Valentine's in Paris

Aaah, Paris! I’m not normally a big city person, preferring beaches, forests and mountains to concrete jungles, yet, somehow Paris captivated me. I think it has something to do with the city’s energy and balance…Parisians seem to balance their busyness with a knack for taking advantage of life’s simple pleasures. The busyness is typified by the hustle and bustle of the streets, the relentless traffic and scores of cyclists, while the countless cafes and restaurants bursting with life at all hours (a sharp contrast to sleepy Brussels) speak to the other side of the coin. As we sipped coffee (it’s growing on me!) in a café on Sunday, it struck me that many the things we consider a treat - croissant breakfasts in cute cafés, jogs along the river or past middle aged churches, and lingering, delicious dinners - are part of daily life in Paris. Given the short train ride from Brussels, I just might become a part time Parisian over the next few months!

Saturday, Jerel and I created our own walking tour of Paris. We started the day breakfasting amidst joggers in Jardin du Luxembourg, then slowly wound our way through the streets to the very gothic Notre Dame cathedral. Jerel and I had both visited Notre Dame nearly 10 years ago but had no trouble appreciating the majestic flying buttresses, ornate columns, and rose windows for a second time. We next headed past the Louvre courtyard, through the Jardin de Tuileries to the busy Champs-Elysées and the Arc de Triomphe. We concluded our tour at the Tour d’Eiffel where we witnessed spectacles including a Valentine’s Day proposal and college girls sporting “free hugs” signs. The extremely long lines forced us to postpone our trip up the tower for the next day.

That evening we attended a unique musical show, starring our Brussels apartment landlord - Jean-Felix Lalanne – who had kindly invited us as his guests. Jean-Felix was a childhood guitar prodigy is now a top classical guitarist (though his repertoire is much broader). The setting at Théâtre du Petit Hébertot was intimate (~100 people) and the performance was part concert part play. It was a timeless autobiography with three cast members: present day Lalanne, in the flesh, feisty 10-year-old Lalanne and nostalgic 90-year-old Lalanne. His younger and older selves spoke were presented as, believe it or not, holograms. The show was both touching and musically impressive.

Sunday, we awoke to another beautiful day and headed directly to the Eiffel tower…stumbling along the way upon an open market with delicious crepes and also making the requisite café stop. When we finally made it to the (almost) top of the tower, it seemed possible to behold all of expansive Paris. The long lines, the pushing and even the overpriced, bad food were definitely worth it. From the tower, we made our way along La Seine to the Musée d’Orsay. We did the ‘best of’ tour, which essentially means you don’t leave anything out, including plenty of Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh…leaving just about the perfect impression from our weekend in Paris.

For more photos of our weekend in Paris click here.