Paris
At a moveable feast, it is always wise to get dessert.
I’ve stayed in tiny rooms in Paris and I’ve stayed in suites. It doesn’t really matter because we only return to sleep. A few well placed macarons left in la chambre always makes me feel a bit more welcome, but honestly — I walk, eat and repeat until the ticket says it’s time to go home.
There is always something new to say about Paris and the French have 100 words for informing you that something new is not quite good enough. But that is their Gallic secret toward the long arc of perfection.
My French is pretty good; I have been studying for years with a tutor over Skype and so I rarely order the raw octopus with blackberry jam any more. As a tourist, I think it is important to show you understand the traditional culture that the French treasure and strive to preserve. Politesse tip of the day: Always say “Bonjour, Madam/ Mademoiselle/ Monsieur!” whenever you enter a small shop or restaurant in Paris. It’s rude to not acknowledge the shopkeeper or waiters. You can follow up quickly with “Parlez-vous anglais?” so don’t be intimidated into wandering around in silence just because you don’t speak much French. However, make sure that the little French you do speak is pronounced with the best French accent you can muster. A little effort goes a long way and raw octopus is kind of chewy.
My one last suggestion for visiting Paris is to learn the common French food and wine terms. Sure, you can get an English menu, but to choose the meal in French and know your way around the basic French wine types is key to the full enjoyment of your visit. Even if you don’t know much about wine, pick two wines from the menu and ask the server which one they would prefer with the meal just ordered. French waiters pride themselves in professionalism and will welcome the question — rather than look inexperienced, you look like you know enough to ask the expert. They may try to upsell you (a bit) to something off the menu which will probably be better than either choice so ask for the price in English first!
Plus it guarantees you get way better service…
Walking the streets of Paris can be dangerous for the waistline, but good for the soul. Small treats in moderation with friends is the way these pastries are meant to be eaten. And coffee. Many small coffees.
The Church of Saint-Eustache in the 1st arrondissement of Paris is a model of Gothic interior mixed with Renaissance architecture. It was built between 1532 and 1632. The vaulted ceiling enables the Gothic architects to show off a bit by adding tall windows even with the huge weight of the stone walls and columns.
The hidden Musée de la Vie Romantique features the re-creation of the drawing room of the author George Sand, one of the most popular authors of the romantic era, and of course, the plaster cast of Chopin’s left hand.
A panoramic shot in the Paris Métro that starts and ends with blasé Parisiennes on their phones. If you look carefully you can see that the train began to move half way through the exposure.
Don’t miss the sculptures of Le Petit Palais built in 1900 for the Exposition Universelle.
Notre Dame before the fire, Père Lachaise cemetery (they kicked us out because of the high winds that day) and a few of the beautiful churches for praying or for consuming. The open balconies and the high ceiling of La Samaritaine creates a modern cathedral to encourage you to take your time, but definitely buy something. While shopping with my French prof, my wife was shown the fine art of picking the perfect perfume. Sample, walk around, sample again.
Above is a long exposure of the original Paris opera at night (there are two opera buildings in Paris - old and new — and it’s pretty clear which is which). The Palais Garnier is well worth the self guided visit with the English audio recording. But back to the suggestion about using the best French accent — a taxi driver has no idea where the “Awprah” is (“You know, the famous Awprah?? Jeez.”). They will, however, take you to the “Oo-pay-rah” tout de suite!
This hotel corridor is an homage to a famous painting by Magritte (who was technically Belgian, but a great painter anyway!).
Sacré-Cœur Basilica is worth the climb, I’m just not so sure about all the tourist junk — once you get home it all goes in a drawer.
A panorama by the Seine showing the modern version of an ancient photo I look at all day on my office wall.