Sunday, November 24, 2013

Bonjour Paris!

Adventures with Matty Part II

     After spending some time exploring the canals of Amsterdam, Matt and I took a train to Paris. The vibe instantly changed and I could immediately feel the energy of the city. It was everything I had expected, and more. Paris was truly magical. 


     My brother lived in Paris for a few months, so he knew exactly what to show me. I would have been lost without him. We had chicken and cheese crepes and then ones packed with nutella as we gazed at the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. We climbed to the top and took in the breathtaking view of the city. I did not realize how massive it was and I wish I was able to experience all of the districts and their own unique nuances. For the rest of the night, Matt guided me around and we hopped on and off the metro. The metro line was almost like another city underground. Everyone was moving so quickly without saying a word. It was fascinating to hear all of the different languages and to notice the diversity of the city. Ultimately, we saw the Arc de Triomphe, walked along the Champs-Elysees, passed the Hotel De Ville, Notre Dame, Pont Neuf, Fontaine Saint-Michel, and the hip Latin quarter. I could not believe how much we accomplished in only a few hours. 

We woke up early Saturday morning and got a Pain au Chocolat and a savory quiche from a local Boulangerie. The city felt endless and we walked for miles, passing so many famous landmarks along the way. We stopped at Chateau Gregorie for lunch and we sampled some fondue. We had steak with an onion sauce, herb aioli, and a creamy red mayo and another with different cheeses. As Philadelphia natives, we naturally made mini-cheesesteaks. We also had stretchy French onion soup and paired our meal with a sweet, fruity, and refreshing white wine. We finished the meal with a quintessential creme brulee. 
The Parisians know how to do it right. 


We spent the rest of the day wandering around Paris and worked up an appetite once again. It took us a long time to find the perfect restaurant, but when we saw the sign “cozy and jazzy”, we knew it was the one. At Les Pre aux Clerks we had fresh French bread, a salad with salmon, poached eggs, and avocados, and Ratatouille. The atmosphere was quaint and was exactly what we wanted.


After spending our last day in the extravagant Versailles, we sampled many macaroons: my favorite dessert. We shortly arrived back in Florence and we were headed to Munich, Berlin, Prague, and Milan at the end of the week. 

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