Due to a miscommunication, my parents were late and I was later. I went up to their hotel room. The door opened. It was weird to see my two lives collide, my family from America was in my city of Paris. We hugged, said the usual greetings, and then recalled a tale about the airport that left me cringing inside. Being my mom's first time ever doing a trip like this, and knowing the jetlag and other things that come with it, I took my parents back to my place for some wine and macarons. As I pointed out various things along the walk home, I felt slightly like a tour guide. They watched as I greeted some good acquaintances on my street, and I realized how much of a home Paris had become.
We had breakfast together in the morning, before we set off. I had made a program to show them Paris. There were some more famous places, and some lesser known places. I took them to the Paris arcades(1) to see 'old' Paris, Chatelet to walk around, the Galleries Lafayette(2) for their Christmas displays, and Opera to take pictures of the Palais Garnier(3). This was interspersed with shopping, as insisted by my mom, and the usual coffee breaks. My dad instantly fell in love with coffee with milk, and I was constantly showing them cases of the little pastries which had become my life. We ended up walking through the latin quarter, after having a wonderful dinner with live jazz. They were not used to walking as much, and I was constantly reminding myself to slow down. Christmas eve ended in a high with carols and mass at the famous Notre Dame(4) cathedral.
Christmas day is a special day, and Paris makes it even more of an event. I took them to the colorful Champs-Elyses(5) Christmas market to buy street food and look at the artisan work. We got a 'Paris' Christmas ornament, and a lot of hot cider. After walking to Concorde(6), we went back to my apartment for a real home made Christmas dinner (the first one in 2 years for me). This year, I was hosting. Every inch of my flat had been scrubbed to perfection, and my kitchen was ready to cook! I tried a modern take on a classic French meal with cheese and lots of wine, duck and rabbit for mains with potatoes and pasta, and a bûche de Noël (7) for dessert. We opened presents under my adorably small Christmas tree, and then watched classic movies late into the night. It was a merry night, full of old and new things together.
The next morning, it was back to business as usual. Paris had returned from the holiday spirit and was in full swing for Monday. I took them to the Louvre(8) museum, to an exhibit about movement and dance in art. We also went through part of the mideval and greek sections. Just being in such a large palace took you back to a time when the things on display weren't just artifacts. Also, it being first thing in the morning, there were significantly less visitors. I do not recommend going in the middle of the day if you visit this museum! Next, we walked to the Seine river(9) for lunch on the river. The company that did the venue was bateaux parisiens, and they offer dinner and lunch cruises. It was very relaxing, and a different way to see Paris. The food, too, was delicious. Next, I took my parents to see the Eiffel tower(10), something I see much too often for it to be special. I walked along the Champ de Mars, and tried to take them to see the adorable area by my university, but we had to go back to their hotel. That night was mom's last night, and we visited some cafes before going back and talking until quite late. It was easy to forget we were in Paris while we talked.
While I did show them some of the more popular sights, I also tried to include a great amount of cultural education. For example, I believe that going to a real café in Paris is just a necessary as going to the Eiffel Tower. There were some other, more local knowledge that I felt obligated to pass on. It is essential knowledge that one does not put butter on a baguette because it is already buttery, and that the type of wine should perfectly correspond with the course you are eating.
Love all and happy holidays!
1 http://www.parisdigest.com/shopping/paris_shopping_arcades.htm
2 http://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/en/galeries-lafayette-celebrates-an-extra-polar-christmas/
3 http://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71227/Opera-National-de-Paris-Palais-Garnier
4 http://www.notredamecathedralparis.com/
5 http://en.parisinfo.com/paris-show-exhibition/142388/marche-de-noel-des-champs-elysees
6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Place_de_la_Concorde
7 http://www.livinglanguage.com/blog/2011/12/19/a-traditional-french-christmas-dinner/
8 http://goparis.about.com/od/parismuseums/a/louvre-museum-history.htm
9 http://www.aparisguide.com/seine/
10 http://www.history.com/topics/eiffel-tower
No comments:
Post a Comment