BONJOUR, PARIS
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Now I know you don't need me to sell Paris to you. It's pretty darn fabulous as we are all well aware. But all the same you might want to strap on your coke bottles and take a closer look at some of our adventures since you took the trouble to find this page. Don't be alarmed now, we're just going to hop on the Metro and get this party started.
First stop, the Louvre. Yep, we went with the big boy first because, well, why not? While I love a good museum, let's be honest, I am not super tolerant of stopping at every painting, sculpture and what-the-heck-was-that I see. Enter, Rick Steves' Audio Guide App. Jason and I installed this little baby (free!) on our smartphones before we left home and downloaded any topics that seemed pertinent. The app has photos, maps and of course Rick's undeniably affable way of cutting to the good stuff. With that and our four-day museum pass in hand, we were all set. From day one, we knew that taking lots of breaks and stopping to smell the roses would be an important part of our travel style. I tend to be Mrs. Rushy-Rushy and Jason is Mr. Pokey at times. Agreeing to take time to respire et relaxe allowed us to have similar expectations about what we could get done in a day. This was a bit of a planned break, since I had read about Berthillon ice cream before leaving home. Luckily one of the Berthillon outlets was right up the street from the Louvre, so we happily indulged in some pistachio (hers) and salted caramel (his) while wandering up the Seine. For those who are so inclined, David Lebovitz' The Sweet Life in Paris was a hilarious and yummy read before the trip. Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa's Barefoot in Paris has some inspirational recipes and a index of foodie places to shop in the City of Light. Welcome to the Pompidou Centre, second of our arty ventures today. Funky entrance, n'est pas? The Pompidou was a welcome respite from the elbow-jostling at the Louvre. Modern, quiet and calm, this is the kind of place where you can meander amongst Chagall and nouveau art installations whilst cocking your head to the side and thinking, now what exactly IS that? Take a load off. Stare a while. Stare at people staring a while. Just don't analyze it too much. Let your mind wander. |