NOVEMBER EXCITEMENT

November was a big month.

First, I had a suprise visit from my brother, Mike. Mike had business in England, Dubai and Qatar and, despite the many delays he encountered, he managed to take the time to see my house and the region for the first time. The pandemic has not been kind to family visits!

Mike arrived the day prior to Chantal’s birthday dinner I had organized with our mutual friends. Chantal’s husband has been dealing with cancer for nearly 12 years and the last months have been challenging, so I figured we needed to do something big to lift her spirits. I booked a table at an excellent newish restaurant, Trésors de Campagne, not far away where I had had a meal just prior to the first lockdown. Knowing Chantal is a foodie like me, I told myself I needed to bring her there soon. Sadly, it took this long. The timing was serendipitous because it gave Mike an opportunity to meet some of my friends and enjoy a good meal too.

Before dinner, Mike and I visited the requisite La Cité, Carcassone’s medieval castle. Within La Cité is the Château Comtal dating back to the 12th century, something I’ve never toured before, so we did. It was interesting and Mike bought us both berets – a first!

Two days later, we drove to Paris. I had arranged to meet my 13 year-old nephew Thomas from Atlanta during his Thanksgiving break. We decided to meet in Paris so we wouldn’t have to worry about connecting flights. And while he visited me here in June 2019, this would be his first time to see Paris. I was looking forward to it.

Mike decided to drive up with me so that he could see Thomas too, then fly home. We arrived Friday evening and parked my car in the garage of my friends Emmanuel & Sarah who live in the 17th arrondissement. Given that parking is about 40 euros/night, this was a bonus.

Everything about the pandemic has been unpredictable and Thomas’s departure was no exception. The French government instituted a new mandate for PCR testing just a week prior, but we had no knowledge of this new requirement. So when Thomas went to check in, he was denied boarding and told to get the test. Air France rebooked him for the following evening.

Disappointed because this was cutting into the time Mike would be able to spend with Thomas, we made the most of it. Mike said he wanted to ride the Bateaux Mouches on the Seine. I did it many years ago though hardly remember the experience. It was cold but fun and I got this beautiful shot of the Eiffel Tower in the clouds.

We had lunch close by while waiting for our scheduled departure. It also had a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine.

Thomas successfully boarded his flight from Atlanta that night but on the much earlier flight due to arrive at Charles De Gaulle at 7:10 AM. That meant Mike and I were up for a 5:30 AM departure from the hotel to insure being there ahead of him.

With a slight delay, Thomas finally arrived at 7:50 AM and before long we were reunited. It was exciting to see him and welcome him to the City of Light.

We walked to the terminal where Mike’s flight was due to later depart and had breakfast. Being the uncles we are, Mike gave Thomas a dissertation on personal safety, especially keeping money and documents safe. He even gave him a safety wallet with clear instructions on how to operate in the coming week. Thomas was attentive and did exactly as instructed all week.

Soon it was time for Mike to say goodbye and for us to head into Paris.

Our agenda was ambitious. We did most everything except the Catacombs which once I learned they had low ceilings and were claustrophobic, I told Thomas he would have to do this on his own in the future.

His #1 priority was to see the Eiffel Tower, so after jumping off the Métro at the Arc de Triomphe, we made our way. He passed on the opportunity to nap. He just wanted to get out and see things.

The next day we got off the Métro at the Hotel de Ville, the city hall of Paris. We walked across the Pont d’Arcole to Île de la Cité to take a look at Hotel Dieu (a still functioning hospital founded in 651 AD), Notre Dame Cathedral, then the WW II Deportation Memorial, about which Thomas had little knowledge. From there we visited the Conciergerie where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before heading to the guillotine. After lunch, we visited the 13th century Sainte Chapelle which is not to miss – a real jewel and the former chapel of King Louis IX.

Afterwards we walked to Île Saint Louis, then the Marais and Place Bastille before heading back to the hotel. It was a very long day.

The next day (Wednesday), we went up to Sacre Coeur, Montmartre and Place Pigalle.

Afterwards we headed to the Galleries Lafayette to see their tree and pick up a cake for dessert as we were joining Emmanuel & Sarah for dinner.

Before we headed back to the hotel, we walked past the Opera Garnier and through the Place Vendome. Enough for one day!

The next day we spent at the Louvre. It turns out Thomas loved it. The Louvre became his second most favorite place in all of Paris after the Eiffel Tower. En route, I took this photo which turns out is one of my two most favorite photos incorporating a fountain in the Tuileries Gardens looking to the obelisk in the center of the Place de la Concorde, up the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. What a view! (The other favorite photo is at the end of this blog, featuring Thomas at our last dinner together before departure.)

One could spend a week or more to see all that the Louvre has to offer. We spent maybe five hours. But we made a hero’s effort and covered a lot of ground. First stop was the Mona Lisa, of course. Arriving early enough in the day, we figured we’d beat the crowd. The line wasn’t so bad but Thomas didn’t want to wait in any more lines, so we just took our photos from a distance.

I literally have hundreds of photos from this day and I’d love to share them but to do so would make this a very tedious post. Here are a few shots depicting the elegance of the palace as well as royal furniture from Versailles.

At the same time, there are 16th century carvings from the Palace of Versailles along with exquisitely detailed marble statues of the famous and powerful.

The enormity of the Louvre is amazing. Just wandering through the various galleries was an experience in itself.

On our last full day, we went up to the Buttes de Chaumont from where I heard the views were extraordinary. However, we found the best view from a lookout point at the nearby Parc de Belleville.

Winding down physically and psychologically, we slowed the pace and after passing by the new Samaritaine store, went to lunch at Cafe des Arts. I wouldn’t recommend it because the service was definitely lacking, but the bears were entertaining. So was the guy who was painting the windows with Christmas motifs.

The bears are a big thing all over Paris turning up in odd places, even windows in buildings. They are also being used as you can see here, to assist with social distancing.

Before getting on the Métro to return to the hotel, we briefly viewed the Palais Royal across the Rue de Rivoli from the Louvre with its beautifully sculpted gardens. Originally built for Cardinal Richelieu, it later reverted to the king.

On our last night, Thomas and I headed to Le Congrès, a brasserie close to our hotel for our last dinner. This was our third visit as I particularly enjoyed the food and service. And any time I can get escargot is a treat. They do it well. We’d had a great week but all good things come to an end.

Prior to dinner we visited Emmanuel and Sarah one last time to say goodbye and pick up the car. I parked close to the hotel so we could be out bright and early.

Early the next morning, under the escort of Air France, Thomas was led to his gate and soon boarded. I had to wait until his flight actually departed before I could leave – just in case. There was nearly an hour’s delay but the flight finally left and I was able to go.

My next stop was Costco Paris, southwest of the city. How I miss Costco! It was a treat to pick up many things they import from the US including Skippy Crunchy Peanut Butter. I picked up 12 jars, enough I hope for a year until I can get back. Since it is a 6.5 hour drive from there to my home, it’s not a place I can easily (or often) visit.

It was a great week with Thomas. It was great to see Mike and show him around. And it was fun to celebrate Chantal’s birthday. When I got home, despite the fact that Kitty had had company all week, she again let me know she missed me. But there are some things one just has to do. Especially when it comes to family. So I’m afraid she will have to learn to compromise.