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pouce et quatre doigts
Thumb and Four Fingers
We have a game plan of our priorites for the visit to Paris
This involves avoiding the tourists (as if that is possible in the World’s largest tourist destination)
un deux trois quatre cinq
un (one)
Planning and Logistics
It is about the Journey (not just the destination)
Which Days, Which Plane, Which Hotels
Our Trip to Paris extends for 10 Days, but he planning occupies the whole year
deux (two)
French Art and Culture in Paris Museums
Discover, Catalogue and Unravel the Louvre
The Wings, The Floors, The Rooms, The Stairways, The Courtyards
It is a grand place, but we hope to never get lost in the Louvre Again
(and then there are the plethora of other Paris Museums)
trois (three)
Moving Around and Sleeping in Paris
Churches, Cemeteries, Bridges, Statues, Fountains, Gardens
We typically stay outside of Central (Tourist) Paris
(this defined as within walking distance of Le Louvre)
We move every other night
Ten Nights – Five Neighborhoods – Five Moves Between Hotels
This is a little work, sometimes it seems inconvenient
But it yields a much more complete picture of Paris
And a refreshing perspective of Paris every couple days
quatre (four)
It is he 21st Century, some of the best French Restaurants may be in outside of French.
And you can buy good french bread, french cheese and french wine anywhere
But only in Paris can you shop among the top Boulangeries
Sniff cheeses at Fromageries (or common groceries as we prefer)
And drink French Wines and Champaign in the place is was produced
cinq (five)
The Fifth Business involves a willingness to get Lost In Paris
We have about 10 years experience negotiating the Metro, but still lose our bearings
And when you climb onto a bicycle, all bets are off, everything looks different on a bicycle
And we run. We run early into the night
And we try to find the next-next, because in Paris there is so much more see
six (six)
We don’t have polydactylism, but if we did have an additional sixth digit . .
It would be a pnumonic device to remind us to learn French
Paris is much better if you speak French
Lyft and Uber (Shared Rides)
For years, we relished the bus ride to the airport
Waiting for the Elevated Train to O’Hare
And then we discovered Lyft
It is amazing, until we opted for Shared Rides
This seems to be a loop-hole for Lyft
(it involves a side trip, the shared ride may not be to the airport, but a detour on the way to the airport)
In our experience, you may save several dollars
but the several dollars, is not worth the extra time driving around
especially when you intended to save time by taking Lyft
The Pick-Up seems to take longer (because it is a shared ride)
They may be picking up someone else
Once in the vehicle, a shared ride could be added extending the ride time by 20 minutes
The latest ride was the most disappointing
I hailed the ride, scheduled for pick up in 6 minutes
(it was closer to 15, the driver called me from departures, instead of arrivals)
Then another ride was accepted and we rode into an industrial district, where I felt a little unsafe
That rider had a direct point-to-point ride at my expense. It is unpredictable
Next time, maybe don’t opt for a shared ride
Or maybe we go back to grass-roots and take the bus
(old school)
Hammam Spa
The ultimate spa day (they no longer admit men)
Heat and Steam and Water
A rough and abrasive defoliation (“gommage”)
Followed by a oily massage
We image a scary foreign locker room and shower, bathhouse environment
If the experience is as authentic and intense as we hope,
then this would become a part of our annual itinerary
As we envision this, you bring your own towel and toiletries, lock everything into a flimsy locker, remove your clothes and cross your fingers.
There will be steam and heat, very abrasive (almost violent) exfoliation by a muscular attendant equipped with textured mittens, followed by a massage, then maybe some mint tea.
Sounds like weekends can be buzy, usually the days are segregated between days for men (Tuesdays and Sundays at the Paris Mosque) the remainder being days exclusively for women.
As I discovered last year, guys are no longer admitted
Steam Bath, Sauna, Soaking
Gommage (exfoliation)
Massage, heavy with oils
Spa Therapy: Navigating Paris’ Hammam Scene
https://www.thecut.com/2016/10/the-best-turkish-hammam-in-paris.html
http://www.cross-pollinate.com/blog/779/a-guide-to-turkish-hammam-and-its-rituals/
New Years Day in Paris
Some Museums are open on New Years, except for the Louvre
If it is a Tuesday, then on Musee D’Orsay is open
Otherwise, Centre Pompideau and L’Orangerie are open
Stores may be closed except for a few small groceries which may be buzy later in the afternoon.
ATM Machines: We experienced that ATM machines may be out of cash beginning late New Years Eve
Churches: There may be some early church services
Versailles is open unless it is a Monday
Christmas Day in Paris
If you share our love of the early morning, than you will love Christmas in Paris
Be first in line for the Sunrise Service at Notre Dame
This glimpse Paris in the darkness before dawn is our first, since we avoid Central Paris on our arrival day
Afterwards the classic Coffee Houses are open (which we have avoided) but the narrow streets of the Latin Quarter are empty.
Several times we have visited Pied du Corchon (on the right bank) for a breakfast of Onion Soup, sometimes oysters.
Continuing through the Paris streets, we stop into the other (smaller) churches also conducting Christmas services
Musuems are mostly closed except for Centre Pompidou
Many stores are closed. Those few small convenience groceries that are open can be crowded later in the day.
Trains seem to run, but the station at Versailles was closed out of concerns for the recent protesting (we discovered how to arrive into Versaiiles from an alternate station.
Movie Theaters seem to be open and do good business.
Versailles is open Christmas Day, unless it falls on a Monday
A good traveler has no fixed plan and is not intent upon arriving (Lao Tzu)
“A good traveler has no fixed plan and is not intent upon arriving ”
– Lao Tzu
When plans go wrong, it creates memorable travel events
We curiously scheduled a flight home composed of three connecting flights, with a short amount of time between flights. If things did not go perfect, we would be stranded. Turns out the first flight was delayed and we were stranded in Oslo. We were provided with a room at a very nice Radison hotel a short distance, across the street from the airport. Turns out, we had a great day watching Scandinavia Television and drinking Danish beer. Dinner and Breakfast were provided, so we dined on Moose Burgers, Marinaded Halibut and a Breakfast Smorgasbord. Our flights the next day were early and leisurely.
The change of plans was not-so-bad.
(looking back, we are glad that it happened)
Lao Tzu
Born: 601BC
Died 531 BC (70 years)
Nonstop Flights
Months in advance, when we are shopping for flights, we are tempted to book the cheapest flight, even though it is not Nonstop.
This is an innocent decision, you can explore new cities, save big money
and sometimes it works out well
Sometimes it is best to take the financial hit (deferred gratification)
Connecting flights combine several airlines, come with restrictions
With the additional flight time:
-You will board aircraft multiple times, waiting in lines, finding space in the overhead storage
-You will arrive later on your first day (before the inevitable delays) and
-You will return home on an extended flight, meaning additional hours and several boarding procedures This at a time when you just want to get home
So shop around
When you can, purchase the flight directly from the airline.
You can choose your seat and your meal options
Perhaps a kosher meal or spicy vegetarian option
Register with the airline for frequent flyer awards (which is never productive)
Obtain the airline’s credit card.
These may give you boarding priority, baggage allowances and meal options
In terms of receiving discounts on flights . . . (as we can tell this is a scam)
Petit Palais
The Petit Palais was our great discovery last year
The City of Paris art collection
Our favorite painting (and wide format post card to USA) was:
La parade des humbles (Fernand Pelez)
Grand Palais
Paris is so big and so extraordinary, that there is always something new to see.
One year while starting the Paris Marathon down the Champs Elise, we were somewhere we had never been before, and noticed the silhouette of Charles de Gaul along the route. Général de Brigade and Prime Minister of France
Turns out, this is the Clemenceau Metro Stop at the Grand Palais. In addition to the Charles de Gaul Statuary, you will find figures of Clemenceau (another French Prime Minister) and another surprising of the remarkable Sir Winston Churchill.
Atop the Grand Palais is the Four Flying Horses with Chariot (Georges Récipon) cover with a green patina.
https://media.touristtube.com/best-travel-images/Famous-Bronze-Horse-Statue-with-Chariot-Rid?id=4eN7OlNo
As a bonus
The Petit Palais across the street, presenting the art collection of the City of Paris. Surprisingly good, we might compare it the L’Orangerie
https://wp.me/p3hvvc-258
Paris for the Holidays 