Hello! Feel like I haven't been here in a week, since I had some scheduled posts, then Blogger was down Thurs night/ Fri morning (real convenient). As I'm sure you can imagine, I have tons to share with you, in time and will do separate posts on places and events. But for today, I'm going to share some honesty with you about what it's been like this week.
The Good
Laduree & finally meeting my friend Mimi from Bonjour Romance blog & the magazine Belle Inspiration! An American too, she just celebrated her 6 year anniversary of meeting her French honey just outside Laduree of the Champs Elysees, she even showed me her special tree where they first locked eyes. Tres romantique!
Macarons yes... but they have THE best hot chocolate in the world! You just about need a spoon.
Spending 8 1/2hrs in the Louvre, and covering about 85-90% of the main museum. That was a long day! But well worth it. My favorite were the Holland & French paintings, the French sculptures, & Napolean apartments!
An evening boat ride down the river Seine, and seeing Paris lit up and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle.
Last minute Priceline name-your-own price is the best!! I had to get a hotel for 2 nights and put in 4-star. I got the room for a 1/3 of the normal price, and because it was a weekday was upgraded to the Deluxe room for free. At the desk the Delux was going for 599 euro. So for 2 nights I lounged in the terry cloth robe and slippers for $130 USD per night.
The Parisian sky- there is nothing like it! Especially the really late evenings.
The Bad
Taking about 3 days to get over my fear of dining alone in Paris. I usually just go for a late lunch, it's much easier to manage, plus cuts down on the cost and frequency of meals.
It's hard to fall asleep each night because my feet and legs are so tired. So much walking and you discover which shoes are the most comfortable are not the ones you always think. (The white canvas shoes- only blister. Flat sandles- need padding. For standing all day in the museum padded flip-flops from J Crew did super. I brought Nine West black boots for London fashion, but surprising are the most comfortable for long walks. I should have invested in the Dr. Scholl's gel pads a few weeks ago!
I'm exhausted. Point blank. Trying to make the most of each day. Haven't taken my DSLR everyday because it's heavy, I'm tired of looking like a tourist, and simply just want to the enjoy each day. And I'm reminded why after yesterday leaving it in the bathroom at the famous Les Deux Magots (where I met Mimi again). 30 minute later after browsing a book shop, I realized my arms were too light. OMG- not again! Seriously, I don't know what the hell is my problem. I am bound and determined to 'almost lose' everything of value on this trip. Which is why I specifically leave my ATM card at the apartment most days, in case god forbid anything happened to my purse. I am realizing from this trip that I am... my father's daughter... (sorry Dad- we both know it's true!) Yes, I recovered it, you should of seen the look the French lady gave me at the hostess desk-stupid American girl. Whatever. So bathrooms and my camera are not getting along, you may remember I broke my lens in the bathroom in London, when it fell of the hook. So this time I set it on the floor. I think my next stop should be a vitamin shop to buy some Ginkgo Biloba, because I'm losing it.
The Ugly
European washing machines and I are enemies. The worst of enemies. In London on Facebook, I posted it took me 3 hours to attempt to figure out a load. Googling the model number for instructions for an hour did not help whatsoever. I retrieved and wrung out my clothes to dry in laid them in every inch of the bathroom. Birmingham was a little better, because I had help and a dryer. But it still took me having to ask twice for the washer. In Paris, I asked for specific instructions. But I think an important step was left out that you have to close and latch from a metal top loader (I don't even know what that means). So it seriously sounded like it was going to explode and the neighbor below me yelled out his window in French at me. I thought I would cry. So I stopped it for the 4th time, and retrieved the clothes, wrung them out again, and hung to dry. Blow drying jeans is not my favorite thing to do on vacation.
Now that that's out in the open!
We'll have more of beautiful Paris to come...
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