Well, I missed yesterday, unable to get my post out (no excuses, same old same old) but then I realised that I have the perfect excuse since the theme this week over at A Lingering Look at Windows Week #7 is ‘Valentine’s Edition’ and today is Valentine’s Day, so here it is!
Thinking about this romantic theme I was stumped at first but then it came to me. Several years ago, Hubby took me to Paris, and what better city in the world to associate with all things romantic, and therefore for Valentine’s Day? After all, isn’t Paris known as the City of Love?
As a girl I had taken a few school trips to France but we only went as far as Calais and the sights and sounds of the fish markets there didn’t exactly excite me. The idea was that we could practice our French in the shops when we bought our souvenirs but since the shopkeepers there could speak English they spared us the embarrassment and told us not to bother. C’est la vie!
When I returned to the UK in 2003 after living in California for almost 20 years I was amazed at how popular holidays in France had become for my fellow Brits. Not only that but it seemed that everybody I met knew somebody else who had moved there and were living their dream. I couldn’t understand it, my only experience of France being those smelly fish markets but then I had never been to rural France.
When friends of ours offered for us to stay with them at their farmhouse in the Dordogne region of France a couple of years ago we jumped at the chance and it was during that visit that I at last understood the love affair. The acres and acres of sunflower fields set against clear, blue skies, the open air and the peace and quiet. Like Britain 50 years’ ago so the saying goes, and it’s true.
Visiting Paris is, of course, a very different but just as spectacular an experience. We made the trip by Eurostar from St Pancras station in London right after its refurbishment and opening as an international station in November, 2007 (the original St Pancras station was opened in 1868 and needed work!)
Half the fun was sitting upstairs in the rather swish Champagne Bar. Nothing like knocking back a glass or two of bubbly with a plate of smoked salmon as its side-kick before embarking on what would be for me the train trip of a lifetime. This is because I had always said that no-way no-how would I ever travel to France via a tunnel right underneath the English Channel. As it turned out, I hardly noticed. The bubbly helped.
What is so amazing is that it takes just over two hours by Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris’s Gare du Nord. Now that is travelling! The only problem for us was that when we arrived in the early evening we discovered that Paris was in the grip of two things: A public transportation strike (no Metro, no buses) and an icy chill which arrived just about the same time as we did, blasting its way across the region.
This meant that we had to wait for three hours in bitter cold for a taxi to take us to our hotel. An American who travelled frequently between Paris, New York and London on business shared our taxi with us and we had a lovely chat. He ended up paying our fare. The random kindness of folk like this never gets forgotten.
View from the River Seine – Parisian Windows
(c) Sherri Matthews 2014
When we pulled up to our hotel it was surrounded by scaffolding. The taxi driver didn’t speak any English but although our French is circumspect, we managed to ascertain that he was asking us if we were sure this was the right place. I was asking Hubby the same thing since he had booked it.
When we stumbled into the lobby we were met by the French version of Basil Fawlty (he was barking in other words). He led us up the narrow, winding stair case (the lift was broken) to our tiny but delightfully cosy and perfectly Parisian room at the very top.
The first thing we did was to take off our shoes and stand over the hot water pipes we discovered were running beneath our feet through the flooring and there we stood until we thawed out. It was heavenly. You can’t get more romantic than that.
Building on Avenue George V, Paris
(c) Sherri Matthews 2014
This building on Avenue George V had some very strange and unusual windows. I wondered what the view would be like? As it turned out, not much. Look closer. These are not windows at all but murals painted on the side of a building under renovation. Had me fooled!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
A View From My Summerhouse 
Had me fooled also. Paris is a place I believe you either love or hate. My brother loves it, my husband hates it, me..I’ve never been there so I don’t know. The Dordogne though I agree with you is something special. Lovely post Sherri.
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Yes, Paris does seem to bring out conflicting emotions in people! Hubby worked there some years ago and had always wanted to take me so I was thrilled to have the chance to go. I loved it and would love to go again, this time in September. November was far too cold. Thanks Irene, so glad you enjoyed it and my little trick worked 😉 Have a lovely weekend 🙂
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I will. Hope you have a nice one also.😀
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Thanks Irene, we did, lovely, despite storm raging all night long!
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I love that mural! Had me completely fooled aswell. Very clever.
Never been to France, though I’ve always kinda wanted to go to Paris one day. Mumsey doesn’t recommend it, though; she went in the 60s and was bitterly disappointed. I think I’d quite enjoy it, even if I haven’t spoken French for about 25 years, and am not nearly stylish enough. It just looks ‘nice’.
Did the person who paid your taxi fare give his name, do you remember? 😛 Haha, it’s just I know somebody who travels between those cities, and it sounds like something he would do! Long shot, maybe 😛
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Ahha! So I fooled you JG! Glad I’m not the only one. I couldn’t believe it when I first came across this building. Not even sure the photo does this incredible mural proper justice.
Having only been to Paris the once, I have to say I fell in love with it although it was so cold when we went, so would love to go again when a bit warmer, September would be a lovely time of year to go I think. Although we did eat outside underneath patio heaters and that was lovely and toasty! And of course you are stylish enough to go to Paris! You are JG remember??!! I felt the same way about the language, despite taking O Level French I only know the very basics. It is amazing what you soon pick up though, even of a weekend 😉
Hmm, now this is very interesting. I don’t remember his name, no. Interestingly, he said that his favourite city was London! He was probably in his 30’s, slim and was bald. He looked very dapper and was staying in a very posh hotel. Who knows? The mystery deepens… 😉
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Sherri – this post made my day! Not only for the Paris flair and the super cool pictures – but your writing style is completely enjoyable–
“to our tiny but delightfully cosy and perfectly Parisian room at the very top…”
“…running beneath our feet through the flooring and there we stood until we thawed out. It was heavenly. You can’t get more romantic than that.”
wonderful!
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Thank you so much Yvette, I am really glad you enjoyed this post and also very flattered and humbled, what a lovely compliment. Lovely to meet you 🙂
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Hello mon amie – glad to be friends all these years later!
XX
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Ditto mon amie, ditto! xxx
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🙂
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My only visit to Belgium was a bit of a Basil Fawlty episode too, Sherri. It’s long ago, but not forgotten 🙂 I had to huddle inside my husband’s sheepskin coat with him in an effort to keep warm. I suppose you could call that romantic.
Love the mural!
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Ha Ha! I can well imagine! We went on to Belgium during our school trips but haven’t been back since, although Hubby wants to visit as he loves it there!
I would definitely call huddling inside your husband’s sheepskin coat romantic, bet it did the trick 😉
Thanks so much Jo, hope you had a super Valentine’s Day 🙂
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Lovely to read all these memories and see these pictures on a night too windy and horrible to go out.
Paris is a city I always enjoy visiting. Parts of it are so pretty that it’s like walking around inside a film set, and your picture of windows des it particular justice.
I also enjoyed the way you put your visits into context against the change of time and reminded us how much life moved on between the eighties and the noughties, with people going mad for holidays abroad!
Thank you for your post.
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It certainly is a visit I won’t forget and certainly hope to return again one day, but as I said in other comments, definitely not in November. It was absolutely freezing.
Paris really is a beautiful city, I love the architecture particularly and the fact that you can eat out at any time, anywhere. We spent an entire afternoon sitting outside underneath patio heaters eating croque monsieur, drinking wine, the Eiffel Tower in the background and just people-watched. It was marvellous!
Thanks Denise, I’m really glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Aahh, Paris – my second favourite city after London! Have been fortunate to go many times in all sorts of weather – sometimes staying with friends, sometimes in various hotels, sometimes just passing through. Thanks Sherri for reminding me it’s about time we paid another visit. I love the so perceived rudeness of the Parisians, at home (how dare they)in their own beautiful city. The art, the fashion, the culture, the overall style of the place – what’s not to like?
Agree with you about the tunnel though. Absolutely hate it but as it’s only 35 minutes, I grit my teeth and bare it. Would much prefer a gentle crossing on the ferry, waving to the White Cliffs but H gets sea sick, so the tunnel it is…
Lovely post, lovely mural – why don’t we do that over here – so much more class than a crummy billboard 😉
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Ahh yes, that lovely, smooth sea crossing, wouldn’t that be the ideal? I was able to bear the tunnel crossing, barely, but it was even worse when we went by car. Didn’t like that one bit. Really hope to go to Paris again one day, loved it, but not when it’s so cold as it was that November.
Thanks Jenny, glad you enjoyed it, especially as you are such a seasoned traveller to the City of Love 🙂
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Well I don’t know about being seasoned. The first time I went was on a foreign language exchange when I was sixteen and I hated it! The family were lovely and lived in a beautiful house but my exchange partner was very sophisticated – Chanel handbag and patent loafers while I got off the coach in my cheesecloth smock and flares – I knew we wouldn’t get on. Learned to love the place on subsequent trips and now it’s somewhere I always look forward to re-visiting. 🙂
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Jenny, I want you to know that I would have been standing right next to you dressed in my smock and flares, believe me 🙂
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It would take several glasses of bubbly for me to travel in that tunnel, Sherri! I don’t enjoy tunnels or bridges.
So much creativity in the mural, it’s certainly more pleasant than looking at a building in the middle of renovation. At first glance, I thought you might have had too much bubbly before taking the photo. 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day, Sherri! xo
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Ha Ha! You feel my pain then Jill! Thank goodness for that Champagne Bar is all I can say 😉 As I said to Jenny, we have also been by car to France and that is even worse going through the tunnel that way, even if for only about half an hour!!
Ah yes, I can definitely see why you thought that my bubbly drinking may have contributed to this particular photo, ha! Perhaps it did, and I made the whole thing up?? 😉 No, seriously, this mural really is fascinating to see, the photo doesn’t do it justice.
Thanks Jill, hope you and Derek from Devon had a great Valentine’s Day 🙂 xo
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We did, Sherri! We hope you did as well and toasted with a glass of bubbly! xo
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We did thanks Jill, lovely, and yes,most definitely had the bubbly flowing 😉
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Travelling through tunnels all through to France? Would love to try it! Glad you had a great time. Happy Valentine’s day! 🙂
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Ha! Thankfully the actual tunnel bit is only for half an hour so not too bad. I certainly wouldn’t want to travel the entire way by tunnel that’s for sure!
We did have a wonderful time thanks and certainly hope to visit the City of Love again one of these days!
Thank you so much Seyi and I hope you had a Happy Valentine’s Day too 🙂
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Tell hubby I like the way he plans a romantic Valentines Day getaway! 🙂
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Ha Ha! Thanks so much Andy, will do and a happy belated Valentine’s Day to you my friend 🙂
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🙂 happy belated Valentines Day to you too my friend.
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🙂
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Love the pictures, Sherri, especially the last one of the building on Avenue George V, Paris, with the fake windows, because they look so real. The whole place was like an optical illusion.
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Thanks Donna, glad you enjoyed looking at the pics. It is exactly like an optical illusion, really fascinating to see. So much better than looking at an old, ugly building! Hope you had a happy Valentine’s Day my friend 🙂
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What an illusion the windows in the last photo are. I would NEVER have guessed. 😀
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Ha Ha! I was certainly fooled when I first came across it and had to keep staring at it to make sure I wasn’t seeing things! Fascinating that’s for sure! Happy belated Valentine’s Day to you Tess, hope it was a good one and here’s to a glass of bubbly on me 🙂
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Thank you and hope you enjoyed a fine glass too. 😀
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😉
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😛
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When it comes to retiring in France, count me I ! Nice photos, Sherri.
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Ha Ha! Certainly will do Nav! Thanks, glad you enjoyed 🙂
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HI Sherri- Paris- definitely a romantic city…just wish I could have voyaged here with my husband BEFORE the trips with our kids! LOL. Just have to wait another 13 years for that to happen. Hope you had a nice Valentine’s Day & yes, a little bubbly can relax us all.
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Great to see you Tieshka, I remember how much you loved your trips to Paris. I had to wait a long time until my kids were grown before I got to go in my late 40’s but it was worth the wait 🙂
A lovely day thanks and a happy belated Valentine’s Day to you too 🙂
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Hi Sherri,
I’ve taken the Eurostar through the channel tunnel before too and it was great. It was years ago though, not on this recent trip. It’s quite a thrill for an Australian to be able to travel to Paris in less than a few hours and also by train. And I love that building with the mural painted on the side. If only they did they in other places to hide ugly construction work. The French take aesthetics seriously.
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Hi Rachel, I’m not surprised that you have visited Paris by Eurostar in all your travels! I did find it amazing how quickly we travelled from London to Paris but I didn’t like the idea of going under the English Channel one bit. Thankfully that part is for only half an hour. When we went by car by Eurotunnel it was not too great, I hated being so enclosed, but it was worth it just to get there so quickly. Rather that than fly I think.
Yes, I was so impressed with that mural, it was fascinating. A real optical illusion!
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Unique and very fascinating window. Happy Valentine’s Day my friend & best wishes to your family.
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Thanks so much IT, so glad you enjoyed it and although a day later, a very Happy (belated) Valentine’s Day to you and your lovely family too dear friend.
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I love taking the Eurostar to Paris. It’s such a cinch. Transportation strike–that is horrible. Last time we were there they had an anti-gay protest that turned violent. Luckily when we saw all the cops in riot gear we hightailed it out of there and found a bar and had a wonderful time. I still love Paris though.
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Yes, the speed of the journey is amazing. I just get claustrophobic thinking of going under the sea like that…chills!
The strike was a major pain in the rear but we managed to get around without the Metro. It was hairy trying to get back though. Thankfully a taxi driver had mercy on us and turned around in the middle of the street to give us his fare. Nobody wanted to stop!
Ooh, that’s awful to have to witness a riot like that, but sounds as if you definitely had the right idea by finding a bar to ride it out in. Best place to be! Hope you had a great Valentine’s 🙂
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Ah Sherri – you had me at Paris! This red bike is pedaling and trusting that soon we will not just be reading about the stories of others but writing our won of this land…a lovely post!
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Ahem our “own” that is – spelling blush
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Ahh Mich, of course I couldn’t write about Paris, France, and not think of you my friend! Keep pedaling your red bike and you will be there, writing your own stories and I can’t wait for that day 🙂
PS no worries, I do that all the time and I knew just what you meant 😉
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Thank you Sherri – you are an amazing encouragement 😉
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Bless you Mich 🙂 xo
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For some reason I am not able to see any photos on this post! And bizarrely I have been receiving email notifications of comments posted on my blog from weeks ago! Strange goings on! So I’m not sure if the technical hitch is you or me or simply WP! Anyway I enjoyed the read, even if I can’t enjoy the photos. I adore Paris, but there are so many other European cities I have yet to visit that I feel it must wait a while for my return 🙂
Jude xx
(have a lovely weekend, hope the weather is a bit brighter, it started out OK her, but we keep having showers)
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Well Jude it seems that once again we are having the same WP problems. I can’t see photos on other blogs either! So, it must be WP. Again!!! Let’s hope it’s a minor glitch. I do hope you will be able to see the pics especially the one of the mural, I know you will like it!
Paris is a wonderful place, can’t wait to go again but not when it’s so bitterly cold. September seems like a nice time of year to go. Also with you, many other European cities to explore…
Thanks Jude, we had another raging storm all last night but it is clearer today and hopefully improving. But it has been terrible along the coastline and still on the Somerset Levels. Hope things ok your way and you have a lovely weekend too 🙂 xx
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I wonder if it is a UK fault – again!
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Wouldn’t surprise me. Are things better now for you? So far so good when I logged on this morning. I hope it continues this way.
Hope you had a great weekend. What a storm on Friday, but then Sunday was incredible (going to put up a few pics of a walk we took at West Bay but got a couple of appointments this morning first, darn) 🙂 xx
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I have discovered that the problem is with Google Chrome – today I have several blogs where I can see images, and several where I can’t! Switched to IE and I can see them perfectly! What browser are you using?
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Hi Jude, at long last getting back to my blog after managing to squeeze my first post in!! Funny you should say that about Google Chrome as I had heard it was the best to use for WP so I switched to it from Firefox after I got my laptop back. Now I’m thinking I’m going to have to switch back, grrrr! I had terrible trouble loading up my photos onto my post today but so far I can see photos on other blogs but it is intermittent…hope things ok with you now??
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Still hit and miss. I couldn’t even see my own photos on a new post I was editing! So I have swapped to IE for now at least, for WP. Chrome seems to have a few issues loading sites though my OH assures me it used to be the best even he has problems recently, so I suspect they have changed something.
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Ahh, that is probably what has happened. Always the updates and changes, and come to think of it, I did just have a load of updates on Windows so maybe that’s it. Think I will have to do the same as you. Keep me posted.
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The last photo had me fooled… I wondered if your camera was drunk… or was it a reflection… but murals never crossed my mind…
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Ha ha!! I wondered if it might fool you, certainly did me! I had to do a double-take when I saw this mural, it really is fascinating and the photo doesn’t do it justice 🙂
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Dear Sherri,
Received your latest communique by reading it before I clicked on “Approval.” I didn’t get the comment that way as it just referred me back to my blog and other comments, but not yours. I can’t understand the “does not exist” advisory. I better check WP. Thank you for your information as to the “time inbetween” lapse. No apology necessary. You are getting horrendous rain. It would be fair if I could send you some of our sunshine and you could send us some of that rain. Please keep in touch. I love your blog.
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Dear Patricia, how lovely to be back in touch with you, who knows what WP is up to? I have experienced just a few ‘glitches’ in the year I’ve been blogging for one reason or another! Oh yes, would love some of your sunshine and in fact, as per my blog today, after the most horrendous storm which raged all through Valentine’s night, we had the most glorious sunny day on Sunday after you sent me this, so whatever you did, it worked 🙂 Now, if only I could send you some of our rain!
I will most certainly keep in touch, and thank you so much, you blog is wonderful 🙂
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Made me go all squint a bit there Sherri. 😀 Love your Parisian Windows shot – wouldn’t it be so cool to see into all the rooms behind those?
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Ha Ha! Yes, it does have that affect doesn’t it? Wouldn’t it just, imagine all those ‘wavy’ rooms… 😉 Thank you Jo 🙂 xx
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I so enjoyed your story, Sherri. What a bit of luck that those hot water pipes ran underneath your floor. I enjoyed your photos, especially the amazing mural. Really stunning! xx
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Ahh, thank you so much Sylvia, how lovely of you to say. Yes, those hot water pipes were a God-send I can assure you! We were freezing, and also starving but a good thing about Paris is that we were able to find a lovely restaurant just around the corner from our hotel even though it was late by then 🙂 xxx
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I hope your Valentine’s Day was a happy one, Sherri. Yes, that second one was surprising until I read your take on it.
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Thanks Glynis! It was a lovely one and hope you too had a great Valentine’s 🙂
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Oops! Should I comment? After all I was born and raised in France and spent ten years in Paris before moving to California. Yes, Paris is a beauty but an annoying one too. Now that I am more American than French in so many aspects, I am surprised to.
The train between Paris and London has certainly changed tthe way we used to travel between the two cities. Although I like the ferry I took when I lived in Normandy.
And your pictures made my heart race.
Thanks for reminding me of the city of my heart, even with its flaws.
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Yes, please comment Evelyne, and I’m so glad you did, thank you! I thought of you after coming over to your blog but how interesting to learn that you lived in Paris for ten years before moving to California. You have the goods on Paris then! When we travelled to France on school trips in the 70’s we went by ferry or hovercraft and when I moved to California in the 80’s the Chunnel hadn’t even been finished. I didn’t fancy travelling that way one bit but it’s fine when you do being so much quicker and straight-forward.
Ahh, I’m glad to have given you a reminder of your former home, even though it made your heart race. I feel the same way about California… 😉
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I love your photo of the fake windows Sherri and some wonderful memories of Paris. I’ve been to Paris once, when inter-railing with some friends during university. It would be Bastille Day when we arrived and we assumed that Paris being Paris, the city would stay open all night so we could wander around and not need to book anywhere to sleep. We did some of the usual sightseeing, watched an amazing firework display to celebrate Bastille Day and then, still buzzing from that, began walking. Not so good were all the young men setting off bangers right in front of us on the street. And then, very quickly, the city seemed to shut down, everywhere was closing! We spent some time outside a closed Louvre, had a coffee in a coffee shop with a very rude waiter and then hung around the railway station – very dodgy at that time of night. All was well in the end, but quite an interesting experience.
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Oh Andrea, what an experience you had in Paris! It’s funny because the night we stood on those hot-water pipes we were absolutely freezing and also starving! Being a typical Parisian hotel, there was no restaurant but we were able to find one just around the corner and we had a meal even though it was quite late. We walked to the Louvre (no buses!) from our hotel and it took ages and again, it was bitterly cold.
That does sound a bid dodgy but so glad you were ok but I can imagine how scary that would be alone in a strange city like that but one of those experiences that you will never forget and thanks so much for sharing it here 🙂
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I love this, Sherri, and so fitting to write about love and Paris on Valentine’s Day. Your story sounds enchanting and romantic even in dealing with transit strikes and weather.
This is one of the places I’d love to visit and now, along with you, I have my fellow blogger, Susan Nelson, help fulfill that longing by taking me there in your stories.
It’s interesting you write about the buildings being painted. She wrote about the same thing last November that fascinated me. Here is her link to it — I hope you enjoy it. She writes all about Italy. http://timelessitaly.wordpress.com/2013/11/06/artful-trickery-regional-treasure-of-the-italian-riviera/
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Hi Pat, and thanks so much for sending me Susan’s link. I just went over to her lovely blog and read her post, which is delightful, just beautiful windows. Those murals are unbelievable. I’ve not been to the Italian Riviera as she describes, but would love to and Tuscany. I’ve been to Naples but not so keen although I did get to fulfill one of my dreams by going to Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. I would love to visit ‘old town’ Italy though as Susan describes.
Isn’t it wonderful to be able to share our journeys to far off lands together? It’s like we can take mini vacations together whenever we want to 🙂
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I’m glad you got to check out Susan’s site. It’s probably more fresh and real to you having been to France and that part of the world.
For me, it’s like I’m being taken on a traveling adventure. I love it. We don’t have the same type of art and architecture in the states — we’re not old enough — and we tend to tear down to rebuild more than preserve.
There was another post she wrote last Nov about Rome that fascinated me.
It’s illusional trick Baroque architecture by Francesco Borromini of a statue and long colonnade encased in a little garden. At the end, she included a video to show how it was done.
Here’s the link to it if you’re interested: http://timelessitaly.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/trickery-and-shattered-illusions-in-baroque-rome/
I love sharing these places back and forth with you. If you go to Italy next time, they may be some places you’d like to see.
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Thanks so much Pat, Susan’s site is indeed very beautiful and I will be taking a proper look at it as soon as I get caught up with everything. It really is wonderful to share all these places across the world isn’t it? Chao my dear friend 🙂
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You’re welcome, Sherri, I’m happy to share and travel right along with you, my friend. 🙂
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Even though I know you’re both talking about 2 different countries. It still amazes me how the culture and architecture see similar. Chao! 🙂
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Yes, there are definitely similarities and it is really wonderful to visit these places and admire their architecture like this. Merci beaucoup mon amie 🙂
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Definite similarities between the two countries, Sherri. Ah, I see you speak the language too. It helps, I’m sure, in making your way around. Sure sounds like Paris was a wonder trip.
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My French is very limited I can assure you, despite taking it to high school level! The only way is to be in the country and actually use it. Europeans speak such good English though that so often we don’t even need to speak theirs, which is a shame.
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Sherri – It’s good that you had some French in high school. I didn’t have any language except for a semester of Spanish.
You’re right, I guess that the best way is to be there and actually use it. I feel like you that I’d like to try to speak their language, even if they knew English. For me, it’s common courtesy, at least, unless I totally butchered it. LOL 🙂
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I adore Paris, as you probably already know from reading one of my blog posts. But it’s the people of the French countryside who are so lovely and eager to please. My French is horrible, practically non-existent, yet we manage to communicate just fine.
Still, when it comes to romantic cities, Paris is hard to beat. She’s a lovely thing indeed and I enjoyed reading your post!
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Yes, I commented how much I enjoyed your Paris article. Wonderful! Having been to Paris only the once and falling in love with it, I do have to say that I adore the French countryside. Staying with our friends in deepest rural countryside has been a wonderful experience and one we hope to repeat again this summer. Like you, we manage to get by with our conversations! The people are just lovely.
Thanks so much Renee, I ‘m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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What an incredible mural!
Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you very much for reading, so glad you enjoyed the photo 🙂
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belated happy valentine’s day to you, Sherri.
I long to see fields of flowers just as you described. The experience must have Been like paradise. 🙂
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Thank you Imelda, and I hope you and your lovely family had a lovely Valentine’s Day too 🙂 Ahh, yes, I know what you mean. It was just beautiful. Driving through the villages all decorated with bunting and paper flowers from their summer festivals and then out on the open road with field after field of the most glorious sunflowers I’ve ever seen. I will have to post a photo just for you 🙂 Paradise indeed 🙂
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wow! what a mural.. i thought it was looking at a reflection on some arty mirrored warped glass building!
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Ha Ha! Yes, it really fooled me at first! I still look at the photo and can’t quite believe it’s a painting!!!
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I had to smile when you said you arrived in the middle of a public transport strike. It’s hard not to arrive in Paris in the middle of a strike, it’s just a fact of Parisian life! I lived there for fourteen years and loved every minute. Thanks for reminding me.
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Ha ha! Thanks Jane! Yes, I did think of you when I wrote this knowing you had lived in Paris, a big part of your life, and how lovely to know that for you it was a most wonderful experience 🙂
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Brilliant article Sherri! Beautiful Parisian windows, modern art, romance… all skillfully woven together for Valentine’s Day. Love the mind-bending murals painted on the side of the building.
Have you ever been to the Louvre in Paris? 🙂
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Thanks so much Theresa, I’m really glad you enjoyed this post. Can you believe those murals? Mind-bending indeed! I still can’t believe they are not real windows but mere paintings!!! Incredible paintings actually, and since I can’t paint to save my life, I’m in awe!
Yes, we walked to the Louvre during our weekend there, it was such a long walk (no buses!) and it was bitterly cold, but I was alright as I had gloves, scarf, hat and warm coat but my husband only had a light jacket!!!!
We got to see the Mona Lisa but I was disappointed as the crowd was so huge and the painting is much smaller than we expected. Still, it was a wonderful experience from start to finish. The best part was going for a little cruise on the River Seine. The sun came out and although so cold, it was just magical 🙂
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That last picture is so cool, and I love the standing on the water pipes part. Wonderful post, as always.
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Thanks so much Dawn, really glad that you enjoyed it and the photo too!
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Hi Sherri – I will be back later to share more of why, but this post is in my top ten from 2014 – 🙂 – I am not sure how I plan to list it yet, maybe I will make a page – but just wanted to share that! Have a nice new year’s and see you in 2015!!!
❤
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Ahh…wow…thanks so much Y!! I am truly honoured, and I can’t wait to read your post. See you soon mon amie…huge hugs and blessings to you… 🙂 ❤ ❤ ❤
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