Wednesday, 26 March, 2025, sunny and cool
I believe if one desires to know and understand a place, one walks it. Best learning about Paris by walking and using its fabulous Metro. There exists miles of Paris monuments, museums, and parks to explore. Each sight we visit offers a unique glimpse into Paris’s rich history, culture, and artistry.
(more…)Tuesday, 25 March, 2025
Early train, Museum Pass in hand, reservations booked. We set off to explore Versailles.
Tourists, go that-a-way. Take your patience and good shoes. Be patient or stay home!
Château de Versailles impresses. Where did the Kings get all the money for such luxury? Its gardens offer a peaceful respite, hopefully. And, like Queen Marie, the Hamlet of Petite Trianon promises quiet amid nature. All this beauty and tranquility belies the tragic history behind Versailles.
(more…)24 March, 2025
Paris beckons. Some cities remain timeless, majestic, and full of charm. They offer a tapestry of culture, history, food and drink. Paris holds that promise and more. I have visited Paris numerous times and look forward to sharing this marvelous city with my niece, Gabrielle.
(more…)23 March 2025
There are cities in the world that deserve repeated visits. Being the greatest on any list is an honorable position. Paris fits that description. I rejoice in visiting the City of Light for the third time this decade. Sharing it with first-time visitor Gabrielle makes it even better.
When my niece Gabrielle said she wanted to see some of France, I took the opportunity to invite myself along. “Pick some sites” I suggested. Then, when done, “I would love to share Paris.”
(more…)29-30 October 2019
Sleeping soundly in Toulouse. Message from SNCF, definitely NOT something I want to wake to find. I believe France is the only country in the world with a mobile APP monitoring strikes. It has come in handy, but sudden cancellations and changes mean an unpleasant wake up call. What? Our train is not departing our station? Then where is it going?
(more…)5-8 September 2018
“Something Borrowed”
Place des Vosges, 1989
I revisited my travel article “Marais Embodies Paris At Its Best” published by The Boston Herald in 1990. I loved this area then and I still love it. From the article I borrow:
“If culture equals the sum of a city’s social behavior and artistic expression, then Paris has it in bucketfuls. Exploring Paris is like examining your first formidable city tourist map. Everything is spread before you, pleading to be seen and savored.
One quarter beckoning visitors to stroll its streets and enjoy their richness is Le Marais. Escape into a time warp, uninterrupted by modern glass and steel ‑ a quarter dominated by Place des Vosges. (more…)
5-8 September 2018
The last time I saw Paris, the French Aerial Army flew its fighter jets over my head and its Ground Army drove its “umpteen” ton tanks down the Champ-Élysées, the majestic Arc de Triomphe silhouetted in the background.