Paris Part II

Eiffel's first protoype with Eiffel Tower in the background

During my week in Paris with my niece and nephew, we ate very well.  I made sure that there was only conversation during our meals together and no video games, texting or what have you during this educational trip of a lifetime.

I had to refer to my 1000 Things to See Before You Die book for all the things to see and places to eat.  Our first stop was Angelina's.  It's right on the Rue de Rivoli and is famous for its hot chocolate -- or as my girlfriend, Laurie, puts it, chocolate sludge.  I mean, truly, this was a decadent drink.  It started out liquidy and the first sip conjured up images of a bite of chocolate.  It was rich.  As it sat there, the drink started to solidify.  How many bars of chocolate do you think was in this pot of chocolate I asked the children.  Perhaps 10 was the guess.  We didn't get an official answer but it certainly felt that way.

my half bottle of Jaboulet

At every meal, I had a glass of wine.  On this particular trip, I leaned towards the Rhone reds.  Every restaurant we frequented offered one, mostly from the southern Rhone.  What's the difference between north and south?  The southern ones are mostly blends.  The northern ones are mostly single varietal of syrah.  What I liked about being in Europe is the offerings for half bottles are far more plentiful than in the States.  Sometimes you know you'll have more than a glass but don't want a bottle (that's WAY too much!).  A half bottle is a perfect size for a dinner for one.

Tips from the trip:

•  Admission to the museums is free for children.  That was a huge savings for us, especially since there were two of them and one of me.  Each museum had a different age limit, but most were free for ages 18 and under;
• DEFINITELY get a Museum Pass.  Our hotel was near the tourist office so I bought my 4-day pass there and didn't have to pay anything on top of the nominal service fee.  If you are planning ahead, you can buy it online and have the pass either shipped to your hotel via DHL or to your home for an additional charge; 
• It's hard to have a bad meal in Paris, even an inexpensive one.  One day the kids wanted cheese and bread, so we jumped on the subway to Galleries Lafayette and went to the beautiful market there (think Harrods' food hall), bought a baguette and a hunk of cheese for lunch.  It was probably the most inexpensive meal during our trip and their happiest one.
• The subways and trains were easy enough to maneuver, but there were times we just cabbed it.  It wasn't that much more than the subway fare combined and made our lives a little easier.
• I studied French for 7 years in high school and in college.  While I do not remember nor use it much, whatever was in my French arsenal, I belted out like it was nobody's business -- mistakes or no mistakes.  I have found that wherever I go in the world, even if I try, the local is more apt to assist and meet me halfway with his or her limited English.  The kids experienced this first hand and learned to say bonjour, bon soir, merci, si vous plait.  We got better service and were treated kindly during our stay than in all the times I have been to France combined.

Crepes with banana and chocolate sauce warmed me up!

Links:
http://www.angelina-paris.fr/en/
http://en.parismuseumpass.com/