August 2, 2008 Part VIII

All things end, good or otherwise, and we wrap up our last day shopping in Paris and having lunch on Rue Cler. We had read about the Bon Marche, so we headed there. It is interesting, impressive, but ultimately uninteresting and crowded. On the top floor, however, Phyllis finds some wonderful needlepoint and all the presents we need to bring back to Gayle (Nana) and Aunt Sharon for taking the kids to camp for a week. If you must go, head up quickly away from the crowds, perfume and ridiculous fashion (ok, there were a few cool things we saw for bajillions of dollars). There are other smaller bookstores and shops nearby and we head to them before going off for lunch. Again, if you want a quieter place to stay in Paris, Rue Cler is the place to settle in. St. Germain de Pres is larger and also nice, but nothing compares to the Rue.

From Paris 2008

Our travel out I’m almost hesitant to mention. I saved a few dollars by routing us from Paris to Dusseldorf then to Atlanta and on to Roanoke. Don’t do this. Don’t go from one European country to another to connect then to fly back. Yes, yes, they have a “union”. That’s great, but that is not the United States. They dump you out on the tarmac and have you go back through security, if you can find it, check in to your next connection, go back through security and, running now, make your connection if you are lucky. We were not happy.

From Paris 2008

But we did make it home, harried and long suffering, but so glad to see everyone.
Some things I learned, knew, found useful:

• Paris can be very hot in the summer- maybe not quite as bad as Washington, DC or New York.
  
• People get concerned about wearing shorts to tourist sites in Paris. Pah, no issue. Wear them.
  
• As mom says, always take a slow boat down the river.
  
• The end of the Tour de France is a great show.
  
• Steak Frites, baby.
  
• Do it. Wait in the line. Go to the top of the tower.
  
• The Louvre is excellent, but there are many other fantastic art collections in Paris- Orsay, Chantilly and many we missed.
  
• For lunch- museum cafes; for dinner- the Marais; for sleep- Rue Cler.