Paris, Part 4

And, our tale continues….

Our last 24 hours were spent immersed in the wonder that is Paris: long and wandering walks, beautiful art, lazy afternoons in cafes, delicious food, and even a little bit of romance. Our morning began with a funny tale: we stopped by a local shop for le petit dejeuner and, ideally, cafe de creme. However, the shop offered standing room only for its coffee service. And, this being Paris, instead of cramming us into the space or sending us off with take away cups, they refused to sell us coffee! “Je suis desole,” the salesman told us, shrugging. No coffee for us! How very French.

We’ll start with the affairs of the heart. This bridge, Pont des Artes, is famous for the locks lovers leave there as a symbol of their unbreakable love. They put the locks on the bridge and throw the keys in Seine. Unfortunately, the city does not think so, and removes them. But, for our Sunday morning walk across the bridge, several were still there for us to enjoy.

The view from the bridge

After our visit to the Louvre, we walked through the Jardin des Tuileries, admiring the impressive array of public art, the lovely water features, and our moment of repose in the very busy city.

Then, the Musee de l’Orangerie. This is well-worth the visit, if you are heading to Paris. It’s a small museum right off the Jardin des Tuileries, filled with Monet’s Les Nymphaes. Gorgeous……

Next, we headed to the Marais, a very hip neighborhood with a strong Jewish community. We had lunch at the best falafel places in Paris, L’As du Fallafel. Worth what can be a crazy wait–delicious!!

We spent the afternoon wandering around the Marais, an excellent way to get to know any place.

So Paris, right?

Oui, c’est moi! Reading the guidebook in the Place des Vosges, telling Rob about Victor Hugo’s home nearby where he wrote “Les Miserables.”

And, after a perusing a street market, we got down to business: relaxing over cocktails with fabulous friends! Here I am with a friend from college, Ondine, who lives in Paris. Rob and I caught up with her in the Marais. We sat outside, learned about living in Paris, drank pink champagne, and just had a terrific time–despite a bird pooping on my head (la bonne chance, I guess). It was exactly what Rob and I wanted from our trip (bird poop, notwithstanding. Merci, Ondine!

We ended back at the Ile de la Cite, where we got some bread, drinks, and more Berthillion ice cream for me, and sat by the Seine, watching the people, the boats, life.

Our evening ended with dinner at Les Deux Magots, a cafe known for its clientele, including Ernest Hemingway. The service was attentive, the food was good, and the company, well, my Robert was pretty amazing.

We got up early on our last morning to walk through Jardin du Luxembourg. On the way, we stopped to shoot a picture of the bicycle rental kiosks we saw all over the city. It’s a brilliant idea: riders can rent a bike, use it for a one-way trip, leave it at another rental center, and then pick up another bike next time they are ready to ride. This service cuts down on car usage, is better for the environment, and the bikes are pretty snazzy, too.

The garden was lovely in the early morning light….

…a wonderful way to end our weekend.

Merci beaucoup to my beloved for our fifth anniversary celebration, for the past five years together, and for the years to come. And, here’s to a return trip to Paris for our tenth anniversary–if not before.