First Impressions

Paris! She was palpable as we emerged from the Metro to Rue St Andre des Arts. Was it the orange-red awning over the cafe tables where lingered locals and tourists alike?  Or was it the sweetness of fresh croissants and broche moule (soon to be our favorite) wafting from the patisserie? Lugging our bags over cobbled crowded streets, our eyes everywhere, we sampled the delicious offerings of the city.

A set of bold blue doors, each with a golden door knob dead center, marked our place for the week: 37 St Andre des Arts.

Nathalie, dear friend of Susan’s (and now of mine as well) and fellow pilgrim from our trip last year, generously met us at Gare du Nord and helped us navigate metro and city so that we awestruck tourists could find our apartment. So many directions: Enter the code, push the porte buzzer, and climb two flights of winding stairs to our apartment. This spacious grand dame was a perfect location for our base to explore the city.