Our Long-Awaited Journey Part 10: Paris to Home

October 27, 2022

Paris at last. It seems like it has been a very long journey to the city of love. We have been looking forward to the sights and sounds that Paris has to offer. Since we arrived late afternoon on day ten, we would only have one full day to explore.

After checking into our room and freshening up, we asked for directions to a good Italian restaurant. I know, you would think we would go to a French restaurant in Paris, but I live with a Sicilian. The concierge recommended Tripletta (triplettapizza.com).

With directions in hand, we headed out to walk the city streets and find our destination. Easier said than done. Somehow, we zigged when we should have zagged, and were lost in the small side streets. We asked a young couple if they could help, but they did not seem receptive. Another couple observed this interaction and asked if they could assist. These wonderful people spent fifteen minutes helping us search for and find the restaurant. We could not thank them enough for their kindness. It was definitely worth finding; the food was very fresh and delicious.

After dinner we took a leisurely walk back to our hotel. It had been a long day and we needed rest. Tomorrow would be our only full day in Paris, and we wanted to be ready to take it all in.

Rise and shine! One more day...one last tour. After a wonderful breakfast at the hotel, we boarded the bus for our morning excursion. Our guide for the three-hour tour shared much of the history and highlights Paris. Although we would see many things, these few short hours cannot begin to cover all that Paris has to offer. Notre Dame was still under renovation from the fire, and we did not have time to go into the Eiffel Tower. After some time for souvenir shopping, we went back to our hotel for some free time.

We were booked for a tour of Paris at Night; however, the weather was not cooperative. After days without rain, the skies opened up and there were thunderstorms and rain. We opted out as we knew we would not be getting off the bus in the rain, and it is difficult to see much or get any good photographs from the bus. After enjoying a wonderful dinner with a couple we met on our cruise, we returned to our room to prepare for a very early morning.

When we booked our Rhine River cruise, we made the decision to end in Paris instead of Zurich. The two things we did not take into consideration were that we would arrive in Paris on day ten, and we would be exhausted. Although we enjoyed our short time there, in hindsight, we should have gone to Paris first when we were fresh and full of energy. Paris is a beautiful city, and perhaps someday I will see it again.

Day twelve, time to return home. On the bus for our early morning trip to the airport. After checking luggage and going through customs, we were ready to say goodbye. A flight to Boston, a bus ride to our car, and we would once again be home; taking with us so many wonderful memories and photographs to recall this amazing adventure.