My Sister Arrives in Paris!

OK, so I warned you I might not write while my sister was here. What a whirlwind week we had together and so much fun I will probably have to write it all in two or three segments as there is a limited word allocation (thank God, I hear you saying...)

The morning Mary Kay arrived she wanted to take off. I know the feeling. You are in Paris and regardless of a sleepless night on an airplane that is most probably trying to poison you with their cuisine, the adrenaline is pumping and well,
allons-y (let's go)!

We took our bagette sandwiches and walked over to see "my" magical Eiffel Tower to each lunch in the park overlooking it. Then we leisurely walked a bit and ended up at home for a simply cooked but delicious meal of Veal Piccata and French Green Beans with vin.

We tried on our last night to list our top five favorite things for the week and had a hard time trying as we pretty much loved it all. Here are the highlights:
We took the night bike tour with Sam's Flat Tires (strange name for a bike rental). Doing it at night took on an added dimension of "danger" weaving in and out of traffic as best a large group could, zipping by world-famous monuments. We stopped for brief lectures, took in the best ice cream in Paris (Berthillion) at the Ile de St Louis, then peddled on to the Pyramid of the Louvre for, admittedly, grainy photos (better than none) and on and on. This night tour has an extra dimension to it. After about 2-2 l/2 hours we finished at the Seine for an hour cruise and free wine. Our biking colleagues were all nice and international; we had a lovely time and it gave me an idea....(an wonderful, awful idea as the Grinch would say)...I could do this: I could be a bike/walking tour guide! Why not apply for a job? Come back and live in Paris for who-knows-how-long? More as that prospect develops. We also did a day bike ride but decided we much preferred the night bike ride.

We took a free walking English guided tour of Notre Dame the next day, but didn't make it through as it was very detailed and we had a hard time standing for a lengthy period of time on the concrete and old pavement. I will finish the tour on my own. Notre Dame Paris offers English tours on Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday (no reservations needed. Just show up). They really explain in detail the fascinating details of the exterior and history of Notre Dame.

My dear friend, Julien, graciously guided us on a walking tour of Marais, the 4th arrondissment. He has become a dear friend and Mary Kay immediately liked him. I will try to attach a photo she took of us in the boulanger (bakery).

Saturday night I took her to a restaurant called Au Vieux Paris d'Arcole. It is located one block from Notre Dame in an original street left in tact by the controversial Haussmann. It was charmingly furnished in such old world style and the people, owner were very friendly, however, the service was horribly slow, painfully, horribly s l o w. Forget the very high prices, I believe there was only one waiter who endlessly called me "Sweetie" even when I told him not to and the owner would be well advised to hire more help. We sat at the best table with a view of lite-up Notre Dame. We wisely ordered the house wine (the only thing we would pay a reasonable price for on the menu). Mary Kay ordered a seafood wrapped in paper. I have done this typically French method of cooking and it can be very authentic and delicious when done properly. In marches our "Sweetie" waiter with her entree in aluminum foil! I couldn't believe it! It was like what we cooked at girl scout camp, oh so many decades ago! There were four small pieces of fish and potatoes in this aluminum foil disaster. Go crazy, girlfriend! My filet of beef was good, abeit barely warm, my vegetables room temperature. We both elected to splurge calories for desserts @ 14 euros each (about $21) and they were good, as they should be for that price.

I had to get up to ask for water. I had to scout out "Sweetie" to request more wine, and then ask three times for it. I had to hunt down this waiter to get a check (they never offered tea/coffee etc). The tab was about $150. Avoid this place even though it looks good. It was like a pretty woman whose exterior is sometimes alluring but who lacks depth. I will have restaurant recommendations for you next week.

Contending with the weather: One day we decided, despite the rain, to walk to Orangerie, which I highly recommended to Mary Kay. They opened two hours late and there was a long que, waiting in soaking rains, to get in. We waited and waited. On we forged, holding our ground like mailmen through the rain, the snow, the hail...two determined femmes who would see this exhibition if it was the last thing....well, you get the idea. Finally, we moved up the que and were allowed in. As Mary Kay's favorite Paris museum is Musee D'Orsay (she saw it the next day) mine is Organerie at the southwest end of the Tullerie Garden. It is smaller, lesser known and is solely devoted to Impressionist art. Upstairs are some of Monet's final projects: Huge, oversized paintings piece mealed together surrounding two oval rooms that he is responsible for designing. Downstairs there is a variety of Impressionist paintings and a movie room on Monet, which we watched.

We attended mass at Notre Dame, which Mary Kay really wanted to do and she was thrilled; I was bored. I am not a Catholic. I do not speak French so I didn't understand a word and that awful incense was hideous. I wonder if that stuff can give one lung cancer...MK thought I was joking.

I purchased two concert tickets for Sainte Chapelle. The tickets were affordable (33 euro each) for a one hour seven piece classical music concert. Many of the numbers I recognized: Vivaldi's Four Seasons etc. The lights were shut off except for the altar area and this sweet, perfect flow of chords came drifting out of the musicians instruments into my heart. It was such a peaceful hour, directly in the heart of Paris with all its energy, people and happenings. These pearl moments are what I can carry in my heart when I leave. While MK wasn't really enthusiastic about attending she ended up loving it. Purchase your tickets ahead of time and you won't have to que up in line. This beautiful chapel holds more than 1100 biblical scenes in enormous stained glass windows. Just exquisite. I will get more tickets soon.
Coming up: The Arc de Triomphe, Climbing the Stairs of the Eiffel Tower, gorgeous Giverney, one last perfect day in the 6th and a dinner cruise on the Seine..

Word of the Day: music musique (mu zeek) It touches the soul