Reminiscing About France

I've returned home and now I'm reminiscing.  Memory lane is a fantastic destination and one of the biggest joys of traveling.

This trip, I rediscovered Paris and visited cities I had never been to before.  It's been at least 15 years since I've been to Paris and a lot has changed while some of the basics remained the same.

What has changed? The people were friendlier, more immigrants and people of different ethnicity's, more American fast food chains (Starbucks is everywhere, practically one on every corner, along with McDonald's, KFC, etc.), the French Franc is a thing of the past and it is quiet expensive (things are priced similar to the US Dollar but when you convert the Euro @ 1.34, you're paying at least 30% more).

Paris is still romantic. A stroll along the Champ Elysee at sunset with the Arc De Triomphe in the distance.  Viewing the Eiffel Tower from afar and from the top looking out over the city. The gardens in Spring time with flowers in bloom.  Ascending to the top of Montmarte visiting Sacre Couer, sitting at a coffee shop and watching artists paint their surroundings and visitors.  Some of the best chocolate, Chocolate shops and Patisserie's (you have to have macaroons, those pillowy pastries filled with cream in all sorts of flavors).  Some of the best dining in the world.  Our first night we went to Maison Blanche for a fine dining experience and a five course dinner.  The service was superb and I needed it because I was feeling down because my luggage did not arrive.  Phyllis and I had the best Chocolate Tart (I had to put it in caps because it was that good).  I had never had a tart like this.  It was dark chocolate, silky smooth, melt in your mouth, was decorated with edible gold and the crust was soft and buttery.  This was a perfect finale to an excellent meal and experience.  We finished out on the terrace with the Eiffel Tower illuminated in the background!  See what I mean? Just thinking about it now, I'm tasting and experiencing it all over again.

Champagne, Bordeaux & Cognac are places I had never been to before.  They exceeded my expectations!  Think about it...Champagne & Cognac are very small regions. Champagne is approximately 25,000 sq meters and Cognac is only 15.5 sq meters and they both are iconic,  producing world renowned products that have become household names.  When you visit them they are still very small.  I mean, you don't see this large production area or facilities.  They have both kept their charm but as you drive through the towns you see these big names and producers of Champagne and Cognac that I liken to celebrity homes.  I'm less familiar with the products of Bordeaux except that Bordeaux is a variety but it too is small, 10,700 sq meters.  Absolutely loved Bordeaux.  A great walking town, pedestrian streets, excellent seafood, quaint and large shops, fashionable and classically dressed people.  I had this phenomenal warm goat cheese salad and duck confit at a restaurant just around the corner from our hotel along with a half bottle of champagne. That meal best describes Bordeaux, simple, classic and most enjoyable! It's just a feel good, relaxing place.

On our last night back in Paris we did something very cliche and touristy but you just have to do it.  We took a dinner cruise along the Seine River.  When we boarded it was still daylight but that soon gave way to a beautiful sunset and the night.  Paris then becomes illuminated and even more romantic.  The boat is glass enclosed allowing for views all around.  We pass under bridges ornately decorated and structures along the river.  Also along the river are young people gathering for one of the first warm days of the year.  Some are coupled, some are just hanging out with friends and some have brought food and wine to enjoy.  There must have been thousands along the river route.  As young people often do some mooned us.  This was our farewell dinner and we had a four course dinner that was surprisingly good for a touristy river cruise. Each course was paired with wine as all of our meals were.  So, by the end there was dancing and it was apparent that everyone was having a good time.  It was sad and joyful at the same time.

Thank you to the WHUR World Tour group members for taking this experience with Advantage International and Thank you WHUR for allowing me to organize another WHUR World Tour.

Until we meet again.

Ja'Vonne Harley,
Co-Host, The Traveling Eye
Owner, Avantage International

And Now Bordeaux

Well, I don't know how we're going to top Champagne but we will certainly try as we head south to Bordeaux.

We're leaving Paris behind for a couple of nights and staying at the Grand Hotel Bordeaux.  the hotel is f a b u l o u s! It' a historic land mark and resembles an Opera house and the location is ideal.

The best way to travel throughout France is by train so we take the TGV, the high speed train, in first class.  The train will take three hours.  Our train departs at 7:30am so we start with a wake up call at 5:00am to give time for breakfast, luggage, loading the bus and getting to the Montparnasse train station.

Our group (72) always seems to get attention.  I'm not sure if it's because we are so beautiful or if it's because we 72 black people traveling together?  What do you think?  As we are standing there waiting for our track to be displayed, a homeless man tries to blend in with our group.  As we try to distance ourselves from him he politely keeps his distance but stays near.  When I try to take a picture of the group waiting on the platform the homeless man jumps in to get in the picture.  Maybe I should have taken one of him.  He was sporting unattended dread locks and kept smiling.  Once again, I motioned with my hand for him to move and said excuse-moi and he politely moved to the side.

Sophie & me on TGV

The TGV is quick and smooth and after we talk for a bit, very quickly most of us start to doze off and before you know it we arrive in Bordeaux.  We immediately drive an hour outside of the city to Arsac and lunch at The Winery restaurant Wy.  We have the entire place to Napa.  The highlight of the meal was the dessert.  Nougat glace aux eclats de chocolat blanc, tuille aux amandes et confiture de lait.  White chocolate chipped iced nougat, almond tuile and caramel sauce.  Almost every plate was clean and our resident pastry chef gave it a thumbs up.
ourselves.  The Winery is modern and looks a lot like the wineries of

The Winery has a unique approach to wine and wine tasting.  They provide you with blind tastings of six different wines.  during the tasting you're taught how to recognize wine through sight, smell and taste.  During the process you're asked questions about the wine you're tasting and some general questions about your personal tastes.  At the end you're presented with your unique wine sign.  It's called your oenological sign.  This determines your wine profile and your personality.  Mine is "Strong Ascendant Gourmet". I have a muscular palate...and a soft heart.

After lunch and the wine tasting we head to the Chateaux d'Arsac for a tour and more tasting.

Happy Birthday Earnestine

This is one fun trip and we're getting friendly.  However, as much as I enjoyed today, I like Champagne better, I mean the drink. That being said I love Bordeaux, the city. I could stay more days here and dine around and shop.  I would definitely say that Bordeaux is a B-Side destination that is a hit! It's charming but not too small.  It has pedestrian streets with wonder shops and restaurants.  Lots of Brasseries. The people are friendly and it has an overall elegant feel.


Gene and I decide to spend an evening alone and dine at a charming brasserie just around the corner from the hotel, but we're spotted and before we know it at least 20 group members are also dining there.  It's OK, they all say hello and take their tables.  The pastries here are beautiful to the eyes and delectable on the tongue. I have the raspberry tart and Gene has the praline cream filled donut.  Of course, I have a bottle of Moet & Chandon to wash it all down.

Tomorrow we head to Cognac....I'm glad this day has arrived because one group member asks every day..."When are we going to Cognac?" He has the itinerary but insists on asking.

Until then.....

Ja'Vonne Harley, Co-Host, The Traveling Eye
www.thetravelingeye.com

Ahhhh Paris

I just arrived in Paris. Instead of going to the hotel we take our city orientation tour and then to the Eiffel Tower. It's a a bit colder than expected but it's OK because it's Paris.  The sun is peaking out from time to time and provides a bit of warmth.  It's a bit windy standing below the Tower and when the sun is covered by the clouds it feels 10 degrees colder. Pashmina don't fail me now.  Actually on of our group members is wearing his wifes bright orange pashmina.  He says, I don't know what a pashmina is but it's keeping me warm and right now I don't care that it's bright orange. Looking up at the Eiffel Tower it appears to move because of the effects of the clouds passing by.  I'm trying to get the right angle to fit the tower into a picture. With the right tilt it works.


Our tour begins and is the behind the scenes tour so we start in one of the working tunnels.  It's a world of it's own.  Pieces from inside of the tower show how its made.  Workers are coming in and out and we learn about the how food, materials and the construction is transported and the vast and many tunnels that exist beneath the Tower.

After our underground excursion we head to the East Tower to enter the Eiffel Tower itself.  Unfortunately, there is a delay.  The staff have walked out but instead of leaving they are having a meeting with management and we're told it's because of being understaffed.  Our entrance tickets are for 10:30am and it's now 11:00am so we're not sure what time business will resume but we're assured business will resume.  Our tour company is busy trying to sort things out.  We're also to have lunch at noon at 58, one of the Eiffel Towers restaurants.  Now, I'm getting nervous, I have 70 people standing in line anxiously waiting to visit the Eiffel Tower and to have lunch.  We get a call that the director will come to get our group and take us to the restaurant and we will tour afterwards.  We feel so special as we are escorted ahead of the line and allowed to enter.  Then the rest of the staff arrive and everyone who was in line including those who were there since 9am are allowed to enter.

We go through a side door and down the stairs to view the mechanisms of the Eiffel Tower.  It's amazing how the Tower is constructed and what it takes to maintain it.

The hunger pangs are knocking and we are ready to get in out of the cold, have a seat and a wonderful meal.  We're having a three course lunch with wine.  We start with duck and foie gras terrine, followed by seared salmon with marscapone foam and finish with a meringue.  It's all delicious and paired with the fantastic views from the restaurant this is an awesome way to experience the Eiffel Tower.

Heading back to the hotel for some much needed rest and to try and track my luggage that did not arrive.  This is another story and another blog post.

Until tomorrow...we're visiting the Louvre!

Ja'Vonne Harley, Host, The Traveling Eye
www.thetravelingeye.com