paris

A Southern Girl in Paris Part 4: Pedaling through the Last Day of Paris

June 1, 2015 by patty lauren Leave a Comment

Monday morning was Memorial Day here in the States and in France it was Whit Monday (the day after Pentecost Sunday). Last Memorial Day I was spending the day with friends, laying out by the pool, eating those summer sticky popsicles in the plastic sleeves, napping, and eating. It was a very American Memorial Day. This year I spent a holiday in Paris biking around the city.

Running in Paris

We woke up early and laced up for a little run around Montmartre. In typical Paris fashion, it was drizzling while we were out – so far it hadn’t rained at all so I was happy to see some sprinkles while I was still in town.

We started our run up these lovely stairs. In the words of my trainer, C, “Don’t think about it – just do it!” So – we did.

We ran back over to Sacré-Cœur to see it during the day and peek inside. It’s as beautiful as you might imagine – I always love these types of churches. They are so reverent and Holy. It was a completely different scene from the evening before – no one else was around and it was very quiet.

Paris is full of parks and we stopped at a small one to see the I Love You wall – a huge tile wall of the phrase in over 300 languages. I told ya’ll Paris is romantic. And, not in a sappy way but in a way that reminds you what love can be – passionate and crazy and carefree and uncomplicated.

We ran through the cobblestone streets, the mist of an early morning mist showering us, the smell of bread being baked in the boulangeries – it was a perfect Paris morning. And, in true Parisian fashion – I stopped for a croissant after our run.

I could have run around all morning looking at the cute shops and streets we passed.

After our run, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for a full day of biking in Paris!

Mind Your Hand Signals

Paris has a bike system called Velib which for less than $2 you can rent a bike all day! Pretty sweet deal, right? To secure this nifty price the only catch is you have to dock your bike every 30 minutes. This really isn’t a big inconvenience because the Velib bike stations are everywhere around the city. As long as there is a slot open, you can dock the bike for 2 mins, get it back out and be on your way. If you miss the allotted re-dock time, you’re charged 1 Euro.

So, biking – I LOVE to bike. However, I bike on a little cruiser bike that doesn’t have gears, hand brakes, a bell, etc. In typical “me” fashion, it’s a very classic, basic bike. The Velib bikes are not basic – first of all, they are the equivalent of lugging around the dead weight of a grown man (that might be an exaggeration but that’s what it seemed like), they have gears and hand brakes and bells, etc. And, a basket – which I found to be perfect for a baguette and a bottle of wine.

It took me a good five minutes just to get my seat situated (which, by the way – was not conducive to my backside but that’s another story).

It was at this point (yes, at the beginning) we started having bike problems. NOT MINE THIS TIME! Ha!

A’s first bike had a flat tire – which she didn’t realize until we had already headed away from the station we got our bikes. So, we stopped to redock and she got another one – this one had a faulty bell. We waited until it was time to redock our bikes to get another one and she enlisted me as the official “bike checker”, which included checking the brakes, handles, bells, and tires.

“All looks good!” I shouted while she was at the kiosk checking out the bike I had just “OKed”

She comes over to get it out of the slot and sees this:

That’s right – it had a missing pedal.

“Patty! You failed me.”

We hadn’t experienced pedal problems yet! Anyway, after this time we checked absolutely everything on the bike. So, if you find yourself in a similar situation – save yourself some wasted time and frustration and give your rent-a-bike a good once over. Although, I can see how pedals would fall off as heavy as those things were.

After our late-night encounter with the red light district we decided to head back in the daylight to see the famous Moulin Rouge. Of course, in the stark contrast of daylight the area was completely different. Well, not completely – a myriad of shops lined both sides of the streets. Ya’ll can use your imagination. 🙂

It was cool to see such a famous site – all I could think of was the movie with Nicole Kidman. Seemed much more glamorous.

Monday was my shopping day so we stopped at several boutiques and stores for souvenirs. I don’t shop for myself when I travel – I usually pick up a momento from a restaurant or a site or keep ticket stubs and those are my souvenirs. If I do get myself anything, it’s usually a small piece of jewelry that’s locally made.

By the middle of our day, both my and A’s bike baskets were full of all matter of purchases… which, would have been fine if I hadn’t decided to fall off my bike. In the street. Let me back up a little bit – so there are lots of bike lanes in Paris (and even little red lights, too), which is great, but there are also plenty of streets that don’t have bike lanes. And, there don’t seem to be a lot of rules for cars or bikers. Which means you are navigating extremely busy roads relying on hand signals and eye contact to make sure you don’t get run over. I was having a legitimately difficult time with that bike and it being so heavy – couple that with trying to ride in the road and a basket full of glass and you get this scene:

A slowed down ahead of me so I did the same. The slow pace was just enough time for my top heavy bike to lean over to one side and crash completely into the sidewalk. My purse and souvenirs went splattering and rolling down the sidewalk. And, if that wasn’t enough I fell on top off the bike and then off of it.

What do you do? You just gotta laugh. It was funny. Tragic, but funny. It’s so typical of my life! Of course I brought a few extra souvenirs back in the way of bruises all over my lower body.

We parked our bikes and headed to Angelina – a famous café that is said to be Audrey Hepburn’s favorite. I was (still love her) a huge fan of Audrey Hepburn growing up – Love in the Afternoon, Funny Face and my favorite, Sabrina (“Oh, but Paris isn’t for changing planes, it’s… it’s for changing your outlook, for… for throwing open the windows and letting in… letting in la vie en rose.”) – they all had elements of Paris in them and I guess that’s why I always thought it would be magical.

I was hoping to have a little respite at Angelina but since I only wanted a couple macaroons and their famous hot chocolate it was a little “frowned upon” to have a seat in the main area. Definitely very Parisian and not very Southern. While the South is very accommodating, Paris proved to be very non-accommodating in many ways. Take it or leave it. But, the next best thing was to take the sweets across the street and sit in the park.

Their macaroons were good – I had better ones in New York City. The famous hot chocolate was out of this world – it was like drinking brownie batter. I couldn’t even finish that little cup!! Good for sharing 🙂

FullSizeRender

After a little rest in the park, we biked back over to the area of the Louvre and walked around for a little while. Have I mentioned how much walking we did?

This is what the sky looked like every day – perfect!

Tuileries Garden

As it started getting later into the evening we went in search of something to bring for the final viewing of the Eiffel Tower. The day was coming to a close – I was going to miss the simplicity of the past few days.

We were walking by the building below and A asked me if I thought people that lived in Paris really appreciated where they lived or realized how amazing it was to look out the window and see the Eiffel Tower everyday. I couldn’t answer the question because I don’t know – I would imagine they are “used” to their life so it’s not like us thinking about living there. The magic wears off after a while, I suppose.

The other night I was driving to a friend’s house out far away from the city and there was the most beautiful sunset starting. The mountains far off in the distance were clear and the sky was bright – flecked with pale tones of pink and purple and yellow. It wasn’t Paris, but Paris isn’t my home. And, I want to appreciate the beauty that’s around me and never take it for granted.

We made our way over to the Eiffel Tower and found a good spot in the grass to relax. It was much less crowded than the last night we were there.

The warm weather was abandoning us as the night crept on so we got ready to leave. Thankful for the opportunity to meet up with my sweet friend and make so many awesome, once-in-a-lifetime memories.

So ends the story of A Southern Girl in Paris…

until next time… bisous, patty lauren

A Southern Girl in Paris Part 3: Versailles and Paris by Night

May 28, 2015 by patty lauren 2 Comments

We take a lot of things for granted as a general lot. Comfortable beds. Air conditioning. Water. While I slept well at the hotel, the mattress was the equivalent of sleeping on the floor. Additionally, there is no air conditioning most places so sleeping with the window wide open at night was the go-to plan for air. Thankfully, there wasn’t humidity or the bugs we have in the South and I’m a big fan of open-window sleeping anyway so that was pleasant. The water thing, however, was not fun. I remembered this from Ireland, but we take getting water anywhere and everywhere in the States for granted. You can’t just pop in somewhere and ask for a cup of water. There are no water fountains or water dispensers in buildings. I spent a lot of money on just getting water and even resorted to carrying on around and filling it up from the bathroom before we left in the mornings.

Small Town Charm

So, after a water stop it was time to head to Versailles! We had to make a couple of metro changes but that gave us a little time to wander around a smaller town on the way onto our final destination. I’ll admit the first couple of hours I was in Paris the first day it was a little lackluster. It reminded me way too much of New York City. And, while I love New York, I enjoy smaller areas and places that aren’t so – crowded. One reason I loved Chicago so much! Give me the culture and the holes in the wall and the charm. Leave the cigarettes and the masses and the rudeness somewhere else. So this little excursion really made me so happy! We had about twenty minutes to walk around this little town – quiet, charming… and very French.

Look at how little their garages are!!

the cutest little vintage Mini Cooper!

We caught our next train and headed towards Versailles. I had just asked A earlier that day if people didn’t play music in the metro like other cities and she said they did, we just hadn’t seen any yet. On the way to Versailles, two guys got on the train and started playing some polka-type accordion tunes. That would happen a lot – I’d ask about something and it would pop up later in the day. It would also happen a lot that people ask you for money in Paris, a lot. Another big city trait. The line to get into the Palace of Versailles was long but it moved pretty quickly. Thankfully, A had an amazing idea to get a baguette and cheese so we could snack while we waited.

Yeah I posed with the baguette. Bread and I have a long term love affair. Don’t know why I’m standing like I have to pee, though. #awkwardposes

The Palace of Versailles

It was 16 euro for the tour of the palace and access to part of the gardens. Upon entering, you can rent an audio guide or you can have savvy friends that suggest you use the Rick Steves Europe app that will walk you through the whole palace, room by room, and give you great details about what you are touring. And, it’s free! So if you are traveling to Europe and plan on visiting some historic sites, this is a great tool to download before your trip.

we had to take a selfie in the Hall of Mirrors

The Palace is just gorgeous – it was definitely worth the visit. The whole tour took up about half of our day and we headed back towards town later in the afternoon – but of course only after stopping at Starbucks (which I feel the need to say I only drank ONCE the whole time I was there. I deserve a pat on the back just for that accomplishment). On our way back, we made another stop off at a smaller area and found a park to sit in for awhile and watch some kiddos skateboard and scooter (is that a word? I don’t know).

Hillsong France

Once we got back into Paris we headed down into the area where Hillsong Paris is located. Interestingly enough you may find yourself wandering through the area of town that is home to Paris’s gay culture. And, you may find yourself staring at some baguettes that are shaped into… well, use your imagination. The church service was beautiful – it was a very energetic atmosphere and the guest speaker, Christine Caine, was so powerful. I still want to dedicate a blog to the message she delivered about passion. It is so God-like for Him to place these opportunities and moments in our lives when we already have issues pressing on our heartstrings.

Sacré Cœur

After the service we headed back to Montmartre to visit Sacré Cœur. A said while all the tourists are down under the Eiffel Tower in the evenings the Parisians are on the steps of Sacré Cœur overlooking all of Paris. Again, pictures cannot begin to show the beauty. For miles you can see all of Paris and beyond – shimmering lights and the night sky lit up a deep shade of pink from the street light’s reflection. It is something made of dreams. We just sat for a long time and listened to people singing and music playing. It was in so many of those moments I just kept remembering how fortunate I was and how I wanted to soak up the opportunity and the moments and keep them in me forever.

And, This is Where The Night Gets Interesting…

(you can stop reading here, Dad)

“We can walk home from here,” A says as we are getting ready to leave the cathedral.

We headed towards the back of the church and started walking towards some stairs that would take us back down to the street (I should mention there are a thousand steps to walk up to Sacré Cœur but how else do you burn off pastries and cheese?) We were the only ones at the back of the church except for two older folks and a carload of guys parked at the end of the cobblestone walkway.

We slowed down a little bit and looked at each other.

“Maybe we shouldn’t walk this way.”

“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.”

It was that moment we turned around and then the car horn started honking. We kept walking. A guy gets out of the car and starts hollering (it’s a word) at us in French. We kept walking. He continues to yell and wave his arms. We finally got around other people and took another way back down to the street.

“That was not gonna end well.”

Once we reached the street, we started walking toward the metro. And, on the way to the metro meant walking through the streets where some young Frenchmen were gathered. And, that meant getting the French equivalent of cat-called.

“Belle filles!”

I’m pretty sure they called us the French word for b*tches when we didn’t stop but I joked to A I should have turned around and in my most country voice said something like, “What did you just say? My Daddy wouldn’t like the way you’re talking to me – he’ll come over here and give you a good whoopin’!”

They probably would have turned and ran the other way.

It gets better…

(really don’t read this part, Dad)

We got on the metro and somehow we got off on the wrong stop. I honestly can’t remember what we were trying to do – I think we were going to see something else and A thought we were getting off at the right stop. Anyway, we walk up to the street after getting off the train and I think we both immediately knew we shouldn’t be there.

There were lots of men scattered around the street – some in huddles, some alone. When we started walking across the road I could feel the stares and it wasn’t just an innocent thing. You know how you get that bad feeling in your gut and it’s heavy? That’s how I felt. I got goose bumps and little blurts of electricity in my nerves. Some of the men started walking towards us as we were walking around on the sidewalk.

“I don’t think we need to be here.”

“Yeah.”

“Seriously – let’s just get back on the metro.”

“I think you’re right.”

And as fast as we had walked across the street we were back again and on the train.

That’s when A says, “Okay, don’t be mad at me but that was the red light district.”

“What!”

“I didn’t know until we got off!”

Lord.

Third Time of Danger is a Charm…

We got off at our stop and as soon as we got off the train there was the worst smell ever. It smelled like a hospital. We headed up the escalator and that’s when I saw this homeless man with his pants down around his ankles. I couldn’t see exactly what he was doing but I could tell he was doing something with his leg and his hands.

“What was that guy doing?” I asked A.

“He was shooting up, Patty!”

#sheltered

So ends the second exciting and adventurous day in Paris… Part 4 coming soon!

until next time… xoxo, patty lauren

A Southern Girl in Paris Part 2: Crepes and the City

May 27, 2015 by patty lauren 2 Comments

Part 1.1, Part 1.2

After arriving at the hotel and taking just enough time to wash my face and change clothes, we headed out into the city. A suggested we stop at a pastry shop – I asked her if we were going to get lunch there and she said, “No, just because! We can eat while we walk.” Eating croissants while wandering around Paris? Yes, please.

eating croissants waiting on the metro

We took the metro into the heart of Paris and started walking around. Cobblestone streets and the scent of freshly baked bread emanating from boulangeries filled my senses. It brought back all of the good memories from my last time in Europe. It was beginning to feel magical. We saw the sweetest little flower shop as we were walking around and I had to stop in to, literally, smell the flowers.

peonies – my favorite flower!

It was time for another little snack – street crêpes! There are lots of places for street fare so we stopped at one and ordered. I went with a “savory” crêpe and ordered chicken, egg, and cheese. They make them in front of you on a crêpe machine, spreading the batter out, flipping it in perfect time and filling with your choice of toppings.

Mine was a little full and not five minutes after A says, “You are so brave for wearing white pants!” Liquid cheese squirts out of the bottom of my crêpe and lands all over my relatively new white jeans. Oh well. It’s not every day you’re eating crêpes in Paris while walking along the Seine – no complaints here!

We started to walk down towards the Champs-Élysées. We passed through the Tuileries Garden – just one of the many stunning public parks of Paris. Beautiful flowers, manicured laws, and goats?! The thing with goats is kind of an inside/work joke with A so it was serendipitous to see a goat at Tuileries while we were there together.

We walked to the Arc de Triomphe – A says it boasts one of the best views in the city, especially in the evening!

As we strolled down Champs-Élysées we saw a big commotion across the street. There was a crowd of people clustering around an individual – cameras, screams, etc.

“Maybe it’s Justin Bieber!” A says.

“Let’s go find out.”

“Just hold up your phone and start taking pictures!”

So we’re standing in the middle of the street taking pictures although we have no idea what or who we are taking pictures of. Once the crowd dispersed some, we saw a man emerge – the President of France – François Hollande! Not Justin Bieber, but the second best thing, I suppose. I’M JOKING. I am not a Belieber.

We visited some of the shops along the strip before walking towards the Eiffel Tower (which you really can see from almost anywhere in Paris). I’ve heard people refer to the Tower as a “hunk of metal” and not that awesome but I was awestruck. It was more beautiful than I had imagined.

We found a nice little spot on the ground and lounged around in the sunshine. I think it was at this point I realized what is said about Paris being the City of Love is true. You better not have a problem with PDA when you’re in France. Old, young – age didn’t matter and neither did the location.

yellow stains courtesy of crepe juice

After a little respite, we walked around some more. Lots and lots and lots of walking in Paris. In the days leading up to my trip, my dad and I had a conversation that went a little like this:

“I know you’re an adult and you’re going to do what you want, but I just think that… you should… you know… think about what you wear. You’re going alone to a big city… and, I just think you should… be smart…you know?”

I knew exactly what he meant. He wasn’t talking about my clothes.

“Don’t worry, Dad, I’m going to leave the hooker heels at home.”

“Okay, good.”

No way was I bringing my heels to Paris with all that walking. Plus, the cobblestone, ya’ll! As A said: “You’d be baby giraffing all over the place!”

A took me to Notre Dame and gave me a few history lessons. She was always saying, “Here is your history lesson,” and then went into a short narrative of the structure. So fun!

We walked along part of the famous love lock bridge where couples put locks in pledge of their love to each other. A lot of them had put some serious thought into their lock – it was sweet!

We roamed over to 29 Avenue Rapp – an apartment that has won “the most beautiful façade in Paris”. It is gorgeous! Of course, to me, all of the building facades are charming with their window boxes full of flowers and French doors. Although, 29 Rapp’s door does kind of look like a screaming face to me.

It doesn’t get truly dark until after 10pm in Paris (told you it was magical!!) but we headed out in search of something to sip on while we waited for the Eiffel Tower to light up. After we sat in the grassy area under the Tower for awhile, we walked back up to another point near the Tower as it still wasn’t dark yet. This is where we stumbled upon several groups playing The Shell Game. Okay, I know this is a scam, but MAN! It’s so blatantly obvious how they screw people over – it was killing me! I was dying to play but A basically held my arms down and told me to not talk – ha! I could have won us big money. We stood there for about fifteen minutes and at one point I was so engrossed in what was going on before I knew it, one of the “players” had their hands around me pushing me up to the front to play and had separated A from me. She barged in between me and this group and pulled me away from them and we went on our way. I still know I could have won!

Around 10pm, before the sky was completely in its dark glory, the Eiffel Tower lit up in the night sky.

Shortly after, the sparkling lights came on and glittered us into the evening…

Pictures don’t do the sight justice – it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life. No matter how many pictures or videos you see nothing compares to actually being there surrounded by one of the most picturesque sites in the world. And, so my first night in Paris came to a close…

Part 3 coming soon!

until next time… xoxo, patty lauren

A Southern Girl in Paris Part 4: Pedaling through the Last Day of Paris

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A Southern Girl in Paris Part 3: Versailles and Paris by Night

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A Southern Girl in Paris Part 2: Crepes and the City

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