A Week in Paris

It's a pretty tough task to tell you about our trip to Paris. I guess I could start with the plane flight. Corsair is a French-run discount airline. The seats are a bit tight, but the jet flight was suitable. Unlike American airlines, the baby cradles are not secure. On the way to Paris, one baby fell on the floor; unfortunately, a baby very close to us cried for most of the trip.

Nonetheless, our jet-lag pills did the trick. We got to Paris and took the Metro from Orly to the Marais district.

Le Marais, literally "the swamp", was originally exactly that. It wasn't until the 13th century that convents came to the area and it began to develop life and culture. The neighborhood became part of Paris when Charles V reinforced and extended the city wall constructed under Philippe Auguste. Charles V then moved to the Hotel St-Paul in the Marais, but his successors preferred the Hotel des Tournelles. It was here that Henri II died, following a wound from a tournament. Catherine de Medicis later had the mansion torn down.

The Place Royale (now the place des Vosges), built by Henry IV, was finished in 1612 and the Marais became a very stylish neighborhood, home of many grand French mansions and "salons", a sort of intellectual and philosophical conversation group. But after the Henry IV's assassination (by Ravaillac) and Louis XIII's accession, the high society left the area and it was taken up by artisans and small industries.

Today, a trip around the Marais shows the numerous restorations it has seen. The neighborhood contains some of the oldest buildings in Paris, and their architectural treasures make the Marais a charming and unforgettable place to visit.

Our hotel was less than perfect, but air conditioned. Paris was experiencing 90 degree temperatures, and we shunned long pants for shorts and short sleeved shirts for days. Restaurants were not air conditioned; we were happy to have a rather spartan and small hotel room with air conditioning. Outside the room, especially in the elevator, the temperatures were sweltering. Our hotel

The hotel was ideally located in the Village of Saint Paul . Right below the hotel was a discount department/grocery store. There were several sidewalk cafes and many bolangerie on the Rue di Rivoli , and if you have time take a stroll here . The hotel itself was located in the Village, which was more peaceful and laid back than the bustling main streets of Paris. There were jewelers and antique stores in the Village.

A four block walk from the Village led to several sites.

One was the Seine, and the Isle Saint Louis.

Another was the Bastille, which was surrounded by streets with many clubs and restaurants, as well as a opera

Opera Bastille, where kids and motorcyclists hung out on the steps.

Another wonderful feature, especially on Sunday, was the Jewish section of the Marias, which was actually a gay and Jewish section since many of the gay clubs were on Rue de Temple. These clubs had imaginative names. The most popular, Cox, had twice as many people outside as in. Another was named Amnesia, which I thought was a perfect name for a pickup bar.

Our favorite part of the Jewish section of Marais was the food.

For a truly transcendent sandwich, do not miss L'As du Fallafel. Located in the Jewish Quarter (Marais) at 34 Rue de Rosiers, the crowded little shop creates pitas stuffed impossibly full with spicy falafel, rich hummus, red cabbage slaw, buttery chunks of lightly fried eggplant and, upon request, a splash of screaming red chile sauce (picante).

The First Night

Teddy had never seen Sacre Coeur, so we headed up to the north part of the city on the Metro where we exited at Metro Abbesses.

One of the worst things about the Metro lines in Paris
is that people actually pee in the place. Unfortunately,
many cities, including Los Angeles, have been unable to
deal with public restrooms for the homeless.

My idea was to view the sunset of Paris from Sacre Coeur, which has one of the best views of Paris. After a brief tour inside, we watched a comedian perform on the steps. He was hilarious - as the crowd bustled by him and the gallery watched from the stairs, he would kiss, prod, goose, and engage passerbys in cheeky play, sometimes dancing with women, dusting them off, or being otherwise both brave and playful at the same time.

We then headed for Pigalle, below Montmarte, which is a seedy nightlife area:

Only a few blocks south-west of the tranquil; residential streets of Montmartre is lively Pigalle, one of Paris's two major sex districts. But Pigalle is more than simply a sleazy red-light district. Though the area around boulevard de Clichy between the Pigalle and Blanche metro stops is lined with neon-lit porn shops and striptease parlors - there are also plenty of trendy nightspots - including several all-night cafes and La Locomotive disco. The famous Moulin Rouge cabaret restaurant is nearby. It offers you shows every night.

On the way back to the hotel on the busy metro, a pickpocket tried to victimize both of us. Teddy dropped his drink and papers on the floor and grabbed his wallet in time. Mine was buttoned in, but I felt the tickle of the pickpocket's fingers. The rest of the time on the Metro, I either sat or tried to find a window to butt up to. I kept credit cards separate in the hotel room and always kept my wallet buttoned into my left pocket.

I have to say I was warned by several books about pickpockets. My bible for the trip was Let's Go to Paris, which I must say saved me hours of time. Especially valuable were the tips for the Metro Visit Paris tickets and the Carte Musee.

Day 2

Day 3

The Rest

Rosenbaum Dogs

Our New Poodles