“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller
Paris
“Paris is always a good idea.” — Audrey Hepburn
Tuesday, March 19 - Tour Eiffel, Rue Cler, Midnight in Paris
We arrived in Paris after a pleasant Uber to O’Hare and a relatively comfortable flight (a row to ourselves and a mid-Atlantic viewing of Julie and Julia). Since Paris hadn’t switched to Daylight Savings Time yet, we arrived even “earlier” (only 6 hours time difference). We dropped our bags at our Airbnb since check-in wasn’t until 2:00 pm and had a little breakfast at Le Bouchon, the café in our building.
After breakfast, we strolled through the 7e to visit my dear friend who is looking rejuvenated with a fresh coat of gold paint for the Olympics.
Flâner (to stroll along without schedule or specific destination) is one of my favorite verbs. Tuesday was a perfect day to be flaneur/flaneuse.
I love the architecture of the 7e — the juxtaposition of classic Haussmannian buildings (clean limestone façades, wrought iron balconies, zinc roofs, and terracotta chimney pots) with the Art Nouveau architecture of Jules Lavirotte on Avenue Rapp including the infamous building at number 29.
We eventually made our way to Rue Cler to admire the lovely storefronts and flower markets. We intended to shop for a picnic on the Champs de Mars, but by this time, jetlag had caught up with us. Besides, the lawn and areas surrounding the Eiffel Tower are closed and under construction as Paris prepares to host the 2024 summer Olympics.
Instead of a picnic, we enjoyed another enviable Parisian passtime — a glass of Sancerre and a late lunch at Café Central while people- and dog-watching.
Late in the afternoon, we checked into our Airbnb at 28 avenue du Suffren in the 15e, just across the Champs de Mars from my preferred Paris Perfect apartments in the 7e. We weren’t able to stay in “our” Clairette apartment since we didn’t meet the minimum stay of five nights this time.
We took showers and stocked up at the little grocery two doors down. Then we settled in with Champage and snacks and watched Midnight in Paris in preparation for our stroll around the Left Bank the next day. Before turning in for the night, we walked back to the Champs de Mars to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle — the perfect way to end a day in Paris.
WEDNEsday, March 20 - Notre Dame + The LEFT BANK
Wednesday morning, we woke refreshed and started our day with fresh croissants and coffee from the bakery on our block. After breakfast, we made our way to the Ile de la Cité to see the progress on the Notre Dame restoration. They had just reinstalled the spire the week before we arrived and it was so hopeful to see it once again gracing the Paris skyline.
We crossed over to the Left Bank and browsed the bouquinistes along the Seine before spending some time in Shakespeare and Company.
We stopped for coffee and a chou at Odette before hiking up La Montagne Sainte-Geneviève to Saint Étienne-du-Mont and the Panthéon.
We continued our walk through the Latin Quarter to the Luxembourg Gardens, but were disappointed that the little boats weren’t available for the children (and Eric) to sail in the basin.
We passed by Saint-Sulpice on our way to Saint Germain. The weather was perfect for strolling — sunny and 65º, so we felt especially fortunate since they were predicting a snowstorm back home.
It had been years since I had walked through the Place Furstemberg featured in so many movies including Gigi and The Age of Innocence.
We had a leisurely lunch at Café de Flore and browsed in the bookshop next door.
We visited Le Bon Marché, Paris’ oldest department store and enjoyed its current art installation, Mise En Page by Sarah Andelman. I found my favorite Chanel CC cream (no longer available in America) and we had fun looking at the toys and clothes in the children’s department.
On Tuesday evening, we dined at Le Bouillon Chartier, a tradtional bistro with “classic French dishes made with quality produce at affordable prices”. I enjoyed escargot for only 6 euros. Later that evening, we watched Charade (with Champage and snacks of course) and took a walk to view our nightly sparkles.
THURsday, March 21 - MONTMARTRE + LA RIVE GAUCHE
On Thursday morning, we took the Métro to Montmartre, climbed the steps of the Sacré Coeur, and admired the “so ugly they’re cute” 2CVs.
We had brunch in the sunshine and admired the art in the Place du Tertre before strolling up and down the picturesque streets past the Maison Rose and the Place Dalida.
We wandered past Renoir’s Moulin de la Galette, stopped by Amélie’s Deux Moulins for crême brulée (IYKYK), and continued down the hill to the Moulin Rouge.
We hopped back into the Métro in the afternoon and made our way to the Palais Royal. It was lovely to see the magnolias in bloom.
We even walked through the Place de Valois where the fiction Agence Grateau is located in Emily in Paris.
Next we walked through the courtyard of the Louvre and I took Eric into Carrousel du Louvre to see the Philippe Auguste wall.
We strolled through the Place Vendôme to Repetto to window shop (faire la lèche vitrine).
We stopped by Harry’s New York Bar for a drink (the original Bloody Mary for Eric and a French 75 for me) before enjoying our last dinner and last sparkles in Paris…until next time.
A la prochaine fois. Bisous, Paris XOXO
Friday, March 22: Paris to Beauvais
Our $30 Ryanair flight to Prague was scheduled to leave early on Saturday morning, so we chose to spend Friday near the airport in Beauvais, a quaint town about 50 miles north of Paris.
We toured the amazing Gothic cathedral and marveled at how it has been adapted with wooden supports to maintain its structure.
Located in northern France, Beauvais did not escape the distruction of two world wars and the ruins remain as a sober reminder.
The town square is charming with its carousel, cafés, and specialty shops.
We had a lovely afternoon in Beauvais, but yes, as much as I like to assimilate to local culture, we did carry out a pizza for dinner to watch Marquette in the NCAA tournament on my iPad in the hotel. The evening was actually a fun palate cleanser before leaving France for the Czech Republic.
PRAGUE
“Prague — a fantasia scarcely touched by the 21st century or the 20th or 19th...It was a city of alchemists and dreamers.” — Laini Taylor
Saturday, March 23 - Fly to Prague + WALKING TOUR
Our morning didn’t start out well. The hotel concierge assured us that the Beauvais airport was only two miles from the hotel and insisted on calling a taxi for us. I had planned to order an Uber well in advance so that we could take our time and explore the tiny, historic airport. Instead, the taxi was late, cost us 20 euros, and dropped us at the wrong terminal. We raced through security and barely made our flight. Yet, once we landed in Prague, we had 3 hours in the airport to wait for the PHS travelers. I spent a lot of time admiring Patrik Proško’s portrait of Václav Havel, composed of over 3,000 authentic and historical objects and documents.
To combat jetlag, the 46 music students, parents, and educators took a leisurely stroll through the Old Town square.
We explored the Easter market, waited in line to see the book tower in the public library, saw the theatre where Mozart premiered Don Giovani, and finally had dinner before heading to the Color Factory, our Prague hotel. The room was dorm-like but clean and comfortable, so we had a decent night’s sleep.
Sunday, March 24: Castle District, Charles BridGe, River cruise
We had a very nice breakfast in the hotel before heading to the Castle District for a guided tour of the outside of the castle and St. Vitas Cathedral. The cold, rainy weather only added to the Gothic vibe.
We took a group picture (below) and since it was Palm Sunday, we witnessed the procession of a Zumba-clad Jesus riding on a donkey.
After our tour, we walked through the Malá Strana (small town), admiring the architecture and the funny Czech toys and treats.
We returned to the town center for lunch and another stroll through the Easter market. Guess which egg I bought.
After lunch, we strolled across the iconic Charles Bridge (the first of 4 crossings that day) and toured the Czech museum of music.
After dinner, we walked back through town for one last glimpse of Prague before heading to Austria the next day.
VIENNA
"Vienna is a city of timeless beauty and endless inspiration.” — Beethoven
Monday, March 25: Drive to Vienna + Walking Tour
Vienna is about 157 miles and 4.5 hours from Prague, but I didn’t mind the long ride after the pace of the past few days. Before entering Austria, we passed through the former Soviet check point at the border. Vestages of both World Wars and the Cold War are still evident in this part of Europe. Upon arrival in Vienna, we had a choice of cuisines from around the world for lunch at the Naschmarkt.
After touring the Haus der Musik, we walked around central Vienna and listened to the cathedral bells in the Stephansplatz before dinner.
TUESday, March 26: Guided Tour, Schoenbrunn palace, Explore vienna
On Tuesday, we enjoyed a tour with local expert, Dieter, of Schoenbrunn Palace, home of the Hapsburgs including young Marie Antoinette.
After the tour, we strolled through the Vienna Easter market. I am very familiar with Europe’s Christmas markets, but wasn’t aware of the Easter markets that we experienced throughout central Europe.
Our guided tour ended with a waltz through the Stadtpark to the Strauss monument . Say käse, Pirates! (Side note: I think Eric looks like Carl from Up in this picture.)
Everyone enjoyed 5 hours of free time on Tuesday afternoon. We explored Vienna and later met at the Maria Theresa monument. Eric and I took our time strolling through sunny, windy Vienna. We walked from Saint Stephan’s to the Ringstrasse, passing the State Opera (built in the style of the Neo-Renaissance), the Parliament, City Hall (Flemish Gothic), the Burgtheater (New Baroque), the university (Neo-Renaissance), the Museum for Applied Art, the Vienna Stock Exchange, the Votive Church (New Gothic), and the Natural History Museum, both of which were built in the Neo-Renaissance style.
We had a tradional lunch of wiener schnitzel and Steigl for Eric, spaetzel and Grüner Veltliner for me. Reinthaler’s Beisel was a local recommendation. There was a small line outside the restaurant, so we shared a table with a French family from Tours.
We enjoyed a traditional café viennois at Café Landtmann, a favorite coffee house of the leading industrialists, politicians, thinkers, and artists in Austria, including Freud and Mahler.
Late in the afternoon, sustained winds of 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph drove us to seek shelter in the Natural History Museum. Dinner was schnitzel and strudel…again.
After dinner, we returned to our uncomfortable and unclean hotel. I had been feeling frustrated that we stayed in such cheap lodgings in such a beautiful, wealthy city…until I learned about the stumble stones just outside the hotel.
Salzburg
“…the scenery, the skyline, the music and the history send your spirits soaring higher than Julie Andrews’ octave-leaping vocals.”
WEDNESday, March 27: GUIDED TOUR, SOUND OF MUSIC, Room with a View
I knew that Salzburg would be my favorite destination outside of Paris. The Sound of Music has been my favorite movie since I was a little girl. I even walked down the aisle to the Sound of Music wedding processional. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the film, but watching it again while traveling through the Austrian Alps was a special treat. It was also fun to realize how many kindred spirits were in our group and to watch a new generation of students discover it for the first time.
Since we were to enjoy dinner and a show on our only night in Salzburg, we checked into our beautful chalet hotel before our guided tour of the city. Our room with a view of the Alpine countryside made up for any lingering frustration over our hotels in Prague and Vienna.
If only we had more time to explore Mirabell Gardens and other Sound of Music filming locations while singing Do Re Mi and My Favorite Things! Someday, I hope to return to this lovely city.
Salzburg’s Baroque city center is a Unesco heritage site. I loved window shopping and photographing the iconic street signs.
When we toured Mozart’s birthplace and sampled the famous Mozart chocolates, the Sound of Music soundtrack in my head switched to Rock Me, Amadeus.
I have to admit that I was disappointed by The Sound of Music dinner show. I’m not sure what I expected, but at least the students really enjoyed it. I certainly encourage new generations of SOM fans.
Thursday, March 28: Driving through the Alps to Italy + Villach
Waking up in Salzburg after the best sleep I’d had since leaving Paris was bittersweet. We did get a later start that morning, so I enjoyed a coffee on our balcony as the sun rose and moon set over the Austrian Alps.
Although our journey was long through the Alps into Italy on our penultimate day, I truly enjoyed the scenery and reminisced about the first time I saw these mountains exacly thirty years ago.
We did take a break in our nearly 8-hour journey to have lunch in a little town called Villach. We had an Austrian meal with a decidedly Italian flavor and enjoyed yet anther lovely Easter market.
VENICE
“History and legend and art and romance meet and mingle to create that indefinable sorcery of Venice.” — Lilian Whiting
Friday, March 29: Murano, Burano, Venice
We were fascinated by the artistry of Roberto, a master glass blower in Murano, and were charmed by the colorful houses of the quaint fishing island of Burano.
Despite the Instagramable color in Burano, what struck me most was simple, daily activities like the elderly lady in the orange house hanging her socks out to dry.
We had a nice lunch and indulged in pistachio gelato on Burano before finally traveling to iconic Venice. Again, I first visited this fascinating city built on wooden pilons thirty years ago. It is estimated that Venice is sinking at a rate of 0.08 inches (0.2 centimeters) per year. That means that the city is now almost 2.5 inches lower than the last time I was there.
The combination of Gothic, Baroque, and Byzantne architecture in Venice is a enchanting, but it’s the little details like this stack of gondolier hats that charmed me the most.
Although the details of the Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’s Basilica are breathtaking, somehow the shadow of a passing bird on the yellow plaster of a house with green shutters and purple flowers in the window boxes thrills me even more.
We took a guided tour the Teatro La Fenice and it’s special Maria Callas exhibit.
In the Piazzo San Marco, I was shocked by the water rising up through the ground at high tide and suprised by the metal, Amadeus-style sculptures that appeared on our way back to the ferry.
I can’t decide whether Venice fascinates or flusters me, but I am so thankful to have experienced this enchanting city again. In fact, I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to rediscover so many important European cities on this trip. The tour was fast-paced and often challenging, but I saw a lot and learned a lot. Perhaps Anthony Bourdain said it best — “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
