Paris, Me, Forever!!!

Bon Jour Family & Friends

Many of you know that my absolute, no question, favorite place in the world is Paris!
Greece is a close second!

I love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love love PARIS! I absolutely LOVE everything about Paris. I even like the word Paris and how it looks written on a piece of paper, a map, a sign, anything for that matter!!

One of my close friends Lone is turning 40 this summer. And with her sister and her husband, she invited me to join them in Paris for her birthday celebration. Of course, thanks to the support of my hubby Phil, was able to spend 4 glorious days in Paris!!! Lone travelling from Norway and myself travelling from Greece, we met in the City of Lights!!! Our hotel was located 1/2 a block from the Siene, 2 blocks from The Notre Dame and Saint Michel. Our location was absolutely perfect!! The 6th Arrondissement, otherwise known as the Latin Quarter, is filled with shops and restaurants!! We ate 3 amazing dinners in this neighborhood!!

How to describe all that we saw and did could be a little overwhelming for you the reader. Let me just say that Paris for me is a walk through history and an examination of details that overwhelms my senses, my mind and my heart. I walk the city looking upwards, downwards, side to side, trying not to miss a detail, a sight, a smell. Back in the year 2000, I spent 30 days in Paris alone, walking the streets to my heart's content. And I still didn't see everything. This year with Lone, Pernille & Ed, the most amazing Paris companions, we walked the city and covered so many new sights, sounds & tastes and shared familiar places we each love. I can't take enough pictures in Paris to satisfy myself. Thank goodness I have 3 children dying to go to Paris, so as sad as I was to leave, I know I will be back many times!!!

One little detail.....it's mid-July and the weather in most of the western hemisphere is warm, sunny and sparkling of sunlight.....................well our Paris trip was a Winter in July! We arrived to Paris in the pouring rain and 10-15 degrees (50's). The only clothes we all brought were sandals and the summeriest dresses we all own! The first day there had us all, and tons of tourist in our same raining boat, scrambling out to purchase jackets, scarves, shoes and winter clothes!! But once all winter suited up, touring in the rain and cool weather is awesome!!!! We did enjoy a bit of sunshine our last day!! But for me, Paris in any weather is awesome!!

I hope you enjoy my walk through Paris! I will remember it always!!

 

Paris, France

July 9 - 13th, 2014

With Lone Hanssen, Ed Pisarchick & Pernille Hanssen

 

      Hotel de Ville - City Hall of Paris

 

Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral

 

 

                                                

Saint Paul - Saint Louis Cathedral

 

I LOVE THE EIFFEL TOWER!!

 

 

Onto the most amazing Farmer's Market!!

 

 

Gorgeous Fresh Flowers

 

Fresh Fruits & Veggies - so beautiful they looked like gems

 

Cheese Heaven!

 

 

Fresh Bread and Fresh Homemade Pasta

 

Olives of all kinds, and Fresh Ground Spices

 

Glorious Seafood

Shrimps in all sizes above

Lobsters in all sizes below

 

Beautiful little fish!!!

 

And loving the fresh eggs, and more importantly love the basket

 

And the beautiful tomato recipes that could be created with these

gorgeous specimens of tomatos!!!

 

And that is what you find at an open air market in Paris. Ed and I (the cooks of the group) were literally inventing recipes in our heads as we walked the market. If we had a kitchen available to us the possibilities are endless!!! Everything was incredibly fresh and beautiful!!!

HEAVEN on EARTH!!

 

 

One of the many boats that run up and down the River Seine

 

 

One of the now many bridges where the tradition of hanging a permanent

lock professing your love for your loved is causing all sorts of bridge structural

problems in Paris. Who knew that a million metal locks would cause bridges that

are hundreds of years old to feel the weight! I will have to return to Paris with

Phil to hang a lock of our own! We'll come with one pre-engraved!!!

 

Sacre Coeur - Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

 

Fun old buildings in the artistic and eclectic neighborhood of Montmartre

 

Val, Ed & Lone - the Louvre

 

The Louve

 

Val & Stella!!!! Now that is a whole lot of yumminess in a BIG glass!

 

The National Archives Building

 

 

Great looking sisters and the best travel companions!!

I have so much love for you both......thanks to you girls for the best trip!!!

 

 

The Versailles Palace

 

 

 

                

 

Great time in Paris!!! Love you girls! (and Ed too!!!!)

Great memories that I will never forget! Can't wait to

visit here again or pick a new place to explore!!

 

And there is no better way to end our fantastic Paris trip with a

visit to the most popular and most elegant LADUREE restaurant

on the Avenue Des Champs Elysees that specializes in

many flavors of the famous Parisian Macaroons!

Raspberry, Creme Caramel, Chocolate & Pistachio - exquisite!!!

So instead of Birthday Cake, I treated Lone to Macaroons - how Parisian!

Happy Birthday Mama Lone! Happy 40th!

 

Well I left the rain and returned to my second favorite place in the world

Greece and my loving family that were very happy to have me home!!

I love Paris! I love adventures!

Till next time........

XOXOX Valeria