Paris... Love At First Sight!

I left Villefranche for Paris last Saturday but ended up missing my train from Nice to Paris due to a train strike that cancelled my train from Villefranche to Nice. Anyway... made it to Paris two hours after I was supposed to and voila! Love at first sight with this wonderful city. I navigated from Gare de Lyon to my hotel on Rue Cler with no issues... dropped my bags and off to the Museum D'Orsay I went...followed by a walk to the Lourve and oriented myself with the neighborhood.

Next day Sunday, I got an early start and headed to Versailles. Once I arrived at the Versailles train station, I saw all these people, mostly men walking the opposite way with race bib numbers. There was a race going on called "Paris to Versailles"... going home from Versailles... I didn't think I'd ever make it on that day because all the finishers from that race was now trying to get back to Paris. A stinky train station they made it ... huge thanks to the guy who gave me 0.25 euros for the train ticket back because I didn't have enough euro coins!! I ended my day with an evening walk along the Champs Elysees. One strange thing I noticed on the Champs... bathrooms at this one mall charged 2.50 euro to use and they made sure that the attendant went in to clean it after every use. Also, there were 3 retail fronts that had lines on the Champs.. Louis Vuitton, macaroon love Landuree and Abercombie. Apparently, the French LOVE Abercrombie, not Parisians but French people! I was shocked since the brand is closing stores in the US.

Monday was Notre Dame tower day! All 400 steps to the top of the tower made for my toughest workout since Ironman Canada. Did a stroll through Monmartre where I came upon the cafe of which was on the cover of the book I was reading last week on the beach, Almost French. The cafe name was Le Consulant Cafe. My friend Raf from the states wanted these chocolate bars that only one store here in Paris carried. It happened to also be in the neighborhood of Moulin Rouge and other strip clubs. The chocolate owner Denise was a doll ... two hours later.. I was exiting with a bag of chocolate in my hands. There were 2 people ahead of me and in France, you don't rush people ahead of you or the employee. They'll get to you when it's your turn and then it's your turn to take your time! That evening came the highlight of my trip... night riding the streets of Paris on a cruiser bike for 3 hours! I felt silly for the school girls smile I had on my face the entire time.. so much fun!! Thank you Preston from Texas living in Paris for that!

Tuesday... I strolled through what would become one of my favorite streets in Paris on the island of Ill St. Louis. Johnny Depp had an apartment there when he was living in Paris. The St. Regis Cafe on the main street became my favorite cafe hangout. I also hit up the Sainte Chapelle which is surrounded by stain glass depicting 1,000s of stories from the bible. Some will regard it as the most beautiful building in Paris but in my opinion that honor goes to the Museum D'Orsay. Also strolled through the Marais neighborhood which they say is like the Soho, New York of Paris... and ended up day with a little shopping at Printemps. I am in love with Repetto shoes!!

Wednesday comes along and I was wandered with my camera. I went back to the Princess Flame where people leave flowers for Princess Di... it is a flame at sits on top of the tunnel of her car crash and while the flame was not intended to honor her.. it was what it ended up to be. I needed an after nap after strolling the streets and after the nap.. I strolled more streets and found my way into a Christian Louboutin store. Heavenly. At the store... I had one of those encounters with a guy that you always kind of re-play in your head... "gosh I wish I would have (fill in the blank)... he was really cute"... lucky me.. I did. After I left the store, I went into two more stores and after leaving the second store, I walked out and bumped into him. He said, "I was looking for you." He asked me out to lunch the next day then asked if I had an umbrella in this pouring rain. I said no and so he gave me his as he walked the other way. Sweetheart.

Thursday is here and this is my last day. I am spending the day just absorbing what is left of my time here in what has now become one of my favorite cities if not my favorite. Cute umbrella guy and I may have missed each other as we didn't connect at the said time.. there might have been confusion on the place but it's just as well. The day is still young and maybe by chance we will meet again but if not.. that's ok too. The gesture of having a stranger (handsome Tunisian man raised and living in Paris with a whole lot of style) coming after me with the umbrella was a cute enough experience for me to "treasure". That never happens at home!

This trip has been so fulfilling and inspiring. For me, a successful trip is when I think having grown or become a better person through perspective and I think this country did that for me. One of the key things I take away from my travels is the different ways of calculating the quality of life and this has further enhanced that for sure. France really surprised me. I thought for a modern country, it wouldn't really be a "unique" place other than a country in Europe but I was clearly wrong. This place is so full of culture and depth. The French people have been nothing but so nice to this non-French speaking gal from California (minus train ticket lady at Orange).

My airport shuttle comes at 3:30am. I haven't left yet but I miss you already. Until next time Paris..