Fun Paris Facts

1. Menus are on chalkboards, not at your table.

2. The Paris Metro is insanely easy and efficient.

3. Sometimes you have to open your own door to get on and off the Metro.

4. Doors in Paris can be very tricky to open.

5. Cheese, butter and bread form the foundation of most every meal.

6. Mustard is served on the side.

7. Everything everyone has ever said about Paris being the most romantic city in the world is completely true.

8. The French people are nice. And helpful. And fluent in English. And very French.

9. Should you visit Paris you should expect to climb, on average, 3,642 stairs per day.

10. Order the wine.

We are winding down to our last few hours in Paris. Its 7 am and its dark and our neighborhood is sleeping. My sleep schedule has been way off kilter and while I have never felt the same sick jetlag feeling I had in Korea, its been hard to get a good nights sleep.

I've been up since 5 and I've packed and cleaned up and am waiting for the first signs of the sun before I wake up Dre for a one last Parisien cafe.

The coffee here is pure heaven. I've been off of coffee for more than a year, but I couldn't resist the sweet little espresso cups served up with creme and sucre. 

Hmmm. Maybe thats contributing to the inability to sleep...

At any rate, I've absolutely loved Paris. Which isn't exactly what I expected to happen. I'd been gunning for Prague (up next) and it was Dre who was determined we spent some time in France.

But it is adorable here and we've stayed in a great (off the beaten path) neighborhood. When I say off the beaten path, I mean away from the swarms of tourists. We've visited most of the major sites, but have always veered down a side street when the armies of people have become too much.

We stopped yesterday for an up-close view of Notre Dam (we'd also seen it on our late night river cruise) and didn't even make it to the flying buttresses. The crowds were just too, too crazy so we darted back in the Metro and went up to Montmarte. 

Montmarte and the area around our apartment have been our two favorite spots. The Sacre Couer is beautiful and the little squares that dot its perimeter are storybook cute. A little further down the hill is Abbesses station and the cafe there has been our refuge. The sun sneaks through the trees and shines on the plaza. And Parisiens with the their babies and dogs make for excellent people watching. Fact no. 11: dogs are off leash...

We are in the 11th arrondissement, just on the border of the 10th - home to the the St. Martin canal. The canal is flanked on either side with trees and walking paths and the streets are lined with delicious cafes and restaurants. While its beautiful, its not heavy on tourists.

And today there was a happening little market along the canal. Think neighborhood yard sale meets antique fair.

Luckily I'd handed Dre all of my cash for last night's dinner, otherwise my overstuffed suitcase might have exploded.

Okay. A few rays of sun are poking through the window. I think that means its time to wake Dre up. :)