| Paris, France: January 26, 2011 |
Day 4: The plan for the day was for AD and me to start off at the Musee du Louvre and meet up with Berni later. However, we were so exhausted from the prior day’s adventures that we decided to postpone a trip to the Louvre for another time. Plus, we were on a time crunch and would only get about an hour there; I didn’t want to pay the admission fee just for an hour. Next time, I will definitely need all day to get through that massive museum. After hitting the snooze button for an hour, we ate breakfast at the hotel and set off to explore Paris on our last full day. 
Using my map and an umbrella, we crossed the Seine River and came upon the Notre Dame cathedral. Even though it was raining, the Notre Dame looked gorgeous with a Christmas tree still up from the holidays. 
We definitely would be coming back at night to see the tree lit up. After walking around inside and making our way through the tourists, we set off on the right bank of the Seine in search of the nearest metro. I wanted to show AD the bouquinistes that are normally set up, but sadly, they were closed. We hopped on the metro and met Berni at the Palais Garnier once again. This time, we would be going inside.
Palais Garnier was fascinating! The real gem is the ceiling inside the theater. It’s a beautifully colored mural that, if you look closely, has the Eiffel tower on it. The whole building reminded me of a scene from Phantom of the Opera. We made another note to see a ballet or opera next time we visited Paris. Th
ere was one room, in particular, that had a wall filled with mirrors. It reminded me of the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles.
After spending some time exploring, we decided that it was time for lunch. We hopped on the metro and headed to Le Marais. This neighborhood was a different area of Paris that I had not yet explored, and I loved it. There were so many little shops, boutiques, and restaurants! I’d never eaten a falafel before, so Berni took us to L’As du Falafel. The man outside advertising the restaurant said, “These are the best falafels in the world!” He was not lying. The crispy, yet fluffy falafels sat on a bed of tasty vegetables, folded into a soft pita pocket. Yum!!
We scarfed our lunch, then walked towards Place des Vosges. We learned that Place des Vosges, an immaculate square park, was built for Henry IV. The peach-colored buildings surrounding the park set the scene perfectly. I can only imagine how beautiful this would be in the spring.
Next, we walked over to Musee Carnavalet, which was just a few blocks away. This museum is incredible, not only because of the free admission, but because it shows the history of Paris. We walked through countless halls and rooms, gazing at the art and the various historical artifacts. It seemed endless! We even got a glimpse of Marie Antoinette’s shoes.
We next took the metro to Berni’s hotel for a quick stop, and then off to Montmartre. My last visit to Montmartre was so quick, that I was excited to spend more time in this area. At the Abbesses exit of the metro, we climbed out and instantly noticed the large, blue wall called the “I Love You” wall. 
We took several pictures of it and then set off on search of Berni’s husband’s mask that they designed. 
There is an artist named Gregos who leaves up masks all over Paris city walls. Jay, Berni’s husband, had designed a mask for his birthday for Gregos to put up on a wall. After going on somewhat of a scavenger hunt, we found it! Berni was literally jumping with excitement! It is such a cool way of leaving your ‘mark’ in such a special city.
After taking quite a few pictures of the mask, we set off for Sacre Coeur, stopping in many shops along the way to pick up some souvenirs. Sacre Coeur, a church that sits on top of a hill, never ceases to amaze me with its beauty. I was so enamored that I barely noticed the annoying men trying to sell bracelets.
We stopped in a nearby cafe for our last cup of vin chaud. Then, it was more souvenir shopping! This was another area of Paris that is filled with fun little shops. Before we left Montmartre, Berni wanted to see the mask again, so AD and I sat next to a carousel and remarked how cute the little French children and their families were. Berni came back, with an eclair for us from Le Grenier a Pain…she’s so thoughtful!
Back on the metro we went, this time to go shopping for macarons. We went to Boulevard Saint-Germain and stopped into Laduree. If you’ve never had a macaron before, you simply MUST try one. It’s a simple, delicate cookie that is smooth on the outside, yet almost melts in your mouth. My favorite is pistachio. I am on a mission to find a place that sells good macarons here in San Diego…but I digress. We bought macarons for friends and of course, for ourselves. I can’t remember how many boxes Berni bought, but I think it was 10. Thinking back, I am mad at myself for not getting more.
We stopped off at our hotels to freshen up for our 9 p.m. dinner reservation and drop off our purchases. Dinner was at Robert et Louise in Le Marais district. We arrived at the restaurant, only to be told that we would have to wait a few minutes for our table. The restaurant was so tiny and cute, it reminded me of a little cave. What I didn’t know that there was a downstairs that also resembled a cave, which is where we would end up eating. To my surprise, the waiter had us share a table with another couple, but I hardly even noticed they were there. We all ordered Entrecote (rib-eye), and split potatoes, vegetables, and salad. 
Of course, we all ordered our last Kir vin blanc. The food seemed to arrive really fast, and the meat was cooked to perfection. At one point, AD and Berni both said, “I’m so happy right now.” It was the perfect last dinner.
Feeling a little tipsy, we left the restaurant and walked from Le Marais district towards the Seine and arrived at the Notre Dame. It was so stunning at night, with the Christmas tree lit up in blue lights. We walked more along the Seine, with Berni pointing out the different “islands,” Ile de la Cite and Ile Saint-Louis. We even walked down the stairs off of a bridge, right next to the water, getting our pants happily soaked. The night was perfectly lit by the city lights, and off in the distance we could see the spotlight from the Eiffel. It was so magical! 
We ate crepes for dessert, walked back to the hotel, and said our final good-byes to Berni. I really don’t think my Parisian adventure would have been as fun if she wasn’t there with us. She really opened my eyes to different foods and neighborhoods that Paris has to offer.
Day 5: Taking a cab, we reached the airport. As the plane taxied away from the airport, I started to tear up. I will definitely miss Paris, and I’m already anticipating when I will visit again for my birthday next year. Paris was the perfect way to end a fabulous trip!
