Paris Days 4&5

I started day 4 with a pre-booked walking tour of Montmartre. I used the company Paris Walks based on research I had done and topics of interest to me. I had been to Montmartre and the crowning jewel at the top of the big hill overlooking the city Sacré-Coeur a couple of times in the past, but didn’t know as much as I would like about the history of the area. Paris Walks does at least one walk a day and sometimes more and they are all over the city. So if you’re interested just Google them and then see what tours are available the days you’re going to be in Paris. 25 euros per person and I don’t think appropriate for young children. The tours are at least two hours of walking and lots of information. We had a very knowledgeable tour guide and at least 20 people on our tour so I think they do sell out. Pay in cash at the start of the tour. I did know that many of the artists I love (the Impressionists) lived in Montmartre along with various other types of artists. Probably where the term starving artists began because most of them lived like paupers with no heat and very little income. We got to see where Renoir, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec lived to name a few. The Moulin Rouge is located in Montmartre and everyone knows the big red windmill on top. Actually moulin means mill and there were a number of windmills on the hill used to grind food. There are three remaining - the one on Moulin Rouge and two others. Bottom right picture is where the Impressionists used to all meet in the evenings. Top right was our guide and it’s worth it to take the tour just to hear the fabulous story of the sculpture coming through the wall in the bottom left.

We wound through all the little streets climbing the hill to reach the top finally and ending the tour at Sacré-Coeur. We didn’t go in and the line was enormous so I wasn’t even tempted. It’s free and if you’re there you really should see it. Also a wonderful view of Paris.

Next stop for me was to the Marais so I jumped on the metro. Got out and walked up the stairs and ended up in the most enormous farmer’s market I’ve ever seen in my life. There were stands from all over France with incredible things to sell. Wine, cheeses, meats, pastries, fruits and veggies and cooked food that all looked amazing. I was tempted by the crepes but so was everyone else. If you lived in the area how fantastic. The food is so fresh here. I purchased some apples at a little market by where I’m staying and they are delicious.

My destination was Place des Vosges - built by Henry IV in 1605 and meant to create the most exclusive neighborhood in Paris. The writer Victor Hugo lived in one of the apartments and his biggest hit was Les Misérables. You can actually tour his apartment - it’s a free museum so I said why not? The picture of the little statue inside the glass case is Cosette from Les Mis.

I had a nice lunch right there on the square with a great view of the central park. Lots of people out enjoying the beautiful day and open to everyone.

Since I was in the area I visited another of my favorite churches - Église St Paul - St Louis. When I was here over Christmas one year I attended a wonderful concert there and remembered how beautiful it is inside.

Since I’m in a church mood I took a stroll over to check on the progress they are making on Norte-Dame post the devastating fire in 2019. Lots of scaffolding but it’s coming along. On the walls around it there is a very interesting detail of the extent of the damage, the removal of the damage and then the reconstruction. I believe the most recent date for completion is sometime in 2025. I remember watching it burn on TV and thinking it could never be reconstructed. So happy to be wrong.

Day 5 started with me breaking one of my Paris rules. That rule is never go very far to get a great croissant and coffee from where you are staying. Mostly because I’m not Paul Hollywood and like most normal Americans I can’t tell a fantastic croissant from an extraordinary one so why go very far. Head in a different direction everyday and stop at the first boulangerie you get to and order. (Side note - I learned this on the walking tour. Called a boulangerie because bread in France was always round. Boule means round in French. Only more recently was bread baked in what we now call the baguette.) Well I had read about this place that just looked fantastic, but it was at least 30 minutes on the metro from where I’m staying. So I asked Stephanie from the food tour I did whether it was worth the trip and her answer was YES. So I headed there this morning and just as I expected there was a line out the door. Most boulangeries here are open 7 days a week - because remember in France good bread is considered a necessity. Well this place - Du Pain Et Des Idées is only open Monday through Friday - no weekends. You want our bread - come during the week! It was quite delicious! And so beautiful inside.

The bakery is in the 10th arrondissement I so decided to explore the area a bit. It’s where the Canal Saint-Martin is and now is quite a hip area with boutiques and cafes. The canal has cute bridges and I saw a darling park right along it with kids playing.

I ambled around and came across a few more arches. This one was my favorite.

I had heard about a beautiful park called Parc Monceau so made a visit and it was so delightful. Quite large - had a carousel, playground equipment, exercise areas, lots of people running, areas where kids were playing soccer, statues, water, a bridge and lots of benches with so many people enjoying the beautiful day. Today was the first day of school and the kids had just come from school so had backpacks and school bags and nicer clothes on than typical for kids at a park. Really made me feel like a local. Well except for the fact that I don’t speak French! Well a little and I am getting a bit better.

Tomorrow will hopefully go smoothly. I’m planning a day trip from Paris so fingers crossed I have planned well. Here’s another of my favorite pics - art and music at the Louvre💕

Paris Day 3

A gorgeous day in Paris so I headed to one of my favorite places - the Luxembourg Garden. To Parisians what Central Park is to New Yorkers on a smaller scale.

I take a picture from the same spot every time I’m in Paris and it always makes me happy. I definitely had plenty of company as the park was packed, but it’s big and everyone was enjoying the day. The bottom right picture has the Panthéon in the background. Lots of benches and green chairs to sit on and enjoy the park.

One of my favorite restaurants all the way back to 2016 has relocated to just outside the garden so that was lucky and I went there for a nice lunch. It’s called Trieze au Jardin and I sat outside with the park right across the street. I had the artichoke pie as they call it but more like a quiche crust. Delicious!

France has a number of beautiful churches and I like to stop and visit when I’m walking by and have the time. Sometimes I go out of my way to see them and St Sulpice is one of those churches. I love the architecture and lots of times they have beautiful artwork inside. With the fire at Norte Dame and reconstruction project going on St Sulpice which is not too far from Norte Dame has taken on additional significance. It was patterned after St Paul’s Cathedral in London and is really a beautiful building. It has three huge paintings by Delacroix right as you walk in on the right. I like to give thanks to a higher power for all my blessings and say some prayers for friends and family.

Now for a totally different experience I headed to see Samaritaine. I had read about it recently in the states so here is a brief history. La Samaritaine was a historic Parisian department store that closed in 2005. It had been in business since 1869 and had a beautiful Art Nouveau facade. It’s located right at the Seine River and the Pont Neuf Bridge. It was purchased by LVMH - the luxury goods corporation most well known for Louis Vuitton. So fast forward to 2021 when after an extensive revamp it has been reopened. I really wanted to see it from an architectural aspect and it was absolutely stunning.

I’ve seen a number of restaurants around Paris that have these beautiful flower displays on top. I love them! Let’s do this in Chicago too! Here is a sampling of what I’ve seen.

And in the vein of let life surprise you - the joy of aimless wandering - I happened across this group of at least 100 random people doing ballet across one of the bridges of the Seine River. Lots of people stopped to watch and everyone was smiling - dancers and watchers. A shared experience by all.

That was my day! Hope yours was wonderful as well. 💕

Paris Days 1&2

Yes I’m back in Paris! It never gets old to me. This time will be different though because I’m not doing things that I’ve done once, twice or even three times before - like the popular museums. So if you want to read about places like the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Orsay etc., check my previous Paris posts. All great to see but I have some different things planned and more time to just walk the streets and browse and relax. To me the city is spectacularly beautiful - even in the rain.

Day 1 was mostly a travel day. I was flying from Bergen so not really that big of a deal - except that Bergen is not a huge airline hub so my best option was a flight that forced me to get up at 3:30 AM to get to the airport on time. That was tough. Then a flight to Oslo to change planes for Paris. Once I landed I took the metro from the airport to my hotel. Charles de Gaulle is a big and somewhat confusing airport. And then not super well marked to find the metro and make sure you’re getting on the right train. But I do love puzzles so that’s half the fun for me. Plus you save a bunch of money and also time. The trains are more efficient in most cases than a taxi or Uber because of traffic. So after accomplishing all that and getting to my hotel I was almost ready to call it a day. But nope too early. So instead I went out for food and then walked around making sure some of my most favorite things were still here.

I like to make my first meal in Paris the famous Croque-Monsieur sandwich. Basically a fancy grilled ham and cheese sandwich but no one makes it like here in France. And available just about everywhere.

Found some of my favorite things. Still here and even beautiful with a few sprinkles.

Paris has one of the best public transportation systems in the world. And now coupled with a smart phone it’s the best bargain and gets you from one end of the city to the other in no time. And so reasonable. I always research which metro pass to purchase and make it a priority to get it right at the airport so I’m ready to go. They don’t all have these cool retro metro signs but it makes me happy when I see one.

On to day 2 which was way more exciting than day one. Started with my breakfast of choice. Just assume this is what I will be eating every morning. Different places but always the same items.

My first stop was the Opéra Garnier. It was built for Napoleon III in 1875 and still to this day hosts the opera and ballet. I had never been inside so it was on my list for this trip. Mind blowing! If you don’t have time to go to Versailles then go here instead. There are parts that were modeled after Versailles and just over the top decoration. I was there about two hours and did the self guided audio tour for a few extra dollars. Well worth it for the detail I would have missed on my own. It’s a HUGE building so had to use my panoramic camera function to get it all in.

I took at least 50 pictures of the inside. The bottom right is the ceiling in the auditorium and was redone in 1964 by Marc Chagall. I’m so glad I went. I really loved it and even though it’s not covered on the Museum Pass (which I highly recommend if you’re seeing quite a few museums) it’s worth the entrance fee.

Then when you leave the Opéra Garnier walk right across the street into Galleries Lafayette and go up to the roof and see it from there! And get a picture with the I love Paris sign🤗

And a fabulous view of some of the city and the rooftops!

Take some time and browse the store also. Has a magnificent stained glass dome over the cosmetics area that has a constantly changing centerpiece and at Christmas an enormous tree.

In the afternoon I did a wonderful food tour. I did some research as you need to sign up for these in advance and decided to go with Paris By Mouth. They had great reviews and do small groups no larger than 8. Also different areas of the city. They last between 3 and 3 and a half hours and since I’m not really a foodie and there is such fantastic food in Paris I decided to try it. First of all I met really fun people. All from the US from NYC to LA, and a great guide Stephanie that is originally from Philly and living in Paris for the last 6 years. She has been in the wine business and super knowledgeable about French food and culture.

We met Stephanie in the 6th arrondissement which is kind of the Beverly Hills of Paris. She took us to 5 of the best shops in the area for different foods that we would learn about and enjoy in the last part of the tour. Bread, cheese, charcuterie, chocolate and dessert. And we ate it all in a wine shop. The French take food very seriously and have awards that are given out for the best of the best. Like the Oscars of food. And there are things that there are actual laws about such as what ingredients bread can contain and how much it can cost. The best bread in the world and it can’t cost more than about $1.50. And they regulate the cost of chocolate croissants - because everyone should be able to afford one. Got to love a country that thinks chocolate croissants are a need😊

So after we went to all the shops we went to the wine store and Stephanie taught us so much about each of these categories. We tried them all with different wines and I will never buy my cheese at the grocery store again! This was such a fun thing to do and I highly recommend it. And I’m sure none of us were hungry for dinner!

More fun planned for the coming days. Everywhere you look in Paris you see something beautiful.

Bergen Day 2

The sun is out in Bergen! I am watching the sky to see if pigs are flying because that’s about as common as a sunny day here. Lucky me! Also my head is spinning from a walking tour I just did with an excellent local guide. Normally I think Rick Steves does a really good job in his guide books, but here in Bergen even he says go on a walking tour with a local guide. So much history! You know that saying you don’t know what you don’t know? That’s how I feel about Vikings and the history of this area. I have given very little thought to Vikings. I picture men in armor wearing helmets with horns. The end. Well the horns are totally made up. They did wear helmets but no horns. And they weren’t very tall. But they were quite barbaric and don’t get much credit for all the places they started colonies. I have learned so much about them in such a short period of time I could almost write a book - or at least a lengthy pamphlet. I’m not going to try and write about everything I have learned except to say it was fascinating, and made me even more curious to learn more.

Always best to start with a great picture so here is one of my favorites. Looking across the harbor at the Bryggen UNESCO World Heritage Site. That’s the row of very old wooden houses you see next to the big ship. Between every other house there is a very narrow passage taking you to more historic buildings behind them. They have been through numerous fires and explosions - quite a history starting with a large German population hundreds of years ago. The ground water is deteriorating so the houses are sinking and there is a major project happening to save this important area. There have been excavations done there which currently show buildings existing all the way back to 1100.

Here are some pictures from the area behind the houses. Top left - the first restaurant which started as a central cooking building for the German merchants. Because of the real threat of fires they cooked in just one building. Top right - a very crooked staircase inside one of the buildings which you still can use to get up to the second floor. Makes you feel like you are drunk!

St. Mary’s Church - the oldest parish church and preserved building in Bergen dating back to 1130.

Bergenhus Fortress - a reminder of Bergen’s importance as the first permanent capital of Norway. Parts of it date back to the 13th century. Free to go in and walk around the grounds but a charge for the official tour.

If you’re in Bergen and like hot dogs or sausage this place I’ve been told on good authority is a must stop spot. When I walked by before it opened this is how it looked. I looked at the menu and at least 10 different kinds to choose from.

Walking by again shortly after it opened was an entirely different scene. The line of people wrapped around the building so get there early or expect to stand in line.

There are lots of cute coffee shops, bakeries and cafes and I went into one intending to get a coffee and cinnamon roll and ended up with a slice of veggie pizza. It was delicious!

Happy to report I tried the Brown Cheese finally. I discovered they make it into gelato and it was delicious. Tastes like Dulce de Leche! Both are dairy so it counts😜

Such a wonderful city to just stroll the streets and check out anything that catches your interest. This restaurant down a darling street is as cute as anything I’ve seen in Paris.

Just more random pictures of things as I strolled the streets. Bergen is built on 9 hills so everyone must be in great shape climbing the streets and stairs to get home.

Speaking of walking I’ve been doing a ton of it. Having the right shoes is essential and these Allbirds I bought are working out great. Good support and they are washable so if they get dirty I just wipe them off. Good to go the next day. I’m about halfway through my trip so still lots more ground to cover.

Last night in Norway so I had an amazing dinner at one of the restaurants on the second floor of one of the historic homes dating back to the last fire in 1702. To Kokker in Norwegian means two Cooks. Had a delicious piece of catfish with potatoes and fresh pea pods. I great way to wrap up my time in Norway.

That’s part one of my trip - part two starts tomorrow. The first part of this trip was through a Collette tour. This is my third trip with Collette and I’ve been happy with all of them. Nice hotels and they plan the transportation and some of the activities. It allows a good amount of time also to do your own thing - so I spent quite a bit of time researching the places we would visit and deciding what I wanted to see in my free time. Part two is totally on my own, so that’s been very fun for me as well. I’m heading to a country I love dearly - not my first trip there. Any guesses? Check back soon and see where in the world is Patti!

Bergen

Let life surprise you! I thought Bergen would be interesting but I was unprepared for what a jolt of happiness it gave me just walking around getting my bearings. It’s much more charming than I had imagined, and I love when something surprises me and gives me a second wind. It’s quite a bit smaller than the other big cities I’ve been to on this trip, so easier to wrap your arms around it. And I’ve barely scratched the surface and am looking forward to seeing so much more tomorrow. So here are some things I saw and did in the short time since I arrived.

They have the Fløbanen Funicular right in the center of the old town, so I took it to the top to get a view of the whole area. Very cool!

You can take the funicular down also but there is a great hiking trail that winds back to the center of old town and that felt like exactly what my legs needed - so off I went. Top left - entrance to buy your ticket. Top right - inside the car heading to the top. Bottom left - a sign at the top showing which way to NY, but I wish it included how many miles. Bottom right - the trail to walk down. I’m not sure where the children’s story Hansel and Gretel is supposed to take place - but that’s what I keep thinking of here in Norway. There is so much water and everything is so green and lush. I keep looking for the wicked witch to jump out and grab me and try to put me in the oven. The trolls they have everywhere remind me of that witch too. It was a pretty walk down - you keep getting glimpses of the town through the trees.

I can’t wait to walk around through the back streets more tomorrow. Bergen is very hilly so the narrow cobblestone streets are steep and many can’t even have car traffic. On my way walking down from the overlook I passed these cute streets, and one little door that I think is where the Troll lives!

Fish is a big business in Norway and especially in Bergen. The old fish market right in the harbor dates back to the 1500’s. Stands selling fresh fish and also usually with a little seating area where you can order fish and fish soup etc. Thinking maybe I stop there tomorrow for a bite for lunch. The live crabs top right were the size of a medium pizza!

The oldest area in Bergen is called the Hanseatic Quarter and the homes date back to the early 1700’s. I took this picture across the harbor but will get over there tomorrow to explore more as there are narrow streets behind the houses with shops etc.

On my way to find a place to eat dinner I passed by the National Theater. They were setting up tents in front of it but I’m not sure why. A gorgeous building built in 1909 in the Art Nouveau style. In addition to its hardy history there is also a good amount of culture here.

Last but not least my dinner. I was given a recommendation for a place called Pingvinen which means The Penguin and since it wasn’t far from where I’m staying I decided to check it out. Very local gastropub and lots of people enjoying one of what appeared to be a beer list numbering at least 100. My choice of food was either something with reindeer or something with fish. I decided to go with the Plukkfish. It said cod mixed with mashed potatoes with bacon on top and that was exactly what it was. And since it is exactly what the menu said I’m still trying to figure out why I was surprised that’s what it was😂 It was filling to say the least so I could only eat at best half. I’m giving myself credit for trying it. But a cute place.

I will wrap this up with a picture of me on my last ferry ride of the trip. I was on four or possibly five ferries total, and without this wonderful system of ferries you would at least double your travel time getting anywhere. There is so much water between the fjords and the lakes. Beautiful everywhere you look. I’m laughing because every single picture of me I’m in my navy raincoat. While many of my friends and family are sweltering back in the heat of the US, here it’s been in the 50’s or at best the 60’s. I’m doing this whole trip in a carryon and personal item so no room for additional coats. I’m sure you haven’t seen the last of it!

More from Bergen tomorrow!