It was my first day in the City of Lights and much as I wanted to take an evening stroll through nearby streets, rain and cold winds made the idea foolhardy. Instead, I looked for some comfort food and found it just down the street from my hotel – a Japanese restaurant run by Chinese. (Only in Paris!) Early the following morning, I dialed the number Kum Hoong of Silkair told me to call so the book I had with me would be picked up.
Yann Gandriau’s answering machine was on, so I tried to figure out when to insert my message after all that French. He called after two hours, according to my request. Then we agreed to meet that evening.
Yann turned out to be a very likeable Frenchman who takes pride in his country. We set out to have dinner after a walking tour of his beloved city. Unlike most big city folks I know (mostly New Yorkers), Yann’s pace was not the expected breath-taking strides but a mild brisk walk, in order to appreciate the grandiose buildings and quaint side streets along the way. So, we did a pleasurable gadabout from my hotel along Jean Baptiste Pigalle down to Rue St. Lazare, through Rue de la Chaussee d’Antin towards the fabulous Opera Garnier of the “Phantom of the Opera” fame. Yann took several photos but we were unable to go in since there was a show that night. The Opera Quarter on the Right Bank (of the River Seine) is the center of culture (theaters, the opera and cinema) and commerce (major banks, stock market and upscale department stores).
We crossed over to Boulevard des Capucines as I had to locate the House of La Coste for my sons’ orders. Then, we went along Rue de la Paix, to find the Cartier shop I had to visit. We went over to Place Vendome where all the top quality French brands conglomerate. The Ritz Hotel still stands at #15 – from where Princess Diana took her last car ride. After checking out the glitz, we took a turn to Marche St. Honore so I could locate the Atelier du Bracelet Parisien for my son’s Panerai watch. (Yann was impressed that I know of this specialty shop he was not even aware of!) Then on to the Musee du Louvre where Yann took the obligatory shots of Architect I.M. Pei’s monumental achievement – the glass pyramids that have freed the interiors of this premier museum from eternal gloom.
Through the archway of the Cour Carree (a square patio in the Louvre complex), Yann pointed out a wooden pedestrian bridge called Pont des Arts. The bridge ends at a fascinating building that turned out to be the Institut de France on the “ intellectual” Left Bank (where the schools and universities are found). From the bridge, we watched the various bateaux mouche (riverboat shuttles) gliding on the Seine despite the cold winter winds.
We found our way to St.- Germain-des-Pres Church, the oldest in Paris, where the King of Poland and the philosopher Descartes are buried. The St.-Germain-des-Pres area is also famous for its bars and cafes that give dynamism to the intellectual scene. We found an ideal spot to soothe our now aching feet – Le Bonaparte at the corner of Rue Appolinaire and Rue Bonaparte. We washed down a feast of French cheese varieties and sausages with a decanter of good vin rouge....Voila! The lovely evening was over. We then took the Metro train back to my hotel where Yann said good night, with a promise to visit Cebu again…or for me to return to Paris for another walking tour!
Merci, mon ami. Au revoir!