We’re on a foodie tour in Paris, France. Life is good! It’s a walking tour in Paris’ Marais district. We’ve made two stops so far. The first was at an award-winning boulangerie, where we sampled baguettes and croissants. Ooh la la. Then we visited a chocolatier of the highest repute. Mon Dieu. Our next stop will be at la fromagerie – the cheese shop. C’mon! Continue reading ““Le Foodie Tour” Continued – La Fromagerie”
Le Foodie Tour
It’s 10:00 AM in Paris. We’re in a coffee shop in the Marais district called Café de la Poste. This is the meeting point for “Le Foodie Tour”. We’ve arrived early, so we have time to have coffees before starting the tour. Continue reading “Le Foodie Tour”
Le Marais
Today we’re going on a foodie tour. We’ll meet up with a guide and a handful of other “foodiphiles,” then walk to wherever our guide takes us, tasting what Paris has to offer along the way. Guides on these tours usually know their stuff, so we’ll probably learn a lot, too. We opted for a tour that takes place in one of our favorite Parisian neighborhoods: “Le Marais.” Continue reading “Le Marais”
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
We’re in Paris, gazing up at “la Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.” It’s been a month since the fire. If you’re a fan of Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” you can’t walk by the great church in its current state without thinking of poor old Quasimodo, the hunchback himself. In the story, it’s he who starts the church on fire. OK, that was a bad thing to do, but he had his reasons… Continue reading “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
Notre Dame After the Fire
Today we’re going for a walk that will take us by Île de la Cité, the island in the Seine river where the mighty Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris stands. It’s been a month since the fire. I don’t know why I want to see Notre Dame after the fire. I just do. Continue reading “Notre Dame After the Fire”
Paris After the Fire
There’s something special about Paris. We’ve been here a bunch of times, and so far at least, we’ve never tired of returning. But in the past year or two, it seems that all the news about Paris has been bad. Riots. Poverty. And of course, the disastrous fire at Notre Dame. Will it be the same Paris today that we used to know? This is our first visit to Paris after the fire. We shall see. Continue reading “Paris After the Fire”
Paris, Normandy, Dublin – Here’s the Plan
I’ve always wanted to go to Normandy, France. It’s supposed to be a cheese-lover’s paradise. Dairy, in general, in fact. Butter! As I understand it, just about everything that comes out of a Norman kitchen is made with butter. Cooks in Normandy have no use for olive oil. For them, it’s butter all the way. Continue reading “Paris, Normandy, Dublin – Here’s the Plan”
Vietnam Trip Summary
Ten days ago, we entered Vietnam via the Mekong River. We cruised around in the Mekong Delta, visiting small towns along the way. When we disembarked, we took a bus to Ho Chi Minh City, where we boarded a plane to Hanoi. We’ve been in Hanoi four days, and now it’s time to return home. Here’s a Vietnam trip summary. Continue reading “Vietnam Trip Summary”
Hanoi’s Old Quarter
We’re on our way to Hanoi’s Old Quarter. It’s just about the only part of Hanoi that we’ve seen, but it’s so enchanting, it seems to be pulling us back for one last visit. Continue reading “Hanoi’s Old Quarter”
Breakfast Bánh Mì — Oh, Baby!
It’s our last day in Hanoi. Even though we haven’t seen most of the main tourist attractions, we decided to go back to the Old Quarter and just hang out. But first, I’m taking an early-morning walk that, unbeknownst to me, is going to lead me to my first breakfast bánh mì. Continue reading “Breakfast Bánh Mì — Oh, Baby!”
