This morning, it was daylight savings ending for Europe, so I got an extra hour! I had breakfast downstairs like usual, and then spent quite a while repacking my bags to fly home. I needed to check out and have the hotel hold my bags until I retrieve them this evening. I finished the job pretty early thanks to the extra hour. Sunday mornings are lazy in Paris, so I slowly made my way to Les Halles where some brand name stores might be open soon. It was a very strange mall set up and I got lost looking for a couple particular stores over and over. Iām really happy that I found the German (?) home goods store called SĆøstrene Grene. They had so many great affordable items!! I tried to hold back but I turned a corner and saw yarn!!! I did some back of the hand math to get enough of this thin cotton to make a lightweight summer short sleeve tee.
Before this trip, I found a vegan patisserie chain called Land + Monkeys. We hadnāt been around their locations yet, so this is one of the reasons I came to Les Halles today. Oh my!! The chocolat chaud with oat milk was so good!! The best hot chocolate I could drink without concern in years!! Iāll be honest, the pastries were subpar for Paris. I still enjoyed them and the lack of pill supplementation.
I needed to make my way northwest for a museum timed ticket. Along the way I enjoyed more art nouveau architecture in Samaritaine and popped into a cathedral across from the Louvre. I didnāt plan to visit the Louvre this trip, but the metro station made me feel like I did for just a little bit! Whoa, they have so many artifacts they just toss them in the public underground??
My parents and the internet highly recommended this museum, Jacquemart-Andre. I really liked it! Itās the home of a wealthy couple with a large art collection curated by the wife. They also have temporary exhibits and now it is Georges de la Tour. He was a painter specializing in chiaroscuro in the 1640s. Stef couldnāt use her ticket today and they donāt take refunds. I told the agent I had an extra ticket for a single person to use and she and the group in the āsans billetsā line burst into excitement. Apparently I solved a problem. The joyful old woman from Berlin told me I was an angel and we chatted merrily while she pranced up the cobblestones to scan in on my phone. With the merry start, I was in a good mood and really enjoyed the mansion.
My next target was a well reviewed banh mi shop. It was ok, but I wouldnāt go back there. The shop I love in Broomfield is called āParis Banh Miā and Im glad to know that I can eat a better there on my special sandwich days than in actual Paris.
during lunch I got an update from my friend. Our plan was to meet in the afternoon when she was done with Versailles for a quick hello to the whole family. She thought she was going to be back in Paris around 3 oāclock. At this point she told me we could meet near her hotel at 4 oāclock. I know there were some complications with getting their camper van parked somewhere, and she seems to run late a lot of the time. I had made a list of ideas last night for what to do today in case I had some free time. There were a couple museums on my list, but I donāt think I could go there without rushing through. Studying the map, I saw that the Palais Garnier was between me and our meet up point. I knew there were several shops around there. That would be fun to look through. Everyone told me the shops are closed on Sunday, but that seems to be only the small, old-fashioned businesses. It wouldāve been great to explore some passage ways today instead of these brand stores, but I was happy to have anything open!
it was time to meet my friend, and I was almost there. It was a quiet neighborhood unknown to me, but familiar because of the naked ladies and monuments š unfortunately my friend messaged me that she wouldnāt be able to make our appointment. She tried to come up with another plan and negotiate, but I didnāt have time. I needed to get back to the hotel for my luggage and get to the airport hotel before it got too late. Itās ok though. We have spent a lot of time together this week, and I know we will keep writing in the future, so Iām happy with the way things ended.
Before going to the hotel I made a stop at another Land+Monkeys to warm my hands and get food for dinner. On the metro, I noticed a woman with a water bottle that had an Enhypen and Seventeen sticker on it. I havenāt seen a single symbol of K-pop this whole trip! I was very nervous to mention it, French people donāt seem to talk to strangers, but I was actually listening to a seventeen song at that very moment, and couldnāt let the opportunity slip. It turns out sheās a 22 year-old au pair from Oklahoma and we like a lot of the same groups! Was super excited that I said hello. We got off at the same stop and continue to chat for a while. She even walked me down to the street to the cafĆ© and we took a picture together! Engenes and Carats united! It was a very sweet way to end my visit in Paris.
I sipped my hot chocolate while reviewing the airport route and retrieving my luggage. With my huge IKEA bag of dirty clothes I made the trip to my hotel without too many wrong turns. I had my vegan Mediterranean sandwich (tough bread, delicious fillings) a citron tartelette (meh). and a ācigareā from a middle eastern shop in the fancy GL food shops (soooo good).
More packing, a little rest, a lot of planning, a lot of photo editing and blogging, and now Iām ready to sleep! I have to wake up around 5AM, but approximately 20.5 hours later I will be home! Itās been an amazing adventure with so many good memories. But I really miss home and I look forward to being there very much!!
I made a short list of things I want to leave behind: 1) perfumed soaps and lotions and people and rooms 2) complicated trash sorting required 3) so much dairy! 4) having vertigo swaying when at rest from all the time on planes and trains.
And a list of what I miss: 1) my family. 2) my bathroom 3) dancing / yoga 4) ADA compliance codes 5) having a large drink with me all day 6) wearing sweatpants and a hoodie.
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