Golden sunlight filled the room when I woke on my first morning in Paris but as soon as I opened my eyes, I began to sneeze. It had been an unseasonably warm and everything was in bloom, someone told me later. I didn’t let that stop me.
I had planned on being in Paris for only two days then head to Barcelona for a day before returning to London. But when I mentioned my plan to Karen, she said I was crazy, that I needed more time just to see Paris.
My goal for the day was the Champs Elysees, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. So I left the hotel shortly after breakfast, map ready.
Come with me as I walk from the metro towards the Avenue de General-Eisenhower.
Pont Alexandre - MaynefotoPost Alexandre, back view - MaynefotoLights on the Pont AlexandreDetail of the Grand Palais - MaynefotoDetail of door at Grand Palais - MaynefotoParis Street
I spent most of the morning strolling the expansive boulevards around the Champs Elysees, admiring the beautiful buildings that line the street.
I was a little nervous as I walked into the terminal at the Gare du Nord. It was my first time in Paris and unlike my London trip, I was not prepared. I had not mapped my route from the terminal to my hotel. The most I’d done was an Internet search for hotels within a 15-minute radius of the terminal and booked the first one that looked acceptable. It was then that I realized that I’d missed a key part of the plan — I had no idea where the hotel was in relation to the terminal and the city map made absolutely no sense at that point.
I was scheduled to meet my friend, Karen, for dinner at 7:30 p.m. at Le Relais de l’Entrecôte. I had just about an hour to check in and freshen up so I joined the line at the taxi stand. My cabbie was young and Moroccan. We talked about his work, life in Paris and reggae music.
Guy Môquet metro - Maynefoto
The desk clerk gave me a map of the metro and showed me how to get from Guy Môquet to Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Finding Saint Germain was the easy part. It took me almost as long to find the restaurant. No one, not even the folks in a pizza restaurant, seemed to know where rue Saint Benoit was. I got so frustrated that I gave up and hailed a cab.
When I told him where I wanted to go, he tried to give me direction because it was close, he said. By then, I was so turned around, I didn’t trust myself to find it on my own. We’d just started getting into a discussion of Haitian politics (he was Haitian) when we arrived. He was right: the restaurant wasn’t even a 10 minute walk away!
Le Relais de l’Entrecôte was humming. All the tables, including the ones outside, were taken but the wait gave me time to begin my catch up with Karen, who I hadn’t seen in months despite her living just across the river in Brooklyn.
Finally, we got a table. It’s a simple setup at l’Entrecôte. On the menu? Steak. Steak and steak. Well done for me and it was delicious. There was nothing left on the plate by the time we finished.
My dinner at Le Relais de l'Entrecôte - Maynefoto
Karen knew her way around Paris and after dinner, we decided to go for a stroll so I could enjoy my first Parisian night.
Pont Neuf - MaynefotoCathédral Notre Dame de Paris - MaynefotoRue du Grenier sur L'Eau - Maynefoto
When we parted, it was close to midnight. By the time I returned to my hotel, it was a little after 1 a.m. My first Paris night turned out better than I had anticipated.
I fell asleep excited about what the next day would bring.
Train travel is definitely a lot more popular in Europe than it is in North America, where we tend to drive or fly more.
When I heard about the tunnel that was being built under the English Channel to connect Britain and France, I was fascinated. I marveled at the vision and the incredible feat of engineering it took to bring it to life and wondered what it was like for the people who worked on building it.
More than anything though, the idea of traveling in a capsule 250 feet under the English Channel sent my imagination wild. I was particularly curious to experience that part of the trip. How would it feel?
As soon as I booked my trip to London, I purchased a ticket to Paris on the Eurostar. For me, there was just no other way to go.
When the day arrived, I was excited. I couldn’t wait to get on the train. Once I made my way to King’s Cross, I followed the signs to St. Pancras International Station. Since I had purchased my ticket beforehand, all I needed to do was check-in. There were several Eurostar employees helping and directing us so the lines moved smoothly. Eurostar warned that check-in closes 30 minutes before departure but I got there about an hour before.
After going through immigration and baggage check, I found my car and assigned seat – unfortunately, it was not near the window. I read a little, especially during the 20 minute under the Channel. I didn’t know what to expect but I was disappointed by how normal it was!
French countryside from Eurostar - Maynefoto
Once we were above ground again, I kept my eyes peeled as the beautiful countryside rolled pass my window. Approximately 2 ½ hours later, I was in Paris.
Getting There —
Book your ticket online at eurostar.com up to the day of departure – provided there’s availability but be prepared to pay more. For the best prices, book well in advance, say a month prior, and stay away from peak times: weekends, holidays, mornings and afternoons.
There are three categories of tickets: Standard, Standard Premier and Business. Within Standard and Standard Premier, there are two options: Non-Flexible and Semi-Flexible. As the name implies, Non-Flexible offers no flexibility to change, exchange or refund your ticket once you’ve purchased it. Semi-Flexible tickets can be refunded or exchanged up to 2 months after purchase for a fixed fee of Twenty-two Pounds plus whatever the difference is in the ticket you wish to exchange for.
On board –
There are power plugs for electronics however, there’s no wifi. Free internet access is available at St. Pancras, paid at Gare du Nord in Paris.
Meals are served in Standard Premier or Business. If you’re traveling Standard, you can purchase snacks, sandwiches, drinks in the club car.
Visas —
If you require a visa, make sure to get one before you leave your home country. France is one of fifteen Schengen countries that are signatories to the Schengen Agreement which allows travel among the Schengen countries on one visa. The visa is issued by the country that you arrive at first, so if you’re going to France, you’ll need to visit the French Embassy for the visa. If you’re landing in Spain first, go to the Spanish Embassy, etc. To avoid delays, check the visa requirements carefully before you go.
For me, traveling by train in Europe brings on a nostalgia for a time when I wasn’t even born, that I see glimpses of in brochures and old movies. The Eurostar brings me a little closer to that time.
I saw Abbey Lincoln perform at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts years after I had become a fan. (The juxtaposition of the names Abbey Lincoln and the Lincoln Center caused me to question myself for a second.)
Abbey Lincoln courtesy of thegrio.com
She was wiry and dynamic. I can still hear her voice, strong and smoky, as she came on stage. In my mind, I sang along to some of my favorites but soaked in every second of her nuanced performance.
Born Anna Marie Wooldridge in Chicago (1930), Abbey Lincoln was a songwriter, activist and actress. She was married to drummer, Max Roach. Abbey Lincoln was 80 years old when she died last year in New York.
As you may know, the city of Manhattan is laid out in a grid pattern. Twice a year, when the sun sets, it aligns perfectly with the east-west grid of certain main streets: 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd and 57th Streets.
During Manhattanhenge, a viewer on one of these streets can watch the sun setting directly opposite in New Jersey.
Astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson of the American Museum of Natural History is credited with popularizing this phenomena.
This year, according to Dr. deGrasse Tyson, the remaining dates for Manhattanhenge July 11th and 12th (it was also possible to see it on May 30th and 31st). On July 11th, the full sun will be visible on the horizon, whereas on July 12th, only half will be seen.
So, if you’re in or around New York City in July, make sure to look out for Manhattanhenge.
But Manhattanhenge is not limited to Manhattan alone. According to Wikipedia, Chicagohenge will happen on September 25th, Torontohenge on October 25th, and Montrealhenge on July 12th.
I wasn’t sure I had photos for this week’s challenge but I know now not to dismiss the challenge before looking through my collection. Sure enough, I found several photos.
So here are my photos and my thoughts on numbers.
Numbers follow us everywhere we go. When we’re born, our birth announcements include the dates and times of birth and the number of pounds we weighed. Even our names can be reduced to a number. Mine’s 5. Do you know what yours is? If you don’t, you can find it here.
Most of have numbers in our street addresses, social security and telephone numbers. Some people have favorite numbers and numbers that they play. What’s your favorite number?
These are just a few examples of the impact and importance of numbers in our lives. We just can’t escape them!
Here’s my take on this week’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Numbers.
St. Paul's Cathedral - MaynefotoHabana 1791 - MaynefotoCape Numbers - Maynefoto500 steps down, many more to go. Eiffel Tower steps - MaynefotoOne Hundred Trillion Dollars - Maynefoto
How do you numbers affect your life? Please share!
When the weather turns hot, all I want to do is drink – water, mostly – and eat light, very light.
One of my favorite light meals is gazpacho, a cold soup that I was introduced to in Spain, that is made from fresh tomatoes and chopped raw vegetables.
It’s my summer meal lifesaver. This recipe that I found on spain-recipes.com comes closest to the way I make mine.
Traditional Gazpacho Soup
Cold tomato soup
21 oz. of tomato (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic
2 onions (chopped)
2 red and green peppers
1 cucumber (optional)
7 tablespoons of oil
2 tablespoons of vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon of water
Cumin (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley to garnish
Preparation
In a big mortar mash cumin and garlic. In a plastic bowl, mix the chopped onion, chopped tomato, oil, vinegar, salt and the contents of the mortar. Pour half of the chopped mixture in a food processor (or blender) add very cold water and blend. Add salt and the remaining chopped mixture, mix and pour into a glass or other non-metal, non-reactive container. Keep it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (longer is better) to let the flavors blend. Garnish with parsley. Serve chilled.
Can be served with diced, toasted bread or avocado wedges.
Note: I prefer to use a mortar but a blender or food processor works as well. If you like it chunky like I do, set it to chop, not puree or liquefy.
Located across the Hudson River, Newark is the largest city in New Jersey and the third oldest of the major cities in the United States. Not a typical or popular tourist destination, Newark has plenty to offer.
With a population of more than 270,000, it is one of the state’s most ethnically diverse cities with African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, etc. A significant Brazilian and Portuguese population is concentrated in the Ironbound district, also called “Little Portugal.” Ironbound is known for its European feel, restaurants and the annual Portuguese Festival which is held in June.
Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Five Things to Do in Newark –
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) – Home of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, NJPAC is the sixth largest performance arts center in the U.S.
Newark Symphony Hall – the oldest and largest showcase for the arts in New Jersey. (I saw a concert there sometime ago. Tickets for the same show at Rockefeller Center in NY was way more expensive!)
Newark Museum – New Jersey’s largest museum of the arts and natural sciences
Institute of Jazz Studies – Located at the Newark campus of Rutgers University, it is the largest and most comprehensive library and archive of jazz and jazz-related materials in the world
Newark is approximately only 8 miles from New York City and easily accessible via New Jersey Transit. By train to Newark’s Penn Station or Newark Liberty International Airport if you fly in.
Memorial Day is the day set aside to remember the those men and women who have died for this country.
Personally, I’m conflicted about war but I’m clear about this: It isn’t the war, it’s the people – fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts and cousins – who matter. They matter because of the sacrifice they make.
I visited to Arlington National Cemetery twice when I lived in Washington, D.C. The first thing that struck me were the rows and rows of pearly headstones — stretching as far as my eye could see — set atop a carpet of lush green grass. As I walked around, I was struck by the eerie silence that hangs like a blanket over the cemetery. I found myself whispering when there was no need to. As if talking would be irreverent.
As far as I know, I don’t know anyone who’s buried at Arlington but I know it’s an honor to be.
And having lost close family members, I can imagine the grief their loved ones feel.
Years ago, when a holiday was declared to honor Martin Luther King, many of my friends said we had to make sure that the day didn’t turn into a day for sales.
I’m not sure when Memorial Day weekend became known as the unofficial start of summer or when Memorial Day evolved into a day for sales but to my mind it cheapens the memory of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Arlington National Cemetery is open 365 days a year. From 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from April to September and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from October to March.
