Loving the big red bus…

Settled in, board the big red bus and take in an overview of Paris’s 20 Arrondissements and icons. Bearings for Dicky, a refresher for Fifi and Pixi, and foundations for the week’s plans.

Feeling right at home in our light and airy little Pension on the Saint Germaine Boulevard surrounded by a myriad of little cafes, restaurants, book stores and art galleries typical of the Latin Qua20110529-080733.jpgrter, action central, meeting place to bring in the weekend…close to the Seine, a hop from Notre Dame, stones throw from the Louvre and a skip to the Musee de Orsay.

Dicky still hasn’t forgiven for having to lug luggage up 67 narrow spiral stairs, his back moaning and not a golf club …the perfect Dicky ‘man cave’…in sight. Exacerbated after being dragged to our ‘girl cave’ wonderland…the Galleries La Fayette

20110529-080809.jpgExquisite lingerie and Dyptique candles…check; long, long walk home through the streets of Chanel, Dior, Cartier, Hermes…check; a linger on the Pont Neuf to absorb the Parisian culture…check, Centre Georges Pompidou  to view the best modern art exhibition…check, Sephora, the absolute in cosmetics and fragrance…check; ‘goldfish’ photographic moments at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and all rounded off with a juicy steak washed down with a petite little vin Rouge and bed!

So much to see and do…so little time…and time is running out!

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Settling into left bank Paris…

Feels like we’ve ‘come home’… is this due to settling into one lovely apartment and spreading ourselves out for seven whole days? Do we put it down to familiarity for this is the third visit for Fifi, forth for Pixi? Or is it simply because this most beautiful of cities – the city of lights – is again casting her spell?

It’s been a long journey this past five weeks…5,200k, three countries, three different20110526-071507.jpg languages, so much to see, yet we’ve seen so much…saying goodbye to our beloved Poppy car a poignant experience, revisiting our Blog affording us opportunity to differentiate between primacy and recency.

Philosophsing aside, practicalities call…it’s time to regroup… four weeks worth of washing, admire the big bunch of Peonies our kind host has provided, sip the delectable Burgundy she has left, stroke the crisp French linen on our king size beds, a little Angus and Julia Stone on the IPod dock, feet up, plan the coming days. Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Conveniently located on the left bank, bustling, lively and chic. Paris requires a week all to her self for exploration…plus a fine constitution for managing the 65 stairs up to our apartment!!

Reliving initial wonderment through Dickie’s eyes for this is his first time in Paris? Moving beyond the obvious and into the culture and heartbeat of the city? Perhaps a little of both…

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Succumbing to all things Swiss…

Nine in the eve…admiring Lake Lucerne as the last of the yachts make their way home and the many swans retire for the eve; marveling at the snow tipped Swiss Alps in the distance fading to dusky pink for it is almost sunset, sipping a red and thinking…what a fabulous contrast! Switzerland v Italy – Italy v Switzerland.
20110525-055422.jpgFriendly people who chuckle at our attempts to grasp this new language and quickly adjust to fluent English to make us comfortable, the city clean, so clean, the traffic calm…and then there’s the Reuss river…crystal clear, icy blue in hue thanks to the water flowing directly from alps to lake.

A stroll into the old quarter reveals stately buildings adorned with intricate artwork not dissimilar to20110525-055244.jpg those in Prague and Vienna yet displaying a uniqueness all their own..quite special actually.

Swiss cow bells, Swiss army knives, Swiss cuckoo clocks and Swiss chocolate abound…as do Swiss watches. Dicky’s in raptures and bags himself a mighty fine time piece, Fifi trawls for cooler clothing while Pixi spends the afternoon wandering and snapping this new architectural style in the old quarter, feeding the swans and yearning to dip tired toes in the cool clear waters.

Hankering for a Swiss fondue tonight but settle for room20110525-055254.jpgservice sandwich and French X Factor on the Bang and Olufsen telly, snuggled under the perfectly fluffy Swiss doonah, nestled between perfectly feathered Swiss pillows. Fifi’s legs need recuperating from all that walking and as this country appears to be the most expensive in Europe, may have had to do Swiss dishes for a week to pay for that chunk of melted Swiss cheese. Instead think of waistlines. Oh wait…waistlines??

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