About
Paris, France's capital, is a major European city and a global center for art, fashion, gastronomy and culture. Its 19th-century cityscape is crisscrossed by wide boulevards and the River Seine. Beyond such landmarks as the Eiffel Tower and the 12th-century, Gothic Notre-Dame cathedral, the city is known for its cafe culture and designer boutiques along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
My Thoughts
From the moment we landed to the moment we hopped on the train for
Chartres, the starting point of our Rick Steves tour, I was in seventh heaven.
Imagine being in Paris, the city of love. What better way to spend the
anniversary of our meeting with our matchmaker and her husband by arriving in
Paris 33 years to the day.
We arrived slightly early, so we had to
leave our bags at the hotel when we went for a bite to eat across the street.
After checking in our bags we wasted no time in heading out to get our walking
legs in shape for Paris. Destination was of course a shopping mall where
the ladies made some rather expensive purchases they would have to carry
around for the rest of the trip. Naturally Marlene and I wanted to convey our thanks to
the couple who not only brought us together, but also stayed with us as
"family" friends through the years. We had that opportunity by covering
the first dinner in Paris which included Escargot for all.....the first but
definitely not the last serving..
The next day would be the one where Michael
would show his expertise in leading the pack on a one day tour of some of the
popular touristy sites such as Sacre-Coeur, the beautiful garden of Luxembourg
and the iconic cathedral of Notre Dame. The day would end with a meal at a Michelin star restaurant where
we celebrated a belated birthday.
On leaving Paris, Michael once again
left me in awe at his skills in managing the transportation to our next
destination, the start of our Rick Steves tour, Chartres.
Lodging
At first meeting the reception didn't seem too friendly, but as I got to
know the staff better (with a few bonjour's in the morning) all seemed
fine. The hotel was near the center of it all in the Trocadero.
Three cafes were just a few steps away from the hotel as well as the
entrance to the metro. The Esplanade du Trocadéro was across the
street on the other side of a roundabout. It's the area where many
iconic shots of the Eiffel tower have been taken.
The room was
barely large enough to fit the furniture let alone foot traffic, but it was
comfortable with all the anemities such as a USB jack in the wall for
charging cell phones by the desk and a card key which doubled as a light
switch (saw one of those in a Kdrama). The inhouse refrigerator was
hidden within furniture and was well stocked with the non-complementary
bottles of beverage. Two complimentary bottles of water were always
available. Last time I travelled I never had complimentary bottled water, it was
always tap water and ice from a machine. The bathroom was a bit
cramped but had such anemites as a hair dryer and a heater doubling as a
clothes dryer. That was a nice touch.
Breakfast was not
complimentary, but it wa a good way to start the day without leaving the
hotel. All liquids were not self serve, but everything else including
scrambled eggs and sausage was all one can eat.