Paris 2009

I took a trip to Europe for work... 6 days in Paris, followed by 4 in Karlsruhe, Germany.  The Paris segment was way more fun to document.

Whoever complains that Paris is a cold city and Parisiennes are mean has not tried to genuinely approach the city and its inhabitants with an appreciation for warm culture and a little bit of French. I met locals every time that I went out on my own to explore the city.  It was trivial to start a conversation with neighbors at the close dinner tables.  A woman started a conversation with me when I tripped while I was walking.  The taxi drivers chatted with me and told me how lame Americans are. 

I enjoyed the weekend over which I got the chance to look around.  I chose the neighborhoods around Notre Dame, the Latin Quarter, the neighborhood of Moulin Rouge, and the St. Germain area.  I saved the Tour Eiffel for a trip with Jeanette!

I walked across the Seine and had dinner at an Aveyronnaise restaurant.  Aveyron is a landlocked state in the southwest of France.  The signature dish is an amazing concoction of a sausage covered by a blend of cheese and potatoes called Saucisse Aligot.  I didn't actually have it, but the nice couple (Sylvie and Laurence) sitting next to me each got a plate.

I started out with a plate of olive cured sausage, rustic bread and pickles.  That was followed by a Salade Aveyronnaise, which was a bed of pan fried potato slices topped with fresh greens one one side and a mixture of duck confit and sausage on the other.  Mmmmmmm.  The dessert was the millefueille pictured which sat on a pan near their fireplace for all to see.

On my walk around Notre Dame I snapped this pic of the Cathedral.  Quite beautiful in daylight or the night!

I stopped at a country festival on the dock on the Seine across from Notre Dame.  As you can see, they had lots of good things to discover.  This was an Assiette du Fromage... lovely cheeses with jam and bread.  I paired it with a small drink of wine from another vendor at the same fair.

After sampling wares at the fair, I headed south of Notre Dame and found an excellent Indian restaurant, Le Partage... one of the best I've been to.

Looking in while others were buying pastries... I was too full!

The cheese shops smelled wonderful.  The variety was incredible... and they all had samples out front!

The Latin Quarter, named for students who spoke Latin at the neighborhood universities, is known for it's preserved 18th century facades.

The beautiful exterior of the Church of St. Genevieve in the Latin Quarter.  The inside was as gorgeous as the outside.  The setting of the surrounding palace certainly added to it's beauty.  Plus, you're right near Rue Descartes, which turns into Rue Mouffetard... a great place to go explore and find treats!

A wedding happening inside beautiful St. Genevieve.

I stopped for a gelato at this famous little square in the Latin Quarter and was surprised at the shape!  The flavor was delicious, but the presentation was the best.

I returned to the country fair for some shopping... found some yummy stuff!

A view of Notre Dame by daylight

So how much would it cost to build these incredibly expansive spaces in the 21st century?  It's incredible to look up and see the engineering that supports these lovely churches.

Subways are great.  I took the metro up to the Moulin Rouge district to find dinner and people watch.  Hordes of people waiting to get into the MR to see the show.  I was happy to have a pizza at an Italian restaurant and then go for a walk!

A huge hall in the School of Fine Arts.  It was grand, but seemed stripped out.

Probably the only photo of me I got in Paris.  I enjoyed the trip even if I'm not in the photos!

Here's the church of Saint Germain.  Quite beautiful inside and out.

I stopped for a nice lunch next to Saint Germain.  Paris-style gazpacho, toast crisps, nice bread, a rose, basil sorbet, and an eclair for dessert!  Yummy!

The restaurant was Les Deux Magots... apparently a famous cafe for literary figures.  From Wikipedia: The café's name comes from the two wooden statues of Chinese commercial agents (magots) that adorn one of the pillars.

I took a walk through the Musee D'Orsay.  It was a 'patrimonie' weekend so the museums were cheap or free.  Orsay has a huge amount of impressionist and post-impressionist art.  Quite spectacular.

Monet... Quite beautiful in real life... but almost too much to take in in one day!

I ended my last evening in a cookie store.  The cookies were delicious... 

I realized that I hadn't included a photo of the Seine!  How could I not do that?  Here's one of many...