Adventures of a Wandering Thirtysomething

Bonjour from Paris! No train issues as we suspected. We were all fired up to take on the Deutsche Bahn and turns out we just got some bad info. Not surprising when it’s kosher to sip on a pint to numb your four hour work day. The trip did leave a 70 Euro dent in our pockets for required first class reservations (yes, I said reservation – this is separate from the purchase of ticket), but since it included a meal and the chance to go on our first bullet train at a whopping 320 km/hr, we decided it was a fair trade.

The verdict on Paris – LOVE IT! Despite our affinity for small towns, the countryside, and no crowds, Paris is already on my list of places I want to visit again. I can’t tell if it’s the architecture, the sights, the chic people, the general mood of the city or the magic of being here, but it just feels good.

On a side note, for the skeptics out there who have heard the French are meanies (or other expletives for “hate Americans”), the French have treated us with immense grace, kindness and patience despite our complete butchering of their language, have been incredibly helpful, and have been happy to speak to us in English. So far, the French get two thumbs up from us.

Our first day was spent hitting the historic hot spots. We hiked to the top of Notre Dame and perched next to the gargoyles, gazing out over the white sprawl of Paris and giddy like kids as we spotted the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe and played like the hunchback in the bell tower. Wandering along the Seine River, peering through stained glass at Sainte Chappelle and people watching in the Latin Quarter, we just couldn’t believe we were actually in Paris.

Day two – the Louvre. This could be the biggest mecca for insanity we have seen. It’s hot, it’s ridiculously crowded, and there is more art than your eyes or feet could ever want to encounter, but it’s one of the best collections we’ve seen. Aside from the Mona Lisa, which despite being a must-see can be likened to swimming through a river of sweaty humans to view an 8 x 10 photo you’ve seen at least 100 times, our favorite was the collection of French Neo-Classical and Renaissance paintings. After an early dinner on Rue Cler, our favorite street in our favorite neighborhood and right near our hotel, we wandered over to the Eiffel Tower to scope out the park and the massive twist of the world’s most visited hunk of metal. We popped a squat on the edge of the Seine and watched the cargo ships glide by as we gazed up at the tower.

Though our legs were begging for a vacation today, we kept them working at Versailles wandering for 5 hours through the chateaus, summer homes, and gardens of Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Having just seen the castles in Germany, it was incredible to see the contrast in lifestyle. Castles, though grand, were far more practical and protection based, and really very little like what we’ve seen in the movies. Versailles, on the other hand, is what every movie about royalty has ever been based on. If you thought American indulgence was bad, try the French. They kick our le petit booties.

Tomorrow is Bastille Day, which is basically Independence Day for the French. We missed the 4th of July festivities, but I suppose a parade on the Champs-Elysees and fireworks over the Eiffel Tower will do.

Here’s our photos from Days 25-27 VerHeul’s Do Paris:

Photo #1: Matt and I at Notre Dame

Photo #2: A gargoyle's view of Paris from the top of Notre Dame

Photo #3: Matt and I at the Eiffel Tower