2015: Day 4
Visiting France has been on our bucket list for years. We finally got to spend two and a half weeks there in late September/early October. It lived up to all our expectations! Resembling the French flag, this drink is layered with grenadine, peach schnapps and a mix of blue curacao, mandarin vodka & gin.
There were so many things that we will remember from our trip – the amazing architecture, finally getting to see historical monuments such as the Eiffel tower, experiencing history by walking through ancient hill towns and seeing ballroom dances from the French Revolution period in the Palace of Versailles at night. But what we will remember most is the amazing food and wine we had every night!!! The city of Paris was like that pair of jeans that you put on and it just fits perfect. We loved that Parisiens don’t bother with eating crappy food – it’s the finest or not at all. We enjoyed starting our mornings with an almond chocolate croissant and latte, and ending the day with a three course meal made of the freshest ingredients and a bottle of French rose wine. We finally found a city that eats after 9pm like we do!
We were sickened to hear of the attacks in Paris on November 13th – only six weeks after we returned. We had cycled down Boulevard Voltaire and the Place du Republique, only blocks from the Bataclan and the Le Carillon & Le Petit Cambodge restaurants. We felt so safe walking the streets at night. It’s hard to fathom a world where you can’t feel safe having dinner or drinks in an outdoor cafe.
France has had a long history of conflict and survived many battles. Despite the recent events, we are sure that France will bounce back better and stronger. We hope to return one day to go back and see the rest of the country (despite our rule of not going back to the same place). There is more French wine to be sampled!