Monday, November 7, 2011

Maggie's Paris Experience -- a blog by Maggie

 
Let me start off by saying that  I have amazing friends and am GREATFUL to them for this opportunity.
 
Having a 3 hour layover in Newark wasn’t so bad since my gate was between  the ladies room and an Irish Pub.  Upon arrival in Paris I tried using a payphone to call & tell Jill I was on my way but couldn’t figure it out!! I showed the cabbie my paper with the address and off we went.  We pulled up in front of the apartment, or what I was hoping was their place and I was looking around when the window’s of an apartment opened and I saw my friends!  So very cool.   We hit the road, going to a spot for me to see the Eiffel Tower ~~~ WOW as all I thought.  What a sight and we were blocks away.  Me being the bad tourist I left my camera at the apartment, AKA why there are no pictures  posted on face book!  After lunch at an outdoor café we went to Arc‘d Trumpih.  It was a little crowded in the stairwell but we managed   & the view we got ~~~ amazing.  By this time we needed a rest, ok a glass of French wine.  We headed down Champs Élysées and had a drink, or two.  I can say we did savor those drinks since they cost a pretty euro. We realized it was a long way from Union Street ~ So amazing to be drinking with my friends in Paris.  We walked along the river and again past the Eiffel Tower ( I never got sick of seeing it from different views)  That night we had dinner at Gary’s (La Petite Tour) and I was happy to finally meet their new friend.  I could not read the menu and had to rely on Jill & Mark ~ they did not mislead me.
 
On Thursday we went to Disney Paris, much to Jill’s dismay!  We took the train, right to Disney’s gate. I can say Disney is Disney but it was an experience.  It was a full day doing both parks but we survived.  The parks look the same as in Florida, especially Main Street but the castle is very different and some of the attractions are not there (I did miss the Country Bear Jamboree).  The train trip home was an experience in itself.  Without thinking we left at 5pm and hit rush hour traffic.  Needless to say it was not pleasant, it was HOT, CROWDED, & the train has no AC!  We had to stop a few times and just sit and wait to let other trains go.  I thought we’d never get back to the apartment.  After having a drink we went to an Italian Restaurant(yes in Paris).  After dinner we walked to see the Eiffel Tower at night.  We had drinks, caught up and waited to see the tower twinkle, When the lights went out for the night was a good time for us to go!  Actually before that would have been a good time but ~~~~~
 
We decided that Friday would be a good day to take it easy.  After breakfast we walked around the neighborhood and went to the grocery store, in the mall!!!  After wandering a little more we stopped for crepes ~~ Nutella ~ it was great & I could go for one now!  When Mark got home we ventured out for our evening ~ Notre Dame & a pub crawl (odd combo I know but it worked)  When we got to Notre Dame it was closed for the evening but I stood in awe admiring the outside and gardens.  When we crossed the bridge we stumbled upon a Food & Wine festival so of course we had to stop & check it out.  We ate, drank & listened to an oompah-pah band.  We then moved on to an Irish Pub where I felt obligated to take the glass I was drinking from (who knows why) The music was good but we had pubs to see, beer to drink and food to eat (ok so I had to have dinner, before I took any more glasses! Didn‘t work since we went to a another pub & I had to have the ½ pint glass I asked to buy and the bartender told me I could have it! We had dinner at an outdoor café that had wonderful Beef Burgundy.  
 
Mark went to the bakery and got us croissants for breakfast and off we went.  Jill & Mark know the underground way into the Louve so there was no waiting in line.  Again another WOW moment for me.  The place is huge.   Of course we wanted to see the Mona Lisa and headed that way first.  Finally seeing her in person was something else, but to be honest I thought the picture would be bigger and I was disappointed that  it’s kept behind glass & you have to stay behind ropes about 3 feet away, There is so much to see we had a hard time deciding what wing to visit. We left the museum and walked thru the gardens to an outdoor café for a beverage and rest.  Or next stop would be Montmartre, an artist community high atop a hill overlooking the city.  I know I keep using the word amazing but it covers so many things I did and saw.  
Sacre Coeur is a beautiful church, and the view from the front steps is awesome.  While sitting relaxing I watched the place across the street making crepes.  I became intrigued with an egg & cheese crepe.  After dinner the weather had started turning and we had to buy tourist umbrellas!  We decided to walk down the hill and then on thru Moulin Rouge.  We played it safe & kept in the walkway in the middle of the street.
 
Sunday we went to church @ Notre Dame (ok the one by Jill & Mark’s not the famous one)  Mass was the same so it was not all that hard to follow along  Watching the children wander during mass was different.  We walked to breakfast and I had a crepe with egg & cheese, not as good as a Nutella one but good just the same.  Mark had pizza with an egg so of course I had to try.  We went to the Market to get dinner, deciding to eat at home and watch the Bills game. Back to the day ~~~ went to Notre Dame to see the inside ~ another awesome moment. We walked home via the Eiffel Tower.  This was my first time being right at the tower and it was just amazing.  Standing under the Eiffel Tower was such a cool moment in my life. After having a drink on the river and looked at the tower more it was game time. The evening was capped off with a Bills win.
 
A word of advice for any trip, don’t save something you want to do for the last day ~~~  We started the day by taking a cab to the Harley Davidson shop, that Tom wanted me to visit.  I found the location before I left home and had directions. The down side was that I did not pay attention to the store hours and once the cab pulled away we realized the store was closed on MondayL I do have pictures for him and hoping that within the next year Jill & Mark will want to visit the Bastille area on a day besides Sunday or Monday.  We took the metro to the Eiffel Tower, being quite proud of ourselves for buying our tickets from a machine with no help.  It was so crowded they closed the top of the tower!!!!! After waiting for an hour we went to the mid level and honed in on an American Tour group, we followed them around and learned a few things.  It was quite amazing and could actually pick things out in Jill’s neighborhood.  We decided to walk down the stairs, the exercise was good for me.  Sadness was setting in because we had to go home and pack and that meant my trip was winding down.  After dinner we called it an early night since it would be a long day of traveling on Tuesday.  
 
Mark & Jill were leaving for Greece Tuesday morning so we cab’d to the airport together.  It was fun being at the airport as it was coming to life and watching all the people, which I did after I took a couple hour nap.  Not sure I was much company to Jeannie & didn’t do much to calm her flying nerves.  It was nice to see our rides waiting for us in Rochester ~~~ it was especially nice for me because Billy & Joannie had just flown in for a weeks visit.
 
Paris is an amazing city and I’m a lucky person for the opportunity I had.  I highly recommend anyone visiting Jill & Mark.
 

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