The Grand Finale

 Two Days in Paris certainly aren't enough time to fully absorb the sights, food, and culture, but they are a good start for a future return. Grand Circle's attention to detail and the range of cultural and culinary experiences to fully immerse passengers made this truly a trip of a lifetime. Their staff and program directors were knowledgeable and attentive to individual needs. Discovery Walking Tours in each town were rated one shoe, two shoes, or three shoes by level of difficulty. Some moments physically challenged me with uneven surfaces (cobblestone streets), a lack of handrails, and steps up and down everywhere: in and out of buses, on and off the boat, and in and out of historical buildings and chateaus. One needed to stay attentive to their surroundings at all times. 

On our last day in Paris, we took a bus to Montmartre, a village outside Paris that sits on a hill around the iconic Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The area is known for its vineyards, windmills, and artistic spirit. It is also where famous artists like Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec worked. and lived. It became the birthplace of modern art.  We were lucky to get a visit in, since with the Pope's arrival the next day, many areas and places were going to be restricted.  

     The Basilica of Sacred-Coeur

The inside was just magnificent-breathtaking. 

A word about bathrooms: Paris has no public restrooms except in parks. During COVID, they were eliminated. We were encouraged to find a cafe, buy an espresso for 2 euros, and use their toilets. LOL, I had been saving my euros from my last European trip just to cover this.

Artists painting in the park. 

Most Parisians either drive small cars or motorcycles (gas is over 10.00 euros a gallon), ride bicycles, or use public transportation. Traffic is downright scary and moves at a frantic pace. A word of caution as a pedestrian: watch your surroundings at all times. 

Love Lock Bridges

If you have ever been crossing a bridge and found yourself faced with hundreds – or even hundreds of thousands – of padlocks and wondered why? This cultural phenomenon appears across the globe. Love locks are padlocks attached to a bridge, often with a romantic couple's initials etched or painted on their surface. Once locked, people toss the key into the water below. It’s widely interpreted as being symbolic of the couple’s commitment to each other, in permanently affixing themselves in the form of a padlock to a bridge of their choosing.

In the afternoon, some of us went with the program director to a French cafeteria where little English was spoken. Charley had an unusual dish: a soupy like dish of lentils with ham and sausage.  I passed on this dish! 

But I did enjoy a side of Chocolate Mousse. 

Afterward, we meandered the streets of Paris for some "window licking" and souvenir shopping. 

Le Grand Opera House

A night glimpse of the famous Moulin Rouge 

FAREWELL CAPTAIN'S DINNER

They pulled out all the stops for this event. We ended as we started with a Kir Champagne cocktail and appetizers. Then we moved on to another 5-course meal, which included Filet Mignon and Baked Alaska. I have seen their galley kitchen and am amazed they can turn out these delicious dishes (visual masterpieces) for 97 passengers. 

     

And so all good things have to end sometime😉 and back to reality for The Readys. I am looking forward to ordinary food like a hamburger and a bowl of cereal.

THANK YOU, readers, for following our French culinary and cultural journey. And a SHOUT OUT to  Grand Circle for making it so special. We are grateful to have been blessed with this opportunity to experience life in another country.