Au Revoir to Paris - My Last Day Here  

By TravelingProfessor on Friday, February 20, 2009 10:14 AM

I write this as I sit here in the airport lounge, about to depart back to New York.

Yesterday,  my last full day here, I decided to take the 45-minute TGV train about 100 miles to Reims, the champagne region of France.   The train was 117 euro round-trip or “return” as they call it here.   My advice would be to spend the extra few euro to get a “flexible” ticket in case you need to change the times for your trip.   Otherwise, the penalty is 10 euro to change it.  The high-speed train service is only something we could wish for here in the United States.   In fact, when you see some of the beautiful train stations in Europe and experience the quality of rail travel here then you compare it to Amtrak, you really start to wonder why the U.S. does not rethink its ground transportation systems.

Reims is much different than how I remember it from about a dozen years ago.   It is not a small city by any means.   The train station drops you off near the center concourse of the city.   I walked towards the grand cathedral and encountered a peaceful group of 100 students and professors protesting cuts in the educational programs.   I have to admire the French fortitude in mobilizing and standing up for themselves when they think they have been wronged.    I went over to the wonderful Cathedral of Reims where nearly all of French royalty has been crowned.   It is a beautiful and spacious cathedral with stained glass windows  that are full of bright red colors.

Next to the cathedral is the visitor center of Reims.  They were happy to make an appointment for me to visit the Pommery champagne house.    Many champagne tours can only be done by appointment.   If you go in the busy season, I suggest that you make arrangements a few days in advance.

It was really too far to walk to the Pommery champagne house so I took a taxi.   You really don’t “hail” a cab like you do in New York City, for instance.   You go to a taxi stand and get in the first one in line.   If you have someone (like in a hotel) call a cab  for you, you may also be liable for the time it takes the taxi to get to your location and wait for you to get into your cab.

Anyway, the tour of the chalk caves at Pommery was very, very interesting.   There are probably millions of bottles of champagne stored in the chalk caves.   In this tour, the caves incorporated a collection of modern art.   It was a little weird, but enjoyable.  The best part of the tour came at the end when I could taste some of the best champagnes.   The cost of the tour was 15 euro.

Because of a business arrangement, I switched my hotel today from the Hotel Residence Foch to the Holiday Inn at Republique.   It is like night and day.  The Foch is an individually owned boutique hotel in a quiet residential neighborhood.   The Holiday Inn is a busy business hotel in a central area.   To make a long story short, I miss the Foch.

 Live From Paris Day 6

By TravelingProfessor on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:55 PM

One thing that I must say is that if you or anyone else you know thinks that the French are in the least bit rude or unfriendly – that is a myth.   All, and I mean all, of the Parisians I have met on this trip have been nothing but gracious, helpful, and kind.   And, all of the fellow travelers I have met on this trip feel the same way.

Today I started a bit late.   I went down to the La Defense and took a ride up the Grande Arche  to the Musée de l'informatique.  It’s a fine display on the history of digital computers.   As usual, the French claim that they invented the personal computer and say that it is a “myth”
I had lunch at a newly opened restaurant in the 16th called MDB.  A little pricey but it is extra good.

I took the metro over to that superstar of a museum, l’Orangerie.   It truly is a gem.   If you get a chance to go there, don’t miss the films on Monet and the history of l’Orangerie.  Fascinating.

It was a brisk evening tonight in Paris, but I walked down rue de Rivoli, stopped in the Ritz and was practically “escorted out” again, LOL!  Walked down the always interesting rue St. Honore and checked out a chocolate shop or two.    I took some wonderful photos in front of the Carrousel de Louvre.

Had dinner on rue Gregoire de Tours at my friend, Hakim’s place, Au Beaujolais.   The food is good, the price is right, and he is a wonderful host.

It was a slow day today but tomorrow may be very exciting as I plan to TGV it over to Reims to see if there is any champagne left for me to taste.

Live From Paris - Day 5

By TravelingProfessor on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 4:07 PM

Today I took a break from Paris and headed out to – EuroDisney, Disney Paris, Disneyland, or whatever they call it.  I have never even thought about going there but after so many trips to Paris, I figured it was about time.  It took about 45 minutes to get there from the hotel - an easy ride on the RER.   I got there at about 10:30 a.m.  Admission was 60 euro.

There are two parks, similar to the Magic Kingdom and MGM Studios in Florida.   The lines were light with about a 60 minute wait at only the most popular attractions.  I was able to hit 11 attractions in my time there at both parks.   I thought the best attraction was “Cinemagique”  with Martin Short and Julie Delphy.

After getting back I stopped at my favorite Alsatian joint, Chez Jenny.   Of course I had the choucroute and a nice bottle of Gewurztraminer.     I asked the maitre ’d  if I could mention what a nice meal I had at Chez Jenny, but he preferred that I didn’t.  So please forget I ever mentioned it.

Live from Paris - Day 4 Travel Report

By TravelingProfessor on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 2:43 AM

I got somewhat of a late start today in Paris on the warmest day of my visit so far.   I think it probably got up to the high 40’s.  No rain, but a typical overcast day.    The Hotel Residence Foch is a great place to stay.   The staff is very helpful and welcoming.   The hotel itself is beautifully decorated and cheerful.

Today is “Marais Day”.   I took the metro down to the St. Paul stop and headed over to rue de Rosiers.   The Marais is quite a unique area.   I observed a neighborhood full of boutiques, art galleries, and ethnic restaurants.   I understand it is a widely diversified area with a substantial population of Jews, gays, and people from the arts.   It is represented by the businesses, restaurants, schools, and places of worship in the area.

One of the highlights of the day was a great falafel at the one and only L’As du Falafel.    It was better than I remember.   There are competitors on rue de Rosiers,  but L’AS du Falafel stands out.   As you wait outside, a member of their staff directs traffic.  You can either purchase at the take-away window outdoors (5 euro for the standard vegetarian falafel)  or sit inside for 2 euro more.    Service is quick and courteous.   Nothing beats this falafel for taste and freshness.  It is a MUST when you come to Paris.

From there it was off to the Picasso museum.   I have been there many times before.  What I like about the Picasso is that the collection is always changing.  Never will you see the same thing twice.  However, this time I thought the collection was a bit disorganized.   There was no audio guide and the written guide was not well coordinated with the exhibit.  In any case, the museum is always good.

I took a rest at a café then walked down to the Pompidou.  After sitting outside a café for awhile, looking at this inside-out building, I changed my mind.   I walked back to the Place de Vosges and took a few hours to look into the many art galleries and speak with the owners.    It was a real experience to speak with these people about the art scene in Paris.    I always enjoy the chance to do things not listed in tour guides and have the chance to speak with Parisians one-on-one.

I had to rush over to meet friends at Restaurant Chartier.    I met Bruce and Maureen, two wonderful people who I met through TravelingProfessor.Com.   We had three hours of laughs and fun in Chartier.  Our waiter spoke about three words of English, but that didn’t matter.   After 4 appetizers including a dozen escargot, 4 main dishes, 4 desserts, two bottles of wine, and three cafes, the bill came to 107 euro.  We gave our waiter 120 euro and he treated us like the kings and queens of Chartier!

Live From Paris - Day 3

By TravelingProfessor on Monday, February 16, 2009 5:14 AM

It was another wonderfully long and exhausting day in Paris.  The day started off cloudy and about 35 degrees but soon it was sunny and the chill was out of the air.   I put aside the morning for worship at with the Society of Friends (Quakers) in the Latin Quarter.   There are not many Quakers in Paris but they are just as welcoming and warm as they are all over the world.   I always recommend that travelers attend a place of worship.   You will certainly be welcome with open arms and it may be one of your most valuable travel experiences.  After worship, a handful of us chatted for a bit and I picked up some nice tidbits as to where to go and what to see for the day.

I then proceeded over to the market at Raspail.   It is a cacophony of colors and smells as you walk up and down the stalls.  The vendors are selling, fruits, vegetables, soups, meats, and all sorts of other things.  There is no problem with my (very) limited French.    Over the years I have found that almost all Parisians speak enough English to do business with English speakers.

I then hoofed it over to one of my favorite haunts, right near the Odeon metro.  I know you can get a great take-away sandwich there and I did.  It was only 6 euro for a jambon et fromage (ham and cheese) sandwich on a crunchy baguette with a drink and some yogurt for dessert.   I brought it over to the nearby Luxemborg Gardens and enjoyed my lunch as people sailed their wooden boats in the fountains.  It was warm enough to take off my jacket and soak in some rays.

I walked over to the Pantheon which is a wonderful structure, but seems to be getting a little bit rundown.     Foucalt’s Pendulum assures me that the world is still turning. 

I also went to a small church behind the Pantheon, dedicated to St. Genevieve.  It is truly an inspirational place, filled with sunlight.  It is not as massive as Notre Dame or St. Sulpice.  St. Genevieve is small and charming and has a wonderful intimacy about it.  I highly recommend that you visit if you are in the area.

After that I went over to rue Mouffetard.  Unbelievably, after so many trips to Paris I have never been there.  It is a lively street with a variety of inexpensive ethnic restaurants and boutiques.   I enjoyed so much walking down the street on such a bright and sunny day.
After taking a break (that means some wine and pate, folks) back at the hotel.  I went over to the now-famous (as a result of a recent NPR radio program) Jim Haynes dinner.   I got there at about ten minutes after 8 p.m. (it starts at 8) and the party was going strong.   Jim is an ex-pat from Louisiana who holds this informal dinner party at his house.  He’s been doing it for about 37 years.   Tonight it was packed with about 50-60 people inside.   Most of the people there are English speakers.   I had conversations with people from Philadelphia, Texas, Sydney, Singapore, Glasgow, and Paris.   Jim asks for a small donation of 25 euro.   He serves beer, wine, soup, a main dish, and dessert.   If you have never gone before, I recommend it.    Everyone is friendly and eager to chat with you.

And that is it for Day 3 in Paris.   Tomorrow Le Marais is on the menu.

Live From Paris - Day 2

By TravelingProfessor on Sunday, February 15, 2009 11:48 AM

Day 2 started out chilly but clear with a great breakfast at my hotel (Hotel Residence Foch) .  This morning I’ll do some of the typical touristy thing.   I metro’d it down to Ile de la Cite and to Notre Dame Cathedral.   The crowds are relatively sparse on such a beautiful morning.   I visit the Cathedral, St. Chapelle and its beautiful stained glass, and take a quick visit to the Conciergerie which has a cheesy exhibit on its days as the prison during the French Revolution.

I stroll down Blvd. St Michel and visit one of my favs, the Cluny.  I just love the tapestries and relics from the Middle Ages.   I walk over to the Buci Market.  Even in February there are fresh flowers.   I stop at lunch at Bistrot d’Henri for a great lunch of salad and chicken with mushrooms.  Cost:   57 euros.  The best part of the meal was the friendly conversation with an older Parisian couple on my left, and a Welsh couple on my right.   Paris is such a friendly town where it is easy to initiate a conversation and make friends.   After lunch  that I headed over to St. Sulpice and spotted some people still trying to solve the “Da Vinci Code”.

I walked down to the Seine and visited the bouquinistes selling their ancient books and foreign  souvenirs gargoyles and Eiffel Towers.   It was then over to the Orsay up to the top floor to enjoy the Impressionists for an hour.  

Having the Museum Pass gives me the opportunity to visit as many museums as I want, even if I only stay a short time.    I think if I had  to shell out 7-10 euros each time I went into a museum, I would go into far fewer museums.   I also see just what I want to see, because I know I can easily come back during my visit to pick up what I may want to revist or see something I missed.

After a break back at the Hotel Residence Foch, a glass of wine and short snooze was in order.   At 7 p.m. we headed over to Guy Savoy’s Les Bouqinistes for a simply superb Valentine’s Day dinner.  It’s situated right on the Seine and the place was decorated beautifully for Valentine’s Day with red roses adorning the dining room.   Our server, Ness, could not be more welcoming.   We had a never-ending bottle of champagne and by the end of the evening we had formed another friendship in Paris.
The staff was quite professional on this busy night.  They handled everything perfectly.  We did not feel rushed although there was a line waiting to get in.

Les Bouquinistes is a fairly upscale type of place.  I was a bit surprised to see people in jeans and dressed a bit too casual.   Things have changed over the years.  I can remember the time, not so long ago, where it was uncommon for people to wear jeans at places less casual than Les Bouquinistes.
The special Valentine’s Day menu was:

    * Lobster and Brittany crab in a beetroot ravioli with shellfish sauce
    * Grilled scallops with steamed vegetables
    * Cream of Jerusalem artichokes with truffles
    * Beef tenderloin with truffle potatoes puree
    * And for dessert, “Rose, passion and chocolate”

After that, it was a romantic walk down the Seine, with the Eiffel Tower glittering in the background.

Day 1 Trip Report from Paris

By TravelingProfessor on Saturday, February 14, 2009 11:27 AM

It almost started out like a disaster, but everything worked out.  Here is my first day in Paris:

Flight 120 on American Airlines was scheduled to leave at 10 pm from New York’s JFK airport into Paris Charles de Gaulle.    At about 4 p.m. I got notification that the flight was pushed back to 10:50 a.m.    I take the Long Island Railroad connecting with the airport’s AirTrain and arrived at JFK at about 8:30 pm.  However, my travel partner who was arriving from just north of New York was delayed over 3 hours because traffic was restricted going over the bridges into New York City because of high winds.   She made it into the airport at 10:20 pm.  After a lot of running, we were the last ones to get to get to the gate minutes before they closed the flight.  We just made it  in time.

At the airport, I ran into two TravelingProfessor.Com members and we had a nice chat about our trips impending trip to Paris.  It was a smooth flight over to Paris.  As we were landing, I noticed the ground was covered in light snow.   I arrived refreshed an alert, thanks to an anti jet-lag routine that I will share with you in a later blog.

My plan was to take the AirFrance bus to Port Maillot.  But as I waited for the bus I got the word of one of those typical French wildcat strikes.    I struck up a conversation with a Parisian who was also waiting for the bus and we decided to share a cab into Port Maillot.  The cab ride was quick and we split the 40 euro fare.  We spoke with our new Parisian friend about how the economy is bad in France and that people are not taking their usual holidays.   She also expressed how happy that Obama is the president and our cab driver (whom we did not think spoke English) chimed in his approval on that issue.

I was warmly welcomed by Nelly and her staff at the Hotel Residence Foch.  What a beautiful boutique hotel in the 16th.  It is decorated wonderfully and the staff could not be more helpful.   I know that I am going to enjoy my stay here.

I ran outside to a local brasserie in the 16th for a quick lunch.  At about 2:30 pm I took a long walk around the area over to the Arch de Triomphe, then past the Princess Diana memorial and because the Eiffel Tower was as empty as I have ever seen it, I went up for only the 2nd time ever.   It was a cold, damp, and somewhat foggy day, but still wonderful nevertheless.  

I was too tired to go out for dinner.   I bought some wine and Camembert, relaxed in my room and fell off to a deep sleep in my wonderfully quiet and comfortable room.