Ever Changing Panama City, Panama

16 April 2009 by 12 Comments

Last night, I made it to Panama for my 5th visit. I have relatives here and have always enjoyed coming to see them and enjoy the country.

Surprise!

This time, I made my trip coincide with my mom also coming over to visit my aunt – but as a surprise to my mom!  One of my cousins picked me up from the airport and took me to my aunt’s where the surprise took place.  My mom’s reaction was priceless!  Of course, every one of my Panama-based family members were in on the surprise and, though it was getting late in the evening, they could not leave until they saw “the moment”.  Well worth it.

The flight to Panama

Fortunately for me, there is a nice direct flight from Atlanta that takes 4 hours.  The plane was close to full but I had exit row (score!) and the seat in exit row that has no seat in front of it so zero feeling of being in a sardine can – the usual feeling in most American airlines.  The flight was smooth except that it it took between 10 and 15 minutes for a gate to be cleared for the plane to park.  Then another 5 mins to open the plane door.  Not sure why something so simple took so long.  But perhaps I was just antsy for “the moment”…

Panama City – A City Changed

Today, my relatives took us around showing how much Panama City has changed.  My parents hadn’t been here in about 10 years but I had been here 2 yrs ago.  For them the change was much more dramatic as areas of the coast line in the city have radically changed.  Instead of the waterfront small airport that used to take us and others to the Archipiélago de las Perlas (Pearl Islands), now there is a massive -and nice- mall and construction between it and the water!  The skyline is beginning to look more like Dubai’s than anything else with high rises everywhere both finished and under construction.  Massive construction boom. Paitilla, a waterfront area where even Trump built a tower, was already growing back in the late 1970s but it has, seemingly, growth logarithmically!

Paitilla in Panama City, Panama from the Casco Viejo (Old Town)

Looking towards part of Paitilla district from the Casco Viejo

Our relatives tell us that most have sold but start of new buildings has slowed down a bit with the current economic environment.  Many unit buyers are actually foreigners from Venezuela (escaping some lunatic there perhaps?), Colombia, and others.  A new area called Costa del Este has been developed on the former city dump and in neighboring swampy areas.  It took years to clear out and refill.  Now, it teems with new construction – high rises and nice gated neighborhoods.  Two of my cousins live in Costa del Este and I can’t blame them.

I had been taken on this same tour 2 yrs ago when I last visited but it was neat to see small changes, such as in the Casco Viejo (Old Town), the old part of town that reminds me so much of Old San Juan except the latter has been renovated extensively and kept up quite nicely.  This time, I could tell there was more progress on the re-do of the old buildings, some which go back to the 1600s and 1700s.  It is already beginning to shape up as a fantastic part of town and will be superb once the works are mostly done.

Around the Casco Viejo (Old Town) in Panama City, Panama

Around the Casco Viejo, typical street

Around the Casco Viejo (Old Town) in Panama City, Panama

Around the Casco Viejo

Around the Casco Viejo (Old Town) in Panama City, Panama

Around the Casco Viejo

You already have restaurants and some hotels (the Hotel Colombia is an impressive architectural piece).

Hotel Colombia in the Casco Viejo (Old Town) in Panama City, Panama

Hotel Colombia

Around the Casco Viejo (Old Town) in Panama City, Panama

Juxtaposition of old-and-older in the Casco Viejo

I got to enter the National Theater which I had never seen before and it was splendid.  We also got to enter the courtyard of the Ministry of Foreign Relations where they have done a great job of semi-enclosing the courtyard to protect from rain but yet kept it somewhat open, especially towards the ocean.  Talks and other events are held there and I can see why it would be a great setting.

Indoor at the Teatro Nacional (National Theater) in Panama City, Panama

Inside the National Theater

Foreign Ministry courtyard in Panama City, Panama with a large fan

Courtyard at the Foreign Ministry. Notice the HUGE ceiling fan!

We also drove to Puerto Amador (Fort Amador, formally a key intelligence center and bunker of the US military and, after the Panama Canal turned over, of Gen. Noriega).  Now it bustles with eateries, shops, some condos, etc.  I had been there in my last visit at night and it is definitely a good place to go to at night.  Nice conversion of a former military facility to a place for folks to enjoy.

We drove through the old city center where many great stores are located.  I remember visiting Panama when I was younger and my aunt going there to buy things from this or that “ethnic” store.  For example, the Indian stores had great linens. (Indian, as in descendants of people who came from India).  There is also an area of Chinese run stores (ethnic Chinese but Panamanian).  This area looks a bit more run down than I remember and I couldn’t get a sense of how safe it is…  Especially after my relatives said that the street called “Sal si puedes” (“get out if you can”) is particularly dangerous.  I suspect that it may be no worse than many inner cities in the U.S. and that an adventurous traveler (not traveling alone) can likely make it through and “get out”.

So, after a lot of driving around, I am back at my cousin’s house to shower and get ready for happy hour at my aunt’s before heading out for dinner.  Not really sure what we are doing tomorrow but I am sure it will involve lots of driving around.  We have all visited the Canal before (3 times for me) so I doubt we will be doing that this time.  Looking forward to another day here and happy to be back in Panama!

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See how we covered from the Caribbean coast to the Pacific coast in this trip ->  click here!

Filed Under: South America Tagged With: , , , , , ,

From Atlanta to Krakow – Planes, Train, Bus and Automobile

1 March 2009 by 9 Comments

img_80142I am in Krakow!  This blog post (and the next few) will be written during a trip.  Nice change for me and maybe for the readers??  Just arrived in Krakow yesterday late afternoon local time.

 

A flight

Flying to Warsaw via Amsterdam with KLM went without a hitch aside from the possessed kid on the transatlantic leg. More than the screaming child, the screaming mother was the worse part. Where is flying Super Nanny when you need her?

Schiphol, as usual, a great airport to connect through. At Warsaw, much to our chagrin, passport control was closed (yep, I am a sucker for that passport stamp).  I guess they are not concerned with who is coming (just keep coming?).

A bus ride

The Warsaw airport was quite small and very easy. The information desk was very helpful and pointed us to take a bus to the Warsaw Central train station instead of taxi (bus nbr 175; bought the 2.8 zloty single pass at the ever-present Relay shop).  Outside of baggage claim, there was an ATM (why are these machines always tucked a way at the far end of the arrivals building in many European airports?) and money problem solved.

A train ride

In about 20 mins (a Saturday morning), we were at the station.  It is a maze of alleys and shops and not quite like the train stations I am used to in Paris, Madrid or London.  The ticket windows are not in one central area but there are numerous small kiosks called “Kasa” (cashier, I suppose) around. We walked past a couple before being comfortable that was where we needed to go.  The lady did not speak English but between a printout I had of the schedule and my phrases for asking about price, etc., the transaction was done!

Then to grab lunch where, again, the person didn’t speak English.  Between my broken Polish and hand signals, it was all good.  We decided we were too tired and splurged for a first class ticket on the train.  What sold us on the idea was how cheap it was: $40.  The ride was smooth and uneventful.  Two other folks shared our compartment and they didn’t say much until they left the train when they told us goodbye in English.

An automobile ride

Once in Krakow, though we weren’t far from the apartment, we were exhausted from lugging ourselves and our luggage around and chose to cab it.  It also saved us from figuring out directions at dusk, etc.

Our host’s friend met us and gave us great advice for local things.  He actually spoke almost perfect Spanish and pretty good English.  Impressive.

Next time, I will write about the food (so far) and the initial impressions of the town and the Salt Mines at Wielickza.

Filed Under: Europe, Poland Tagged With: , , , ,

On the Shores of Lake Victoria in Mwanza and on to the Serengeti

22 February 2009 by Leave a Comment

In early 2007, I went to Tanzania for work reasons and I was excited to get to this part of Africa.  Two other entries in this blog cover the trip over and  some observations about Dar es Salaam.  This entry will share more of the logistical items about my visit to Mwanza, the actual stories of what I saw once there (field visits, the city, and the Serengeti) merit their own to-be-written entries and I don’t want to make this entry too long!

Part of the reason to be sent to Tanzania, as I may have mentioned in earlier entries, was to better understand my organization’s operations in the developing world.  I was fairly new to the organization so this was to be part of my onboarding, if you will.  There were a few places in Tanzania to potentially visit but we settled on a 1-day visit to Zanzibar and a 4-5 day visit to Mwanza, on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Getting to Mwanza

To get to Mwanza, I flew Air Tanzania as land travel is extremely slow (there is a train and some sort of road but nothing that would make for an easy and speedy trip; the latter being more important due to time constraints).  The plane was brand new and very well kept.  I was not sure what to expect but the service and the food were quite good and I felt quite safe flying the local airline.   I landed in Mwanza and, though I have flown to a smaller airport (Contadora Island in Panama), I was amused by smallness of the airport and the baggage claim area:  a wall divided the area where the plane was from baggage claim and a big rectangular hole in the wall was where the baggage handlers placed the luggage to then be claimed by the passengers.

Mwanza airport in Tanzania, on the shores of Lake Victoria

Mwanza airport

Lodging in the City

I was picked up at the airport and taken to a hotel on the shores of Lake Victoria, named Hotel Tilapia (http://www.hoteltilapia.com/).  There were different types of rooms  and over the few days I was there,  I got to try one of the rooms in the building and one of the rooms on the docked boat (the Buganda, which appeared in the movie the African Queen!).  (I didn’t stay at the bungalows, the 3rd type of room.)

Tilapia Hotel House Boat Buganda in Mwanza, Tanzania

The Buganda

The one on the Buganda was rather interesting as the boat (which was well docked and tied up so it didn’t move) was sort of tilted.  Also, my window to the water wasn’t really sealed so I wondered what creatures would come in during the night…  Actually, both rooms were well fumigated so I actually saw no critter in either one (a key success factor for me even if the spray they use daily in the rooms is toxic to ANY living creature!).

The best feature of this hotel was being on Lake Victoria.  There was an outdoor bar and restaurant area by the water which, as long as you had put on some mosquito spray, was quite enjoyable.  Clearly, there are other hotels in Mwanza and I didn’t get to see them so there may be better options but this one worked well for me.

The Tilapia Hotel's bar area right by the shores of Lake Victoria

The Tilapia Hotel’s bar area right by the shores of Lake Victoria

Mwanza

Mwanza is blessed to be located on Lake Victoria and not terribly far from the western entrance to the Serengeti.  It is the second largest city in Tanzania after Dar es Salaam (located on the Indian Ocean coast).  I traveled the Mwanza region visiting projects with work which was a neat way to see the area. Some of the projects I visited had to do with village savings and loans (economic livelihood improvement projects).  Everyone was very friendly to this visitor!!

Village savings and loan group in Tanzania

Village savings and loan group 1

Village savings and loan group in Tanzania

Village savings and loan group 2

Being on the lake, it is a port (other countries bordering the lake include Kenya and Uganda).  One of the natural features of the lake are the rock formations which you also see on land.  The most famous of the rock formations is Bismarck’s Rock right by the shore.

Bismarck Rock in Mwanza (Tanzania), by Lake Victoria

Bismarck’s Rock

The city of Mwanza was very manageable and there seemed to be a  lot of economic activity at the time.  It was a great base to explore the lake area and enter the Serengeti from the west.

Downtown Mwanza, Tanzania

Downtown Mwanza

Downtown Mwanza, Tanzania

Downtown Mwanza

Lodging near the Serengeti

I did overnight in another part of the Mwanza region because I was going into the Serengeti (from the western entrance) the following day and since you want to be there at the crack of dawn, driving from Mwanza was not going to work.  So I stayed at the Speke’s Bay Lodge ( http://www.spekebay.com/ ), run by some Dutch (if memory serves me right).  They built the lodge area (bungalows and tent area) and they cleared the reeds/bushes from the shores of the bay and actually created a beach (which apparently is very difficult to keep clear of reeds so it is a labor of love, I suppose).

Speke Bay Lodge on the shores of Lake Victoria in Tanzania

Speke Bay Lodge – my lodge

Speke Bay Lodge room by Lake Victoria in Tanzania

Speke Bay Lodge room by the shore of the lake

The “beach” looks very nice but not a beach you would walk around at night – the hippos are not far away and may meander through the beach!  I stayed at a bungalow by the lake (the ground where the bungalows are is at a higher level than the beach so I assume the hippos can’t get up there, or so I hoped!).  All night long I could hear the hippos – I could have sworn they were right outside my window!  (They were not.)   The hotel shuts off electricity at some point in the evening so it was an early night which suited me fine because of the early start.  However, it was a very hot night and I didn’t think it wise to open the sliding door…  One good thing was that the bed had a mosquito net and was quite comfortable.

View from Speke Bay Lodge in Tanzania

Lots of wildlife around Speke Bay Lodge

Sunset on the shores of Lake Victoria at Speke Bay Lodge

Sunset on the beach at Speke Bay Lodge

Unfortunately, I did not spend too much time at the lodge because of all the visits on the day on my check-in and because of the very early check-out the next day.  However, I had a great meal at their restaurant where a group of Canadians were nice enough to ask me to join them since I was on my own and the grounds were very beautiful and well kept.

There are likely other options (the lodge was on the more expensive side) that may make more sense but I generally went were I was taken so cannot offer other suggestions.

The area around Lake Victoria is beautiful and the memories of nature and people will last me a lifetime…

Sunset on Lake Victoria in Tanzania

Sunset on Lake Victoria

Does someone else have insights into other hotels in the city of Mwanza and accommodations near the western entrance to the Serengeti? Can anyone comment on traveling by road or train instead of flying there?

Filed Under: Africa, Tanzania Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

My Everyday in Paris

7 February 2009 by Leave a Comment

I am sure the world does not need another writeup about Paris.  But I think we all experience Paris differently so here is my take.  It is such a unique place (as are other places like Venice, Rio, Istanbul, etc.) that I never get tired of visiting.  At some point I will add to the endless writeups on Paris out there to share my favorite sights.  Today, the everyday takes center stage…

Landing in Paris in 1999

I spent 6 months in Paris in 1999 on a work assignment with another group of folks from the U.S.; we had all worked together for a few months prior to going to France and the trip felt like an adventure.   It was great to be sharing it with others even if we all didn’t hang out together all the time.  At first, most of us lived in the same building near the Arc de Triomphe and with a rooftop terrace with one of the best views in town!  Check it out!

Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower in Paris, France by day

Want to better see where this location was?  Check THIS out!!!!

Aerial view of the Arc de Triomphe and Charles de Gaulle Etoile

The star marks the spot!!

Once there, most of the time I was working which was crazy and unfortunate and for which I have given myself grief in retrospect, with no real effect on the past (how does that not happen??).  However, even with the long days and many days of work, living there was a fantastic experience as I got a taste of life in a one-of-a-kind city.  There were some experiences I would rather forget and probably have (… except the work ones!).

The daily life of a non-Parisian in Paris

Of course, being there for 6 months, we got to see a lot of the main sights in our free time.  But we also got to live and deal with the mundane.  Among the mundane, I can recall going to a hardware store looking for a particular type of lock (with my back-then limited French so I didn’t even know how to say “lock”), phoning locksmiths on behalf of my American colleagues (still not being able to say lock but using the words “cannot close the door” to indicate we needed help), doing laundry at public laundromats (which was quite the experience the first time as we didn’t know where the detergent went in those industrial machines), fighting to be able to buy a monthly carte orange for the metro with the more obtuse clerks, dealing with the throngs of tourists in the summer who made our commute in the metro more painful, etc..

Of course, I have to talk about food

The best part of the everyday (which, actually, was only possible on the weekends – if I didn’t have to work) was having breakfast at the neighborhood cafe (where the bread with butter was more butter with bread) and sit there for a few hours reading a book and watching people.  The cafe au lait, of course, was the ever faithful companion of the butter with bread… and it was delicious.

I guess there was the other everyday breakfast routine which I also enjoyed – the one during weekdays.  During weekdays we would go to the bakery near our office which offered -how can I say “selling” when these things were glorious- the freshest bakery items.  Our everyday routine was to take a break around 9 AM and gather any interested colleagues for the 5 minute walk to the bakery.  The baker didn’t speak English but baked goods know no language (I should be a philosopher).  Her pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) was fantastic and, of course, freshly baked.  In August, as many other locals do, she took vacation and went to the beach.  We had no idea at first what had happened and why the bakery was closed.  We figured it out and rejoiced upon her return when, with my limited French, I managed to figure out she had gone with her family to the beach and to tell her we had missed her baked goods.  Worthwhile to note, I lost like 10 lbs when I lived in Paris, even with this diet…  That’s what walking daily does to you…

I also loved the movie theaters where you could enjoy a beer as you watched a movie (how adult of the French).  I mentioned in an earlier entry about Paris about my favorite steak place and my favorite hot chocolate place so I will not repeat here lest this entry become War and Peace length.

Glorious end of the day

For me, and possibly for my friends Troy and Cybil, the “highlight” of the everyday was the end of the day and I don’t just mean leaving work which was probably the runner up of the highlight of the day.  We lived in the first ring street around the Arc de Triomphe across from the Belgian Embassy.  Our building had a rooftop terrace overlooking the Arc and behind it, further away, was the Eiffel Tower with its sign counting down the days until the year 2000.

Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower in Paris, France at night

At the end of just about every night, we would grab a bottle of cheap local wine (for like $2, perhaps the French version of two-buck Chuck?  what would that make it?  cinq-franc-Jacques?) and go to the terrace to drink the wine and sit back and take in the view until, 10 seconds before midnight, the counter would begin flickering, and at the stroke of midnight, the counter would change.  At that point it was “good night”, “good night”, “see you tomorrow” and off to bed.  That was the life.

Eiffel Tower in Paris, France 62 days before the year 2000

Eiffel Tower 62 days before the year 2000; the counter we saw change just about every night!

I have surely left off many aspects of the daily life.  If I think of others, I will add as comments but please, if you have your own routines or experiences to share, would love to hear about them.  I will add to the Paris category in the future. 

Filed Under: Europe, France, Good Eats and Drinks Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

On the Way to Tanzania, via Dubai

31 January 2009 by 8 Comments

My first international travel with the non-profit organization I work for was Tanzania.  Originally intended as a one week review of operational controls, a second week was added to the trip to get me exposure to the field work we do in the developing world.  I jumped at the opportunity to see firsthand what my new organization did and looked forward to my first opportunity to see sub-Saharan Africa.

Again, getting there is half the fun

Being mindful of cost, I found what was an incredibly cheap fare from Atlanta to Dar es Salaam for less than $1500.  I did have to connect in Gatwick (connection hell, second perhaps to CDG) and then in Dubai.  Connecting in Gatwick became more hell than I expected when I was informed I could only continue with one carry-on after standing in a security line for connections that would make a tortoise race look speedy.  I had with me my laptop bag and a small backpack with camera and personal items.  Shocked at this absurd rule from a major international gateway (which I have proactively sought avoiding ever since and recommend likewise), I had to reconfigure things such that I could send via checked luggage my now fairly empty laptop bag.  Surely, as a passenger I could be notified of these sclerotic rules AHEAD of getting to the annoying airport?

In London I switched to Emirates Airlines and things picked up quickly.  What a fantastic airline.  Though traveling coach/tourist class, you are treated as if you had paid business class.  Some frills (like footrests) but, more than anything, it was the flight attendants’ attitude towards their customers.  I think U.S. based airlines have forgotten who it is they are seeking to serve.  You don’t have to spend money, just please treat me nice and pretend you are happy I am there.

The special surprise for me on this Dubai-bound flight (besides the footrest) were the cameras in the underbelly and nose of the aircraft.  You could watch from your seat monitor as you flew over things or the space straight ahead!   A little freaky at first, it quickly became fascinating.  Tops was watching the approach and landing in Dubai from the camera feeds.

Laying it over in Dubai

In Dubai, I had a very long 9 hrs. layover.  I had tried to book a room in the hotel in the secured zone of the airport but it had been full weeks in advance and I didn’t feel like leaving the airport.  Through research, I did find out that for like $12, you could take a shower in the gym facilities at the airport.  These shower facilities were very nice and spacious (you got a private room) and that shower was heavenly.  It helped me re-charge a little bit but 9 hrs. was too much time.  Since I was traveling alone, it was hard for me to lower my guard enough to nap in any of the sitting areas or areas with the seats made for napping (nice airport!).  So I was extremely fatigued and lucky to not have fallen asleep unexpectedly and deeply before my flight to Dar!    I slept like a baby on the flight to Dar and I do not fall asleep easily on airplanes…

img_1478The Dubai airport is very glitzy in a commercial/Las Vegas-ish kind of way.  But it felt nice and clean.  It was interesting to see the flights to all these, to me, very exotic destinations that one rarely hears off in the U.S.:  Khartoum, D’jamena, Tehran, Riyadh, etc.  Very cool.  Then you see the passengers from all over the world who cross paths at the airport with different languages, clothing, and customs…  People ARE people.   Seeing people sleeping UNDER the seats in the hallways of the concourse sure made it feel like the Dubai airport was the air-equivalent of a train station of the world, if such a thing existed.

The Dubai airport is also known for its shopping arcade.  I did compare prices on some things and they did not seem really cheaper than back home (for example, electronics).  That may have changed since I went a couple of years ago but it is best to do research before heading there to make sure you know if you are getting a deal…  It may be that the real deals are in things like jewelry but that was not an area I researched nor was looking to shop in.  Does anyone have any insights into what are the best deals to be had in that airport?  Any other suggestions for things to do in that airport or the ease of getting in and out of the airport for a hotel stay in between flights?

In future entries, I will share more about Dar, Mwanza, the Serengeti, and Zanzibar.  Stay tuned!

Filed Under: Africa Tagged With: , , , , , ,

A Winter Visit to Helsinki

28 January 2009 by 1 Comment

Many moons ago, I got to go to Helsinki for a 3-week work assignment.  I remember the conference call with Helsinki when they were asking if the U.S. practice could send someone over.  I knew I was the one who would be sent and I was trying not to show visible signs of excitement at the possibility of going to Finland, even if it was the middle of winter…

Is It Gray Everywhere?

I flew Swissair, when it still existed (fantastic service! what happened??), to Zurich and connected there to Helsinki.  Landing in Zurich in winter was an impressive sight.  The Alps were visible with the sun coming up behind them and a carpet of clouds covering the area around the peaks so that I gained a strong appreciation for the technology that permits flying without seeing fully where you are going.  After clearing the cloud cover, Zurich winter climate turned out to be less impressive being all gray.  Landing in Helsinki, we did not see the city until only moments before landing, for similar reasons.  Was it gray all over Europe that day?  I wondered…

Curiosities – Day 1

My company’s office was very modern and in the city center.  It occupied a few stories of a 5 story building with the top floor being the sauna (his and hers) but with a meeting room by the saunas and with the same wooden paneling as the sauna which made me believe they conducted meetings before going to the sauna.  I also noticed in the restroom a small hose next to the bathroom sink and close to the toilet.  A first for me… no, I didn’t try it 🙂

Eating in Helsinki

I ate my first reindeer (or a part of one) in Helsinki at a restaurant called Lappi.  It was delicious.  I have to admit that in my mind I was thinking how much I was going to enjoy telling my godchild I ate Rudolph…  I also did get to eat at a Mexican restaurant which felt more Finnish-Mex than Mexican.  But, I have to admit, I wanted to see what Finns were being sold as Mexican food.  I had thought I had figured out there was a very popular local chain called Ravintola because I saw it everywhere until I figured out that was Finnish for restaurant.  I felt dumb but since I was traveling alone, no one knew… I think working from the morning (can’t say the crack of dawn – it was Finland in the winter, remember?) until late in the evening did make me a little less bright, like their winter sky.

Sightseeing

Back when the USSR was, Helsinki was the backdrop for movies that wanted to pretend they were in Russia.  You can sense that when you see their churches.  One thing that struck me was how colorful buildings were.  Then I realized that since winters must be as gray as I was witnessing, the color of the buildings made a big difference.  The Lutheran Cathedral, while imposing on the outside, was rather blah inside.  However, that year they were building a small church made from ice in the plaza.  I understand they do this every few years and, while it was not finished so I couldn’t go inside, it was very peculiar and impressive.

Helsinki's Lutheran Cathedral and Ice Church

Credit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20149309/ns/travel-destination_travel/t/europes-wildest-weather-cities/

I also signed up for a half day city tour to make sure I saw anything deemed important (I didn’t have too many days off in those 3 weeks…).  It was via this tour that I saw the famous shipyards where they make the big cruise ships.  I also saw the monument to Sibelius which, surrounded by snow, look surreal and beautiful.

I could tell, even in winter, that the city must be beautiful in the summer.  Had the work sold, I would have spend two years there and I regret that did not happen as it would have been an interesting experience and I believe I would have loved being a resident of Helsinki.

Filed Under: Europe, Finland Tagged With: , , ,

Food Pleasures in Paris, City Light – and Food

6 September 2008 by 1 Comment

There are SO many places to go and enjoy a meal or a drink in Paris.  Whether it be haut cuisine, a pastry, a glass of wine, or coffee, you will never run out of options in Paris and, many of the options, are quite good.  Exploring these places is one of the guilt-inducing food pleasures in Paris – a must of any trip to the City of Light, or, should I say, City of Food!

Paris, cafe, France, the life, chairs, red, ambience, food, Canon EOS Rebel, photo
Cafés in Paris always beckon!

What grabbed my attention and palate?  Here they are…

Hot chocolate anyone?

My all-time favorite, and I have tried hot chocolate in quite a few places, is Angelina’s in the Rue de Rivoli in Paris, just across the street from the Tuileries (226 rue de Rivoli, 75001).  Conveniently, they also have great pastries so I can kill two birds with one stone…  I wish it had an outdoor sitting area but given where it is, that is not possible.  It has become a little over-priced due to people like me raving about it.  I am sorry…

Paris, Angelina, hot chocolate, pain au chocolat, breakfast, food, Paris, France
Hot chocolate and pastries in Angelina’s in Paris, France. Heaven for ilivetotravel!

Best little former secret family restaurant

Well, I say former because I have even seen it on Anthony Bourdain’s travel/food show a couple of years ago…  But I went there before the show, for the record! This place called “Robert et Louise” is a little gem of a restaurant in Le Marais district (64, rue Vieille-du-Temple 75003).

Robert and Louise were the owners who started the restaurant in the 1950s.  Robert has since passed away and I believe the restaurant is owned now by others.  But, last time I was there, Louise still lived above the restaurant and would come down to get food…

The place is tucked away on a street with small antique shops, etc. but on a part of the street that at night is completely dead… except for Robert et Louise.  The red and white checkered window curtains hide the restaurant from the passerby.  You almost have to know it is there.  My friends Chris and Wendy had discovered it two days before and took me there.  The place would not pass governmental health regulations in the U.S. and I am so glad it is not in the U.S.! (Please don’t be scared away by that statement.)

The dish to go for is the steak to share by 2 or more folks – it is cooked in the fire pit right next to the main wooden table in the back of the restaurant (there are normal tables in the front of the restaurant).  The fire pit, the nights I have been there, is fed by wood from a crate that the cook is breaking apart as needed to keep the fire going.  The fire pit is located next to the small sink used by people to wash their hands (yes, this may sound gross to some but you will soon ignore it once you begin to enjoy the casual, non-touristy ambiance and eat the food!). 

Another spot in the back is the salad maker who is also the potato cooker.   (The first I went the lady who cuts the meat was having a heated argument with the salad/potato-maker; she was the one with the big knife.  We prayed they were only arguing about how much seasoning the meat should have…).

The dishes are simple but when simplicity is delicious, who needs anything else!    Advice:  Go early to avoid a long wait since the place is small and no one is in a hurry to leave.

A Supermarket with Flair

Paris has les Grands Magasins, the big fancy department stores that everyone wants to go shopping at.  Galeries Lafayette near the Old Opera is my favorite.  Colognes, clothing, you think?  NOOOOOOO!!!  The food section!!!  It has a supermarket in it, as do other big department stores in Europe.

Galeries Lafayette, Paris, food, France, photo, spices
The spice section at Galeries Lafayette

But this one has a special place I like to go to every time I go to Paris.  Their focus is Spanish ham  (I forget the name, if it has one; but print the picture below if you are going and you will find it!).  They serve other things but I love going to it to get me some Spanish ham, paired up with a good red wine!!  You sit at the counter, order, and people-watch while you enjoy.  Or tweet 😉

Galeries Lafayette, Paris, food, France, photo, spices, ham, Spanish
My hangout within Galeries Lafayette

And… More Chocolate!

I have to say that a real treat in Paris for any chocolate-liker (and, definitely, for chocolate-lover!) is to try the fine chocolates at any of the fine chocolate makers in the city.  Some are on or near the Rue St. Honoré.  Viator.com also offers some chocolate tours that are well worth the price.  No need to name names, try any of the “maisons du chocolat“, and you will NOT be disappointed! 

I highly encourage tasting with a theme in mind whether trying only pure chocolate, trying different ones with different perfumes, trying only ones with nuts, etc.  It can be overwhelming and you cannot have too many as they are filling!  Bon appetit!

Hugo and Victor, Paris, France, chocolate, chocolatier, maison du chocolat, delicacy, food, photo, delicious, decandent
Pieces of heaven at Hugo & Victor

More about Paris and places to eat at from my friend’s Chris’ guest writeup!  Check it out, lots of good info for those planning – or wanting – to go to Paris!

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