Without a doubt, these two and a half weeks in Paris were the least stressful of our 3 trips. As usual, by the 2 week point we were ready to be home. I missed Raji, we never had been away from him for more than just a couple days; the comfort of my own space and my recliner. But after a day back, I was missing Paris; a pain au chocolat (or any other French pastry), the beautiful architecture, the manners of the people, wearing a scarf (and trying to find new ways to tie it), the parks, the river, the practicality, finding something new each day, taking pictures, going to the boulangerie every day for our fresh pastries, not having to drive. How perfect it would be to have an apt in Paris and run off every couple months!!!
This visit went smoother because we knew more, had seen all the crowded touristy sites, were not trying to follow an itinerary and were making our days shorter (and easier) by taking our time getting out in the morning and coming home to rest in the afternoon. I had the energy to do it and I didn't hurt myself in the process. Taking a day off was a very good idea too!
Having family to visit and have lunch & dinner with was definitely a big PLUS. We don't see Dick and Judy very often, so this visit was a particularly special time. The tours that they planned for us and the day at the Chateau de Chantilly were highlights of our trip. We were very excited when we found out that Judy got a promotion and that they will be staying in Paris another 2 years. We know we will be going back.
I packed way too much~I always do. You'd think I'd have that figured out by now. I think I must be prepared for anything. If we knew about the weather in advance, it sure would make deciding what to take alot easier. I didn't really need 6 pairs of pants!! That was really dumb. And, I learned never, never, never take pants without pockets. For me, pockets are crucial! My camera is pocket sized, I need that handy place to stow it. The best piece of clothing I packed was the "last minute" sweater I found at Ross. It was a "tweedy" gray-black, went with everything, draped beautifully and was some sort of blend, so that I could roll it up and stuff it in my bag if it was too warm; it never looked "slept in".
We spent less money this trip, came back with more and never used the credit card. How nice is that!
We bought our euros before we left and sold them back when we returned (for a little profit). We took enough money with us so that we were able to pay for everything. We tried to eat our large meal at lunch, when meals are cheaper. The big money saver was not taking any professional tours. We had hoped to go to Rouen, by train but did not; and Monsieur Richard drove us to Chantilly. Those tours can eat big chunks of your budget. I'm not belittling the tours, it's just that none were on the agenda this time. ( I didn't think I could sit in a tour bus for as long as necessary.)
After reviewing my "itinerary guide book", I was quite surprised to find that we saw less than half of what I had planned. I didn' t feel like we were missing anything while in Paris, our days were always full. So, now my guide book is ready for the next trip....this is a good and a bad thing. The downside is that I LOVE planning each trip; "going to Paris" each night to find some new place to eat or visit or shop. Well, I'll just do it anyway!
We kept commenting about how much we preferred the Left Bank to the Right, but in actuality, there was a lot to do on the Right and it didn't seem like we used the Metro as much. There are still places on my itinerary that we didn't see and I was disappointed not to have gone to the organ concert when St. Eustache was right across the street. The Left Bank is less frenetic, more sedate (if you rule out the base of the Eiffel Tower.) But it is harder to find a reasonably priced apt. with all of our "requirements". It was a BIG plus being so close to the #1 Metro line which runs along the Right Bank.
The journal I kept was not written very well. It was obvious that I was really tired when writing; my heart wasn't into it. There were none of the details that I usually include...perhaps I thought all those photos would provide the details. But I did keep a more accurate account of where and what we ate. And I always keep a good tally of expenditures. When I saw how much I spent on postcards and postage last trip, I decided that I'd definitely cut that down on this one! (It was hard though...the postcards were so cute and creative.)
It was a wonderful trip and we've already decided that we are going back, perhaps next year.
"Paris is always a good idea."
