🙏🏽To be completely transparent with you, a lot has happened in the last year — most notably, Michael and I dissolved our marriage and I’ve been working on reinventing myself. I actually started writing this over a year ago, but due to other projects and a lot of solo traveling, it’s taken me this long to find a way to finish it.
👉🏽NOTE TO THE READER: This blog post will make more sense if you go back and re-read “Paris, Part 1” 😉
“There’s someone out there!” — whisper Ellie & Marleen as they climb the narrow wooden steps up to the loft area where Michael and I were sound asleep.
“I SAID…. I think there’s SOMEONE out there!” — Ellie repeats with urgency in her voice.
“Okay, I swear there’s NO ONE out there” — I say to Michael as I roll out of bed, still half asleep and scrambling for my robe.
We hastily run down the stairs, huddling together like a group of kids in a haunted house, and proceed to open the metal living room shutters to begin our thorough investigation.
This quickly results in Michael announcing that a small rodent — more specifically a squirrel — was the likely culprit of all that ruckus. 😹
“Everyone, go back to sleep” — Michael whispers calmly
The next morning, with very little sleep, we decide it’s best to start off the day in the most traditional Parisian way. ☕️
We brew an espresso, then take a walk to the nearest neighborhood bakery to indulge in some scrumptious freshly baked pain au chocolat. ❤️
Coffee, croissants and chocolate… we were all heaven!
The following weeks were filled with oh la la! 🗼A combination of must-see landmarks — the Louvre, Les Tulleries, La Tour Eiffel, Musee D’Orsay — wandering iconic cobblestone streets, sprinkled with live artistry of every kind, and leisurely walking along the Seine river — which, in my opinion, is the best way to experience Paris.🙌🏽
So now, something useful..
Whenever I visit a new city, the “Hop-On, Hop-Off” Big Bus tours have always been a must for me, especially if I want to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time, but also at my own pace – does that make sense?😹
Pair that with the boat that floats along the Seine and you’ll be sure to experience Paris from every angle.
Versailles: In 1789, the French Revolution forced Louis XVI to leave Versailles for Paris. 👑
The Palace would never again be a royal residence, but in 1837, it became the Museum of the History of France and the conservation of its beauty is worth the trip!
I recommend traveling by train– it takes about an hour and it is the most hassle free and inexpensive way to get there (from Paris). The Palace is open every day at 9 am, except on Mondays.
To make the most of your visit, plan to spend a full day there and definitely rent a golf cart for touring the gardens — as they spread across 1,976 acres — one of the biggest gardens in the world.💐
Montmartre: perhaps the most charming Parisian district, with its cobblestone streets, artists, cafés, bistros and the spectacular white basilica (Sacré-Coeur), the 18th arrondissement is sure to transport you back in time. 🥰
Its village atmosphere appealed so much to the artists of the 19th and 20th centuries, that many called it home. Think Picasso, Modigliani, Miro, Manet, Renoir and Van Gogh. 🎨
I could go on and on about things to do in Paris as this is truly one of my favorite cities in the entire world. 🖤 Every time I visit, I’ve had a distinctive experience and I’ve found magic.
Paris to me, however, is not just a place, it’s a feeling, a soundtrack, a love letter, a painting.
💕It’s about “being” in a hopelessly romantic atmosphere, falling in love with yourself again and simply getting lost in that moment.💕
From Paris, with ❤️ love.
XX — 💋S
The Sabbatical 