Day 36 - Game Day in Paris: PSG v. Sochaux

Since this is technically a soccer excursion and I've extended my stay, I figured it’d be appropriate to attend another soccer match.  Fortunately the schedule was in my favor and Paris-Saint Germain (PSG) was playing at home on Saturday night in a Ligue 1 match against Sochaux.  I was able to call on Yann, PSG's press officer who didn't come through for the Bastia match, but he had no problem with tickets for this home showdown. 

It's no secret the French are passionate people.  Passionate about their food, culture, and love, but when it comes to sports it just seems like their passion comes off as rowdy and disgruntled.  Nothing in particular happened at the game, but I noticed it in Bastia with fans throwing things at players while they were taking corner kicks and then again in Paris with fans yelling, whistling and hollering when opposing players get injured or substitute out.  I guess this makes them no different than New York or Philadelphia fans.

My breakfast consisted of some fruit from a local vendor and a coffee...keeping it healthy for a change.

Kickoff was at 5:30 so I headed to the stadium around 4:30. I wouldn't of had a problem scalping a ticket to this match. The sketchy ticket scalper guys I was looking for in Bastia were apparently all here in Paris. I felt like I was at the Coliseum...home sweet home.

 

PSG flags were put on everyone's seats.

 

By kickoff it was a packed house. Sochaux isn't a big rival or even a historically strong team, but PSG, with its new players, is a hot ticket in town. 

PSG is second in the league and Sochaux is 17th (out of 20).

 

 

It didn't take long for PSG to score...at 10 minutes they went up 1-0 and the flags were waiving.

PSG's park, Parc des Princes holds about 48k.

 

Only in France would they serve a hot dog in a baguette.

Goal #2 also came in the first half in the 35th minute...PSG 2, Sochaux 0 at halftime.

 

Final score PSG 2, Sochaux 0. PSG's next league match is against huge rival and first place team Marseille. The fans were already yelling and screaming profanities about Marseille so that should be a rowdy match.

 

 

Another fun European soccer experience, 6 for 6!

 

 

The game ended around 8pm, perfect time for dinner.  There's a place across from my hotel called the Le Petit Tour (The Small Tower) that has been recommended by several people so that's where I headed.  Trip Advisor, which is where I get a lot of recommendations, has it as #215 out of 8,000+ restaurants in Paris.  It a very old restaurant  dating back to before WWII.  The waitress said that during the war when the Germans occupied Paris they would come into this restaurant and sit exactly where I was sitting to get drinks.

Bartop for one please! This was a very familiar scene throughout the trip.

 

Raviloi in a cream sauce and topped with prosciutto. This was my appetizer, but I could have thrown back a whole bowl of this. It was amazing; creamy, but not too heavy. The salty proscuitto with the cream sauce...incroyable.

Scallops. For some reason I've been craving scallops for a week now, but have had trouble finding them. When the waitress was translating the menu for me and mentioned scallops my eyes lit up. They were covered in a light oil and basil sauce and in the middle was a red marinara-type sauce that was delicious. My craving was very much satisfied.

Side of green beaans...again, trying to keep it healthy.

 

It was a full moon in Paris.

Looking up and seeing the Eiffel Tower is still not getting old.

Another fun day in Paris and a successful soccer endeavor as well.   Sunday is my last full day (I leave Monday afternoon) and I don't have much planned.  I'll probably take advantage of the sunshine and do as the Parisians do and enjoy another open air cafe. 

Day 35 - Musee d'Orsay & Some Amazing Ice Cream

Bristish philosopher Betrand Russell once said, "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."  That pretty much sums up my Friday in Paris.  I woke up late, lounged around, grabbed a coffee and a croissant and relaxed.  Eventually the guilt set in and I forced myself to get out to check out a few more fun sites. 

 

As you’re aware, the French have lost a lot of wars over the years yet somehow managed to end up with most of the world’s great artwork.  Many of which are housed at the recently refurbished Musee d'Orsay.  The Seine-side museum is best known for its extensive collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masteripieces (the largest in the world) by such painters as Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cezanne, Seurat, Gauguin, and Van Gogh.

 

Visiting the d’Orsay was like stepping into the pages of an Art History book.  Whether it was Monet’s Haystack or Renoir’s The Ball at the Moulin de la Galette or Van Gogh’s Self-portrait, everywhere you looked was a familiar piece of art work that you’ve read about and heard of since you were a kid.  On numerous occasions I said out loud, "Oh, I know that one."  Perhaps the greatest piece of art work is the d’Orsay building itself.  It is housed in an impressive Beaux-Arts classical style railway station built between 1898 and 1900.  The entire museum received major renovations in recent years and is now the best museum in Paris in my opinion. 

 

The Musee d'Orsay sits right on the Seine River in the heart of Paris.

 

The Musee d'Orsay building is just as much of an attraction as the numerous paintings inside its walls.

The arched roof gives a good sense of how the building was once a train station in the early 20th Century. It resembles several of the train stations that I've already visited in Europe such as in Glasgow and Milan.

 

It's like an all-star roster of artists.

 

Van Gogh's Haystack were on show...

...as was Renoir's The Ball at the Moulin de la Galette.

 

 The Musee d'Orsay has dozens of Van Gogh's masterpieces including his Self-Portrait.

 

A view across the Seine River through the d'Orsay's clock tower.

Inside on the west wall still hangs the original clock from when the building was a train station at the end of the 1800s.

 

 

After Musee d’Orsay I wandered over to the backside of the Notre Dame Cathedral to Ile Saint-Louis, the second island.  Just over a small bridge is the elegant old street, Rue St.-Louis-en-l'ile, as narrow as your living room.  This is the Paris you've always imagined -- quaint restaurants, pastry shops and perhaps the best ice cream ever, at the famed Berthillon (pronounced bear-tee-yone).  Thanks to DA for the recommendation. 

 

Berthillon street-side cafe. It has a full menu, but it's most famous for its homemade ice cream. It also doesn't hurt that it overlooks the Seine River and the Notre Dame Cathedral.

There were about a dozen flavor choices.

 

I went with three scoops - coffee, honey nougat, and hazelnut. Coffee was by far my favorite. I think it's so good because every bite packs a punch of flavor. Your taste buds light up with coffee or honey flavors or whatever it is.

Rue St-Louis-en-l'ile at sunset

 

The night was mellow.  I met up with a new friend of mine named Beatriz for some wine at a local street-side cafe and enjoyed a relaxed night in Paris.  It seems impossible to exaggerate the importance of the little sidewalk cafe to Paris.  They are to this French city what beaches are to L.A.  Every block has an open-air cafe, chairs facing the street and every day and night guests fill the chairs to watch the passerbys like it's a parade.  The cafes are like the parade stand.   You just grab a table, order some beer or wine and swallow it all up to your heart's content. 

It was close to a full moon on Friday night.

Beatriz and I grabbed a table at one of the many nearby cafes, ordered some wine and enjoyed the evening.

A poor attempt at getting a shot in front of the Eiffel Tower at night.

 

Saturday is game day in Paris.  I figured if I'm going to stay I need to keep the soccer theme going, so I got a couple tickets to the Paris-Saint Germain match vs. Sochaux.  

Day 34 - Chateau de Versailles

Now that I've extended my stay a few days I have some time to venture outside the city.  Several people mentioned that if I have the time, which I do now, to go to Chateau de Versailles.  I woke up late on Thursday and headed to the Chateau located about 30 minutes from Paris.  The Chateau started as a hunting lodge for Louis XIII in the 17th Century, but was expanded extensively with each new king.   Today it is considered one of the most expansive and masterful Chateau's in the world.

Since I extended my stay I had to switch hotels (the place I was at didn't have any vacancy) and now I'm over on the west side or Left Bank of Paris by the Eiffel Tower. 

The rain was on and off so on my walk to the train station I was able to snap a couple shots of the Eiffel Tower and a rainbow.

 

I did't think a black and white photo would do any justice to a picture with a colorful rainbow, but I actually kind of like it.

I arrived in Versailles around 2pm, grabbed a quick bite and then headed over to the Chateau.  The first thing that strikes you is its size.  When you think Chateau you perhaps think a mansion-size country estate with an acre or two of gardens, but this is the size of a small town.  Along with the main Chateau there are North and South wings that could be giant low-rise office buildings; there are ministers' buildings; and there are four courtyards that lead up to the front door.   I couldn't even capture a picture of it all because it was the length of several city blocks.   

The pure gold front gate of the Chateau. 

Speaking of gold, the main house has gold trim.

The world's largest disco dance floor...actually, this is the marble courtyard, one of four courtyards, that leads to the main entrance of the Chateau.

One of the many long-arched hallways that fill the Chateau. Each walkway was filled with statues, art and beautiful lamps and windows.

A view from the Queen's quarters of the Chateau's gardens, groves and canals.

After walking through the Chateau, I went out back to walk around the Domain de Versailles, or the Versailles gardens.

Calling them gardens is humorous.  The "gardens" consist of three-square miles of canals, fountains, cottages, paths and much more.

It's not lost on me that I'm wearing shorts on a cold and rainy day...at least I wore a scarf..."Life's Better in Board Shorts."

Some of the walkways were lined with 15-20 foot hedges, so it was easy to get lost because you couldn't see anywhere except ahead and behind.

It rained when I first arrived, but the sun started to come out by the time I made it outside.

There were endless walks and paths to explore. I was able to find a few areas that weren't loaded with people, so I got to experience the calm and tranquility of the grounds like they were made for.

Sheep are chill.

One of the areas had a maze of low hedges, so I had a little fun. 

Close...

A little further...

 Far...

Farthest.

I got back to the hotel around 7:30, just enough time to relax, change and head out to grab a bite.  I kept it simple and hit a small crepe place that I had heard about in the Bastille area.  I went with the ham and cheese crepe.  It was a tasty and inexpensive way to start the evening. 

Jamon and formage crepe.

 

After I ate I bounced to a bar to meet up with a friend named Michael who I met at my new hotel. He and I made friends with a group of Belgium guys in town for work and we all went out for beers. 

One of my favorite beers is a French beer called Kronenbourg 1664, but in the US I usually can only find the traditional brew. In Paris they have three different kinds including a 1664 Blanc.

 

After boozing a bit with the Belgians, Michael and I met up with the American girls from the other night (Meg is in this pic) and went to an Irish bar in Bastille called Corcoran's. 

People in Paris seem to dig Los Angeles; this girl wanted to strike an LA gangster pose...she looks like the friendliest gangster I've ever seen.

 

I got majorly photo bombed.

 

 

 

On Friday it's back to site seeing in the city.  I have a couple key spots to check out including the Musee d'Orsay.