Is There a Special Place in Your Heart?

On July 3, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn France2 Comments

While we were in Europe, we made a point of spending a weekend in Paris and buying an oil painting from one of the artists along the Seine. We had it stretched and framed and we picked it up from the framer over the weekend and when we saw it, the painting brought back fond memories for us. We have been to many wonderful cities in various parts of world, but Paris holds a special place in our hearts. Perhaps it is partially due to the fact that it was the first city outside of the United States that the two of us visited together. It might also just be part of the relaxed charm that has made the city renowned for being a romantic location.

During our first trip to Paris, we stayed in Latin Quarter on the Left Bank in a quaint little hotel that was more of a bed and breakfast than a traditional hotel. It was wonderful because we were within walking distance of restaurants, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and even the Eiffel Tower. We were fortunate to have wonderful weather considering the fact that we were there during November, which added to our memories of the beautiful city.

During our second trip to Paris, we weren’t as fortunate with the weather, but that didn’t diminish our experience. There are so many wonderful little bistros and places to stop for a coffee and croissant that we could find places to stop during the times that it was actually raining and not just cloudy and overcast. Obviously we took a walk along the Seine once again, strolling hand-in-hand, and looking at the artwork of the few artists that were out on such a gloomy day. We lucked out and found exactly the painting that we were hoping to find to capture our memories of Paris.

Perhaps it is just a trick of the mind, but sometimes there are places and moments in time that become a special memory that seem to surpass reality. We will always treasure the time that we spent in Paris and it will likely be a city that revisit again and again. There are so many places to see in the world, but there are also some places that just seem to draw you back over and over again.

Spending the Weekend in Paris

On February 3, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn France6 Comments

We are nearing the end of our time in Germany, so we are planning on traveling as much as possible over the next few weeks. Before starting what will be an whirlwind several weeks, which starts with a trip to Dublin next week, we decided to take a quick weekend trip to Paris. We haven’t finalized all of our travel plans yet, but the one absolute place on our agenda is to make our way to Rome, at least for a few days. One of the things that we truly have loved about living in Europe is that we can jump on a train or a plane and visit someplace wonderful within a few hours. It has been almost exactly ten years since our last visit to Paris, so this will be a very special weekend for many reasons. This weekend is about relaxation, romance, and revisiting some of our favorite sights within this wonderful city. Here are a few photos of our last visit to Paris since we haven’t had a chance to do anything new yet.

Walking the Streets of Paris

On April 1, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn France9 Comments

At the time that we visited Paris, there was a transit strike occurring, which limited the availability of buses and trains. So, when we arrived early in the morning on our first day in Paris, we went to our hotel, which was really more of a bed and breakfast, checked our bags and headed out into the city, determined to make the most of our first day. We were staying on the famous left bank in the Latin Quarter, just a few blocks from Notre Dame. We had heard before we arrived that the strike was occurring, so we knew that transportation was going to be limited. Undaunted, we decided that we would simply walk to the places that we wanted to see.

Our first stop, the Eiffel Tower. Along the way, we walked along the Seine River, strolled through beautiful gardens, and gazed at the amazing historic architecture. Instead of being frustrated that it took as long as it did to make our way to the tower, we really felt like we were able to truly immerse ourselves in the city. This was the first time that we explored a city exclusively on foot and it has become our favorite way to really get to know a city. Do you need to be smart and avoid certain parts of a city, especially at night, of course you do. But as long as you’re smart about, you will be fine, even in cities that are known for crime.

Walking the side streets of Paris allowed us to find small shops with various goods that we would have never found otherwise. We discovered restaurants along the way that we would make sure to come back to later and enjoy a fine meal. One of our fondest memories was almost one of the most expensive impulse purchases we’ve ever made. We found an old book store that sold rare books, so we just had to go in and check out the old leather books that adorned their shelves. We spoke with the owners, who showed us a first edition of Don Quixote, which we examined wearing white gloves. We are huge fans of books and we were tempted to purchase the two-volume set, but chose not to blow our daughter’s college fund on such a self-indulgent gift to ourselves.

As the day wore on, we were getting quite hungry as 6:00 p.m. approached. Unfortunately, unlike the United States where you restaurants start getting busy around this time, in Paris restaurants don’t even open their doors until 8:00 p.m., so we couldn’t find a place to eat. We had decided to go back to our hotel to change clothes before going out to dinner, but we found that we were a little bit lost. We found a restaurant that, although not open for business, did have its doors open, so we went in and asked directions. We speak enough French to get by, but apparently didn’t put the correct accent on the street name, so it took several attempts, but finally it clicked and they were able to point us in the right direction.

Our first day in Paris was definitely a long, full day, but walking the streets made us feel like we were locals before the day was over. We fell in love with the city and enjoyed our time there immensely. We probably would have loved Paris just as much had we not been forced to walk around the city, but strolling down the streets certainly made it even more memorable. We often compare it to our trip to London, where we rode on the tube and “popped up” at the different locations, feeling like gophers who popped up, looked around, and then went back underground. We never felt that we got a true sense for the city like we did in Paris, so we’ve been determined to try and walk as much as possible ever since, just so that we see a city the way it is meant to be seen, on foot.