WHERE IN THE WORLD...?
10-05-2020
By Brenda Pogue
Since we are unable to travel, we thought we'd reminisce and share some of our favorite travel destinations. What are your favorite places? Let's live vicariously through one another for a moment. Share your best vacation spots with photos here.
J'adore Paris! C’est ma ville préférée! Paris consumed my dreams from the time I began studying the language of French and learning about the city in high school. When or how an opportunity would come for me to actually visit, I could never imagine, mais violá! The time came.
It was only for a couple of days, a weekend, in fact, on the tail end of a week long class in London. I made good use of each moment, though, trying to breathe in all of the sights, smells and tastes of the city that I could consume. By Channel Tunnel, or Chunnel, which I prefer saying, the trip from London to Paris was a hop, skip and a jump. The train arrived just after dark, and I took in all the lights of the City of Lights.
My hotel was the quaintest, situated on the cozy Île Saint Louis, one of the two natural islands in the middle of the Seine River. It was so quaint in fact that the door to smallest but chicest hotel room I ever stayed opened with a real brass skeleton key. The area was in the city center, and just a short bridge walk to the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral. I am glad to have seen it in all it's glory before the fire of 2019.
As a former architecture student, I was enthralled by seeing up close the historic architecture, the cobble stone streets, and the magnificent statues of this ancient city that I had only read about in school. As a graduate of the Arts, one of the most unexpected and meaningful experiences was catching a glimpse of Rodin's The Thinker sculpture, which took my breath away.
With Paris being one of the major fashion capitals of the world, I couldn't help but be cognizant of the parisian street styles. I did a little research before I left the States to avoid a fashion faux pas. I learned that a first giveaway of your tourist status was your shoes. Wearing gym shoes was a telltale sign that your were a visitor. As it happened, while visiting one of the street markets, the first place the French merchant's eyes went to as I walked up was to my feet, which were donning a stylish pair of comfy flats.
I cannot say enough about the food. A simple omelet meal was the best I ever had. Up the street from my hotel was a little gelato shop with the richest flavors of ice cream. Like the entire city, it did not disappoint.
The only drawback to visiting Paris was my not being able to satisfactorily draw upon and use the language that began my love affair with Paris. But one day, I hope to return to wrap myself in the language and culture of France. C’est magnifique!
Tiny, tasteful Paris hotel room.
Rodin's "The Thinker"
Architectural marvels.
Parisian street style???
The best omelet ever!