Room with a View: Paris

"Room with a View: Paris"

3" x 5" watercolor and ink sketch

Bob had never taken the Chunnel train between London and Paris, something I had done with my son Jason in 2000. Thus our departure point to return home would be Paris. We enjoyed the very fast trip and going under the Channel is quite a non-event, but definitely an item on any train buff's bucket list. We arrived about noon and checked into my favorite small hotel, Hotel Michelet Odeon, just off St. Germain, a block from the lovely Luxembourg Gardens, and walking distance to the Louve, the d"Orsay, and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Across the plaza of the Odeon Theater from the front door of the hotel.

Rain had just stopped when I took this photo.

We were nearing the end of the trip and slowing down, so we took it easy during our two-night stay, did quite a lot of walking, visited the museum at the Gardens, had dessert at the tea house in the Gardens, and enjoyed a couple small cafes near the hotel.

Luxembourg Gardens

Paris

Our view from our modest room was of narrow side streets and classic French row houses. So that's what I painted.

Our trip home was excellent because I booked economy and used miles to upgrade to business class. I am now so spoiled that it will be tough to travel internationally any other way. Huge legroom, seats that recline completely for sleeping, and great food. Can you believe this is the appetizer for an airline meal? More like traveling in the old days of flying.

American Airlines

The nice thing about the return is we arrive the same day because California is nine hours earlier than Paris. We left Paris around noon and walked into our home at almost midnight. We would have arrived home a couple hours earlier, but there was a delay in Chicago. We spent the next five days readjusting to West Coast time and pulling together the last of our remodel. That wraps up our 2012 European adventure: three weeks, five countries by plane, trains, buses,vans, a boat, a ferry, taxis, and foot, rotating between two currencies.* Notice this time there were no bicycles involved.


*I am counting Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England as separate countries, which technically they are not.