A Few of My Favorite Things, Parisian

On our one-year wedding anniversary, Ariel and I decided to take a pilgrimage to Montmartre, where the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur (Sacred Heart) stands as the highest point in Paris. On our way to the top, we stumbled upon St. Pierre of Montmartre; a welcome solace from the crowds. Inside, the light in the chapel drew us in, and I felt peace in that moment as I absorbed the ancient architecture, originally built in the twelfth century.

On the train to Paris we watched the film Midnight in Paris.  Below is a photograph of Lapin Agile, a famous Montmartre cabaret; it reminded me of the film.  On that day in Montmartre, as I stood beneath the old, pink cabaret I understood the main character in the film.  I felt a nostaligic tug in my heart; a longing for another time, a time I had never experieced.  It felt comforting and sad like perusing through a photo album with my grandmother, reminiscing about times before I was born.

Before we left for Montmartre we emailed our friends Mark and Tyler to ask them where we should eat.  They sent us to a wonderful spot called Le Consulat, which sits at the top of hill, greeting tourists as they arrive to the neighborhood.  I was glad I had waited to try French Onion soup in Paris; Le Consulat's version was wonderful and surprisingly light, since the broth was made with chicken stock and white wine.  It was delicious and perfect.

A couple days later we finally braved the crowds and made it to the Louvre.  This was my favorite sculpture, L'Amore et Psyche, by Antonio Canova, 1797.  The shot was taken from behind; it was the angle in which I discovered the sculpture, and as it turned out, it was the angle I liked best.  I felt there was something innocent about the way the woman draped her arm around her lover, or as I discovered, her love.
 

On our way home from the Louvre, we decided to ride the ferris wheel; the views turned out to to be some of the best views of the trip.  We saw Paris from every angle, and it was wonderful sharing it with Ariel.  I particularily enjoyed this image...it is a ride I will never be able to experience because of motion sickness...I guess it is going along with the nostalgia theme.

I love watching ducks, always.

We loved our Paris apartment.  It was light and cozy with lots of windows, and it stayed cool night and day.

One day we wanted to try a Bahn Mi for lunch.  I did a quick internet search, and we were fortunate there was a much-loved spot, simply called Bahn Mi within a few blocks of our apartment.  We both had the BBQ pork sandwich: stuffed-full with pickled carrots, cucumbers, and fresh cilantro.

One of the last places on our list was Luxembourg Garden, and I told Ariel it was one of my favorite parks of the entire trip.  There were expansive green lawns, people playing a popular European game called Petanque, an apiary, a playground, huge fountains, sculptures, and chairs dispersed througout the park for relaxing, picnicking, and visiting with friends.  It was a gorgeous wonderland.

It is a bittersweetness that we fly back to Seattle tomorrow.  It's been a long, unforgettable journey that has touched me in ways I would not have been able to predict when we embarked two months ago. 

I have become a better person, and a better partner; for these two things I am grateful.  

I plan to keep up with Tasting the Culture back in the States.  I hope you'll continue to join me on this wonderful exploration of community and food.