Paris, Je T'aime

 I daydreamed the entire way to Paris. My iPod was geared up with all my favorite French songs (Edith Pilaf and Charles Trenet). My three and a half hour train ride from Frankfurt to Paris was easy. It took me to one of six train stations in Paris (Gare du l'Est) and from there I took the Metro close to my hostel in Montmartre. I climbed off of the crowded, burning hot metro to find myself in Abbesses. The stairs to the butte Montmartre were something of a dream to me. I'd seen it in so many movies and pictures as a child and it grew into a "must see" for me later. I got lost, as a I often do, and asked a Parisian for help. They kindly pulled out their personal pocket map, pointed me in the right direction, and even recommended a restaurant to try.

I checked into my hostel and bumped into my room mate on the way out the door.  She was wearing sunglasses with palm trees on the lenses and so I was intrigued. I found out that she was a fashion designer from Russia. The room was so small that I could barely scoot my way past her. I left out of my hostel with my city map in hand and made my way up to the very top of Montmatre. I came up to the back side of the Sacré-Cœur and I was completely overwhelmed with the amount of people. There were crowds everywhere with street performers and vendors, but I could see why they were all there. The views of Paris were spectacular. 

Sacré-Cœur

 I walked down to locate the Moulin Rouge. It was quite easy, because it's in the red light district of Pigalle just down from Montmartre. I hopped on the metro from there into the center of Paris on the Seine River. I came out from the Metro at Place de Concorde and found myself just outside the Jardin des Tuileries. The 3,300 year old Luxor Obelisk stood before me and just over that stood the Eiffel Tower, gleaming where the sun had just bid adieu.

Place de Concorde overlooking the Eiffel Tower

I was entranced and I felt so cliche at how beautiful I thought it was (*Cue the French accordian music....*) I could not stop staring. Wanting to get closer, I took a relaxed stroll down right bank  of the Seine and crossed over to get a close up of the marvelous tower. I approached the tower and the crowds surrounding the bottom were enough to make me realize very quickly that I do not actually enjoying sight seeing. It is hectic and stressful and people are always hurrying which kind of defeats the purpose of a city like Paris. I bought a crepe and decided to make my way back to my hostel and as I did, the Tower began to glimmer and sparkle. I sat on a ledge on the River Seine and watched the beautiful show.

On the way back to my hostel, I got off a stop early to find a place to eat at the late hour of 10:00 pm.  I walked up the street in Abbesses down a tiny little street to find a warm little welcoming place far away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist district. The name of the restaurant rang a bell (Chez Toinette), and then I remembered that it was a recommendation from my guide book of Paris. I walked in to find that there were five tables in the entire restaurant. To me, this is always a good sign. I was greeted by the one waiter who ran the restaurant and I was seated in the intimate setting and poured a glass of Bordeaux. Veal carpaccio for appetizer, roasted duck for my entree, and chocolate parfait and champagne for dessert.

Chez Toinette--I will return!

The food was delicious and quintessential French, but it was the service and the company that made it exemplary.  The couple sitting next to me was from Boston and they were always one course ahead and they kept making recommendations on what to order. They were on their 25th Anniversary trip and neither had been to Paris before. By the end of the meal, my new friends from Boston had made their way around 2 glasses of scotch, and when it reached the bottom, the waiter came around, filling up everyone's glasses in the restaurant (all ten of us) saying, "free re-fills." I paid, thanked the chef for his job well done, and left the restaurant a happy girl. Unfortunately for me, the last metro had already taken route to my hostel, so I had to ascend all the stairs up to Montmatre to make it back to my hostel. On the way back, some locals were standing on the street at a local hangout and it was karaoke night. I introduced myself to them and someone bought me a glass of Bordeaux. After I finished it, I continued the last leg of my journey (at an 80 degree angle) where I now find myself.  

Stairway up to the butte

What does tomorrow hold? Who knows. My favorite way to travel is with no itinerary or expectations. It is not always foolproof, but it is a guaranteed adventure.