Paris Trip - The Details II

Continuing from this post...

On Monday, after another petit dejeuner, we walked down Boulevard Henry IV...

stopped in a park...

walked down to the Seine...

over Pont Sully...

and stopped at the Institut du Monde Arabe or Arab World Institute, per Jason's request. Unfortunately, the Institute was closed. Too bad: The architecture outside was cool...

We then headed to one of Carlos's requests: the Paris bookstore filled with English Language books - Shakespeare and Company. Yes, that is me in these pictures...

I bought the book The Seven Ages of Paris by Alistair Horne, which seemed appropriate, making sure I had the clerk stamp my book.

On the way back to our hotel for a nap, we passed by Notre Dame again...

an old building (when Paris calls a building old, it's OLD)...

fantastic food on nearly every corner...

and a random carnival.

After our rest, we had our most traditionally French - and I think best - meal on our trip at a restaurant called Cafe Louis Philippe.

Their website (but in French)

Their Yelp entry

Their Foursquare entry

Our perspective...

And that was Monday (Day 4 of 9).

Paris Trip - The Details I

Carlos, Jason, Brandon and I spent seven days (plus a few travel days) in Paris, returning late night on Saturday, November 26.

If you want the 2:52 Short Attention Span Version of our Trip, click the video below.




If you want the details...

We left Friday morning, November 18 to catch a flight around noon. After a layover in Houston, we arrived in Paris around 8 am Saturday (November 19) morning. On the Paris flight over, I think I slept the most - and I slept only about 90 minutes.

Between finding an ATM, navigating the Metro, getting food and locating our hotel, we arrived around 11 am, tired and ready for some sleep. After checking into our hotel, we napped for about an hour and then went exploring....

Through a market a few blocks from our hotel...

Past the Bastille (now a traffic circle roundabout)...

To Notre Dame, where we spent a few hours, including eating freshly-made crepes and hanging out in the park behind Notre Dame ...

Through the outside of the Louvre and the surrounding area...

And that was Saturday (Day 2 of 9).

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Sunday (November 20) we spent at the Louvre. The last time I was in Paris, I went to the Louvre, but in the six hours I was there, I was only able to see the Denon wing. This time - in our kind-of-rushed-eight-hour journey - we made it all the way through the Denon wing, through all of the Richelieu wing (including the Medieval Louvre, which I find fascinating) and through the majority of the Sully wing. I feel there is still so much that we didn't see that I could go back again. Next time.

Here are some pictures to help convey how large the museum is...

After 9+ hours at the Louvre, we decided to tackle walking down the entire distance of the Champs-Élysées...

(stopping in shops along the way) to the Arc de Triomphe - and then walking up these steps to the top!

The view made it worth the trip (and the leg cramps)...

And that was Sunday (Day 3 of 9).

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I'll fill in more details, day by day, as I have time in the coming weeks.

Have you been to Paris? We're going back in 2013. Let me know your recommendations for places to go.

Paris Trip II

Our Paris trip is getting closer. So close that I am asking my staff, "If you were standing in the middle of Paris, what would you buy?"
Pat - shot glass
Keisa - ash tray
Monica - ankle bracelet

Pat doesn't really drink except once in awhile with her bowling league. Keisa doesn't smoke. Monica, well, Monica is the type to wear an ankle bracelet. I'm so glad I quizzed them. I would have gotten all of them candles from Notre Dame or scarfs.

I was describing to them some of my favorite photos from our last trip to Paris in October 2011. Here are the ones I'm bring to work on Monday.


Lost...

Notre Dame at Night...

Everyone Planning For The Weather Change - Except Me (at the top of the Eiffel Tower)...

Painting the Painting (at the Louvre)...

Paris Trip

Carlos, Jason, Brandon and I are spending Thanksgiving week in Paris. Carlos and I have been trying to get back there since our last trip there - and to other spots in France - in October 2007.

The four of met this past Saturday to discuss our plans - and then to watch Paris Je T'Aime.

Among other items, we discovered this about the weather via a travel web site:

The November Thermometer

• Minimum temperature: 5 degrees C (41 degrees F)
• Maximum temperature: 10 degrees C (50 degrees F)
• Average temperature: 6 degrees C (42.8 degrees F)
• Average rainfall: 54 millimeters (2.1 inches)

How to Pack

• November in Paris is rainy and chilly, with low temperatures approaching freezing. Factor in wind chill and fewer daylight hours and you'll immediately understand why your suitcase should be well-stocked with plenty of sweaters, scarves, coats, and warm socks.
• An umbrella and/or a waterproof jacket with a hood are a must in this wet season.
• In terms of footwear, you don't necessarily need boots, but suede shoes or shoes made of any non-waterproof material are to be left at home. If you enjoy sporting heels, remember to bring at least one pair of flat shoes for walking, as the streets and even metro stairs can be slick from the rain.
• A light pair of gloves will make walking around the city more comfortable.
• You may also want to think about bringing a small thermos so you can warm yourself with hot coffee or tea while seeing the sights.

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My To Pack list now includes a heavy coat, a scarf, gloves and a wool hat.

I'll post more details about our upcoming Paris trip soon.

Photos From Paris

I took almost 800 pictures while in France. Here are some of the pictures I took while Carlos and Debbie were in Paris with me.(They were with me for 9 days. I was in France a total of 22 days.)

Back From France

I have returned from France, with many tales to tell. I spent 8 days in Paris, 9 days in Beaugency (about 40 km from Orleans), three days in south central France, and a bit over three total days travelling.

I am very tired and glad to be home.

In the coming days and weeks, I'll post all the details. To start, here is the very first picture (of 797) that I took. This is the view from our first hotel room in Paris.