I think that I have enjoyed the blog as much as anybody. I’ve been in the posts, suggested photo selections for the posts and marveled at Steve’s amazing ability to turn a phrase. He has made this vacation more enjoyable for those of us on it and for all our friends who have lived vicariously through the blog. But since this is our last night in Paris, I thought I should have turn at posting a little bit of Paris, though my eyes.

A couple of nights ago, Andrew and I were talking about some of the best things that happened on the vacation. Since Andrew and I are the only ones who didn’t either keep a journal of the trip (mine lasted for about 5 days) or blog the trip, I thought we should each post a list of our top 5 to 10 highlights from the vacation. Here are a few of mine, in no particular order, with Andrew’s and Will’s to follow:

1. Watching the boys and Carol tentatively taste and then and relish escargot, and finish by sopping up the garlic butter with all the available bread on the table.
2. For those of you who have read previous entrys, all I need to say is the “wild Flaxwiler cows.” It was an experience never to be duplicated.
3. To my great surprise, I loved the Tour Effiel. It was massive and delicate both at the same time. Walking to the second level was more than high enough for me. The view was amazing.
4. Sitting one evening in some anonomyous sidewalk cafe in Paris with Steve, drinking wine and eau minerale, watching the day’s light drain away and the people return home with baguettes under their arms.
5. The Musee d’Orsay.
6. Visiting my best friend Stacie from high school in Luxembourg and getting to see the fascinating multi-lingual life she is living in Luxembourg with her Finnish husband and two great kids. She speaks French with her Portugese cleaning woman, French to do her daily errands, English at work and at home, and Finnish with her husband’s family. Her kids are tri-lingual as well. We were overwhelmed by their hospitality.
7. The Menagerie in the Jardins des Plantes. Because this zoo is so ancient, the cages and enclosures are really small. We saw animals that you would never be able to see up close in an American zoo. Our favorite was the oranguatang family – mother, father and toddler. The father faithfully groomed the wife by what appeared to be the human custom of popping the zits on her chin. A huge crowd gathered to watch this spectacle.
8. Le grand magasin Au Printemps. All I can say is that it is a good thing they don’t have department stores this good in the US. Oh, the dishes, the linens!
9. The Coquilles St. Jacque (scallops) I had in saffron cream sauce one night with Steve in a little cafe on a leafy square in the Marais. They were accompanied by a small mound of mouthwatering julienned leeks sauteed in butter.
10. The cheese, the bread and the chocolate.
11. (Okay, I couldn’t keep it to 10). The warmth and welcome we recieved from Patrick and Laurence. They invited us into their home and did everything they could to make us feel at home. We especially appreciated the lovely soiree Laurence’s parents made for us. These are just the nicest people you could ever care to meet. We were very lucky to happen upon them over the internet and hope that we can keep in touch in the future.

Here are Andrews:

1. The Tour Eiffel
2. All the weapons at the Musee de l’Armee.
3. The zoo.
4. Eating the best steak in the world at a restaurant behind the Arch de Triomphe.
5. Being able to drink champagne at Laurence’s parents’ house.
6. Eating a great steak in Chalons en Champagne in France on the way to Luxembourg.
7. Going to the Panoramabad in Germany.
8. Staying in a cool hotel in Germany, the view and the mountains and that it had a sauna and an indoor mineral pool.
9. Listening to the Da Vinci Code on books on CD and then getting to see the Mona Lisa in person.
10. My first ride on the Metro.

Will’s in order from best to least:

1. The Eiffel Tower
2. The zoo
3. Napeoleon’s tomb
4. The City of Luxembourg
5. The Panaromabad in Germany
6. The boat tour of the Seine
7. The Arch de Triomphe
8. The Louvre
9. Notre Dame de Paris
10. The Pompidou Center and its modern art

It has been a wonderful experience for all of us. The bags are packed and tomorrow we go home. I think I need one last glass of wine.

• Last Blog in Paris
• Back in Sonoma County, But Dreaming in French

Categories: Travel -- France