Thursday, September 22, 2011

With Love, From Paris. Day 2

Day 2

The following morning, I woke up at 3:30 am!  I mean, how could I sleep?  I was in Paris!!  And only for a few days!  I decided to get up, take a shower, get dressed and plan out our day.   We were going to go climb up the Eiffel Tower, then navigate our way to Ile de la Cite and Ile St-Louis.  This of course, could take a full day.  And that, we had.  So here we go...

This was our first breakfast in Paris. Four, flaky, warm, and buttery croissants.  The girls had milk to drink and Nuno and I had coffee.  I have to tell you that Parisian croissants are the best I've ever had.  They are flaky on the outside, but buttery and almost doughy on the inside.  Every morning, no matter which bakery we went to, the croissants were warm from the oven.  Utter perfection!



This man in the above photo became known to us as "the pigeon man".  Most mornings and evenings, we would see him feeding flocks of pigeons.  He was a homeless man.  I never saw him asking for money, only feeding the pigeons. I'm sure he's still there, feeding them.  



By the way, if you plan on visiting Paris, know this: it is nearly impossible to find an available taxi during morning and afternoon rush hour in Paris.  We walked halfway to the tower on day 2 before we got hold of one.

Inside the Eiffel Tower



Breathtaking views of the Seine river and the city of Paris!



In the center, you can see the Arc de Triomphe!







 The Seine River




A dream come true for me! 



Spectacular views of the city!



Overlooking Parc du Champs de Mars



Having fun!










Okay, I promise, no more Eiffel Tower pictures!



After spending most of the morning in and around the Eiffel Tower, we decided to go back to our studio for a little afternoon nap with the girls.  My early morning rise was not such a great idea after all!  We took a little  nap, and then headed out for another walk, this time, towards Ile de la Cite, across the bridge, over the Seine.



This is Hotel de Ville - Paris's City Hall



City Hall boasts fountains and gorgeous early 1900s lamp posts. 







This is the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral, located on Ile de la Cite.



The stone exterior of the church is incredibly detailed!







Notre-Dame's Rose Window



Take a look at this gorgeous door and the handsome man in front of it! ;o)



So we walked from our studio in the 4th Arrondisement down towards the Seine, saw Hotel de Ville, crossed the bridge over to Ile de la Cite, and saw the famous Notre-Dame.  Next, we are going to cross another bridge to the Island called Ile St-Louis - my absolute favorite!



We passed through this pretty little park on our way to the Island.  Unfortunately, I don't know the name of it.



This cute boulangerie on Ile St-Louis was our first stop for a sweet treat.  


Their donuts are much smaller than ours. Fillings include apple, strawberry, and chocolate!


And look what else they had - Paris's famous macarons! This was the first time any of us had tried macarons! Mmm!




La Cure Gourmande - 55 Rue St. Louis en L'ile
They sell the most delicious French biscuits here!



Coconut filled, strawberry jam filled, orange filled, chocolate chip, shortbread, chocolate shortbread, just to name a few of the flavours!  As a treat, we brought some home with us to enjoy!  They are incredibly rich and delicious!



After browsing around the small, quaint island, we decided to walk towards Place des Vosges, one of the many city squares.  Here are some of the things we saw along the way...



Window shopping







Another boulangerie we stopped at along the way.  Isn't this lovely?



And here we are, Place de Vosges Square - Paris's oldest square.  Victor Hugo used to live in one of the homes here.  His home is now a museum.



There was a playground for the children (and adults too)!  We spent some time here, playing with the girls.  Then, we headed back to our apartment.



Newspaper/magazine stand



Annabel wanted a picture standing in front of the fruit stand.



Fabulous flower shop!



This is moi, picking up some hot baguettes from a local boulangerie.  We went to the supermarche and bought salami, goat cheese, butter and a nice bottle of wine!






I fell in love with the studio's tiny kitchen.  Don't you just love the red?



And that, dear friends, was day 2 in Paris.  I have many more pics of this day, but I only put up the ones I think you'd most like to see.  I hope you enjoyed coming along with me.  We are getting closer and closer to London now.  Stay tuned for more!!

8 comments:

  1. Oh, gosh, Rosinda! You all look so cute and look like you are having so much fun!! It is just like a movie to me! And, yum!!! All those delicious French baked goodies make my mouth water...I'd take one of each! Lovin' this! I am looking forward to the next post! Love and lots of hugs, Sherry xxxx

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  2. Gee Rosinda I think you all have a new career at the ready--traveling acrobats doing Eiffel Tower tricks. What a riot. Anita in her beret--beyond fab. And need I say anything about all the gorgeous scenery (ach) and the gorgeous baked goods (now we're talking). I feel like I've been to Paris. And you made me hungry. Ok that last one isn't much of a challenge. LOVE the pics! Just got a teeny macaron cookbook and am dying to make them again. Keep trying not to let myself. But oh to have a warm croissant right now--that would be heaven.

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  3. Ah, Paris, sigh :o) How on EARTH can the French eat so many wonderful baked goods and stay thin. I think I could easily gain about 15 lbs. just smelling them. Your photos are just wonderful, love the shots of Eiffel Tower looking up. Feel like I was almost there with you. Makes me so happy to see all of you having such a great time and I'm more determined than ever to see Paris with Rich. I'll just eat bread and salami. Sounds perfect. xoxo

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  4. Love this tour of Paris! Perfect photos and details...I think the family picture is perfect for your Christmas cards this year! xo

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  5. Here I am again...taking a sneaky peek!! I just can't resist...it's the most wonderful travelogue, sweetie. You have a real gift for taking the reader along! Anita looks so adorable in her tres chic beret, Nancy is right. Such a happy family, having a wonderful holiday. Can't wait for London...!! xoxo

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  6. Oh my goodness....what fun!!! I just love the fact that all of you as a family are having such fun---what a great memory for the girls to have forever!!! Playful fun!!! I've never been to Paris, so this is such a delightful experience for me....thank you so much and I have to agree with Rachel....I can hardly wait for London!!!!
    XO Joann

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  7. Ah, heaven! I had to put La Vie En Rose on for background music while I read this post (I just couldn't help myself!) and the entire thing gave me shivers it was so delightful! The pictures were absolutely wonderful and with your descriptions I felt like I was traveling with you ... and having a wonderful time! It's amazing, Rosinda, how much you've come to mean to me. I'm so truly happy that you were able to have this trip, and I'm in love with your whole family. Anita looked like a tres chic Parisian girl, Annabel is adorable beyond words, and you and Nuno are a beautiful couple and heartwarming parents. Thanks for sharing, Sweetie. I can't wait for the next installment! xoxo

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  8. LOVE THAT DRESS and HAT! OH i'd love to wear that :D

    I lvoe the trees all in beautiful rows :)

    having fun with you, Rosinda!

    love,
    Denise

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