I’ve decided not to recount the flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam. It’s just too painful. Instead, I’ll start with Day One (Monday) and go from there. A full recounting of dinner at the Hidden Kitchen will have to wait until I have the menu and photographs in hand.
The three of us arose late Monday morning, due in no small part to the rough day that preceded it, showered, dressed, and headed out into the wilderness that is Paris. A quick walk through Judah’s neighborhood got us to the local Metro station (Pyrénées), where we purchased reloadable passes for the week. We proceeded to the Trocadero station, hiked a few minutes, and were greeted with a fabulous view of the Eiffel Tower. (At this point, I must mention that I haven’t had an opportunity to upload pictures, and so you will be forced to wait before seeing exactly what we saw. Of course, Paris has been nicely photodocumented, so it’s highly likely that you have already seen a representation of said Tower…)
We managed to enjoy the view, despite the best efforts of trinket salesmen who insisted on stepping in front of cameras at inopportune times and refused to leave even after angry exclamations were offered. Some people have no manners. They should be beaten.
Another hike followed, which brought us to the Arc de Triomphe, which we did not climb (it’s been right around freezing, with brisk winds, and we decided that it would be more convenient to just lop limbs off at home rather than go through the pain of frostbite, if amputation was our heart’s desire). Of course, the Arc is situated at one end of the Champs Élysées, so we immersed ourselves in that spectacle.
Back down into the Metro we went, and another short trip on foot deposited us in front of Notre-Dame de Paris, which I found as inspiring as any sight in memory. It is truly a tribute to the spirit of art that faith can inspire. I am not a religious person, as you probably know, but I still found myself moved while walking through the cathedral’s majesty and beauty. I cannot decide on words that accurately convey my thoughts.
Just across the Seine from Notre-Dame sits Shakespeare & Company, a bookstore which would, I have no doubt, be the delight of anybody who finds themselves at my blog. Words cannot do this place justice–you’ll just have to wait until my pictures are available for viewing. It is a reader’s paradise.
We finished the day with freshly-made crêpes (Judah’s was dusted with sugar, Donnell’s with sugar and lemon juice, and mine was smeared with marron [chestnut] cream…sublime!), a walk and ride back to the apartment, and a wonderfully-light dinner of fennel, mushroom, and Parmesan salad, prepared by Judah.
