1984 Luxembourg-Netherlands-Belgium-France
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Day 7 - Thursday - May 24th
We got up early today and I looked out to see what kind of day it was. Sunny and birds singing! We went running and I only got a little way before my ankle began to hurt so I came back. I took a shower.
We went down and had coffee and croissants. I went up and got my camera and we set off for the Louvre. After being in the wrong line at first we walked the half mile along the Seine to the other end of the building. While walking we saw a funny sight - a man in running clothes carrying a tray with wine glasses running along the river. We figured he was practicing for the waiter's race. We finally got into the Louvre. It was crowded. We saw the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo among other things. When we left guess what... it was raining.
We went back to the Metro and went to our hotel to get umbrellas and I changed shoes. Then back to the Metro and on to Notre Dame. It is a beautiful cathedral. Luther and I scared ourselves by going up to the top of it. I got some good pictures of Gargoyles and shots of Paris from on high.
 Gargoyls on Notre Dame |
 Notre Dame Cathedral |
 Notre Dame Cathedral |
 Notre Dame Cathedral |
 Notre Dame Cathedral |
Next we went to St. Chappell - a beautiful little jewel box of a church with amazing stained glass windows. On to the Pompidou Center. What an odd place! I think it's where the shot "I Robot". Along the way we had stopped for beer and sandwiches.
 St. Chapelle |
 St. Chapelle |
 Inside Pompidou |
 Arc d'Triumphe |
The sun had returned so we stopped at a café to enjoy the sun while it shone then back to the hotel. Luther napped and I drew a picture of the courtyard behind the hotel from our window.
We got ready for dinner and took the Metro to the 17th. We had reservations at our first ever 3 star Michelin restaurant - Le Jamin. Joel Robuchon is the famed chef and he only recently won his third star. We arrived at 8PM. We entered and I felt nervous because we had so many waiters and it was so quiet. As the evening wore I relaxed and it got louder and more comfortable. It was a very nice place with paneling and impressionist paintings on the wall. Red settees and pretty pink flowers on all the tables. Our waiter spoke English and recommended the tasting menu - 7 set courses. We accepted - maybe too quickly because we were nervous. The wine steward recommended a bottle of 1970 Chateau Seward which turned out to be a super wine. We nursed it through all 7 courses (writing this from 2010 I sure would not do that now!).
First course was a salmon mouse with lobster sauce. The presentation was lovely - 2 spoons on top of sauce with green dots all around the edges and pieces of parsley laid in the middle. Next turbo served with caviar (red and black). Third course was Salmon again but a steak this time with a very fine julienne of zucchini on top and a sauce, which tasted very meaty, almost a beef bouillon taste. Then the main course was pigeon breast with foie gras wrapped in cabbage leaves and bacon. There was a small salad with it of lettuce and one pigeon leg on top. We had a great time trying to figure what utensils to use. They brought us more with each course. Europeans use this spatula like thing to push food onto their forks. They then brought the cheese card (chariot) I chose 3. Next a custard dessert with a sliver tray of little sweets. THEN the dessert cart! - I could've had a little of each if I'd wanted but I just had a piece of coconut pineapple tart and 2 spoons of rich vanilla ice cream. Finally we had coffee and got the check. The total was 1,187 Francs, which Luther complained about. (from 2010 again - the exchange rate was 9F to the dollar or $131.00 for dinner at a 3 star! We had no idea how good we had it!). At the time in Washington DC you would have paid over $200 for the meal if you could have found it. La Pavilion was as close as you could get. It was quite the experience and exquisite! Next time I won't be so nervous because I will know what to expect. We rode the Metro back. The Champs Élysées was jumping at midnight.
Day 8 - Friday - May 25th
We've been here a week. Another action packed day in gay Paris. It started gray. We breakfasted downstairs and grabbing our umbrellas set out to find Restaurant Laurent, where we'd eat tonight. It was on our way to the Louvre anyway - it is a beautiful building in a park and quite fancy. I will try not to be intimidated tonight.
On to the impressionists art exhibit. It's an amazing collection packed into a relatively small building. They won't hang these in the real Louvre, only this annex. Personally I like them best. Degas, Monet, Manet, Renoir, Sissily, etc.
Next we went back to the Ile de la Cité to see the conciergerie where Marie Antoinette, among others, were jailed before beheading. We saw the Pont Neuf - a 17th century bridge across the Seine.
Next we tried to make our way to the Eiffel tower. This is where the excitement happened. All through this city and in the subway are beggars and street musicians. They are made up of an amazing collection of little children, women with babies and men. The men sit perfectly still with a sign and mostly bow their heads. It seems to be understood that's the way to do it. Anyway, we were walking to a connecting train and were nearly to an escalator when several children with some sort of papers crowded around us. Luther pushed past but I was surrounded. They were plucking and tugging at me and I suddenly realized they were touching my purse. I raised my umbrella and swatted at them and said "get away". They seemed surprised and backed off. I then headed for the escalator. Then I realized how close I'd come to being robbed. My purse was unzipped (it had been zipped). Luckily nothing was taken. Luther says it's amazing we're having fun what with all the trouble.
We sat in a café and had a beer and a hot dog. Then we rode up the tower to the second level. I got some nice pictures considering the gray day. Luther wanted to see the Hotel Carnavalet - a museum of French history. By now my feet were hurting but we proceeded to Ave. Georges V to look at pipes. Finally back at Atala and after a soak I'm getting ready to eat.
 Up the Tour Eiffel |
 Down from the Tour Eiffel |
 Luther clinging to the Tour Eiffel |
 Up the Tour Eiffel |
 Pont Neuf |
We walked down the Champes Élysées - it makes Georgetown on Saturday night
look quiet - to Laurent (pictured right). It is lovely and elegant but somehow I wasn't intimidated. The
food was very good. I had an appetizer of asparagus in cream sauce. Luther had smoked trout
and we split a perfectly cooked duck. Watching the waiter carve it was a show in itself; he
had the sharpest knife I've ever seen. The people on our left were American and ordered red
wine and they asked for an ice bucket! The waiter didn't bat an eye. They had a lot of money
because they both ordered the $30 lobster salad. We had a 1978 St. Emilion which was good but
not as good as last night. We then had a salad course and the rest of the duck showed up here -
the leg. Then I had a rhubarb tarte and Luther had White Chocolate Mousse. Exquisite. Last was
coffee. Luther asked for an Armagnac and they brought a 1929 and a 1932. Luther asked the price
(about $17 a glass) and declined and asked for Brandy. The bill equaled last nights bill. Oh and
they had a really good piano player, it was very romantic. The last thing he played was "as time
goes by". We had a good conversation about the French, World War II, decadence, Ben Franklin and
Thomas Jefferson, etc. We left, poorer but sated. Et bien, bon nuit...
Day 9 - Saturday - May 26th
This is our last day in Paris. It's hard to believe. I'm very tired and looking forward to this next week.
It was cold and rainy again today. We set off for Luther's tobacco shop near the Louver where he bought a pipe.
Then we took the Metro to the left bank (pictured right). I was disappointed - mostly food stores (2010 - I'd love it now!).
I couldn't find anything for Cindy and Bill which was my aim. We stopped at a café along the Seine across
from Notre Dame for coffee and then later Luther had a sandwich and a beer at another café - I had wine.
The day was so vile we couldn't stay outside. We decided to take the Metro to Printemps (pictured left), a giant department store that way we could get out of the weather.
We shopped around and I got Cindy a t-shirt that says Printemp on it. We also got a map of the Alsace. Then we went back to the Champes Élysées for a beer. Now the weather had cleared and the sun came out though it was still cold. There were all these crazy guys parading up and down the Avenue with flags, blowing horns and driving cars with flag and beeping. They all were wearing colors depending on their group. We finally asked our waiter and he told us it was Rugby - tonight was the championship he said so they were all cheering their teams.
We went to dinner ate at a place called Toscana. We had a nice Chianti and a nice salmon terrine for an appetizer and then I had a pasta - ick- I couldn't even finish it. Luther had saltimbocca which he liked. We walked back to the hotel - my ankle still hurts.
Extra Pictures
 Notre Dame |
 Notre Dame |
 Notre Dame - rose window |
 Laurent |
 Champs Élysées |