Frankly, getting to Paris from San Diego sucks. It’s a long, long journey that requires a transfer somewhere and nine time zone changes. By the time we arrived at Charles De Gaulle Airport on a cool, drizzly morning we were exhausted.

As in past visits (many years past) we decided to take the train into Paris.  It’s an easy ride except for having to drag our overstuffed carry-ons up and down multiple underground stairways. As we age—and our carry-ons seem to get heavier—we realized these old grey mares just ain’t what they used to be! Bottom line is we shoulda taken an Uber!  

But that’s enough bitchin. We are in Paris! And we are here for three weeks. In a comfy apartment in a classic, Haussmann-style* building. And we are just a 16 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower. So no more complaining today!

Our first order of business was shopping for a few French essentials like cheese, fruit and a baguette for our first meal.  Then we rested and nested till dinner. 

We walked too far to our first dinner reservation, decided it didn’t have the vibe we wanted and then wandered back toward home to a quintessential, neighborhood Bistro called Le Suffren. We ordered the classics: onion soup and steak frites for him, and salmon hold the sauce for me.  Then we dragged our sated, but jet lagged, bodies home to bed by 10 pm!

All that walking yesterday did reveal where the best bakeries were. So this morning, I made a quick outing and brought home the perfect, crusty on the outside baguette, an amazing apple tart and a pain au chocolat.  I fired up the French press with Illy coffee and we enjoyed our own petit dejeuner at home. All in all, a nearly perfect first 24 hours.

While we are in Paris pretending to be Parisiennes, our Home Exchanger is hanging out at our San Diego home, enjoying West Coast sunsets and beaches and probably a taco or two!

*More about Haussmann architecture:

https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-haussmann-architecture-5180196

9/10/24