Minnesota meet Paris

Easter in Paris

After our long flight it felt good to sleep in.  We are seven hours ahead of Minnesota and nine ahead of California.  We went to Lunch at Cafe de l’alma. It ended up being quite a costly meal.

My menu was in English but being extremely picky, nothing sounded terribly appetizing, except the desserts.  I ended up ordered a steamed chicken with lettuce hearts.  I didn’t realize that meant a whole chicken.  It wasn’t that flavorful, despite the price and I only ate a little of it.

Dessert on the other hand was delicious.  Fresh raspberries, strawberries, and tiny wild strawberries which are in season in France.  It was topped with a dollop of ice cream, the quality of which far surpasses your average vanilla.

At lunch I learned the following:

• Many Parisians own dogs and dogs are allowed in the restaurants and cafes.
• The ground floor is called zero. The second floor is called one.
• The waiters have handheld credit card machines to run your card
• Our lunch (for 7 people) probably cost close to $500 (because it was fine dining).
• We were served water from a bottle (as was custom) which I found to be inferior to fresh MN tap
• Many of the older women dye their hair. I noticed many older women with dyed hair to cover the grey/white. They dress well, are thin, and sophisticated.

The grandmother lives right next to the Eiffel tower in an enormous apartment in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Paris. It seems custom to have fresh flowers in the home. She has several vases full of fresh cut flowers she orders from a shop down the block. She says they order them in weekly. We have an assortment of fresh roses which are beautiful.

After lunch, we take the children to the park. It is rainy and cold, but the park is full of people. Shortly after arriving it begins to hail. The sun is not long to follow. It seems the weather is rather sporadic.

On the way back from the park we stop at a little shop that is a classic tourist trap. It features hundreds of items engraved with the Eiffel tower or plastered with I love Paris. Of course I’m a total sucker and want everything in the shop. I buy Kristina and I watches with the Eiffel Tower in the center. They are only 7 euro a piece which ends up being $18.95 (American) total for both.

On the walk home I notice everyone at the cafe on the corner is seated in pairs next to each other. They face the street so they can people watch.

We plan to eat at a Chinese Restaurant down the street this evening. Most of the shops are closed today and tomorrow in recognition of the holiday. Happy Easter from Paris!

Hello Paris!

We drive the scenic tour to Los Angeles. A driver picks us up and caters to our every whim. The road from Santa Ynez to Santa Barbara reminds me of Maui. The mountains rise high into the sky covered in lush foliage and the little homes are swallowed at the bottom.

Guessing from the mounds of luggage and over-packing I guess that after two weeks in Europe it will take a trailer to haul all of our luggage home. When tagging our excessive amount of carry-ons the woman skips a few bags. She informs me that her supervisor is watching and you’re only allowed one personal item and one bag. We’re carrying on more than I’d pack for the whole family.

We fly Air France and I’m pleasantly surprised by the handsome male flight attendants. Unfortunately, the most attractive one seems to vanish after takeoff and I quickly fall asleep. We are fortunate enough to have empty seats next to us and be seated with no seats in front of us. We are served two full meals, beverages, and have an ample selection of movies, TV, and music. The flight is my first to Europe and flies by rather effortlessly.

We arrive to rain. The airport and surrounding area is a drab medley of concrete and windows. I notice nearly everything is graffitied. The speed limits are listed in a bulls-eye. When we reach the heart of the city I notice the change in architecture. The streets are cobbled and the buildings all have long narrow windows and latticed fences. The city is full of people, cafes and designer shops.

The children’s father greets us at the door. They call him Papa and their mother mama. Never once have I heard them call either of their parents mom or dad as I’m accustomed.

Our apartment is near Avenue des Champs-Elysees. It is beautiful and spacious. I’m informed it is très cher (very expensive by Paris standards).  I will share a room with the youngest and my sister will share a room with the oldest. We each have our own bathroom and windows overlooking the courtyard. My first pictures are taken from the car, but I shall have more soon as I explore the city.

We walk to the market to pick up fresh food for dinner.  It is much like a mini farmer’s market.  We tell the man what we’d like and he bags it for us.  The cars park facing either direction and diet Coke is called Cocoa Cola light.

I am already enthralled with the city and I’ve only had a glimpse.