Day 3, The Best for Last

This was the day that I was really not looking forward to because it was our Sit and Get/Question & Answer session. I was afraid that it was going to be a typical teacher professional development, but the EF staff was incredibly informative and answered so many questions that we all had.  Plus, we were all exhausted and we needed a bit of time to just sit. And, even better, we didn't have people asking questions that were specific to their issues. That is always a pain when you have to spend 20 min answering questions for one person and that person's info doesn't apply to anyone else.  One thing that was really helpful was that they had two teachers who had traveled repeatedly with EF. Their information was fabulous. They gave so many practical tips on keeping your groups safe and together and how to travel easily.

After lunch, we could have time on our own but almost all of us chose to go with Tristan as he lead us on a trip to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur.  Originally, I thought I would try to go to the Musee d'Orsay because it has so many of the paintings that I really wanted to see.  But, I had never been to Montmartre, and my new theme in life is to do what you haven't done or do what you think you cannot do, so Montmartre it was. This was probably our longest metro ride of the trip as we made a number of connections, and I feel certain I would never have made it there without direct guidance. As soon as we came out of the metro stop, the view was beautiful and I can't believe I didn't take pictures then. The air was so sharp and everything seemed so quaint.

Outside the Metro stop at Montmartre

We walked up through neighborhoods and saw beautiful homes. This neighborhood is one of the most expensive in Paris and has gone through a distinct renovation since the 1950s as at one time it was quite poverty stricken. I knew when we got there that I had made the right choice to come on this trip today instead of venturing out on my own.  Montmartre is incredibly hilly and one needs good walking shoes when going there.  We walked through tiny streets and alleys, saw gorgeous window boxes and geraniums, and even happened on a small vineyard in the center of things.  We continued walking up and down and up and down and finally reached the area of Sacre Coeur.

I really must return and go inside.

Outside of Sacre Coeur, we stopped and talked about the architecture of the church which I have totally forgotten now. We roamed all around the village and saw the artists and shops. It was so fun. The area was packed with tourists but it was such a beautiful area and the artwork was fun to see. We intended to go back into Sacre Coeur but never got there. So, that definitely has to be a place I return to so I can see it.

Our first close view of Sacre Coeur

A Piano Bar for a quick drink

Weary Travelers

After walking for such a long time and climbing hills, we stopped in this little piano bar for a drink.  The walls were covered in notes and drawings that people had left over the years. And, the piano player played Georgia on My Mind for our UGA guy in our group.  This was a tiny little hole in the wall and I kept thinking that this would be where Mike would want to hang out if he were with me.

The artists' stands in the center square of the town were really cool.  They lined every inch of the square and people were crowded around having their pictures drawn.  And the work really wasn't outrageously expensive.  But, I vowed not to buy any art and simply took pictures of those creating it.

Artists' stands surround the center area.

The streets near Sacre Coeur are really narrow so you will often see signs like the one below. Poulbots is not normally the word for children. However, at Montmarte there was an artist named Poulbot who painted so many pictures of small children in his neighborhood that children began to be called petits poulbots. 

Street signs in Montmartre.  Slow down and watch out for the petits poulbots.

This was a really fun Saturday afternoon walking around Montmartre.  There were so many people roaming the town and seeing the sights.  We met in the center market for our final meal as a group at a restaurant called la Cremaillere.  Again, I had to sit in a far corner away from any moving air but I managed to survive.  Delicious, cold wine and a delightful meal.  We started with this beautiful little round dish - which in my snarky little mind, I would have likened to a can of cat food. Here kitty, kitty, kitty.  I chased away my ridiculous thoughts and dug in. Meooooow!  There was a thick layer of tuna on top that was placed on a layer of some sort of carrots, I think.  It was the best thing that I ate on the entire trip.  It was so good.  My friend Jody makes fun of me for taking pictures of my food, so I caved to her peer pressure and refrained from photographing this delight.  It was absolutely unbelievable and I completely blame Jody for my not having more of this memory to share with all of you.  Afterwards we ate a beef meal, which was a bit heavy for me and finished it with a sort of cake that was rolled with a berry mousse.  Delicious, to say the least.

Since this was our last night together, we thanked our tour director Tristan.  He was fabulous and there is no way that we tipped him enough.  He was patient and kind, organized and funny.  Jody and I have been arguing over whether her tour director was better than mine, but I feel certain that no one could beat Tristan. Absolutely incredible.  After thanking him, he spoke for a few minutes and told us how he first participated in educational travel when he was 14.  That experience was so powerful for him that he made a career of it.  This was a great reminder for all of us as teachers and the power that these trips can have for our students.

But, Tristan wasn't done yet.  He had one more surprise for us.  The Moulin Rouge.  We took a delightful walk back down and through the village and headed to the Moulin Rouge. On the way, we passed this delightful little park that has a this work of art on the wall.  It has I LOVE YOU written in hundreds of different languages.  The park was locked and we couldn't get any closer, but what a delightful idea to celebrate love.


Street Scenes

Le mur des je'taime

The Moulin Rouge is one of those places that I want to visit again. We walked all the way down to it, but apparently one must by tickets in advance.  It just sounds like fun and like something everyone should go see in their lives.  I think it's just a cancan dance but what fun. Prior to coming on my trip, I read A Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable that my mom recommended.  It was a fabulous little book and it was set in this neighborhood.  I am so glad I had read it as it gave me a more clear picture of what I was seeing.

This was the last of our sight seeing and our ride back to the hotel was a bit bittersweet that night.  I kept thinking that I was tired and wanted to rest but there was this amazing city all around me and who knew when I would ever see it again.

Our train was a bit slower coming this night and it was nice to have a long train ride back to hash out our day.