Where in the world were we?

Whew; just got back to San Diego last night and it was immediately back to work. For just a short while though.

It was quite a whirlwind of a trip; 6 cities in what was basically fourteen days. Still, it was invigorating.

So, while I regroup; here's a rundown of places...….I'm sure you'll be able to figure them out.

We got into our first stop at around 1am in the morning; but that didn't stop us from fully enjoying this beautiful city that was claimed to have been established when a mythical bird dropped a sword establishing what is now this city.

There was so much to see in this wonderful city, one of the most populous in the EU.

The city itself was once actually three separate towns that we unified in the late 19th century.

Once the co-capital of a huge empire in Europe, you can really take in the grandness.

From its huge market hall and beautiful bridges, the city especially dazzles at night. Since it straddles a river, you are able to take in the views, from both the water, and from the hills.

Our second stop was on the map specifically because the Missus wanted to see one work of art.

With wonderful palaces and cafes, we managed to make the most of our time in spite of the rain and the wind.

Our next stop was just for one night; but we made the most of our time in this city of fantastic architecture, which is mostly known in the US for being the setting for a classic musical and birthplace of a famous composer.

We actually spent a night in a seminary.....

Our next stop was a bit of a surprise to us.

We loved the people; who were very nice, friendly, and quite kind. They seemed a bit serious at first, but really know how to have a good time.

The town hall is an amazing site.

And we saw a victory rally for the "football" team which won the national championship....it was orderly, safe, clean, and while beer flowed everywhere, and we ran into no knuckleheads.

We also had one of the best meals ever in this city!

And we really enjoyed the museum district; especially the Egyptian Museum.

You could say we weren't, ahem, any "wurst for wear"....

To avoid a very long train trip; the Missus doesn't want anything over 3-4 hours, we spent a night in a lovely, very laid back city; with a wonderful central square.

The hotel we stayed at was fantastic and we managed to catch up on some shopping as well.

And our final stop needs no introduction if you've been reading our blog for a while. It's the Missus's favorite city.

A month before our trip a tragedy occurred here...one of the symbols of the city caught on fire. And while one of the spires and the roof was destroyed, much more was saved.

Here's hoping that once the restoration is done; it will be better than ever.

And we basically did what we always do here; schedule ourselves for one major place to visit.

And spend the rest wandering this wonderful city.....

In fact, while we did a good deal of walking during the trip (usually 8-12 miles a day), we actually did over 14 miles during one of our days here! Whew!!!

And of course we did our share of eating.

From traditional dishes of the places we visited.

To more modern cuisine.

To what was in season.....

Some items to add variety.....

And of course some fine dining choices as well.

We did our share of eating and drinking as well.

I know there's still a bunch of catching up to on posts from other trips to do. I need to be more "on the ball".

So let me regroup and start catching up on things.

Thanks for stopping by!

Comments

[Sandy]

I look forward to hearing about this trip! I was in Paris about a month prior to the Notre Dame fire. In hindsight, I wish I had at least passed by the cathedral.

[kat]

rest up! look forward to reading your adventures!

[caninecologne]

Welcome back to you and your Missus! Such great photos from your trip. Looking forward to your posts.

[Kirk]

Hi sandy - Too bad you didn't get a chance to see Notre Dame pre-fire. It's quite grand and am important symbol of the city.

Thanks Kat!

Thanks CC; glad you enjoyed the photos.

[Sandy]

I have been to the Notre Dame previously, which is why I didn't visit or walk by it in March. BTW, I went to Canard Street for a dinner.

[Soo]

Wow! You saw some cool stuff on your trip!

[Kirk]

Nice! How did you like Canard Street Sandy?

We try Soo!

[Junichi]

Welcome back! That's a lot of mileage on foot!

[Kirk]

Thanks Junichi! I always lose a good chunk of weight when on vacation....all that walking.

[Sandy]

Canard Street was exactly what we needed - a light, quick dinner after a long day trip outside of Paris. The duck salad was great, the duck confit seemed a bit fatty, but was tasty.

[Kirk]

That's good Sandy. We actually revisited on a return to Paris during that trip and had a sandwich that wasn't as good as the Planche.

[James]

I think we passed each other in Paris (we were there the last week of May before heading to Rome.)

[Kirk]

We were in Paris then as well James! How funny! Hope you enjoyed your trip.