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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2009 10:18:01 GMT
Thank you again Cristina for a wonderful early morning read. I sit with my coffee and enjoy, I do so wish you were staying there longer as I will miss your posts from Paris. Is that particular Brasserie the one famous featured in Alan Furst's novels,do you know? bjd will know what I'm referring to I'm sure. Thanks again.Very generous of you to share all this with us. I too,will take buses in NYC for the above ground sites but after a couple of days go underground as I love subways in general.
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Post by bjd on Oct 21, 2009 11:37:31 GMT
Casimira, I think the brasserie mentioned by Alan Furst is set somewhere near Bastille, so not in the Latin Quarter. A name like Heininger's or something. I don't know if it ever actually existed.
I just found this: As if to ameliorate the absence of chronological order and lack of continuing main characters, Furst utilizes some interesting strategies to make connections across the novels. For example, characters in all of the titles in this review visit the Brasserie Heininger, a Paris nightspot that features prominently in Night Soldiers. In every later reference, a character mentions a dramatic scene that occurred at this location in that first novel. Furst also makes use of a number of recurring side characters or their close family members, a technique I initially encountered and appreciated in the novels of Honoré de Balzac.
Rooting around a bit more, a NY Times article about Alan Furst says Heininger's is in a small passage off Place de la Bastille, but is modelled on Bofinger's on the Right Bank.
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Post by imec on Oct 21, 2009 12:46:43 GMT
Thanks cristina! Sounds like a really nice time. And this installation-in-progress, of cymbals in the pond. I wonder if there will be some kind of musical performance Handel maybe...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2009 13:02:06 GMT
Thanks cristina! Sounds like a really nice time. And this installation-in-progress, of cymbals in the pond. I wonder if there will be some kind of musical performance Handel maybe... or Varese
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 21, 2009 14:11:46 GMT
Cristina, your lively reports read like the beginning of a novel. Can't you stay a few more weeks so we can see how the story unfolds? To steal your phrase, I didn't exactly appreciate the artists' visions in the first two, but absolutely adore the cymbals.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2009 17:18:23 GMT
Rooting around a bit more, a NY Times article about Alan Furst says Heininger's is in a small passage off Place de la Bastille, but is modelled on Bofinger's on the Right Bank. Well, Place de la Bastille is on the right bank, and Bofinger is in a very small street there. I agree that Cristina has given some fantastic impressions of Paris. I may even want to go there some day myself.
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Post by bjd on Oct 21, 2009 19:42:09 GMT
I know Place de la Bastille is on the Right Bank, but when I found that first article I didn't know where Bofinger's was. When I looked it up, I realized that I have walked past it many times, but it looked too fancy for me to ever consider going in there.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2009 20:10:34 GMT
Me too. Most of the Flo chain is beyond my normal price range.
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Post by spaman on Oct 23, 2009 15:46:39 GMT
Christina,
Thanks for the great posts! They make me want to return to Paris really soon.
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Post by cristina on Oct 23, 2009 18:14:27 GMT
Casimira, I'm not familiar with the Alan Furst novels, but it is unlikely that that Café de Paris Brasserie that I went to was famous. It really was just a little local place, with a small outdoor seating area. But the food really was quite good.
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Post by cristina on Oct 23, 2009 18:21:53 GMT
My last full day in Paris. I met my friend at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. I took the No 63 bus from St Sulpice, which should have taken me all the way to Pont De l’Alma but instead decided to terminate at Les Invalides. So, a short hike later and I was there. The special exhibit that we saw was called Deadline, and was made up of the work of 13 artists. All of the works were created during the period when each artist knew they were dying. It sounds like it could have been morbid but it was really, for the most part, very moving. I wasn’t familiar with all of the artists represented, but the roster included Robert Mapplethorpe, Willem de Kooning and Felix Gonzalez-Torres. After touring the exhibit, we went next door to the Palais de Tokyo, which despite its regal sounding name has a most deconstructed interior. We had lunch in the restaurant there, called Tokyo Eats, and it was quite good. I had pasta (which I had craved for a few days) and he had a most wonderful braised lamb wrapped in a flour sheet, sort of Turkish style, I think. The lamb had the sweet and savory seasoning that I am fond of and I regretted that I hadn’t ordered it myself. Lunch for 2 including a glass each of wine – Tariquet Cote de Gascgone (my new favorite wine), and coffee was 39 euros. Afterwards, I took the metro to Galleries Lafayette to do some food shopping. One thing that I knew that I wanted to buy while I was here was fleur de sel. This is maybe the only bargain to be found in Paris. In the US, 125 grams of fleur de sel de Guerand is anywhere from $13 to $16. I bought the same brand and size for 4,20 euros. In fact I bought 6 of them and some will become gifts. My splurges were on Caramel Beurre Sel (ouch on the price, but oh so tasty) and a large assortment of mustards. Also, two bottles of wine, one to drink that night and one to take home. Then, with what seemed like 30 pounds of purchases, I proceeded to make my way to the bus. I never did find the right bus stop and before I knew it I had walked all the way back to my hotel. My packages, by this point, seemed have gained a substantial amount of weight. ;_) There are a large number of pictures that I wished I could have taken today, but my camera battery decided to be uncooperative when it comes to recharging. A fact that I didn’t discover until too late. It has been a really wonderful trip and while I wish it could have lasted longer, I was really missing my children and ready to reacquaint myself with my own bed. By the way, I stayed at the Hôtel Eugenié, on rue Saint-Andre des Arts, a 2 star hotel on a pedestrian street in between the St Michel and Odéon metro stations. Lots of restaurants and cafés in the neighborhood and about a half dozen créperies on my block alone. I was very pleased with my accommodations. The rooms (all with ensuite bathroom with shower or tub) were very clean and the staff was wonderful. My rate was 115 euros per night for a room with a double bed and free wi-fi throughout the hotel. Optional breakfast of croissant, a basket of bread and coffee and juice was an additional 8 euros, which I passed on, but coffee alone was reasonably priced and quite good. Each morning, I went to the Eric Kayser shop around the corner and bought my briochettes au sucre (1.20 euros each) and brought them back to the hotel, stopping by the little dining room to have a tray of café au lait prepared to take to my room. I would definitely stay here again. (And for those inclined towards such things, across the street was the unassuming Théâtre Érotique Chochotte. I have no insights as to the quality of their performances, however). I definitely came nowhere close to seeing a fraction of the things that Paris has to offer, so I will simply need to make a return trip. Soon, I hope. Thanks to all of you for your generous comments regarding my trip. I greatly benefited from other trip reports, such as imec’s, spaman’s and T63’s, other posters' comments in various Paris threads, and of course K2's commentaries throughout the forum. As others here have done before, I’m glad I could take you all along and I hope my little adventure will help someone else with their future trip to Paris. And now, after two days of travel, I am back in Phoenix and wondering how I could become a professional traveler. (I will also post separately, a little more detail on the the QM2 part of my trip.)
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 23, 2009 19:17:19 GMT
Glad you got home okay, Cristina, although I'm selfishly sorry to lose this vicarious trip to Paris.
One thing you really conveyed is how much pleasant sight-seeing can be combined with walks, meals, resting, etc. I enjoyed T-63's reports for the same reason. It's always interesting to hear how real people use their time for maximum enjoyment of a vacation. It was really great the way you gave prices after detailed descriptions of the service, meal, whatever that was purchased.
You were so generous to write all of this to us almost as it happened -- thanks!
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Post by imec on Oct 23, 2009 20:15:37 GMT
...the unassuming Théâtre Érotique Chocotte. I have no insights as to the quality of their performances, however). I bet we all know someone who does ;D.
Great job cristina - thanks!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2009 20:45:10 GMT
Excellent report, and you know that you can always keep adding more and more details because we will never get tired of them!
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Post by cristina on Oct 23, 2009 22:02:29 GMT
Cristina, your lively reports read like the beginning of a novel. Can't you stay a few more weeks so we can see how the story unfolds? Oh, if only I could have stayed long enough to write a novel. I'm pretty sure there was a novel in the making.
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Post by lola on Oct 24, 2009 0:02:53 GMT
Lovely report, Cristina. Thanks!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2009 0:48:33 GMT
Yes,all of the above. I will miss logging in and not having your personal travelogue waiting for me. Your generosity of spirit was so refreshing. Merci!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2009 4:39:07 GMT
The encounters that one can make in Paris when one is lost are worth a novel.
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Post by spindrift on Oct 25, 2009 12:13:48 GMT
Christina - I have only now found your admirable thread. I'd love to hear lots about your voyage on the Queen Mary. Please tell us as much as you can about it. I must remember to carry my camera when I'm on my frequent shopping trips to Southampton. Only the other day I was having lunch in John Lewis' top floor restaurant and I saw the Queen Mary in the harbour....Perhaps you had just disembarked! No doubt I'll see her again sometime and I'll take a picture.
Thanks for this thread.
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Post by cristina on Oct 25, 2009 13:22:04 GMT
Thank you Spindrift! I disembarked on October 15th and the QM2 was leaving later in the day for a tour of the British Isles, which I think lasts for 2 weeks, so you probably did "see" me disembark. Its too bad that I just learned that you lived nearby as we could have met for coffee. As it was, I spent 5 hours in the Southampton airport waiting for the flight to Paris. I would much rather have a met another Anyporter!
And the QM2 post will be up shortly...
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Post by spindrift on Oct 25, 2009 13:33:20 GMT
Oh dear! I could have collected you from the harbour, taken you to my home and delivered you to the airport.....definitely we'll do this the next time! Christina: How 'dressy' do you have to be for dinner on the Queen Mary? Do some women wear long dresses? would trousers be acceptable to 'dressy' tops? Is the aircon turned on full blast and is it cold?
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Post by cristina on Oct 25, 2009 13:35:18 GMT
Oh dear! I could have collected you from the harbour, taken you to my home and delivered you to the airport.....definitely we'll do this the next time! Yay! Another excellent reason to plan another crossing! ;D
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Post by spindrift on Oct 25, 2009 13:39:51 GMT
Not that long ago I was invited to take tea on board the QE2 just before she sailed from Southampton to New York. A friend was travelling back to the States on her. I was thrilled at the prospect but crestfallen when I got on board at the general (not quite dilapidation) scruffy/no taste decor. Maybe that's why she got scrapped.
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Post by cristina on Oct 25, 2009 13:47:34 GMT
Christina: How 'dressy' do you have to be for dinner on the Queen Mary? Do some women wear long dresses? would trousers be acceptable to 'dressy' tops? Is the aircon turned on full blast and is it cold? On the formal nights, most women wore long dresses and the men were in tuxedos. I think the only kind of trouser that would be appropriate for a woman would be something like flowing silk pants, or maybe a feminine tux alternative. However none of the women in my group spent much on our formal wear, opting to buy them in consignment stores or outlet shops. I spent less than $150 total for 3 formal dresses and one dressy cocktail dress, for example. I found the temperature to be fine. My dresses were all bare-shouldered, but I carried a wrap if I felt at all cool. But then I am at an age where I manufacture my own heat so being chilly is less of a problem for me.
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Post by spindrift on Oct 25, 2009 14:01:20 GMT
Thanks Christina. I dress up so seldom now that I find it's a chore to find anything suitable to wear.
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Post by cristina on Oct 25, 2009 14:04:59 GMT
Some notes on the QM2 crossing, since it was fully half of my trip. Get ready for a long post. Starting with some additional photos as we set sail… The band gets the mood going: And the party is in full swing: On this crossing, there were 2,544 passengers, a pretty full vessel. Of those, 1,495 were from the UK, 674 from the US, 121 from Canada 37 from Australia and the remainder from the rest of Europe. Asia was represented by exactly one passenger from Japan. My cabin was very nice and offered plenty of room for my roommate and me, although because we were budget travelers, we had an inside stateroom, which meant no window. When I do this again, I will pay the $100 or $200 more to have a window as I found it difficult to wake up without seeing daylight. But otherwise, I didn’t spend much time in my cabin so it wouldn’t be worth it me to upgrade beyond that. We had the same steward assigned to our cabin for the duration of the trip and he was spectacularly attentive. I think the ratio of staff to passengers is pretty high as we never experienced any difficulty or wait when we needed something. Our cabin was on the fourth deck closer to the aft end, so we felt the motion of the sea slightly more than higher or more forward cabins, but it was really very gentle and I found it soothing to sleep to. My roommate did not find it so soothing and until she went to the infirmary for a shot on the 2nd evening, was looking pretty green. The shot did the trick, though, and she was fine for the rest of the trip. The QM2 is a fairly formal ship and the décor is reminiscent of the days of the Titanic. A few views of the main hall: The view from the Grand Hall A view of the world in brass in the main hall: There were 3 formal (black tie) nights, and one cocktail attire night, which, while a challenge on the packing front, were really fun. There is a class system as well, and while it didn’t bother me, it does offend some. Really, all it means is that there are 3 dining rooms (with different menus), and you are assigned to your dining room based on the class of passage. Since I was in steerage, I was assigned to the riff-raff dining room. ;D But even the riff-raff dined elegantly and very well. Here is a picture of our dining room, The Britannia, before dinner: We had the same waiter and sommelier for the duration of the trip and they very quickly memorized our names and our preferences. In fact, I was enamored of a particular wine and the sommelier had my glass waiting for me when I arrived at our table each night. A couple of my dinners: Appetizer -River Trout Mousse, Waldorf Salad & Crème Fraîche Main - Rack of Pork, Wild Mushroom Ragoût, Truffle Mash & Calvados Sauce Cheese Course – Danish Blue, Gubbeen, Camembert and Dutch Edam On another night, Appetizer – Carpaccio of Venison Loin, Lingonberry Jam and Toasted Pecans Salad – Frisée & Boston Lettuce, Grilled Pears & Duck Confit Main – Surf & Turf of Beef Filet & Garlic Shrimp, Roasted Parsnip Mash, Tarragon Jus Cheese Course – Stilton, Herb Boursin, Muenster and English Cheddar I’m not a dessert eater so I opted for the cheese course instead on most nights, although I could have had both if I wished. My friends thoroughly enjoyed their desserts each night. And our waiter presented us with the collection of menus on our last night (which is the only way I could have recounted my above meals in detail.) The menus also offered a Canyon Ranch Spa selection each night as well for those who wanted to dine in healthier fashion. However I think the regular menu was very healthy as the portions were not over-sized and stayed to my philosophy of “everything is healthy, in moderation.” Breakfast and lunch were equally delicious. There is also a cluster of 4 restaurants called Kings Court that are more informal and buffet style. I ate a few breakfasts and lunches there, but only on the days that I was too hungry to take the time to change out of my workout clothes. While the dining room was less formal for the earlier meals, I didn’t feel comfortable going there in running shorts so Kings Court was a nice alternative. After dinner, there were performances and dancing (both in the ballroom and disco) although we tended to settle into the bar instead and drink ourselves silly. Although even in the bars there was entertainment, including a karaoke night. Most of my experiences in karaoke bars leave me cringing but this ship had some extremely talented passengers so that night was surprisingly fun. As for the spa, there is a full sized Canyon Ranch spa on board and the money I saved by traveling in steerage was put to good use in the spa. For those unfamiliar, Canyon Ranch (their flagship spa is in T63’s neck of the woods in Tucson, AZ, just a 2 hour drive from me) is a very luxurious spa which, in addition to the normal spa treatments, is really focused on healthy living. They offer cooking classes, meditation, health lectures and other balanced living education. My sessions at the on-board spa were worth every penny, especially my Mango Sugar Scrub, which included a very peaceful session in a candlelit whirlpool tub large enough for four people. One of the highlights, for me, anyway, was the daily Afternoon Tea. Since we had an 8:30pm seating for dinner, the 3:30pm tea was a perfect bridge. And the scones were by far, the best that I have ever had. Ever. A photo of The Queen’s Room at tea time, complete with String Quartet: The QM2 offers a number of Enrichment Programs throughout each day, although the majority on this crossing didn’t hold a lot of appeal for me. They do have a troupe from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts on board and I did enjoy their performances. The lectures on my crossing were heavy on science, such as a lecture on Darwin’s lost world, which, while likely interesting, weren’t enough to tear me away from my book or other activities. On other crossings, however, they have had well known guest speakers such as Margaret Atwood and Christopher Buckley. Next October, they have Bill Bryson, one of my favorite authors, booked for a Westbound crossing. Oh, and Jane Russell was a passenger and ended up doing an impromptu interview. I just peeked in for a few minutes, long enough to listen to her recollections on being Howard Hughes muse in the revolution of the bra. The ship also has a large library, with over 8,000 books (and a book club on each crossing), a large and beautiful planetarium and plenty of opportunities for exercise. There is a good sized gym, group yoga and other exercise classes, and multiple swimming pools (both indoors and out). On all but one day when it rained, I favored walking/running (fake running, as my knees don’t enjoy it so much anymore) on the 7th deck, where 3 times around was 1.1 miles. On deck, the only things I saw for the duration was a flock of birds, who I think followed us all the way from NY to Southampton. However another passenger that I spoke with said that he and his wife had seen dolphins earlier in the voyage. A view from Deck 7 (the largest public deck). The cushions for the deck chairs usually came out in the afternoons, when the air wasn’t quite so damp: And for the safety-minded, a photo of the (very large) lifeboats: Since I made this crossing with my best friends, my trip was mostly about connecting with them as we live on opposite sides of the country (and were going separate ways after docking) and don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like. But I have to say that it is a very tranquil way to travel. Even though there are plenty of activities, because you are limited as to where you can go, it really forces you to slow down and appreciate time. I enjoyed that aspect more than I thought I would. I should add that the crossing was really somewhat affordable, at least in relative terms. The total price (excluding the spa and bar bill) was probably half of what you would pay for 6 nights in a 3 star hotel, 3 very good meals per day and entertainment (and my bar bill didn’t break the bank). If one has the time, it is both an economical and peaceful way to travel. And you never feel like you are cutting corners on the extras. I will definitely do this again. Especially now that I know I will get to meet spindrift!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2009 14:41:44 GMT
I can't believe that I've only just stumbled upon this thread. Thanks so much for sharing this trip with us Cristina. So interesting.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2009 15:04:05 GMT
That is a fantastic presentation of the QM2, Cristina, and it certainly aroused my nostalgia for ocean crossings, even though only one of my seven crossings was done as an independent adult (if you can consider barely age 20 to be an adult!).
I can see shades of the "France" in the QM2, probably because they were built by the same French shipyard -- same breathtaking dining room even for the "poor" folks and same sort of showpiece bronze artwork in the main hall.
I'm glad that they are still making an effort to give real entertainment and culture to the passengers during the crossing, because it would have been so easy too just decide to hook up the internet and roll about a collection of DVDs instead.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 25, 2009 15:29:40 GMT
WONDERFUL photos, Cristina! This is absolutely fascinating and certainly makes this kind of a voyage very tempting. What is striking is how the company and the staff really maintain the luxury and glamor of an ocean crossing. You definitely sound as though you were not disappointed.
I am sure making the trip with your close friends enhanced the experience, but would you have also enjoyed it alone? It seems that such a trip would also be appealing for a lone traveler.
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Post by cristina on Oct 25, 2009 15:49:08 GMT
Thanks Deyana, Bixa and K2. I just wish that I had taken more pictures of other rooms and spaces on the QM2. Most of my photos were more personal pictures, capturing my friends, so I had to "steal" these from one of my traveling companions. And there is still much of the ship that is not adequately represented here. I am sure making the trip with your close friends enhanced the experience, but would you have also enjoyed it alone? It seems that such a trip would also be appealing for a lone traveler. From an experience standpoint, I think I would have found the crossing to be fun as a solo traveler. I'm not much of an introvert so I find it easy to engage in conversation with other travelers and in fact met a good number of fascinating people on board. And even traveling with my friends, we certainly didn't spend 24/7 with each other. We always met for dinner (and post-dinner cocktails and entertainment) and usually for tea, but other than that it was hit or miss during the day as we each had different interests. From an economic standpoint, it becomes a bit more difficult. Without a roommate, the single supplement doubles the fare. I would find that much harder to justify since I like to stretch my travel dollar as far as I can.
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