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After another wonderful breakfast (I'm still dreaming about those croissants!) we headed to the Metro, and met up with a local guide who would take us through the eclectic Montmartre district. We walked up - instead of down - and wove our way through this historic and picturesque neighborhood. Reaching the Sacre Coeur Church was a highlight, and we enjoyed some wonderful view of Paris from the top of the hill!
We had the afternoon free, so my sister and I walked down and found a neighborhood cafe that served wondeful buckwheat crepes, another specialty we had been wanting to try. After resting at the hotel for a few hours, we met the group in the breakfast room for a lovely wine tasting, hosted by Arnaud. He introduced us to several varieties from various regions of France. |
Dinner at Le BosquetOur delicious, but perhaps unhealthiest meal during this trip started with French Onion Soup, then we moved on to Duck Confit and fries (cooked in the duck grease) and ended, for me with a wonderful rice pudding. Thank goodness for all this walking!
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We ended our day on the SieneThe last item on our itinerary today was a "dreamy" cruise on the Seine River. Well, I can't say it was dreamy for me - the boat was loaded with very large tour groups (another aspect of the Rick Steves tours to be appreciated!), and it was pretty chilly, and it was pretty dark! There was commentary in several languages, and by the time they reached English, I had no idea where the landmark was - partly because it was so dark, partly because I couldn't understand what was being said! So, I enjoyed the twinkling of the Eiffel Tower, and listening to the groups of young people screaming every single time we cruised under a bridge. I enjoyed that so much that I decided to join in!
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Thanks, Rick, for the tip!
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You learn something new every day!Paris is the ultimate city for discovering new artists. I had never heard of Maurice Utrillo (1883-1955) until our Montmartre walk. I was enthralled by his story, and that of his mother, Suzanne Valadon. We were delighted to find some of his works at the Orsay when we visited later in the week.
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