Spring "Break" Part 2

Ah, Paris. What a handful that city was.

More excerpts from the travel journal:

March 21 (Wednesday)

Sacre Coeur

[After a stressful, bad-first-impression Tuesday]
"Today! Today was a stairway to a better view of Paris. And I don't just say that because we climbed hundreds of them to get to Sacre Coeur. Today elevated my spirits and my mood, and even though I am exhausted from all of the walking we did, the day itself was very relaxing..."

"Crossing the Seine, catching a glimpse of the Eiffel in the smoky vapors of late afternoon, feeling the last chills of winter retreat from the golden sun, reminded me why people keep coming to this city. It's the idea they are searching for, not the location. The lonely writer, the newlywed couple, the lost tourist...they are all looking for the Paris of their imagination, the ethereal city frozen in time and untarnished by modern distractions. Memories mix with expectations, drifting among hope and disappointment. Longing and nostalgia well up within, spilling out in ways all too familiar to the tourist trade: overspending on trivial keepsakes, desperately attempting to conform dream and reality.

No wonder ennui is a French word."

Stained-glass reflection in Notre Dame chapel

"Next: Shakespeare & Company, the greatest bookshop I've ever set foot in. I shuffled sideways through narrow aisles and ducked under bulging shelves brimming with new and used classics. I was wrapped up in a literary safety blanket. Warm and fuzzy feelings abounded, I assure you, but for good reason. In each cozy niche I stumbled upon strangers becoming friends over common interests, even sharing their life stories while perusing the biographical section. If ever a bookshop could have essence, it would be Shakespeare & Company."

March 22 (Thursday)

Megan arrived on this day. I ran up and hug/tackled her in my excitement. Then we went to Louvre and got lost in the Egyptian relics wing. Mac played patty cake with a monkey statue. It was a very successful day.

March 23 (Friday)
Quote of the day: "You can call me White Pepper." Thanks, Megan.

Meg & I at the Temple of Love at Versailles

At Versailles: "Megan and I ambled around the beautiful grounds and Marie Antoinette's estate, drinking in the contrast of colors and general splendor...We picnicked on the back steps of the Chateau, took a tour of the Apartments, and waltzed (or tried to) through the Hall of Mirrors. Then an early train back to see about exchanging Megan's train ticket for an earlier departure. Success! A chocolate eclair to celebrate. Later, a nice dinner at a cafe, sitting outside to people-watch, just like real Parisians."

[An interesting turn of events led Megan and I to get a different hotel room for the night.]
"We had a discussion about the facts of life, soaked our feet in the tub, and watched Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman dubbed in French before going to bed."

March 24 (Saturday)
"I feel as if we got the true French experience today. We started out with breakfast (croissants) on the riverbank, then had a fantastic time at L'Orangerie, the museum famous for Monet's Water Lilies. Lovely."

"For lunch we stopped at an elegant café just off the beaten path to the Tower, and I had the most amazing goat cheese salad "with a touch of honey" and a delicious cup of coffee (café au lait). We sat there in true French style for over an hour, chatting and enjoying the atmosphere. The waiter was funny, too, humming to himself and practically dancing between the tables."

"Then another stroll to the Tower and a crêpe on the steps under the bridge. We observed there some ducks and documented what was most likely their very dramatic life story. After a while we headed to the Jardin des Plantes. The garden was so magical! It had a menagerie (we saw wallabies) and there were tiny French children everywhere, adorable with their foreign gibberish. We took in the warm family atmosphere and thought about "La Vie En Rose."

Au revoir, Spring Break. Even though you were not much of a break. Your misleading name tells me you will not be much missed.

(Note: These are just the highlights of the trip. For more details, you can look on Facebook at my London photo album by clicking here and my Paris photo album by clicking here. Enjoy!)