Given away by the title of this entry, Dave just came to Paris to visit me! He arrived on March 26th and managed to stay awake for most of his first day so that we could go sight-seeing. After grabbing a quick cafe lunch, we headed for the top of the Arc de Triomph.
Then we strolled down the Champs-Elysees and through the Tuileries and across the Seine past the d’Orsay where we picked up a baguette that we proceeded to carry for the next two hours across the city, though the rain. Because yes, French people do carry baguettes in the street. Checked into the hostel, then headed out to Bastille for some tapas and sangria!
Sunday we got pain au chocolat for breakfast and walked down the Promenade Plantee above the Viaduc des Arts before Dave headed off to see the Masters at the Louvre and I went home to study. Rendezvoused for dinner at a brasseries with a surly waitress, then took a nighttime cruise down the Seine and saw the city all lit up!
Monday I had midterms and class all day, and Dave wandered around Ile de la Cite and saw Notre Dame before we met up for fondue on Rue Mouffetard at the same place I went for my birthday.
Tuesday I skipped Sorbonne (ooops!) and we headed to Versailles, where we rode around on a tandem bike and picnicked in the gardens–casual. Got caught in the rain on the way back to the train station but back in Paris we found a warm and surprisingly cheap cafe at the bottom of my street.
Then for dinner we went to my favorite, and oft mentioned, restaurant, Aux Bons Crus, where I had the salmon for the third time in a row and Dave had the veal and we got the chocolate cake and IT WAS AMAZING!
Wednesday, Dave met some SC people at Accent and then we went to L’As du Falafel in the Marais to sample what Lenny Kravitz calls the best falafel in the world. I’d be inclined to agree. Then we went to the Catacombs, which were pretty creepy but not as bad as I expected – we just couldn’t get over how many bones there were and how neatly they were stacked – it was insane!
Went to Cafe de l’Industrie for dinner – this hip place in the Bastille where Accent took us for our welcome dinner. Highlights: the honey potatoes and the red fruit and whipped cream for dessert.
Thursday morning we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower!! I freaked out (obviously) but Dave can handle heights and he made it all the way to the top – where (apparently, I wouldn’t know) there is a man in a tux behind a tiny bar selling champagne. And a mailbox where you can get mail postmarked from the Eiffel Tower. Wandered around the Latin Quarter and got Berthillon (the best ice cream in Paris) before running off to class. Got La Perle (Mexican) for dinner in the Bastille after packing for our next day departure to Brussels!
Friday we hopped on the Thalys train to Brussels and after a 90-minute nap arrived and navigated our way to the Grand Place. We allowed ourselves to be convinced to eat mussels and fries at one of the many restaurants with the exact same menu. Then headed slightly out of town and to our adorable bed and breakfast! Later headed back to the Grand Place area to find the Mannekin Pis, some cherry Belgian beer, chocolate, and Thai food (?) for dinner. We pretty much just ate our way through the city.
Saturday hung out in a nice park before heading back to Paris for some Ramen and packing. Made our way out to the airport where we stayed at a very centrally located ibis before Dave’s flight this morning.
All in all an AMAZING WEEK!!!