Finding Hemingway

Well....I just accidentally deleted the entire blog that I'd just finished.  So here I go again.

Today I did my grocery shopping before noon and soon we were off to find the haunts of Ernest Hemingway using our book about Paris Walks.   We caught the Metro to the stop for Cardinal Lemoine where the tour starts.  We walked up the winding and slightly uphill street to the top.  It ends at the place de la Contrescarpe that is depicted in the opening of his book "A Moveable Feast".  Just before you enter the place you'll find # 74 and a plaque commemorating his two bedroom apartment that he shared with his wife Hadley in the early days of their marriage.   This is also the spot where the street known as Rue Mouffetard ends; this street was made famous by Julie Childs as she did most of her shopping on this street and we also spent lots of time there last September.

Jim was amazed that we'd been so close and never seen the plaque.  From there we continued following the route in the book and soon we were walking past the Pantheon.  There were several huge Christmas trees set up in front with large bows tied all over the trees.  The bows had four foot ribbon streamers tied to them and with the strong winds coming over the top of the hill it looked like snow blowing off of the trees.  Suddenly Jim noticed the Eiffel Tower in the distance and suggested that I climb the stairs and take photos of it through the trees.

By this time we were having lots of fun and I suggested that I show him the apartment where we four girls stayed in September after he went home.  Off we went down a side street instead of following the route in the book that told us to walk to the Luxembourg Gardens.   I must have missed a street as I didn't find the apartment but rather than back track to find the apartment and/or the gardens we continued walking in the same direction.   I was sure we were walking parallel to the park! 
 
Well if you know Paris you realize that streets run every which way and the names change constantly on most streets.  Soon we were on Blvd. Jacques and that sounded good.  Along the way we saw the Paris American Academy next to the Val de Grace which is a church and a museum for the French Military Medical History.  Can't be far from the park I was sure.  Suddenly we were on the Blvd. Pont Royal and I knew I was in trouble.   I kept bluffing and walking but finally stopped and asked for directions.  We were way off course.  He directed us back to an RER Station and there we caught the train and headed back towards the Seine River.   Ah Paris....

We stayed on the train until it reached the Les Halles Station.  There we departed and worked our way across the huge underground shopping mall and found the exit that took us up and out right at the side entrance to the St. Eustache church.  We walked inside and admired the nativity scene and rested a bit to catch our breath and adjust our attitudes...both of us.  Ah Paris...

We enjoyed seeing all of the changes to the area with the construction gone around the outside of the church and then walked to see the front which we'd never seen before.  We were amazed at how different it looked from this angle; it looked much like a narrow St. Suplice and also like St. Madeleine.  We continued walking around the other side that has stores built right up to the walls.  From there we walked to the Metro Station on rue Etienne Marcel and hopped on board.  By the way, when we renewed our weekly pass this morning we notice that the price had increased two euros.  We assume that all of the Metro tickets went up a bit but not sure.  It's still a great bargain if you are in Paris for a week or more. 

Jim remembered that we'd promised to check out pillowcases for his sister for her square European pillows so we hopped off at Cite Station and walked to the Bazar Hotel de Ville department store.  There we found what we needed and left to catch the Metro home.

A bus stopped outside the store and I saw that it stopped at The Louvre so I grabbed Jim's arm and we hopped aboard much to his surprise.  But, when I explained that by taking this bus we wouldn't have to walk up and down all the stairs on the two changes required for the Metro from this area to home he was a happy camper!

It started to sprinkle lightly as we got off of the bus but the walk home across the bridge was shorter than from our Metro Station so we were glad that we'd used the bus.  Good day with some ups and downs.  We'll do more of the Hemingway sites another day and stick to the route!

 A good thing today, our daughter's post card arrived that she'd mailed several weeks ago.  The mailman stuck it where we could get it as he knew we didn't have keys to the mailbox!  She did a good job addressing it.  Always fun to receive mail from home when you are traveling.  A not so good thing today:  the television decided not to work this evening.  It will be interesting to see what we hear from the management company tomorrow.  But the Internet works well and I'm going to close this while I can.  Hope you enjoy the slideshow: 

Free Museums in Paris on the First Sunday

Yes...every month the city of Paris opens nearly all of it's major Museums for anyone to enter FREE.  We had gone on the first Sunday last September when we were here; we visited the Louvre but we'd gone about an hour before closing and walked right in with no lines.  We charted the opening times of the four museums that we were interested in going to today; the closest and first to open was the Louvre at nine o'clock.  

We were awake by eight o'clock; that in itself was unusual during this trip!   Jim was not feeling as well as he appears in the photos in the slideshow so it was nearly eleven o'clock before we were out the door.   We walked to the end of our block, walked across the bridge and into the Louvre...we are literally less than ten minutes away.   We could see the end of the line before we could see the glass pyramid; it stretch for nearly half a mile.   So we headed across and through the buildings to the Rue Rivoli and entered into the Carrousel Mall Entry that has an underground entrance into the Louvre.  The lines stretched from the bottom of the escalators, past the stores, around the inverted pyramid and into the entrance to the Louvre.  Unbelievable.   One would stand for hours in order to get into the museum for free at either entrance!

We got on the Metro and headed for our second choice and the furtherest away and we thought the most unlikely to be crowded.   Two metro changes and we'd arrived and to our amazement;  the line was even longer at the Pompidou Center!   We enjoyed the Stravinsky Fountain created in 1982 by the artist Niki de Saint Phalle that has sixteen mechanical pieces of art; all of a very modern design that is adjacent to the museum.

Then we walked into the church that boarders one side of the square called Saint Merry.  Very old and interesting, especially today.  They had a table set in the sanctuary with the communion things and the Mass was being said down in the center of the church with the chairs in a circle.   I've never seen this done before.  The nativity scene was also very unusual; black and white drawing on large sheets of paper.  We stayed for awhile and then continued our walk in the fourth arrondissement; stopping for a moment to admire the Tower of Saint Jacque that is the only thing that remains of a very large and old church that was destroyed during one of the revolutions.

Soon we'd arrived in front of the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) where they have the ice skating arena built every winter for the citizens of Paris.  Today the sun was shining and the rink was full of people of all ages having fun.  The lines were shorter here than that night before Christmas when we watched them skating in the rain.   Crossed the street and entered the Metro again.

This time we headed for the Place de la Concorde and L'Orangerie Musee.  We walked into the Tulleries on our way to the Museum and admired the large fountain where people were again enjoying the sunshine in the green chairs around the edge.  A beautiful gold ball sits in the middle; we assume that water flows from it during the summer.  Over to the side we found the bulk of the green metal lawn chairs that fill the park during the summer.  They've been stacked for storage during the winter. 

Then we looked up at the museum and this line stretched from the front door, all the way down the side of the building and around the corner to the middle of the back of the building!   Again...the lines are unbelievable.  One last museum was on our list of possibilities:  d'Orsay.  We walked over to the quai and headed towards that museum, crossing over a very beautiful bridge along the way.  We just started across when another gypsy tried to trick me with the gold ring again (different girl...same ring I think).  This time I walked right pass and refused to acknowledge her; she quickly scooted off the bridge with her partner.  But we watched and sure enough she tried it on a couple walking along the quai and we could tell they waggled their fingers at her showing that they also knew her game.

We're weren't surprised that the d'Orsay was also packed with long lines.  I think that we were just lucky last September because so many of the French were still on vacation.  You definitely have to be very patient to use the benefit of the FREE Sunday for Museums.  We walked on home and enjoyed some lunch and watched our wonderful Museum Channel on television that runs twenty four hours a day.  It's shows wonderful art from museums around the world with classical music in the background as it hovers very slowly over the finer points of each painting.  Jim hates to leave the house because he loves this show so much!  But, we don't think we can get it on television in the USA!   Maybe we can get it on our computers; we never will have to visit another museum again!!!   LOL

About three o'clock I decided to go out on an adventure by myself.  My good friends Pete and Judy gave me a book before we left called"Forever Paris"  25 walks in the footsteps of famous people.  I'm saving the Hemingway one to do with Jim so this afternoon I selected "Moliere's Paris - Palais Royal and Musee du Louvre".  

I took the Metro and made two changes before arriving at the underground Metro entrance to the Louvre.  Just checking to see how the line is doing.  It closes at six o'clock and it is now half past three; the lines are just as long as they were early this morning!  I called Jim to tell him that it was a good thing he stayed home; we were done with museums for the day!   Since we've been to all of them several times it wasn't really that important on this trip.

Off to the beginning of my Walk, I crossed the Rue de Rivoli, walked past the five star Hotel de Louvre and into the Comedie Francaise, the first stop on my Route.  From there into the Palais Royal Gardens.  I walked through them to the end where I found the Royal Palace Theatre.  Over to the rue de Richelieu where I located the building where Moliere died and then took photos of the large statue at the monument at the beginning of the street that is named for him. 

I then walked back towards the Louvre until I found the rue St.-Honore that parallels rue de Rivoli.  I was looking for the building where he was born.  I found the right place but no building with the address.  I looked and looked.  It was missing.  There were two other woman also looking with a book in their hands.  I finally looked up and saw the plaque on the wall.  One woman had left but the other was still there and I asked if she was looking for Moliere; she gave me a puzzled look...she didn't speak English.  I pointed to the sign on the wall and her book.  Suddenly her husband walked up and he understood.  They both smiled and thanked me and wished me well with my visit.  We each went our own way.    We were all looking for number 96; the block before started with 102 and then we had 94 and 92...no 96.  Apparently this very tiny building has that number but they neglected to put numbers on the building.   But the plaque was there on the second floor or was it the third?

My next site was the church of St. Eustache where he was baptized.  I knew this one was near the Bourse, the stock exchange; and also in the middle of a huge construction site.  But I started towards the area.  When I arrived I was absolutely amazed.  The construction was finished and the area was completely transformed.  I can't wait to take Jim over to show him the change in the area.  We had not expected it to be finished until next summer.  There are still parts further east that they are working on but for the most part the western end nearly the church is finished.

I called Jim and said I had one last site to find and then I would catch the Metro home as it was getting dark.  I found the area but not the building I needed.  I did find some new Christmas street decorations that were on and snapped a photo.  Also found a grocery store open, unusual for Sunday, and picked up some bananas and a box of tissues for Jim's nose!

Found my Metro stop and with no changes arrived back in our neighborhood before six o'clock.  Made our dinner and we've enjoyed our evening at home.  Jim does seem much better tonight and maybe we'll do a walk together tomorrow.

Hope you enjoy the slideshow: 

Luxembourg Park

Yesterday was a day of rest for Mr. Jim who is suffering from a cold and after I typed my blog from our visit to the Chateau, I had a very busy day.   I'm the cook and dishwasher along with the shopper for these few days while Jim is under the weather.  And a trip to the laundromat.  I'm enjoying my solo journeys around the neighborhood as I do my housekeeping chores. 

Late in the afternoon I walked along the Seine River and got caught in a sudden downpour.  Finished my errand and returned home before I got too wet.  Actually it had stopped by the time I arrived home.  Guess I'd better keep that umbrella in my pocket even when the sun is shining!   I'd gone to the camera shop to ask about the lens that would not close on my camera.  Apparently this is a common problem with this camera and it will have to go to the repair shop when I get home.  Fortunately I brought two cameras so I'm in good shape for the rest of the trip.

Today I got Jim to go out with me and visit the Luxembourg Park.  It's straight down our street, Jim said it was about a mile.  The street ends at the Luxembourg Palace of Maria de Medici.  This palace is now used for both government offices and a museum. 

On the way to the park I took some photos of the outside market that we walked through as we went down our street.  I wonder if these will disappear as it gets colder.  The restaurants still have many outside tables for their customers; some inside of plastic others with just heaters. 

Inside of the park I saw flowers planted; not many but some of the first that I've seen on this trip other than in the shops.

At the fountain where children play with their boats using a long stick during the summer months; today there was only one boat that was remotely controlled by an adult.   But the park was full of people; many sitting with their faces raised towards the sunshine.  They are all aware that winter is coming and these days will be fewer and fewer. 

We walked over to visit the chess players....only one table today.  Watched the tennis players; the courts were full today.  And checked out the French way to store the vast amount of leaves that are dropped by the trees; huge wire fences keep them corralled into pens for compost uses.   It was a fun couple of hours outside of the apartment. 

We walked home a different route past Saint Suplice church with it's merry-go-round outside.  Notice the Wallace Fountain; they're found all over Paris and provide safe drinking water for everyone.  There are still some Christmas decorations but most are starting to disappear.  The little white houses outside of Saint Germain des Pres church have all disappeared today except for one that is selling Hot Wine.

Back to the apartment for a snack and a nap before leaving again about four o'clock.  It had begun to rain and so instead of in the pocket the umbrellas were up as we walked to the Metro Station.  One stop and we were at Severs-Babylone Station; walked out and over towards our destination.  Along the way we spent a few minutes in the huge department store of Bon Marche; lost each other and used our cell phones again to reconnect.  They are a good investment!

We then walked half a block to the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.  When we were on our trip to Israel, several people told us about this and said we should definitely put it on our must do list.  They had a 5:15 pm Mass that we planned to attend this evening.  Arrived fifteen minutes early and it was already packed.  They have two upstairs balconies for seating and by the time Mass started they were also full.  This Chapel is in a convent of the order of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincint de Paul.  It has become famous because of a nun by the name of Catherine Laboure.  She was born in 1806 and died in 1876.  Her body was exhumed and found to be incorrupt in 1933.   She had apparitions (visions) of the Virgin Mary during her life and she saw a vision of the Miraculous Medal.  This vision was recreated as a medal that is wore by many Christians all over the world today.  It was in an earlier version of this chapel that we visited today where one of the apparitions took place.  She was canonized as a saint in 1947.   Her body lies inside of a glass coffin on the side altar of the chapel. 

The rain had stopped by the time we left the church and it was an easy trip home by Metro.  I fixed dinner and we've enjoyed another pleasant evening.  Jim even said he's feeling better; I told him it was getting out in the fresh air....he doesn't agree!   But tomorrow is the first Sunday of the month and that means many of the major museum will be FREE!   I think he's going to feel fine tomorrow morning!  Hope you enjoy the slideshow: 

Chateau de Vaux Le Vicomte

January 1st, 2014:  A quiet day spent inside the apartment.  Jim has a sore throat and needed a day of rest; much like I needed one last week when I had indigestion problems.   It was a good day for reading and catching up on bookkeeping.   We'd shopped for supplies earlier in the week and had no real reason to go out into the overcast day.  Unfortunately, we didn't have the Rose Parade to entertain us or the multitude of football games that are available in the USA on this first day of the new year.

January 2nd brought sunshine but predictions of rain.  We dressed warmly, prepared for rain, and then headed to the Metro System for a long ride with five changes of routes for the shortest way to the Gare de Lyon.  Today we're catching the train to the town of Melun located just fifty km south and a bit to the east of Paris. 

We'd read in various Internet sites that it could take us from half an hour up to nearly three hours for the trip by train.  Buying our tickets for the round trip from the machine was easy enough.  Then we found the track and a train that ended at Melun.  What we didn't think about was the fact that we were catching the "milk run" that stopped at every station.  We had a nearly empty car that left Paris at ten o'clock; enjoyed the countryside as we slowly moved from station to station and in an hour we'd arrive at Melun.  Walked outside and easily found the Taxi Que. 

Rick Steves said that a taxi should cost twenty euros each way; I asked and he said eighteen so we climbed in and enjoyed the fifteen minute ride out into the countryside to the Chateau de Vaux Le Vicomte.   We've been to this Chateau four times over the past ten years so we were familiar with the area.  One of the features that makes this one so special is that it feels like you're going back into time as you drive down the long tree lined road to the entrance.  Today will be special as we're visiting to see the Christmas decorations and real fires in many of the fireplaces.   This special event takes place every December up to January 5th; then the Chateau closes for the rest of the winter months.

The sun was shining brightly as we left the taxi; we'd asked about the return trip and he'd given us a business card with a telephone number.  He said that a staff member at the Chateau would make the call for us when we were ready to return. 

Jim was thrilled that we only paid "Senior Rate"; so often this is only for EU members.  Outside of the house they had a carousel for children and the path to the house was lined with pale blue Christmas trees lit with tiny LED white lights.  All of the lights were on in the gardens but difficult to see and photograph in the bright sunshine.  All of the ornamental trees shaped like three dimensional  triangles plus all the short hedges in the flower gardens were wrapped with red LED lights that flickered throughout the day.   We decided to view the Estate during the daylight hours so the view of the gardens wasn't all that spectacular but I loved the fact that the crowds did not arrive until we were leaving later in the afternoon.

We picked up audio headsets that described each of the rooms that we entered.  There were multiple Christmas trees in each room.  I know you'll enjoy the slideshow that features all of the different rooms and if you have access to Facebook, I've posted several videos of the decorations.

We spent nearly two hours inside of the Chateau and then wandered out into the gardens.  This Chateau is built in the middle of the formal gardens.  It is about a mile and a half from the front gate to the back of the gardens.  The Estate is 500 hectares which is 1,235 acres.   In 1641 a very young twenty-six year old man by the name of Nicolas Fouquet purchased three villages to make his Estate near the town of Melun.  From 1658 to 1661 he destroyed the villages and used the people who lived there to work on the estate, some eighteen thousand people.  The cost to build this was sixteen million french lire.  He hired Andre Le Notre to do the gardens, Le Vau to design the building and Le Brun to do the enteriors.  Together they produced a magnificent Baroque Country Home fit for a King.  In fact there are three rooms designed to be used by a King should he visit the estate and stay overnight; a common practice in those days.  But, these rooms were seldom used by Royalty but by the family members.  The rooms in this house were never slept in by Royalty.

When finished, Forquet hosted a party for King Louie XIV at his new Chateau.  Forquet was Louie's Superintendent of Finances and a member of the Royal Court.  When Louie arrived he was amazed at the beauty of this Estate, but did not stay the night.  When he returned to his palace and told his court of the beauty of Vaux Le Vicomte; one of his ministers by the name of Colbert alluded to the fact that possibly Forquet was dipping into the King's financial treasure to finance his beautiful new home.

Forquet ended in prison, his estate and family ruined.  The King hired Le Notre, Le Vau and Le Brun to create his own masterpiece at his hunting lodge in Versaille.   Today that is the most visited place in France and at least five times larger than the Chateau that we visited today. 

Vaux Le Vicomte is still privately owned, it changed hands three times over the years.   The present owners are  Patrice and Cristina De Vogue, the Comte and Comtesse De Vogue, descendants of Alfred Sommier who acquired the estate in 1875. 

Back to our story today, we walked out to the first of several large fountains, found a bench and enjoyed our snack that we'd brought with us as it was two o'clock.  The huge chocolate art in the kitchen had reminded us of our bar in the backpack!  Spent about half an hour in the gardens and then walked back to the front for a visit to the buggy museum in the stables.  Then to the gift shop where the only thing that caught my eye was a Santa about two feet high with a price of 125 euros!  Too much and how would I get him home!

I used my cell phone and called the telephone number on the card from the taxi driver:  01.64.52.51.50....just in case you make this trip.  He arrived in about fifteen minutes and after we were settled in the car he introduced himself.    He was from Portugal and I asked if his name was Matias Enrico? 

He was amazed and then we told him that in our research on the Internet we'd found a recommendation to use him as a taxi driver as he spoke very good English and was excellent.  He laughed and said he'd met "Colleen" about five years ago and her name pops up regularly among his customers.  Actually the number that Colleen gave was different from what we'd used.  I think the direct number for him is 06.07.94.07.21.   We'd called the company and just happened to get him as a driver; but he was delightful.  It was a couple of euros more for the trip back but still very reasonable.

We checked the trains and found a DIRECT to Gare de Lyon.  Could have taken a "milk run" about fifteen minutes earlier but by waiting until 3:45 pm train, we were back in Paris in half an hour!  No stops!  Back on the Metro...we did only three changes and went a bit out of our way but less of a hassle.  Soon we were back in the sixth arrondissment and after a short stop at the post office we were home by 5:30 pm.  A wonderful day full of beautiful experiences.

I hope you've time to enjoy the slideshow today: 

New Years Eve in Paris

December 31st was a quiet day for the most part.  Jim is coming down with a cold we think so he said in for most of the day.  I was out to the laundromat for a load of laundry after a failed attempt to get the machine in the apartment to work.  And later in the day I tried it again and it worked!  At least we got rid of the soap that we'd put in earlier.   I think I'll stick with the laundromat; I understand how that works! 

Then I was off to to Poste Office....I need to purchase stamps for some post cards.  I'd found three in the neighborhood and they were suppose to be open until eight o'clock.  Found it but because of the holiday it closed at two o'clock!  Oh well...now I know where it is located and the times.

Back to the apartment, Jim and I dressed warmly and took umbrellas to go for our last ride on the Batobus; our annual pass expires today.   We walked across the Seine River and caught the boat at the Louvre stop.  Stood in the light rain for nearly half an hour waiting.  Off at the next stop, we walked across the Pont Alexander and on to our goal:  The American Cathedral of Paris.  It's the main protestant church in Paris.  Looks beautiful but it too had closed early today because of the holiday.  We walked over the RER stop at the Pont d'Alma and found out that all RER trains stop at every station inside of Paris; we hopped on the next train and rode it to the Musee d'Orsay stop and then we walked to the intersection of of Saint Germain des Pris and Rue Bonaparte.  There we used the ATM and then walked across to enjoy or first, and probably last, cup of Hot Wine.  Good, warmed the tummy but not our favorite way to enjoy wine. 

By then it was nearly seven o'clock and we walked into the church for Mass.  At home we celebrate the Virgin Mary; here we celebrated St. Sylvester.  The church was full but not crowded for the holy day.  A nice way to start our New Years Eve celebration.  We were pleasantly surprised when they did not pass the collection plate?  

Walked home in the brisk clear air; the rain had stopped and it was a beautiful evening.  Jim fixed our dinner of pork chops smothered in fresh mushrooms and apples.  A salad and some rice along with a good glass of red wine completed our dinner.  

About ten o'clock we emptied our pockets and took only the bare minimum of what we might need.  We'd heard on the news that the Metro System from free until two am but we took our cards just in case we needed them.  Our friends had warned us that our planned adventure might be a bit risky.  The weather was still dry but we carried umbrellas just in case.  It was still cold and clear as we left the apartment. 

We walked to our Metro Station and walked right through the open gate with everyone else.  That train was not crowded.  At Grenelle we had to change.  This train was headed towards the Eiffel Tower, Trocadero and Etoile.  We were the only two people that could get inside the car; but we stood with our faces against the door.  At each stop, people left and more got on.  But after Trocadero we did find seats.  Apparently most were going to watch the Eiffel Tower for Midnight.  When we arrived at the Arc de Triomphe Etoile we were amazed.  The police had block all of the exits except for one and we were jammed like cattle into a shute out the Friedland exit.  Once outside we had more room and could see the Arc de Triomphe but all access to it was blocked by hundreds of policemen.

We felt good about all of the policemen.  But they kept funneling us down a side street parallel to the main street until finally we were allowed to enter the Avenue des Champs Elysees at rue Balzac; about three blocks southeast of the Etoile.  It was eleven o'clock and we'd achieved our goal.  We crossed to the left side of the street and then walked back towards the Arc de Triomphe for some great photos before turning around and slowly walking down towards the Tulleries.   It was fun snapping photos of the Christmas decoration; we'd not been here since we'd arrived.  The blue circles looked very different from the views we'd had when we had been nearby before. 

It was about eleven thirty when we reached the beginning of the Tulleries.  Every bench we'd passed on the Avenue had been packed full of people.  Some of their faces said to me "why am I here" as they waited for the magic hour.  We kept walking and by eleven forty-five we were standing on the bridge Pont Alexander and decided to stop there to enjoy the Eiffel Tower strobe lights at midnight.  A surprise for everyone was when on the stroke of midnight...the lights on the bridge were turned off to enhance the beautiful flashing lights and the many individual fireworks being set off.  We did not see any formal fireworks display. 

It was beautiful and I got a good video but wasn't thinking and had my camera vertically to get all of the Eiffel Tower in the lens!  Oh well, I posted it on Facebook anyway this morning. We watched many people who had their bottles of champagne and glasses making toasts to each other.  We waited until we arrived home at one o'clock to make our toast!    Yes, we walked all the way home along the broad avenue that frames the quai of the Seine River,  A beautiful night that stayed dry and was full of people (and many policemen) enjoying the start of 2014.   It was two o'clock on January 1st before we turned out the lights.

Happy 2014....enjoy the slideshow:  

A Rainy Day In Paris

Today was a slow and relaxing day.  It started raining about 2 pm and continued for several hours.  We did our grocery shopping and then walked over to the Seine River and caught the Batobus for a complete circle around the route.  It takes a little over an hour and a half to complete the route.  We go all the way to the Gare d'Austerlitz and then back along the right bank stopping at each of the eight stops along the way. 

By the time we'd reached the Eiffel Tower the rain had stopped and you have photos in the slideshow with and without rain drops.  Soon we were home for the evening.  We enjoyed fixing our dinner and reading our books this evening.  Hope you enjoy the little slideshow:  

Bois de Vincennes and Dinner With Jim

Yesterday was a long day, we awoke early...if you can call ten o'clock early...and it was a long day as we finally turned out the lights about one o'clock last night.  But a fun day!  As you can see by the dates I'm posting the day after for the most part.

It was Sunday morning and the streets below our windows were quiet as we enjoyed a late breakfast and our computers.  I'm having trouble putting my book down...I've several on my Tablet through the services of Kindle..."Paris...The Novel"  by Edward Rutherfurd is the one that I've been reading since before we left home.   The book covers the history of Paris from 1261 to 1940 in the form of a novel about inter-related families.   Assuming that the facts are correct and they seem to be; it is a fascinating history of the city we are enjoying.  I'm nearly three quarters finished and I find that I'm reading later and later each night.  Jim is enjoying a book that he brought from home; "A Paris Christmas...Immoveable Feast" by John Baxter.   This again is very appropriate for our month in Paris during the season. 

About one o'clock in the afternoon we dressed warmly and walked to our Metro Station.  There we renewed our Naviago Pass for another week...it expires each Monday....and then caught the next train eastward to the Gare d'Austrilitz, then changed to another Metro for our short trip across the Seine River to the Bastille Station.  An item of interest in this station is a display of stone, according to the information provided, part of the real Bastille Prison that was destroyed after the Revolution.   There is even a line in the floor showing the continuing outline of the wall that is preserved and shown for all of us to appreciate.  If we'd left the station, in the street there is another outline of the actual walls of the prison that you can follow if you're brave enough to follow it out into the street as it crosses the broad Place de Bastille with all of it's traffic circling the large statue that dominates the center. 

From the Bastille we caught yet another Metro train.  Notice in the photos that we were now on a modern train with large windows and doors that all open automatically at each stop.  Although it's fun to stand at the door and flip the handle on the old versions at just the right time for them to open!
The conductor flips a release but it takes a real person to actually open these doors.

We continued our journey out to the edge of Paris and the Perpherique, that large freeway-like road that totally encloses the city of Paris.  We arrived at Porte Doree and walked over the Perpherique into the huge park known as "the lungs of Paris" or more formally as Paris - Bois de Vincennes.    We only touched the western part of the park today, but still walked about two miles around a long lake.  Along the way we saw children riding on ponies, rowboats stacked for the winter, a sign to beware of thin ice...not today as it's a beautiful day full of sunshine and brisk air.  There was mistletoe in the tree tops, swans on the lake, two islands in the center that had only one way in and out...so we stayed on the outer edge as we enjoyed strolling with the Parisians on a Sunday afternoon.  Near the end of the lake we watched a young man with a miniture radio controlled speed boat entertain everyone with his high speeds that frightened the birds off the water but only caused the gracious swans to turn their heads with distain at the distraction of the people who were feeding them.

Headed back around the other side we encountered many sitting with their eyes closed, their faces absorbing the sunshine that they will miss in the coming winter months when there will be glace on the water and weather too forbidding to visit this glorious park.

To the east we watched an unusual structure.  It had to be man-made but when and for what?   We thought it would be a perfect venue for rock climbing adventurers.   As we neared the end of the park, we decided to follow the direction of the tall structure and signs indicated we were headed for the Zoologique.  After walking well over another half mile, past a very large glass domed  building that we determined was for plants, we found the entrance and the answers to our questions.  The "mountain" had been build in 1934 for a large herd of goats as part of the Zoo.  It is now closed for renovations and will reopen in 2014.  

Back to the Metro Station, we figured we walked at least three miles, across the Peripherique, and back into Paris.  We decided to leave the train at the d'Austerlitz Station  and walk to where we could catch the Batobus for a ride on the Seine River.  We were headed down the steps and when I reached the bottom...I'd been busy putting on my hat and gloves...I looked around...no Jim!   I walked back up the stairs...still no Jim.   I got out my cell phone and called him; thank goodness we each have a phone for moments like this.  Turns out he was in front of me and had exited the station when he realized I was not with him.   So thankful at times like this that we had the good sense to get these little cell phones! 

Walked to the River and had to run the last half block to catch the boat that had pulled up.   Soon we were on a very crowded boat.  We were seated at the front and Jim asked the crew member if he knew about the small boy who'd stopped breathing on our boat two nights before.  Yes, he did.  He was the captain of that boat on that night.  He didn't really have any more information for us as apparently the family only spoke Spanish and the para-medics spoke French so he was busy translating between them until they took the boy off of the boat.  He didn't know what happened after that.

The city is full of French people and tourists who've come to enjoy the "Time Square" of Paris on New Years Eve:  Avenue des Champs Elysees.   At the next stop there were twice as many people standing in line as the boat could hold.  We decided to depart at the stop for the Louvre and walk home along the Quai to the Pont Beau Arts where we crossed the river to the left bank and were soon tucked into our little apartment.  It was five o'clock and time for a light supper and some time to read books for awhile.

At 7:15 pm we dressed warmly and headed out the door to our evening as "paying" guests of the American Expat Jim Haynes.  Every Sunday evening he holds open house for a group of people numbering from fifty to seventy-five or more in the summer when the party can flow into the patio from the small apartment/garret on the first floor.   It is a word of mouth gathering that has been going on for years.  He has written some books and has even had the New York Times write an article about his gatherings.  There is an internet site and you have to have a reservation to attend.  There is always a waiting list and the donation suggested is thirty euros per person.

Always a fun gathering full of unexpected surprises at times.  In 2012 we met five different people who we had a connection with with us in California.  Tonight it was cold and very crowded; there were sixty people per the host, Jim Haynes.    We met people from Illinois, Michigan, San Francisco, many from Canada, Berlin, Solovika, New York, Virginia, and various other parts of the world.  A real estate agent who works six months in Paris and six months in San Francisco each year and so many more.  I had Peter, from Canada now living in Berlin, on one side and Helen from Canada on the other side of me.  Peter was explaining that he was working as an Artist in Berlin and had a visa that allows him to receive commissions but not salary and Helen said she had a friend whose daughter was also in Berlin under similar conditions that played the accordian....Peter said...is her name.....and there we had another unexpected connection!   Helen's son, Monty, who is living and studying in Paris (she is visiting him for the week) has gained employment by way of Craig's List:  he babysits for two French families to help him learn the language and teach the children English.   A fun evening with great food and always a fresh face as we moved about the room.  Soon it was time to return to the Metro and home.  We arrived about eleven o'clock, a good time for phone calls home on our International Skype service as it's the middle of the day in America. 

I hope you've enjoyed our journey for the day and also the slideshow: 

Christmas Light: Montmartre and Grand Magasins

The day started late again; about three o'clock we dressed warmly and carried umbrellas as we walked the long block to our closest bus stop to catch #95.  We rode it across the Seine River, past the Louvre and on down the Avenue de l'Opera; passing the Opera we skirted past the west side of the grand magasins as we headed for Place de Clichy and finally crossed the bridge that runs over the Cimetiere Montmartre.   From that point on we were trying to remember where we should get off to walk up the back roads to Sacre Coeur.

Soon we were a stop away from the end of the route at Porte de Montmartre; we hopped off the bus and crossed the street to ride the bus back to the Cimetiere.  There we got off and walked a short distance along Rue Caulaincourt until we reached Rue Lepic and headed up the steep road to our destination for this afternoon.

Many stores already had their Christmas lights on as it was just about time for the sunset.   We stopped to admire the ancient windmill and views across Paris and soon we were at the more famous windmill that has been a restaurant for more than one hundred years.    You'll love the photo of the artist adding touches to his characterization of the cartoon caricature Popeye.   Soon we were at the top and into the area with restaurants and artists all angling for a euro by painting portraits.

From there we walked across the street to the very old and small church that has survived under the shadows of the famous and massive towers of Sacre Coeur know as Paroisse Saint-Pierre de Montmartre.  Founded on a Roman Temple around 400 AD.  Built to almost it's present size in 1093 and rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries.   Gothic style from the middle ages, it is rather plain but beautiful in its simplicity.   They had a very old and beautiful nativity scene.  It was 5:15 pm so we decided to return for the six oclock Mass.

We walked back outside and around the corner through the massive crowds to view Sacre Coeur from the outside.  The road to the Basilica was wall to wall Christmas booths as they had a market in full swing as we made our way over to the church.  A few photos and we stopped to enjoy the views over Paris once more before heading back to the restaurants.  We had half an hour before church and I needed a WC so we stopped in at the Au Clairon Des Chanseurs to enjoy a large glass of bordeaux wine as we enjoyed viewing  a large painting of Notre Dame from the left bank on the wall. 

Soon it was six o'clock and we walked the short distance back to Saint-Pierre for the Mass.  A beautiful Mass with lovely organ music, well attended but not crowded.  We'd planned to attend the 6:45 pm Mass at St. Suplice today but this was a nice change; our first time to attend Mass at this beautiful church.

After Mass we headed back towards the front of Sacre Coeur and the funicular; there were crowds waiting to go down so we elected to walk down the stairs with many other people.  At the bottom we snapped our last photo of Sacre Coeur and then continued to the Metro Station at Anvers.  Two changes and we were home in time to fix our dinner about eight o'clock.

We enjoyed our evening and by nine o'clock we were back out the door without umbrellas....we'd hardly used them today and it was definitely dry now...and walked back to the stop for bus #95.  We had to wait half an hour as the buses are not as frequent after nine pm.  We stayed on the bus until just past the Opera House and got off at Blvd. Haussmann to take photos of the windows of the Grand Magasins:  Printemps and Galeries Lafayette.   I was wrong in that there were still many children viewing the windows even though it was after ten o'clock at night!   But, the crowds were thinner and Jim waited patiently for me at each of the many windows as I took multiple photos and a few videos of the animated ones.   He could keep track of me with my red hat, he said!  

We were there nearly an hour and then found the Metro Station.  One change and we were home just before midnight.  A long day filled with lots of twinkling lights....I hope you enjoy the slideshow and that Google+ continues to add twinkle and snow effects for you!   

Ice Skating at the Hotel de Ville

Today we expected rain all day so we'd planned to do some laundry.  Headed to the laundromat at 2 pm and by 4 pm we had all clean clothes, sheets and towels!   Plus we'd had a fun couple of hours meeting both French and Americans who helped us and some that we helped to understand the system for working the machines.  A beautifully equipped shop with everything in good working order.  The rain had only been now and then light sprinkles so far.

Back to the apartment to put away the laundry and then out the door to the Seine River for a cruise on the Batobus; our annual passes will expire soon.  We had to wait about half an hour for the next boat  but enjoyed the time on the Quai as we admired the stately building that we live behind.  Took a snapshot of the front along with the little passage that we can take as a shortcut.

We'd planned to ride the full circle and then get off the second time we passed Notre Dame.  But just before we arrived at Notre Dame there was a tragic event on our very crowded boat.   A small boy, probably about six years old and seated directly across from us, had a seizure of some kind and stopped breathing.   The mother was scream for help and the father was working with the child.  Help arrived and we followed instructions and moved to the rear of the boat to give them room to work with the child.  By the time we arrived at the Notre Dame stop, a trama team had arrived by boat and were assisting those qualified to help who happened to be on our boat.  Soon there were police in boats pulling along side our boat also.  We're not sure what happened or what the final outcome was but at the time the father carried the child off of the boat and up to the street for the ambulance, he was still very quietly lying in his fathers arms in a blanket someone had provided.  Makes one count their blessings.  Remember him in your prayers tonight. 

We decided to get off the boat on the right bank as it stopped very near Notre Dame and the Hotel de Ville.  I wanted to see if they have the traditional ice skating rink this year.  Sure enough...there it was along with some massive decorations.  People were standing in line to have an opportunity to skate on the large...but very wet due to the rain...ice rink.  We enjoyed snapping some photos and then headed across the bridge to Notre Dame.

A short line to enter so we went inside where a Mass was in progress.  We did find the very modern nativity scene and also the more traditional one.   Lots of people so we didn't stay long.  We plan to attend Mass here in January after the tourist return home.

After snapping some photos of the Christmas tree in front of the church we walked across the bridge to the left bank and started back to our apartment.  It was after six o'clock by now and the rain was coming down more often and harder; but still we didn't always need the umbrellas.  We are about a fifteen minute walk...at the most....from Notre Dame.   Along the way Jim said that if Quai 21 was open early he'd like to stop there and have dinner.  Wow...our first meal in a restaurant on the trip.  Quai 21 was open....it's a small restaurant just past St. Michel...and we stopped for a delicious dinner. 

We were home by 8 pm and have enjoyed a quiet evening as the rain continues to come down.  We have neighbors next door for the first time...the walls are thinner than we thought.  But the upstairs people seem to be quieter...I guess one gets accustomed to noises in apartments. 

Hope you enjoy the slide show:  

Ah...Paris....

 Ah Paris....a phrase that Jim came up with as we were talking about the difficult times when we start to get on each other's nerves as we were walking along the crowded and pushing streets of Paris heading to the large department stores to see their windows.   Ah...Paris....I repeated and we decided that it would be a good catch phrase to let each other know when it was time to step back! 

Our day started about noon after a late breakfast/lunch.  We seem to only eat two meals a day which works out nicely for our waistlines and the checkbook!   About one o'clock I walked two blocks to check out the closest laundromat; it's just before our closest grocery store but on the opposite side of the street so we hadn't noticed it but found it on the Internet.  On the way I stopped to take a photo of our pedestrian/bicycle street that we take to the church and our closest Metro Station; we see the bell tower of the church all the way there.  Then I snapped photos of many of the art galeries that are on our street and a final photo at our front door of the Institute of France that sits at the end of our street on the Seine River. 

At two o'clock we dressed warmly, the sun was shining brightly but it was still cold outside, and walked to the Metro Station.  One change and we were at the Place de la Concorde. 

From there we walked to the Madeline Church, stopping along the way to enter the Galerie Royal for store decorations and a view of the Maxims that is closed for renovations along with the Ritz Hotel.

Headed west we were looking for the art galerie where Maeliss' cousin works; she and Jim had a wonderful conversation on the train home yesterday afternoon.   Not always an easy task as the streets often change names every few blocks but we managed and unfortunately it was closed.  But we enjoyed the challange.  Walking east we passed a new church for us called St. Augustin; very large and impressive on the outside we may return to see the inside on another day.  We passed the Parc du Louie XVI that has the mass graves from the Revolution.

The first store that we saw was Printemps, the windows were fantastic and we took time to go into the store for a quick stop for me and to enjoy the inside Christmas decorations.  Outside we waded through the crowds of shoppers and families with children who were using the special platforms built for them in front of many of the windows.

Soon we saw the Garnier Opera and behind it the Galeries Lafayette...my main objective for the day!  I've opened my slideshow with my favorite photo of the huge tree that sits under the stained glass dome in the center of the main store.  The windows again were amazing.  I have to go back another day late at night when the children are in bed.  You can't get near them during the day!

But what a fun day as we climbed the escalators to the rooftop to see the views of Paris again.    Down again and off to the front of the Opera House before slowly walking south towards the Seine River and Place Vendome.  We were walking slowly because it was still not dark enough to really get the full effect of the Christmas Lights that illuminate the street from the Opera House to the Place Vendome and beyond.   We loved watching the policemen on their roller blade skates giving them the ability to quickly move from one area to another.  This area is known for very expensive stores! 

Soon it was dark enough for some good photos and then we walked all the way to Rue de Rivoli and then west to the Place de la Concorde.  There we got in line for a short wait to ride the huge Ferris Wheel next to the Obelisk with fabulous views of the blue white and red lights on the Avenue des Champs Elysees.  We also enjoyed the sparkling strobe lights at six o'clock on the Eiffel Tower while we waited in line for our ride. 

Back to the Metro and home by seven o'clock.  We enjoyed making our dinner at home this evening. We had lasagna, ham, cheese, bread with olive pesto, wine and dessert of creme brulee.  What more could you want...maybe those couple of pieces of chocolate we enjoyed with our second glass of wine after dinner. 

Hope you enjoy the slideshow:  

Christmas Day Dinner in France

We were invited to attend a family Christmas dinner in a village about half an hour outside of Paris today.   Our friends, Nicolas and Maeliss and Maeliss' parents provided a truly unique experience for us by asking us to join their extended family for their Joyeux Noel celebration.

We walked to the Metro about 10:30 am in clear and dry weather.  Two hours later we were met at the station by car and transported to Maeliss' parents home; a beautiful home created from a very old barn over the past twenty years with much love and vision.  They'd just finished building a new home in the same village when they both fell in love with this property and the possibilities they could see in it's structure.  What a remarkable transformation we could see as we viewed the before and after photos later in the afternoon.

The children were fed early, and a beautiful white Golden Retriever wandered among us as we enjoyed the champagne and appetizers upstairs before going down into the family dining room for the main meal.  This was originally used to milk the cows and has walls that are nearly three feet thick; a cave shaped rounded ceiling stone room that is very reminiscent of the underground buildings in Paris.  The rings used to tethered the cows are still on the wall. 

Nearly two hours later we finished the cheese course with tangerines and a final toast with Champagne before heading upstairs with the children who'd finished their naps for opening the gifts that surrounded the Christmas Tree.   Many homemade gifts along with cookies, candies, jams and other yummy gifts.  We were unexpectedly included with gifts from several of the family members much to our surprise. 

Soon it was time to head for the train station.  We sat with cousins for the ride back into the city before we split and each went our own way when we reached the Metro Lines.  We arrived back in our apartment shortly before the rain started.  A good reason to enjoy the remainder of the evening at home.  Hope you enjoy the little slideshow: