1 Jan - By the time I got home the night before and called people back home to wish them a Happy New Year it was 2:30am. I gave myself the luxury of sleeping in until 10:30 but the downside was I missed breakfast. This wasn%26#39;t a problem at first but later in the day I was dragging. I had a list of things that were open on NYD but one thing I wasn%26#39;t sure of was the Phillips exhibition at the Musée Luxembourg so I decided to head that way first.
I%26#39;m not sure what it is but it always seems that my destination is at the furthest possible point from where I arrive. Sometimes this is good, as when I get to see something lovely along the way. In airports it%26#39;s always bad as my connections are as far apart as possible. Today, feeling a bit tired, I%26#39;m not amused that the museum is on the other side of the gardens from the metro stop even though it%26#39;s a lovely day for a stroll. I ask one of the gendarmes along the way if the museum is open instead of trekking all the way over there for nothing. I must be tired if *this* is my outlook.
I get to the exhibit and it%26#39;s PACKED. I had hoped that everyone would have stayed out even later than me, therefore staying home for the day. But I knew it was a gamble. I check my coat, get the audio guide and begin. The paintings are quite lovely, though I only recognize The Boating Party on sight. There are several Picassos and I%26#39;ve never been a huge fan. After an hour and a half I can%26#39;t take the crowds any more and leave. Upon checking my map, it looks as though walking back to the Luxembourg metro is just as far as St. Germain so I decide to walk. The streets are quiet and soothing and I realize I am starving. Deciding I need food more than I need to go to Fragonard, I stop and get a cold plate of roast beef and vinagrette potatoes. Yet another example of simple food that is done so much better than at home. Sitting and eating I muse for the umpteenth time the differences between French and American food; not fine cusine but regular everyday fare. Has anyone else noticed that ranch dressing has virtually become its own food group in the U.S.? After lingering over coffee I check the time and see there%26#39;s no way to make it to Fragonard before closing. How on earth did it get to be 3:30 already??
I leave and am planning on visiting the Jacqumart-Andre and at that moment decide I%26#39;m more in the mood to just wander. I make my way over to Bl. St Germain and past the church. Still not tired of walking. I head north and am enjoying the stroll, looking in windows when I notice a pistachio green delivery truck with the Lauduree logo. Then I look at the building it%26#39;s parked in front of and realize I%26#39;m at Laduree. I hadn%26#39;t actually planned or even looked up the locations so this is fate. I go in, buy a box of the infamous macrons and then notice their chocolate shop. I can%26#39;t help but buy a box of those as well to take home tomorrow. Anything to help with PPD, right? I keep walking and soon I%26#39;m at the Seine, a few of the booksellers are still open so I stroll and look, happy still to be walking. I cross the river and eventually make my way all the way to the Pyramides metro stop. It%26#39;s about 6:30 and I have to decide - return to the hotel, pack for the morning and bring my adventure to an end or..... go see the Eiffel Tower at night? The Tower wins.
On the way I pass through two stations where I could have gotten a direct train back to Place d%26#39;Italie (where I have to make my last connection) and think %26quot;maybe this is a sign, maybe I%26#39;m supposed to just go home.%26quot; I keep pressing on. Just as I come out of the Bir Hakim station and round a corner the tower begins to sparkle as if to say %26quot;skip me at night? Bof!%26quot; and I feel rewarded for my perserverance. And then the craziness comes back and I decide to go up. After waiting ages in line and getting battered by some of the most pushy, unruly tourists I have ever seen I get to the top and see the city lights. Again, it was all worth it. I also enjoyed watching the skaters on the 1st level and the Doisneau photo exhibit - can%26#39;t remember if that was there last time but he%26#39;s one of my favorite photographers. Finally I descend back to reality, take a cab back to the hotel and don%26#39;t even mind when he seems to be taking the long way. Some might be irate at being %26quot;ripped off%26quot; but I was happy to see all the monuments at night, all lit up and magical. In the end it was only 4€ more than usual and getting to the hotel means my trip is really over so I don%26#39;t care.
I won%26#39;t pretend to be any sort of expert but I did want to mention a couple of things:
-make sure you drink plenty of water. I finally realized on my 4th day the reason I was so tired and sore was because I was horribly dehydrated. Most metro stations have a vending machine. If nothing else, get a bottle of water every other train.
- do tons of research to know what%26#39;s available but don%26#39;t bind yourself to any particular schedule. I had more fun this time than any previous trip when I could simply rearrange my itinerary as I pleased. Don%26#39;t feel like you *must* see certain places unless you truly want to see them.
- don%26#39;t worry so much about finding good food, about your clothes or if you stand out as a tourist. Just enjoy all the beauty the city has to offer, be polite to everyone you meet and relax.
-everyone preaches about good shoes. listen to them. But also consider good SOCKS. I had a sock mishap one day where my socks kept sliding and bunching inside my boots, made for a miserable afternoon of nearly limping.
Again, I want to thank everyone on this forum for all the priceless information they have shared. I hope I can return the favor to others planning. Also, thank you for all the kind words from those who read my reports. I couldn%26#39;t imagine I could share anything new but I felt I had try.
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Thanks for the lovely and informative multi-part report. I promise to follow your recommendations on drinking water and wearing good socks in addition to good shoes. Also to just wander around part of the time rather than doing a forced march through everthing on my %26quot;to see %26amp; do%26quot; list.
Let us know how you do coping with PPD.
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You had a great Paris vacation and I%26#39;m glad! Thanks for the nice, detailed report. I hope to catch the Phillips exhibition when I go.
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Thanks for sharing your trip with us. And I agree with your good tips, *except* I do try to blend in and not be marked as a tourist simply to avoid pickpockets. So far, so good.
Are you planning your next trip yet?
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JustGrace, Sorry your reports are over! What a fabulous time you had. I%26#39;m so glad you mentioned the water. When I was there in early December I couldn%26#39;t believe how incredibly thirsty I was...not to mention the soreness! My husband and I talked about it often and I was beginning to wonder if the thirst was the warning sign of diabetes! Anyway, lots of water bottles later, I was fine. The walking and walking and walking, while the BEST way to see and enjoy Paris in my opinion, is very tiring and dehydrating. Also, I agree with the socks part. I%26#39;ve posted on TA about these fabulous ones that I found and wore every day while I was there. They%26#39;re called SmartWool and I found them at our local sporting goods chain store. They are the most comfortable, keep your feet warm and toasty socks I%26#39;ve ever purchased. They cost about $15 a pair so they%26#39;re not cheap, but very much worth every penny! Thanks again for your wonderful reports. Your taking the time to write them is very much appreciated!
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luvEurope - oh yes! the moment I got home I decided I needed to bump up my plans for a month long rental. I was going to do it in a few years so I could visit some other countries but I%26#39;m thinking with 4-6 weeks in Paris I could make lots of other trips. My goal is to rent an apartment in May 2007. :)
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I loved your trip report! You will have go back to see the Museum Jacqumart- Andre! It is most lovely and have tea there! Until I get a new computer without problems ( This one is a sur problem I will not be able to post my needle point pictures that I have complete of the Cluny taspestries).
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Thanks for your report. Lots of hands-on info that I can use for my upcoming trip this April. Glad you had a nice time.
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Grace 4-6 weeks in Paris sounds divine! The most I%26#39;ve ever been able to do is 11 nights.
Thanks again for posting, hoping for some more reports to read before my March trip.
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JustGrace,
Glad you had such a good time in Paris. I like your writing style.
Your tips are good. I use the walking company socks with a good
pair of walking shoes, also have found wearing a light support stocking helps with any achiness of the feet or legs.
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