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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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Fully jet lagged, yet excited we step off the plane to a bustling Paris airport. Anxious to get to our host, Andrew's house, we grab our backpacks and hit the train to the city. It's 7:15 a.m. in France (midnight our time), with the day just beginning for most on the rush-hour train. Andrew's directions are superb, however upon arrival to his cute little white house, we get no response to our knocks. Did he forget the day? Are we in the right place? Almost about to fall down with lack of sleep and real food, Jacob bravely ventures out to the French-speaking streets to buy a phone card so we can call. Andrew answers (thank god!) and has been happily sleeping, waiting for our arrival, and his departure for his day's work. After quick greetings and dreary-eyed catch up chatting, Jacob and I take a three hour nap, walk around the neighborhood, which is smack dab in the middle of everything worth seeing in Paris, come home again and take another hour nap. Feeling refreshed, Andrew arrives and we head off to dinner with his friend Dave from their home-town San Francisco, who is just ending his trip through Europe. With a much appreciated local in our midst, we walk into a bustling restaurant off the beaten path and promptly order a bottle of the house wine. Filled with beautiful people, we wine and dine, as they say, and chat of everything American that Andrew misses and we love i.e. Flight of the Concords, San Francisco, Mexican food, etc. I bravely order Salmon Tartar, which turns out to be absolutely fabulous, like a sophisticated slab of sushi accessorized with dill. Dave, then trumps me, ordering Steak Tartar, which comes out looking like a clump of raw hamburger meat with a raw egg to boot. Kudos to both of us for finishing every last bite. Then, after the mojito bar, we head home after the longest day ever.
Andrew has a work holiday the next day, so we get to walk all over Paris with someone who actually knows where he's going. Lunch was the best falafel and roasted eggplant ever in Le Marais district (trendy, jewish neighborhood), while Andrew laments because his kosher meat deli is closed for the holiday. More site seeing, Notre Dame and a walk on the canal.
Today we trek to the creepy, yet oh-so impressive Catacombs with 2 Km of bones, skulls, and more bones. This was an abandoned (and re-enforced!) quarry from the 1700s which later served as overflow bone storage when French cemeteries became inundated with bodies. Then a jaunt to the Louvre, and start the long haul home for my much anticipated cup of afternoon coffee while Jacob enjoys his relatively cheap bottle of Hoegaarden. Oh, the simple pleasures in life. We have yet to take the metro once, except from the airport, which, needless to say, has given us a glimpse of sore feet in the month to come. Tomorrow, the South of France!
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AndrewSFC says:
This Andrew character seems incredible. His knowledge of government housing in Paris as well as his keen sense of direction is surpassed only by his passion for kosher meats. If only he would answer his phone and doorbell from time to time. Good luck with the route, pilgrims.