Portugal, Paris, Sicily and Florence

[ellen10]

They are still restoring the outside at the side and back

 

[ellen10]

A return visit to Paris is not complete without a visit to my favourite grand store. Galaries Lafayette. Where everything designer costs way more than my budget!
But the view inside is always a visual joy and it had a great rooftop view.

 

[ellen10]

A hint for people visiting Paris and wanting to use the metro. Buy a Navigo Decouverte pass it is good for Monday to Sunday night. You will need a passport size photo, take it to a ticket window pay 31.60 euro. They will give you a plastic pass in a little sleeve with your photo pon it, which you tap on and you are good to go for metro, buses and it will even get you to CDG airport. Great value.
We love the Paris metro, but wow some of the trains are super crowded and yet you arrive at a station and more squeeze on.

Our favourite street in Paris is rue mouffetard. In the 5arr, the Latin quarter. It is where we had our first apartment stay many years ago. It is a street full of food market stores. Fromagerie, charcuteries, boulangeries, poissonneries, pâtisseries fruit and vegetables stalls and quaint cafes, for people watching. All locals shop there with their baskets and sacks full of yummy goodies. Sigh.

 

[ellen10]

Next day we met up with a young French man, who we hosted in our home a few urea’s ago. Which was a nice catch up. He showed us a few different places. Small galleries, the largest library ( bibliothèque) in Paris, which was filled with of people studying, reading and enjoying the silence. We also passed by the louvre ( we did not go in this time, we have been several times before.

I also had a very expensive pot of tea on the fashionable street of rue Kléber, at the elegant Richard V café, opposite the Trocadéro where it is crowded with view picture takers and influencers from all over the world.

I had a croqué madame for brunch. Watched closely by a hungry dog.

 

[ellen10]

Pont Alma, wher Princess Diana died and some tributes
And another delicious wine

 

[FlyingFiona]

You've seen some great tourist sights during your time in Paris, Ellen. The two photos of the nave of the cathedral were interesting, one calm with almost no one praying, and then in the other it's utter bedlam!

(Also I can't get over how much they charge for tea in France. It's absolutely ludicrous no matter where you go.)

 

[Flyfrequently]

Next day we met up with a young French man, who we hosted in our home a few urea’s ago. Which was a nice catch up. He showed us a few different places. Small galleries, the largest library ( bibliothèque) in Paris, which was filled with of people studying, reading and enjoying the silence. We also passed by the louvre ( we did not go in this time, we have been several times before.

I also had a very expensive pot of tea on the fashionable street of rue Kléber, at the elegant Richard V café, opposite the Trocadéro where it is crowded with view picture takers and influencers from all over the world.

I had a croqué madame for brunch. Watched closely by a hungry dog.View attachment 470176View attachment 470177View attachment 470178View attachment 470179View attachment 470181View attachment 470182View attachment 470183View attachment 470184

Really enjoying your photos and TR @ellen10
And - there is Mr ellen10 in shorts and everyone else is rugged up in puffer jackets and coats!

 

[Dalescott]

I've heard all sort of info about pickpockets in Paris. Have you found this to be an issue. Do you take any precautions.

 

[FlyingFiona]

I've heard all sort of info about pickpockets in Paris. Have you found this to be an issue. Do you take any precautions.

France has one of the highest crime rates in Europe and pickpockets are the worst in Paris.

I'd be interested to hear if Ellen has encountered any trouble. In all my years of living and visiting there I have never been pickpocketed. I rarely go to the main tourist areas though and I'm careful all the time (zipped up cross body bag, hand on it as much as possible. Nothing in my pockets. Minimising phone use on the Metro and always so that my hands protect it being snatched from me. Etc.

I also read the riot act to any friends or family who visit while I'm there and I keep an eye on them. Just be mindful of where you put things (on your body/at cafés/in public transport) and be careful. If you are at main tourist attractions be REALLY careful.

 

[ellen10]

Really enjoying your photos and TR @ellen10
And - there is Mr ellen10 in shorts and everyone else is rugged up in puffer jackets and coats!

@Flyfrequently , Mr Ellen 10 is a shorts man! He hates long pants and feeling hot. And those crowded metro trains are very hot and people are so rugged up, whilst we feel the sweat trickling down our insides.
This trip he has taken no jeans but two nice pairs of trousers, fior when we go out to dinner, or fly.

I have lots of photos of us in the pictures but cannot work out how to block our faces on my iPhone shots.

 

[ellen10]

I've heard all sort of info about pickpockets in Paris. Have you found this to be an issue. Do you take any precautions.

I am much more concerned about pickpockets than Mr Ellen10, he is much too casual.
Most of his shorts have the button down pockets and when on the metro he mostly does have his hand by his picket. I wear a cross body small travel bag.
On the metro we often heard announcements about pickpockets and to mind your things.
And those trains we mostly very crowded.

Our French friend, who does not live in Paris but met us there, walked around with his phone in his back pocket and small wallet in his pocket.
People walk around looking at their phone all the time.
Mr Ellen10 has some ear phones that he can keep his phone in his pocket, but hear map directions if we are trying to find a specific route.

Thankfully we did not see or experience any evidence of pickpockets.

 

[ellen10]

You've seen some great tourist sights during your time in Paris, Ellen. The two photos of the nave of the cathedral were interesting, one calm with almost no one praying, and then in the other it's utter bedlam!

(Also I can't get over how much they charge for tea in France. It's absolutely ludicrous no matter where you go.)

@FlyingFiona , my elegant pot of tea on rue Kléber was $17!

 

[FlyingFiona]

I have lots of photos of us in the pictures but cannot work out how to block our faces on my iPhone shots.

I think that horse has already bolted from your second post

 

[FlyingFiona]

@FlyingFiona , my elegant pot of tea on rue Kléber was $17!

Well that's the moment to order champagne instead

 

[ellen10]

We stayed in a small apartment in the Bastille area. My main requirements when searching for one was, a lift ( I have done those 4 stories spiral staircases before with bags)!, a washing machine (essential) after two weeks of travelling. A comfortable bed, not a small double.
And convenient location to a metro stop. We had a little supermarket across the street for basics. And good boulangeries close by, yum! A favourite brasserie, we went twice. Lots of options for everything nearby. The place was pumping with locals on Friday and Saturday night.

Unfortunately I never remember to take photos.
I like to try and stay in different areas each time.

 

[ellen10]

The Bastille

 

[ellen10]

@FlyingFiona if you like to visit non tourist locations, you might be interested in visiting the Albert Kahn museum on the outskirts of Paris. We went there with our friend as he has a friend who works there.

Albert Kahn collected images and photographs from all over the world and they are housed in this museum. Very interesting collection and nice gardens.

Musée Albert-Kahn - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org