Paris!

Paris! What better way to crown a seven-week adventure than in the City of Light? Our stay was only two days, a bit of a whirlwind after the slow everyday pace of la Dordogne. But that was fine with us.

Paris, for me, is magic. After the tranquil countryside and pristine skies of la Dordogne, looking out over the city from Montmartre, seeing the haze of pollution that shrouds the entire city and its beautiful landmarks, I felt a pang of disappointment. But it didn't last. For me, Paris possesses a psychic electricity that charges me, makes me want to stay awake for twenty-four hours a day, get out of the apartment and experience the city. There are sights to see too numerous to mention, and we always manage to visit a few; but I'm content just to walk and look and feel. Ah, Paris!

But first, an aside. Did you know that November 1 is a big holiday in France? All Saints Day (Touts Saints) is so big that schools close the week before and the week after the big day. Why am I telling you this? Well, on the day of our departure from la Dordogne, we were up and on the road early. Jean-Pierre and Danielle saw us off, and we arrived at the Brive train station in plenty of time to catch the 9:30 train. I dropped Carol at the station to get our seat reservations while I returned the rental car. Next time I saw her, she greeted me with, "we're screwed!" Saturday, Oct. 25, was the first day of Touts Saints, and everybody was traveling to Paris! There was not a seat to be had on the train. So, we sat in the train station with our luggage until the 1:45 train (there is no place to check luggage). It was not such a good start after all!

Well, we made it finally, and were on the metro on the way to our apartment by late afternoon. Our apartment was very very tiny, but cute and more than adequate. Best of all was the location. We were halfway up Montmartre, only a few thousand more steps to Sacré Coeur and the Place du Tertre. We were right where the action was. A word of caution, though: if you ever think of staying on Montmartre, think steps. Steps! Lots and lots of them. I generally view steps as an aerobic opportunity. Luggage makes it more like aerobic purgatory. It had been a hard day, but the first such day in our entire trip. Carol went to bed early; I wandered the Saturday night scene on Montmartre, mingling with thousands of tourists and local revelers, taking it all in.

We discovered this cute restaurant last year and planned to meet David, the son of our friends, Jay and Claire Bartner, here for lunch on Sunday. David is taking a year off college to study French in Paris. (Ah! Youth!) The restaurant was only about four doors from our apartment. We had a nice lunch with David, and then he gave us a tour of the second arrondisement, where he lives.

In the morning we were up early. We wanted to be at the Rodin Museum to see the master sculptor's works before lunch. It turned out we were plenty early, because we had forgotten that Euro-daylight savings time ended that Saturday.

The Rodin Museum is a treasure. Sometimes the beauty, power and emotion of art (in any form) just defies words. This was our experience as we wandered through the gardens and the museum housing Rodin's works. I'll say no more, but just rely on the eloquence of Rodin's masterpieces to tell the story.


This piece is titled "The Hand of God."

One of the Burghers of Calais.




These photos are barely more effective than words, but they do manage to give us a taste of the power of Rodin's art.


From the gardens of the Rodin Museum, one can catch a glimpse of le Tour Eiffel. The morning mist added a magical quality to the most wonderful of all Paris sights (in my humble opinion).

Back in the neighborhood, I spent a lot of time taking photographs of Sacré Coeur. This is one of my favorites, although I think the black and white versions are the best.

Monday, our last full day in Europe, we started off with a metro trip to the Arc de Triomphe, where I spent a lot of time photographing the Arch. Carol was very patient as I roamed around and around the plaza, seeking different shots, different angles, different light.

It was, as you can see, a lovely day; and the Arch is quite photogenic.

I was caught up in the details on the facade of the Arch.

When my photo frenzy was complete, we began a long and leisurely walk back to Montmartre.

We mingled with the upscale crowds along the Champs Elysées, aiming for the Museum Jacquemaire André, a former private residence filled with artwork from the private collection of the owners. It was a pleasant experience. Afterward we continued our stroll through the city; our destination was a wine bar Carol had found on the internet. We found the street, then the address, but not the restaurant. A friendly restaurateur next door explained that it was closed for repairs after its ceiling collapsed. We asked if she could recommend a restaurant (silly, as I look back on it). She then offered helpfully that her restaurant was quite nice, and that's how we came to eat at SuperNatur, which specializes in organic food and wine. It was very nice!

After lunch we strolled the rest of the way to our apartment. For the rest of the day, we did this and that; but really, the vacation had come to an end. The next morning we were on our way on what turned out to be an uneventful trip home. I hope you've found this journal of our European adventure interesting and at least a little amusing. I've certainly had fun putting it together.

It is only days now until the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Who knows what the near future holds for all of us? With the uncertainty of the world situation and of our own pocketbook, I don't know when we'll be able to travel like this again. When we do take to the road again, I'll be back at the keyboard, reporting on our newest adventures. Until then, may all your journeys be filled with peace, good health and the love of family and friends. Au revoir!