After the amazing weekend with Thomas in the Southwest of France, I arrive back in Paris Monday afternoon, and kicked around with Mario through Wednesday morning.
I took so many photos over the weekend, I had to leave the battery to charge Monday, so I only have photos from Tuesday.
We both had museum passes, so we ran in and out of a few.
Monday afternoon we visited the home of Gustav Moreau, the Louvre and Musee du Moyen Age (middle ages).

Tuesday we visited the D'Orsay first. The line must have been 2 hours, but we walked right in thanks to the museum passes.

Lunch near the D'Orsay

After lunch we visited a museum in Les Invalides--a series of scale models of fortified cities. The models had all been made around 1700. Photos of the current state of each city was displayed next to photos of the model, as well as maps and aerial photos with outlines of the original main structures.









 We headed to the Marais for a sweet snack: Tiramisu for Mario and Tarte Tatin with creme fraiche for me.
























We had planned to also visit the Pantheon, but I talked Mario into visiting the Haute Couture exhibit at city hall. We had dinner in Montmartre again--this time a little further down the hill.

Shrimp cocktail for starters

Escalloped chicken for me

Mussels for Mario.

The bartender was standing right next to us in the doorway while she had her cigarette break. After watching Mario struggle to pull the mussels out with a fork she showed him how to use a shell like tongs.

A couple more days in Paris

I am back home now, but am trying to catch up on my posts.

Friday April 19th was my last day working in the Paris office. I felt that I really bonded with my Parisian co-workers and was sad to leave. I hope to see some of them soon in Austin, and some day back in Paris.

Paris Metro during rush hour

Carine

 

 

I had a nice lunch with 2 of the ladies from HR at a classic french restaurant right down the street from the office.

Gilda and Crystal

At the end of the day, I kissed everyone goodbye, then headed back to the apartment to meet Mario who flew in from Switzerland.

Emilie and Franc

Hussein

Me in the Paris office!

Thomas Jung

After Mario dropped off his suitcase and I gave him a tour of the apartment, we walked around Montmartre a bit (and saw HAIL!) before finding somewhere to have dinner. We settled on a place just a few doors down the street from the apartment.

Chez Marie

Mario!

Beautiful, tasty macarons

French Onion Soup

Faux Filet

Panna cotta and Chocolate Mousse for dessert

Un Bon Weekend

We are going to Biarritz!

I have not fallen off the face of the earth--I have been in the southwest of France with our good friend, Thomas Ung. We left insanely early on Saturday to catch an EasyJet flight to Biarritz.

I see wonderful things...

The beach at Biarritz

We walked around a bit, enjoyed the sea air, then drove to St. Jean de Luz.

St Jean de Luz arch

Inside the church where
Louis XIV was married.

For lunch we headed to the home of the parents of Thomas' friend, Mathias. He and his girlfriend, Eva, treated us to a true basque lunch. We sat in the sun, took our time, enjoyed a great Rioja reserva and talked--in French, Spanish and English.

The cathedral in Bordeaux.

After lunch, Thomas drove us to Bordeaux(stopping a couple of times for him to nap). We walked around a bit, then had dinner--by this time we were both tired and grumpy.

Balconies

A ferocious guard.

We had a good night sleep, woke late, then headed to St. Emillion.

part of the city wall

Bordeaux is beautiful, but St. Emillion is something completely different. It was a medieval walled city on a hillside. Stone everywhere, and buildings that have stood for 100s of years.











We had lunch here, then walked around. I took so many photos this weekend that I killed the battery in the camera. Thank goodness I can take pics with my camera, too.

My Croque Monsieur

Thomas' tuna and shrimp salad

Some pistachio, hazelnut and chocolate
ice cream for dessert.

Cloisters in the cathedral

someone's house

The last medieval building that survives.

One of the many beautiful streets

Inside the Bordeaux cathedral.

We headed back to Bordeaux and walked around some more. We were headed to the river Dordogne and stumbled on a huge flea market. I found a old piece of lace and eyelet, probably cut from a petticoat. The price was 20€, but I hesitated, so it dropped to 15€.

We stopped for coffee near the center of town and enjoyed the sun, visited the church which was started in the 1090s, and had dinner at a place close by. We got ice cream for our walk back to hotel. I have always liked flower flavored food, but the violet gelato was the best ever.
Now we are headed back to Paris on the train--Thomas to work and me to spend time with Mario before I head to my last destination--Cologne, Germany (Köln).

I am trying to catch up, but there so much to see!

juliette

Dans ma Rue...

My apartment is on the left,
right above the windows with flowers.
That's a little grocery on the ground floor.

I woke up really early this morning, so I took my time heading to the office and took some photos in the neighborhood, on the way and near the office.

There are beautiful things everywhere: the brickwork, the railings, doors, windows.  

The market from the movie "Ameilie"

Heating and ventilation business--still in operation

A church right next to the metro Abesses

I noticed on the metro trains some of the graffiti is done by scratching the steel on the doors and panels instead of using paint. 

This one is in an elevator at Abesses metro station. (this station has a LOT of stairs, even for Paris)

Kumar made me a little nervous about the area around the office, but it is fine. It is not a tourist area, so you see far more "real" businesses. One of my favorite things in the morning is seeing the parents take their kids to school. A mother on a scooter flew by me on scooter --her daughter on the back wearing a "Hello Kitty" helmet.

A tailor near the office.

Bike lanes in Paris!

Quiche Lorraine

There are bike lanes in this neighborhood, and they are in the middle of the sidewalks. You really have to watch when you cross these, and it is easy to wander into them if you're not paying attention.

Today Jimy treated me, Momo and Cedric to lunch. We went to a traditional bistrot right next to the canal St Martin.

Steak au Poivre

Doors at the Louvre 

After work I headed out to find a bathing suit (Thomas said I need one for the weekend and I did not bring one) I was little annoyed, but it was a new experience, I found one I like and the salesgirl was really nice. Don't count on seeing any photos of that. I also found some nice little gifts to bring back.

On my way to BHV (department store), I stopped to watch and listen to a great jazz band in the station.
I left BHV and headed toward the museums--I thought I might pop in, but ended up just walking around taking more photos.
On my way to the museums, I had to stop again--this time for a 12-piece group playing classical music.
The last musical treat was in one of the passage ways near the Louvre. A single cello--my favorite--especially haunting, the way the sound echoed in the passage.

Back to the apartment, and a few more photos.

A sandwich shop in Montmartre

Tonight's dinner (no, I don't plan to eat all those cookies)

That's all for tonight! I am posting a fraction of the photos I'm taking. I plan to get them all together (maybe a slide show?) after I get back and recover from jetlag and reacquaint myself with my husband and dogs. So if this isn't enough for you, just wait!

Juliette