Weekend Adventures: Paris, France
(July 16-18, 2010)
During the work day Friday I had three more apartment searches. As I write this blog entry, I am thrilled to report one of the three I saw that day is now our apartment/new home in Switzerland!! Obviously the weekend was off to a great start.
I left on the 4:17pm train direct to Paris to see Susanne and have a girls' weekend in Paris. Since I left work a bit early I decided to book the Geneva - Paris part of the trip in the First Class cabin (plus Preston wasn't there to tell me no!). I thought I'd be able to get work done with wifi, power outlets, etc. NOPE. Apparently the electricity for the outlets in the first class cabin wasn't working and there is no wifi. What a rip-off.
Regardless, it was an incredibly easy trip on the train, three and a half hours direct to Paris. Ahhh Paris. I hadn't been there since 2001 and I've missed it. My most memorable trip to Paris was actually in 1999 with my Mom when we toured the city, the Loire Valley and we got my graduation present, a Cartier watch from the store at Place de Vendome. Needless to say, I love Parisienne girls' trips!
So when arrived at the train station I tried to take a page from Susanne's "super traveler" book (have I mentioned her packing skills?!) and take the metro to the hotel instead of a taxi cab (I might have also been feeling guilty for the not-so-worth-it First Class ticket!).
I got to the correct stop really easily and was so proud of myself. Then came actually trying to find the hotel! After getting really frustrated and jumping in a cab afterall (who took me, being generous, 350 feet around the corner) I made it to the hotel and to my pal who was waiting outside for me soaking in a lovely French evening.
We ventured off to dinner, and along the way as I walked past a store front I thought to myself, "I know that guy ..." Letting it register for two seconds, I realized, sure enough, there was our friend Tyler who we had just gone to Brussels to cheer on in the Tour de France gracing an entire window of a local shop!
After dinner we had a drink at a cafe close to our hotel and caught up about Susanne's adventures throughout France the last few days.
Saturday morning we woke up with shopping on the brain! We decided to venture through the Louvre first as our hotel was located only about three blocks away. We started in the back of the Louvre Palace, close to our hotel, and worked our way to the front.
We shopped the day away along the right back and walked across the Seine on the Pont Alexander Bridge (my new favorite!).
We took a lot of touristy pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower. I sent Preston one from my blackberry and said "From Paris with love." I received one back from him "From Vail with love" as he was fishing the morning away with John Weaver, just hours before John's wedding!
We then hopped on the metro to the Arc de Triumph and Avenue des Champs-Elysees.
We took a power nap then had another delicious dinner by the hotel. It was great being back in a big city again, we didn't have a problem finding a restuarant to serve us at 10:45pm. Not the case in Geneva!
Sunday was filled with more shopping. Turns out the shops along Avenue des Champs-Elysees are really the only ones open on Sunday. Just out of luck we saved that for Sunday. I bought myself a fabulous purple Louis Vuitton ring that I love. When Preston returned from Colorado the day after I got home from Paris he said, "I think it looks like something you'd get for free in a candy box." Ugh. Boys!
The nice gentleman gave me a Louis Vuitton bag that could fit a family in it to carry all of the clothes I bought that weekend (not at Louis!) home to Geneva. I was going to send this photo to Preston without indicating my only purchase was a ring but at the last second I thought better of it!
We had a great girls' weekend and I had some great retail finds (two dresses, a sweater and two tops!). Thanks for being my first friend to visit, Susanne.
Au revoir mon amie, a bientot!
Regardless, it was an incredibly easy trip on the train, three and a half hours direct to Paris. Ahhh Paris. I hadn't been there since 2001 and I've missed it. My most memorable trip to Paris was actually in 1999 with my Mom when we toured the city, the Loire Valley and we got my graduation present, a Cartier watch from the store at Place de Vendome. Needless to say, I love Parisienne girls' trips!
So when arrived at the train station I tried to take a page from Susanne's "super traveler" book (have I mentioned her packing skills?!) and take the metro to the hotel instead of a taxi cab (I might have also been feeling guilty for the not-so-worth-it First Class ticket!).
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| Gare de Lyon, Paris' train station |
We ventured off to dinner, and along the way as I walked past a store front I thought to myself, "I know that guy ..." Letting it register for two seconds, I realized, sure enough, there was our friend Tyler who we had just gone to Brussels to cheer on in the Tour de France gracing an entire window of a local shop!
We settled on Au Pied du Chochon for dinner, a restaurant about which Susanne had read a great review. Turns out the restaurant, open 24 hours, has not once closed it's doors since opening in 1947! Amazing. I had the French onion soup and a salad. Really amazing!
Saturday morning we woke up with shopping on the brain! We decided to venture through the Louvre first as our hotel was located only about three blocks away. We started in the back of the Louvre Palace, close to our hotel, and worked our way to the front.
We took a lot of touristy pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower. I sent Preston one from my blackberry and said "From Paris with love." I received one back from him "From Vail with love" as he was fishing the morning away with John Weaver, just hours before John's wedding!
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| Self portrait in front of the Arc de Triomphe |
We walked back to the hotel (more shopping along the way!) and Susanne bought a gorgeous serving dish to remember the weekend. Along the way we saw this metro stop -- cool, right?
Sunday was filled with more shopping. Turns out the shops along Avenue des Champs-Elysees are really the only ones open on Sunday. Just out of luck we saved that for Sunday. I bought myself a fabulous purple Louis Vuitton ring that I love. When Preston returned from Colorado the day after I got home from Paris he said, "I think it looks like something you'd get for free in a candy box." Ugh. Boys!
The nice gentleman gave me a Louis Vuitton bag that could fit a family in it to carry all of the clothes I bought that weekend (not at Louis!) home to Geneva. I was going to send this photo to Preston without indicating my only purchase was a ring but at the last second I thought better of it!
We had a great girls' weekend and I had some great retail finds (two dresses, a sweater and two tops!). Thanks for being my first friend to visit, Susanne.
Au revoir mon amie, a bientot!
Oh....so jealous. Have fun! Can't wait to hear more and see pictures.
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