Dawn Ponders: We Just Ate Our Way Across Paris

Can we talk about food?

I am not a foodie. I have lived a vegetarian lifestyle more often than not for more than forty years. I have tremendous problems with dairy. So many things cause my digestive tract to revolt. But, early on in this trip, I decided to eat the foods I wanted, swallow copious amounts of Lactaid, and let the chips fall where they may. I mean, after all, this is Paris. How can one walk through the winding neighbourhoods and NOT stop at a boulangerie, a fromagerie, or a simple café for chocolat chaud?

As The Professional Volunteer stated, "When in Paris, all the rules are out the window."

And so...I ate the cheese. And it hurt. And I ate the croissants and the pain chocolat. And I suffered. And I ate the pain perdu made with croissants and tons of butter. And I farted. And I luxuriated in the baguettes slathered in butter. And I didn't care about the calories or the carbs because it was delicious. And I ordered an apple clafouti to delight in. And I finished every single bite. And we splurged on macarons because it is a moral imperative. And I drank champagne at the Moulin Rouge. And got a bit tipsy. And I ate a charcuterie board filled with cheese and fruit. And my lactose intolerance was very angry with me. It is simply impossible to come to Paris and not eat. If you can come here and stick to your diet, you are better humans than I am. But here's the thing. Why would you want to? I am in one of the world's great food capitals, and I'll be damned if I am going to let Jewish stomach issues or eating plans based on carb deprivation stop me. I figure that we are walking our asses off and that exercise is helping. My clothes still fit, and I am happy. I think that counterbalances the crazy snacking. My doctor may have something to say about my food porn excursion when I see her on Wednesday for my yearly physical, but I'll take the hit. "Come to Paris," they said. "Eat your way across the city."

Much has happened since I last posted, but I will hit the highlights at the bottom. Tonight is our final evening, and I just wanted to say how beautiful this trip has been. The weather has been close to perfect, except for a miserable rainy day yesterday, and even that didn't deter us. How can one go wrong on vacation with good friends, good food, and wondrous sites in one of the most beautiful cities in the world? I will count myself amongst the very fortunate.

A few random thoughts.

* If you plan on coming to Paris, play the tourist. It is really fun to do it that way. We went to the Moulin Rouge and had the best time. It is so kitsch and goofy, and yet, it was a blast. And the food was surprisingly good.

* I can't imagine coming here and not visiting the galleries. Every single one was spectacular. We capped off our art tours with a visit to Giverny and Monet's house and gardens. The Husband figures he took at least one-thousand photos there. The rain stopped and was glistening in the gardens. I can't adequately describe it. It is a must-see. Monet did what most of us would love to do. He created his ideal space, then took that inspiration and put it on canvas. Simply stunning. We then drove to Auvers-Sur-Oise to visit where Van Gogh spent his final summer. We ate in the same café that he did and visited his room upstairs. We walked many of the same fields that acted as his muse in those final seventy days. He was incredibly prolific during this period, painting eighty canvases in seventy days. We stopped by the cemetery where he rests on our way out of town.

* I am less than enamoured by churches, but I must say that Sainte-Chapelle is a wow. The stained glass windows are off the charts. The chapel is small, but the windows left me breathless. The depictions of familiar bible stories had me searching the panels. I was less enthused by the illustrations of Moses with horns, but I cannot change some things.

* As of last night, we had walked close to ninety kilometres. Add in a few more for today, and I am truly exhausted. I feel good about my exercise between the stairs and the uneven streets. Not a bad trip for activity.

* I loved Montemarte and the Jewish quarter. Rue de Rosiers was simply lovely, even in the rain. Every store seemed to have a mezuzah on the door, and we had terrific falafel. There are several memorials to the martyred Jews of France, and somehow we stumbled across them all. We even saw plaques dedicated to children at a school who didn't return from the camps. My heart was in my throat. We climbed to the top of the mountain and were gifted with a lovely view of the city. The Jews of Paris have done an excellent job of keeping the flame alive.

* As I said earlier, the weather has been near perfect. The rain yesterday was kind of yucky. We didn't let it stop us and managed to get to Sainte-Chapelle, Place de Vosges, a parfumerie for Twin Son's Better Half shopping, and Victor Hugo's house. The Husband and I were so tired last evening we came back to the hotel with a baguette and butter and ate dinner on the floor of Twin Son and His Better Half's room. Worked for me.

* I sometimes think that certain things are done explicitly for the tourists. In Montmarte, I saw an older gentleman playing La Vie en Rose on the accordion. Touristy but effective. I gave him a few Euros.

* This is an expensive city. Don't kid yourselves. There are ways to do it without breaking the bank, but it is costly. There is a refinery strike ongoing here, and it is pushing gas prices to crazy heights. The lineups for gas remind me of the 70s. If you think inflation is bad where you live, you should be in Europe now. It is off the charts.

And so, Paris 2022 draws to a close. We head to the airport tomorrow with too many calories in our stomachs and songs in our hearts.

Au revoir. A bientôt.