Postcards from Paris: Part 1

Bonjour! Well, I’m back from Paris, which clearly means I did not succeed in posting anything while I was gone. I packed my laptop, but I never even took it out of my carry on bag. I think that was a sign that I needed a bit of a break from technology (other than my Paris map app, of course).

To say that Paris was amazing is a massive understatement, of course. We were sad to leave, but glad to be home (jet lag and all), which I think is the hallmark of an excellent vacation. We arrived home Thursday afternoon and I’m still feeling a little jetlagged, but at least I didn’t come down with the cold of the century like Jeff did (I keep telling him to look on the bright side…at least he didn’t get sick while we were in Paris).

I’ll get caught up with a few Paris Postcard posts about my favorite places/experiences (one post will be dedicated to food), and then it will be back to business as usual. So without further ado, some of my favorite Paris memories:

Wandering the streets of Montmartre (after escaping the tourist-trap souvenir areas at the base of the Sacre Coeur). Gorgeous buildings like this were everywhere, all over the city. In fact, the default for Paris buildings is set on “Gorgeous.”

Stopping in for a cafe noisette at Cafe des Deux Moulins. (Yes, where Amelie was filmed. When in Montmartre…)

The super efficient metro system (we never waited more than four minutes for a train), especially the stations with cool art deco signs.

The Louvre!

And the sunset view from the Louvre!

Gorgeous buildings, and gorgeous doors. Everywhere!

The Jardin des Tuileries. Iconic, and justly so.

Paris’s covered shopping passages. Worth visiting even if you aren’t shopping. Beautiful!

Free street concert!

The Rodin Museum. This was my favorite museum, after the Louvre. It’s housed in the beautiful Hotel Biron, and has picturesque sculpture-dotted gardens. Like many Paris museums, the setting is almost as sumptuous as the art itself.