Ah, sweet Paris. Where the croissants are fluffy and the café au lait nears perfection...
These delicious treats and the above view greeted us upon arrival to Paris on Saturday morning. My host mom, sister, her godmother, and I took a train that left just before 6 AM and arrived at 10, which was perfect to enjoy a late breakfast in a Parisian cafe below Montmartre. We couldn't have had better timing: we sat down at a table next to what appeared to be freshly cleaned window and the clouds gave way to bright blue sky. The sun shone on a gleaming white Sacré-coeur, and I documented the moment in between sips of coffee and bites from my panini fromages.
Here is the other half of the view, what was in front of me on our table:
We walked up the stairs to Sacre-couer afterwards and spent a few hours meandering around the streets of Montmartre, enjoying the sounds, smells, and tastes of France.
I had a good exercise in map reading skills, something we don't get so often any more in the age of smartphones and GPS, which I didn't have with me because it costs extra to use my phone in another country. We were only lost at one point, which is pretty good considering how confusing and full the streets were as it got dark in the evening. Not to mention, it's fun to actually use a map and develop a better sense of your surroundings!
On Sunday, I visited Museé d'Orsay, where I filled up two pages in my little sketchbook with the names of works and artists that captured my attention. The museum is well known for their large impressionism exhibition, and I was also drawn in by their collections of Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec.
I had a few hours left before we had to catch our train back home (which was also from about six to ten, but in the evening), so I went for a walk along the Seine and paused some to sketch. Notre Dame popped out from behind some other buildings as I was walking, and the scene struck me.
While the trip was short, our two days were full of new impressions, and we were all very pleased with the slice of the city we were served.
Post a Comment