At the rear of the Invalides complex is the Dome church and the Musee Rodin is across the street. The most noteworthy thing about this church is of course the presence of Napoleon’s tomb in the middle. We skipped it for this tour but did take photos of the impressive gold dome shining in the sun.

We rode the elevator to the 56th floor of the Tour Montparnasse, and found that we were nearly alone. There is a little bar and grille on the enclosed floor surrounded by windows and pictographs explaining the features of each scene and the development of Paris’ city center. The views from each side were breathtaking. We had a snack and a couple of drinks while we waited for the sun to set. As we did an absolutely beautiful picture developed before our eyes. Paris lit up at night seems like a fairy tale land from a make-believe children’s book. Bonnie stayed behind enjoying the creature comforts of her surroundings while I went up to the roof top deck, 207m from the earth below. The pictures speak for themselves.

Descending the tower we decided to head for dinner at the restaurant recommended by the Canadian girl we met at Montmartre, La Terrasse. It was late and aside from a handful of local diners sharing laughs over a bottle of French wine, we were nearly alone again. We enjoyed a relaxing meal of Chevre Toaste and La Parisienne. We sat at a small table and reflected on our experiences in Paris. Tomorrow we have an early morning flight back to Rome to prepare for our return home in another day.

Conclusion and some casual observations about Paris:

We loved Paris but don’t know how quickly we will return. It’s not that we disliked Paris, or that as Americans we perceived we were treated poorly. Quite to the contrary, we loved our experiences there and felt in the end we were always treated well and that people genuinely appreciated our presence. It’s just that Paris is a large, large city. I would probably feel the same were you to drop me on the streets of New York or London. We never felt as if we were being eschewed because of our nationality, or even because we were tourists in general. We just felt that this was an extremely large and very busy urban setting with people rushing far too quickly to and from whatever destination was on their minds to interact with one another. People seemed too busy to be bothered by almost any public interaction unless in a small shop or café setting. Looking back we wondered if that is how others perceive the way they are treated on the streets of New York or Chicago.

It didn’t seem like people cared to bother picking up their dog crap wherever it might be, so the result can be a virtual minefield ready for any unprepared pedestrian. After a few trips we learned to watch out and took due precaution as we approached a tree with even a few blades of grass at its base. Still it didn’t seem right!

Paris is big and there is so much to see and do that you just really can’t cover all of Paris in a couple of days. I’m afraid you’ll have to make sacrifices if you are there for only a short stay.

To be continued...