Did you think we wouldn't do a wrap up - the woulda, shoulda, coulda list along with our very salient observations of the current state of fashion, food, and fun in France and Spain? Well, we got a bit sidetracked. So here is the last of Paris and the rest of the Euro 2019 blog.
Our last night in Paris, Laurent returned and we had a dinner at Eels as planned. About a thirty minute walk (perfect, since once we are home I can't get Steve walking at all) but it was raining, so we hopped in an Uber and headed over to the 10th arrondissement in heavy traffic.
Rather than describe the great five course chef tasting menu we did- here it is in photos.
Everything was excellent, especially the bottle of Pinot Noir- too bad it was their last one and we had to switch wines for the next bottle - but that is the only criticism.
The next morning we were packed, said our goodbyes, and were off to the airport for our non-stop to Dulles, Washington D.C. After an unremarkable flight (that in and of itself is quite a feat nowadays) we landed and headed to Immigration. Boy, is Global Entry worth every cent. We were on a double decker plane and so just our flight made for close to 700 people snaking through 15 or more aisles to Passport Control. But we headed to the Global Entry kiosk and in about 20 seconds were through.
( this is Steve: Without question, there were over 2,000 people standing in a slow moving line to clear Immigration, in what is supposed to be a 'world-class' airport; what a shitty way to welcome visitors to the USA. I suspect that it took at least 90 minutes of waiting to get through this.)
Luggage, then rental car, then to Arlington for a few days with Shelby, David and Eli.
Lots of sunshine and fun, caught up a bit on jet lag and then headed to BWI for another non-stop to Albuquerque. Finally on this plane ride I got the time and motivation to write the last blog. Using memory and lots of short notes I had entered on my phone Note App, I finished the blog and handed the iPad to Steve for editing and/or additions. And to keep track that everything in my notes made it into the blog, as I used each idea, I erased it. BIG MISTAKE! Turns out that the iPad app we use to connect with our blog usually auto saves even without the internet. It doesn't transfer it to the blog but it does keep it within the app until there is internet access. Not this time - Oops - GONE - never to be restored.
Once we were home washing, and gardening, and food shopping, and mail opening took precedent. Then getting ready for Shelby, David and Eli to visit- a bit of baby proofing, crib set up, toy cleaning etc. Now that all that is done, finally time to TRY to recreate the erased blog.
THE WOULDA, COULDA, SHOULDA
As always, we coulda and shoulda taken less clothes. I came home with at least two clean shirts - ditto for Steve. I took 5 pair of pants (3-4 needed), 3 pair of shoes (perfect) + a pair of flip flops (not needed at all), 11 pair of underwear (which meant only doing sink washing 2 times) 1 pair of pjs (I may need to burn them now and shoulda taken 2), 1 set of yoga clothes (wore once but didn't really need), 4 sweaters (2 is enough), 2 shawls (1 is enough), and about 15 shirts, some long sleeve tees, some button down blouses and a couple of sleveless for hot days (truth is that other than the unpredictability of weather 10 tops would be fine).
And if I had taken less clothes-I could have fit more olive oil, salts, jams and pottery in my suitcase...I just have to remember to read my own blog before I pack next time.
We shoulda left our itinerary a bit more open, maybe one or two or three nights unplanned. There is always so much to see and do and so little time (yes, many of you are chuckling, because no one would call our trips short), and we were traveling just at the start of high season, so we decided we needed to book all of our hotels ahead. It does make it easy, but it also means no spontaneously deciding to find a hotel in that charming little beach town you happened to stop in, for us Tossa del Mar, Spain. Maybe next time!
THE SCHWARTZ'S KEEN EYE OBSERVATIONS
In France, every toddler in a stroller up to four years old had a pacifier!
The French still smoke an incredible amount, leaving their dinner tables to go outside for a cig, using tons of vape pens, especially the super big ones that produce billows of smoke.
The food is still better in Spain, and way cheaper.
Gasoline is also 25% less in Spain...??
Traffic in Paris is insane. Also Barcelona...get rid of your rental car as soon as you arrive.
Marseilles is no longer a gritty, dirty, seedy city- don't hestitate to go.
French women of middle age still seem to like that very fake red/orange color hair dye.
French people do come in all shapes (some are fat) but many, many women well into their 50's and 60's still have good arms, and they don't look like they workout.
People are not really wearing 'athleisure' wear to go out like Americans do - when they have it on they are exercising.
Lots of wide leg pants on women, and jeans and sneakers on everyone.
In 2013 the color trend was blue everything- pants, sweaters, scarves- for men and women.
This year it is Nantucket red pants, skinny and mostly on men - maybe because about 50% of the women are in dresses, everything from breezy colorful linen sacks to print sheaths (with those good arms).
Way less Chinese tourists where we were than we are used to seeing in our other travels. My guess is that they haven't yet bought or built the infrastructure they like- hope they don't. ( From Steve: The Chinese really only want to travel in groups by themselves, and do not mingle or mix. They only want to eat Chinese food, at their special Chinese-only hotels - never saw Chinese tourists, solo or groups, in a restaurant, not once, the entire trip).
Inland Costa Brava is where hip Barcelonians buy second homes and go for the weekend - check it out if you are in the area, about 90 minutes north of the city.
Aperol sprites are still available, but passe'--Vermouth on the Rocks is the hot drink this summer.
No one has Diet Coke, only Coke Zero. No one.
There is always shampoo and body gel at all hotels but almost never hair conditioner or robes (even when there were slippers). We didn't stay at five star hotels but we stayed at very nice places.
Surprisingly, staying on a bull farm doesn't smell at all!
Traffic in the towns of the Cote D'Azur and Provence was crazy and we went really before high season- I cannot imagine the gridlock on the streets and the crowds in the restaurants in July and August- never go then.
No one wants you to speak the local language, even if you want to. You speak Spanish and they speak English back. We gave up and embraced the fact that everyone speaks English everywhere now, and like GPS vs maps, we learned to love it.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, STEVE WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THE RENTAL CAR FROM DULLES TO BWI (3 DAYS) WAS RETURNED WITH NO DAMAGE!
(As were the other 25 cars I've rented this year or so...really, do you all think I can't drive anymore...?? 😎)
Our last night in Paris, Laurent returned and we had a dinner at Eels as planned. About a thirty minute walk (perfect, since once we are home I can't get Steve walking at all) but it was raining, so we hopped in an Uber and headed over to the 10th arrondissement in heavy traffic.
Rather than describe the great five course chef tasting menu we did- here it is in photos.
Everything was excellent, especially the bottle of Pinot Noir- too bad it was their last one and we had to switch wines for the next bottle - but that is the only criticism.
The next morning we were packed, said our goodbyes, and were off to the airport for our non-stop to Dulles, Washington D.C. After an unremarkable flight (that in and of itself is quite a feat nowadays) we landed and headed to Immigration. Boy, is Global Entry worth every cent. We were on a double decker plane and so just our flight made for close to 700 people snaking through 15 or more aisles to Passport Control. But we headed to the Global Entry kiosk and in about 20 seconds were through.
Luggage, then rental car, then to Arlington for a few days with Shelby, David and Eli.
Lots of sunshine and fun, caught up a bit on jet lag and then headed to BWI for another non-stop to Albuquerque. Finally on this plane ride I got the time and motivation to write the last blog. Using memory and lots of short notes I had entered on my phone Note App, I finished the blog and handed the iPad to Steve for editing and/or additions. And to keep track that everything in my notes made it into the blog, as I used each idea, I erased it. BIG MISTAKE! Turns out that the iPad app we use to connect with our blog usually auto saves even without the internet. It doesn't transfer it to the blog but it does keep it within the app until there is internet access. Not this time - Oops - GONE - never to be restored.
Once we were home washing, and gardening, and food shopping, and mail opening took precedent. Then getting ready for Shelby, David and Eli to visit- a bit of baby proofing, crib set up, toy cleaning etc. Now that all that is done, finally time to TRY to recreate the erased blog.
THE WOULDA, COULDA, SHOULDA
As always, we coulda and shoulda taken less clothes. I came home with at least two clean shirts - ditto for Steve. I took 5 pair of pants (3-4 needed), 3 pair of shoes (perfect) + a pair of flip flops (not needed at all), 11 pair of underwear (which meant only doing sink washing 2 times) 1 pair of pjs (I may need to burn them now and shoulda taken 2), 1 set of yoga clothes (wore once but didn't really need), 4 sweaters (2 is enough), 2 shawls (1 is enough), and about 15 shirts, some long sleeve tees, some button down blouses and a couple of sleveless for hot days (truth is that other than the unpredictability of weather 10 tops would be fine).
 |
| Next time, maybe a FUGU Bag...?? |
We shoulda left our itinerary a bit more open, maybe one or two or three nights unplanned. There is always so much to see and do and so little time (yes, many of you are chuckling, because no one would call our trips short), and we were traveling just at the start of high season, so we decided we needed to book all of our hotels ahead. It does make it easy, but it also means no spontaneously deciding to find a hotel in that charming little beach town you happened to stop in, for us Tossa del Mar, Spain. Maybe next time!
THE SCHWARTZ'S KEEN EYE OBSERVATIONS
In France, every toddler in a stroller up to four years old had a pacifier!
The French still smoke an incredible amount, leaving their dinner tables to go outside for a cig, using tons of vape pens, especially the super big ones that produce billows of smoke.
The food is still better in Spain, and way cheaper.
 |
| Shrimp Carpaccio - in Spain |
Gasoline is also 25% less in Spain...??
Traffic in Paris is insane. Also Barcelona...get rid of your rental car as soon as you arrive.
Marseilles is no longer a gritty, dirty, seedy city- don't hestitate to go.
 |
| Marseilles |
French women of middle age still seem to like that very fake red/orange color hair dye.
French people do come in all shapes (some are fat) but many, many women well into their 50's and 60's still have good arms, and they don't look like they workout.
People are not really wearing 'athleisure' wear to go out like Americans do - when they have it on they are exercising.
Lots of wide leg pants on women, and jeans and sneakers on everyone.
In 2013 the color trend was blue everything- pants, sweaters, scarves- for men and women.
This year it is Nantucket red pants, skinny and mostly on men - maybe because about 50% of the women are in dresses, everything from breezy colorful linen sacks to print sheaths (with those good arms).
Way less Chinese tourists where we were than we are used to seeing in our other travels. My guess is that they haven't yet bought or built the infrastructure they like- hope they don't. ( From Steve: The Chinese really only want to travel in groups by themselves, and do not mingle or mix. They only want to eat Chinese food, at their special Chinese-only hotels - never saw Chinese tourists, solo or groups, in a restaurant, not once, the entire trip).
Inland Costa Brava is where hip Barcelonians buy second homes and go for the weekend - check it out if you are in the area, about 90 minutes north of the city.
Aperol sprites are still available, but passe'--Vermouth on the Rocks is the hot drink this summer.
No one has Diet Coke, only Coke Zero. No one.
There is always shampoo and body gel at all hotels but almost never hair conditioner or robes (even when there were slippers). We didn't stay at five star hotels but we stayed at very nice places.
Surprisingly, staying on a bull farm doesn't smell at all!
Traffic in the towns of the Cote D'Azur and Provence was crazy and we went really before high season- I cannot imagine the gridlock on the streets and the crowds in the restaurants in July and August- never go then.
No one wants you to speak the local language, even if you want to. You speak Spanish and they speak English back. We gave up and embraced the fact that everyone speaks English everywhere now, and like GPS vs maps, we learned to love it.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, STEVE WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THE RENTAL CAR FROM DULLES TO BWI (3 DAYS) WAS RETURNED WITH NO DAMAGE!
(As were the other 25 cars I've rented this year or so...really, do you all think I can't drive anymore...?? 😎)
Comments
Post a Comment