All the beautiful food

Every vacation has some distinct memories about the food, good or bad.  Each trip to Paris is no different.  The French have enjoyed a rich food culture for hundreds of years and thankfully the fast-food chains haven’t destroyed that completely.  It’s true that McDonald’s is here, and a few other fast-food chains, but not nearly to the extent of any major city back home.  The Parisian idea of fast-food usually means a baguette with ham, butter and cheese, some type of sweet or savory crepe or a panini sandwich.  Of course you can get any type of food, but for fast street food these were the most popular choices.

Listed below are some photos of the foods we enjoyed throughout this trip.

One of my favorite spots for lunch. Eating a ham and cheese baguette sandwich in Luxembourg Gardens is the perfect meal.

Laura's amazing artichoke heart entree

An entree from the tasting menu at a restaurant near the hotel

A little wine with your meal?

There were so many kinds of cheese in this shop I had a hard time choosing. I picked up a couple pieces, bought some bread, some olives and headed back to the park for lunch.

Cheese, bread, olives and the gardens.....perfect!

You can't forget to top it off with an eclair chocolat.

Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris

Completed nearly 700 years ago it is one of Paris’ greatest landmarks and tourist attractions, Notre Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) can’t be missed, literally.  Notre Dame is located, geographically, in the center of Paris on Ile de la Cite.  The island sits right in the middle of the Seine and was the spot from which Paris grew outward.

Most views of Notre Dame are from the front, but the architecture and grounds can be just as beautiful from the back.

When measurements are made from anywhere in France to Paris they are all based on a small plaque located just in front of the cathedral.  Crossing from the Left Bank to the Right Bank often means crossing directly in front of the cathedral.  There are many other bridges to cross over the Seine, but the ones leading to and from Ile de la Cite are some of the most scenic and best for pedestrian traffic.

The more common view taken from the square in front.

Looking at Notre Dame from the Left Bank.

A slightly more ominous view from street level. Thank you moon for making yourself seen just to the left of the tallest spire.

Yes, I like gelato

I like to eat gelato after dinner.

I like to eat gelato alone.

I like to eat gelato with friends.

I like to eat gelato with my wife.

I like to eat gelato before dinner.

And yes, it is always strawberry and lemon.

Paris, The City of Lights

Paris has it good.  It looks amazing during the day and looks just as good if not slightly more romantic at night.  Our typical days were filled with morning walks, shopping and museum visits followed by long afternoon naps.  After the naps we would head out for a slow walk, dinner and dessert.

This alley near our hotel is a good example of what the streets look like after dark.

Heading down the street after diner.

The gelato, it became a ritual after each dinner. Oh yeah the lighting in the background is nice too.

Yet another perfectly lit Parisian sidestreet.

Getting around on foot

In the grandest of all parks, Jardin du Luxembourg

In the past we relied heavily on the metro system here which is very efficient and inexpensive.  For this trip however, we are spending much more time getting around on foot.  It really is the best city to get around because it is relatively flat and there are plenty of parks and shops to get distracted by and take a rest.  The best park of all is the Jardin du Luxembourg of course.

Laura and Catherine in the park

Mid-day snack, a crepe fromage

We went on a two hour walking tour that included Notre Dame. The walking tour was much better than I thought and gave a lot of information about the history of Paris.

A 13th century door. Apparently people were a little shorter back then.

Laura and Catherine taking a stroll after some vigorous shopping at Sephora on the Champs Elyees

Steve and Catherine enjoying and end-of-day sorbet.