As of tomorrow, we're leaving Paris and heading back to London for a week of theatre, theatre, theatre, and a spot of sightseeing. I'll be very sorry to leave.
Everyone kept telling me that Paris was much more beautiful than London, and I kept thinking they must be wrong. Mais non! C'est vrai! Paris est formidable.
Apart from the sights (Notre Dame, the Louvre, Saint-Chappelle, the Eiffel Tower) just walking around the city is a sheer pleasure. There are beautiful parks scattered throughout the city (the Jardin de Louxembourg being my personal favourite) where you can grab a crepe, pull up a chair and watch the people pass by. Every block seems to have its own creperie where you can get a crepe to take away, as well as a boulangerie with amazing baguettes and croissants and pain aux raisins. And the streets themselves are beautiful. Even the apartment blocks in the working class neighbourhood where we're staying are nicely designed. Then there's the cafes, and the cinemas.
And the restaurants are amazing. Not four star, fancy places, just garden variety bistros and brasseries that you find on any street. We've been to a couple that were recommended by friends and more that we've just stumbled upon in our travels and the food in all was amazing. Nothing complex, just good ingredients, very well prepared. It is frankly going to be hard to go back to England after eating such good food here. (I still adore London, but it's certainly not for the food. Well, except the Indian food.)
Based on this trip, we'll definitely be back at some point.
Everyone kept telling me that Paris was much more beautiful than London, and I kept thinking they must be wrong. Mais non! C'est vrai! Paris est formidable.
Apart from the sights (Notre Dame, the Louvre, Saint-Chappelle, the Eiffel Tower) just walking around the city is a sheer pleasure. There are beautiful parks scattered throughout the city (the Jardin de Louxembourg being my personal favourite) where you can grab a crepe, pull up a chair and watch the people pass by. Every block seems to have its own creperie where you can get a crepe to take away, as well as a boulangerie with amazing baguettes and croissants and pain aux raisins. And the streets themselves are beautiful. Even the apartment blocks in the working class neighbourhood where we're staying are nicely designed. Then there's the cafes, and the cinemas.
And the restaurants are amazing. Not four star, fancy places, just garden variety bistros and brasseries that you find on any street. We've been to a couple that were recommended by friends and more that we've just stumbled upon in our travels and the food in all was amazing. Nothing complex, just good ingredients, very well prepared. It is frankly going to be hard to go back to England after eating such good food here. (I still adore London, but it's certainly not for the food. Well, except the Indian food.)
Based on this trip, we'll definitely be back at some point.
Miss you!!!
Date: 2004-06-19 03:07 pm (UTC)Come home!
~ S.
Re: Miss you!!!
Date: 2004-06-26 03:12 am (UTC)We fly back tomorrow, though too late for the Pride parade.
See ya soon.