I'm finally getting around to sharing more photos from our trip to Paris. There will be other posts with pictures from Versailles, the South of France, and England, but for now...here are a few snapshots from a week in the City of Lights. If I tried to write it all out, I think it would take me hours, so here instead I'll just share some of the little notes of things we did.
My sister had classes our first full day in Paris, so Kristie and I navigated the metro by ourselves to try and find a flea market I wanted to visit. It became a story like Goldilocks and the Three Bears! Jordan has a great guide on how to find the flea market, but for us, it was our third stop. We eyed a swap meet from the metro stop thinking, Hmm, I hope this wasn't it... walked further and found ourselves in a pricey market where half the shops were closed, and then walked a little further and finally spent a few hours wandering the stalls of the Les Puces de Saint-Ouen Market, our original goal and the largest flea market in the world! So the first market was too sketchy; the second was too expensive; but the third was juuuust right. Its status as our favorite was cemented when live accordion music began streaming from a little tucked-away restaurant.
Aside from spending LOTS of time with my sister (I missed her so much!), we also did a couple tourist-y things, like putting a lock on the Love Lock Bridge. I know you're not supposed to anymore, but we couldn't resist. Especially since for Valentine's Day this year Kristie had given me an antique one engraved with our names.
We brought a picnic -- complete with wine, French macarons from two different shops (Laduree won over Pierre Herme in our informal taste test), baguettes, cheese, and grapes -- to the Champs de Mars, where we sat talking and relaxing as the sun went down. It was so surreal to be in front of the Eiffel Tower.
The food was obviously amazing. (Cheese for dayyyyys!) We also got lucky -- our apartment was right around the corner from a gluten-free bakery. My favorite things we ate: falafel from here; brie; GF chocolate eclairs.
Oh this! This was one of my favorite things that happened. Kristie and I were strolling through the Jardin des Tuileries toward the Arc du Triomphe when I noticed a flock (seriously, a whole flock) of pigeons following a man around. I took his picture and he offered me a handful of birdseed. All of a sudden all the pigeons transferred to me -- they landed on my arms and shoulders, eating directly from my open palms. This picture doesn't do it justice -- I felt as though there were thirty birds surrounding me, flapping their wings. I was beside myself with happiness.
More coming soon, I promise! And I might write a post that's just links to all of the things we did, where we ate, etc. if you guys are interested. A little travel guide, non?
