I really enjoyed this morning as we were allowed to sleep in a bit from class and did not have to meet up until 9:00am. Everyone in the class seemed to like that. We were able to grab a quick bite and then we had to meet with the head of the Czech Tourism Office, CEO Jan Herget. After the visit, we were going to have lunch at his restaurant/boat on the river and then an afternoon of paddle boarding. Not a bad way to spend some class time while learning what tourists might want to experience in Prague.
Our group shot with CEO of Czech Tourism Jan Herget (he is standing right of me. I am in the middle in the green polo).
We got to the office rather early and our host was a bit late (I kept thinking we were starting these mornings too early). Meeting the head of the whole country’s tourism board I was thinking I would be meeting this stiff guy in a blue suit but Mr. Herget could not have been more laid back. I think he rode his motorcycle over to the meeting.
We all thought he was a great. He had a PowerPoint presentation on his goals for the country and wanted to really build on the success that they were having. After visiting the outside cities, I thought the direction of the country should be more of getting people out of Prague for at least three days. I was so impressed with what I saw with the visits to the small cities that I thought more tourists would want to see that after maybe two to three days in Prague. I find that most people that travel abroad to a non-English speaking country are more adventurous in their travels and don’t want to be limited.
The riverfront in Prague is beautiful on a sunny warm day
After our conversation with the CEO, it was off to lunch at his restaurant, The Kayak Bar. This was an picturesque restaurant on the river not far from where I was touring on my afternoon off from visiting Old Town. It was a bright sunny day with blue skies and around 80 degrees. It was the perfect afternoon to be on a boat.
The Kayak Beach Bar at Naplavka 128 00 by the river
It was a nice walk from the office to the river and we got to see more of the city that I had seen the other afternoon. I was hoping Mr. Herget would be joining us but he had an afternoon of meetings so our group was off for lunch. I was starved because I did not have much of a breakfast.
The Kayak Beach Bar
The Kayak Beach Bar
The Hamburger and French Fries were excellent at the Kayak Beach Bar
After lunch was over, the group of us were hoping to go paddleboarding. All the restaurant had was kayaks and no one wanted to kayak in the the river. None of us wanted to fall in. So we left the restaurant in search of paddleboats which we found on a small island park down the river. That was a lot of fun. I had not been in a paddleboat since I was in Boston about ten years ago when I was in one of the swan paddleboats.
All of us getting in our paddleboats for an afternoon tour of the river and the city. I am in the green polo and paddled like crazy that afternoon.
While we were waiting for everyone to come back, we relaxed in the garden on the small island where the paddleboats were located.
Even a better group shot with the river and the city behind us
After our lunch and the tour of the river area, it was time to explore the Old City again and then the neighborhoods of Vysehrad and Vinohrady. These were neighborhoods outside the tourist zones of the Old City and had lots of nice shopping and dining options. From there, we would be on our way to our cooking class where we would be making a traditional Czech dinner and eating in as a group.
We passed through the older section of this part of the city, passing the old Opera House and then crossing the Charles Bridge again. On this spectacular sunny day the views were amazing.
Passing through the town square
We crossed over the Charles Bridge and took in the sites during the day. It really is a breathtaking bridge with the most wonderful statuary. We passed by the old Opera House with its elegant details. The bridge is a national treasure in beauty and design. What I liked about this walk was all the interesting architecture that you pass where one building is more glorious than the next. These things were built to last and to show the importance of that city in that era. They just don’t built them like this today.
We stopped at Winnie Lahudky & Potraviny Bakery at Masarykovo nábř 38/2058 for a quick snack before we continued the tour. As with everyone else, we needed a coffee and pastry break. I think we were turning into Europeans by this point. I think it is civil to have an afternoon break. The pastries were excellent (see TripAdvisor review).
The selection of pastries are excellent
The bakery had an excellent selection of delicious desserts. We tried not to ruin our appetites for dinner.
Walking through Old Town again was a treat. I love the architecture of this area. We toured a lot of the areas that we had seen our first day of touring this section of the city when we visited NYU. We walked down Paris, the street that looked like the Right Bank, with all the luxury stores and passed the oldest Jewish Synagogue in the Czech Republic.
The Synagogue in Old Town
The town square
As we toured this part of the city, we learned the history and development of the area and the change from it being a residential area to a tourist destination. Janna was telling us how she grew up here and the rapid change from her childhood home to tourists dominating this part of the city. Just like in New York, the tourist based businesses crowd out what makes a neighborhood a neighborhood.
The Old Town district has become one big tourist destination with no local character anymore unless people want to deal with troughs of people walking through their neighborhood. Here we saw more modern sculpture.
It was off to the cooking class for the rest of the evening. We got off the cable car and walked around the Vinohrady district which is a non-touristy district that you could tell must have been a much more exclusive neighborhood at one time. The apartment buildings and stores looked like a Parisian neighborhood. We got there a little late so most the shops and small markets that Janna wanted to take us to were closed at that point. We got the cooking school in record time.
This was interesting as it brought back memories of cooking at the Culinary Institute of America and at Michigan State University in my Skills Classes. It was not too difficult and the menu was easy to prepare. My table partner, Brian and I worked together to prepare our dinner.
We made a Cream of Mushroom Soup, a Roast Pork with Garlic and Chive Dumplings and then made dessert. It was a lot of fun but watching my classmates hesitate at times or making me always go first got to me. I am never afraid of making a fool of myself is because this is how I always learned in cooking school. Trial and error. We all make mistakes. Still, we had a great time working together to get the job done.
My cooking partner, Brian and I making soup for the first course
Plating the finished Mushroom Soup with Heavy Cream
Clean up to prepare to make the entrée
Me preparing homemade dumplings
Getting a demo of what the chef wanted us to do
Our entrée was Roast Garlic Pork with Chive Dumplings
Our Group shot with our Chef
We all sat down for dinner together after each course was done. We had such a good time not just learning how to cook these dishes but learning some things about Czech cuisine. Their version of dumplings are so much different from other countries. I saw this when we had lunch in Karlovy Vary. I did not know that is what a dumpling was supposed to look like. We got a lot out of this cooking class that evening. After we cleaned up it was back to campus to get some sleep. We had another long day ahead of us.
The adventure was going to continue. We were going to Kutna Hora on our last day and then our Farewell dinner. It was a quick week.
After spending most of our time exploring the city of Prague and all her secrets, it was time to leave the city again and explore more of the outside cities that the country was trying to promote for tourism. These spa towns were rich in small museums, beautiful churches, excellent shopping districts and wonderful restaurants (where a lot of the staff spoke perfect English). The views were breathtaking and the historical sites amazing.
We were up again today at 8:00am (groan) and had to be at the train station early to catch our train to Kunta Hora, another small city outside of Prague. I did not have time to research the city so I was not sure what to expect. It was another interesting city with a lot to do.
Passing unusual artwork on the way to the train station
We had to make the train to Kutna Hora at a certain time early in the morning so that we could get there to start our tours of the churches and historical sites. There was no time for breakfast until we got to the station. When we arrived, we were given our instructions, ticket information and then were given about forty-five minutes to get something to eat and then board the train. I started to look around.
Our neighborhood had such interesting buildings
Before we broke for breakfast, I came across a Lego display of the train station and I thought this was very clever. Talk about details. Who ever put this together did a wonderful job because it really did look like the station and the traffic around it.
Lego set at the Train Station
Lego Display at the Train Station
The details on the display were very much real to the way the station appeared. It was something I am not too sure many people noticed as they dashed to their trains and destinations.
I did not want to get too far from where our meeting place was so I looked on the same floor. Most of the places just sold coffee and Danishes but I wanted more. I was starved and breakfast is an important meal to me. That’s when I found Paul, a French bakery similar to the ones I ate at in Paris. The concept was the same and they did have formula meals.
Paul at the Train Station
Breakfast at Paul at Plzenska 344/1 at the Train Station
The breakfast was excellent. I could not believe the quality of the food that was at a train station. I am used to the watered down version of bakery items that we see in the United States when I have eaten at Penn Station or Port Authority with the airy croissant or the tasteless muffins and dealing with it because those were the only options. The baked goods at Paul rivaled anything at the Paris bakeries.
The taste of the breakfast really surprised me as it tasted like the Boulangeries’ that we ate at the week before in Paris and I thought I would not see that again. The Quiche Lorraine was full of pieces of fresh ham along with the creamy eggs and the crust was so flaky and the apricot tart was one of the best pastries on the trip (see review on TripAdvisor). I later wrote on of the most glowing reviews on TripAdvisor and got the nicest response from the manager who was thrilled by the review. I guess you can make a small difference in the world.
The train was particularly packed that morning and we were all over the place regardless of the fact that we had reserved tickets. It would be the same way when we returned. The Czech’s keep it very organized in that when you buy a ticket on the train, you get to book your seat like you would on a plane. It made it so much easier for us.
After being packed in for over an hour, we got to Kutna Hora and took the bus to our first destination in a series of churches we would be visiting that day. Our first stop was the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. John the Baptist in Sedlec. The original church had been built between 1290 and 1320 and then burned to the ground in 1421. It lay in ruins until the early 18th century when it was reconstructed in the High Baroque style by architect Jan Blazej Santini-Aichel (Sedlec pamphlet).
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Kunta Hora
The Roman Catholic Cemetery Church of All Saints with Ossuary is together with the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. John the Baptist, part of the former Cistercian abbey established in 1142 (Sedlec pamphlet).
From the early 1300’s to the late 1400’s almost 40,000 were buried in the cemetery due to famines and disease. When the cemetery was being reduced in the early 1500’s, the bones were deposited to the bottom of the chapel. In the beginning of the 1700’s when Santini-Aichel was making renovations on the church, he created bone decorations and other decorations for the church (Sedlec pamphlet).
The statuary outside the church
When the church was purchased by the Schwarzenberg’s in 1870, they renovated the bone decorations and hired carver Frantisek Rint to complement the décor. He cleaned the decorations and added new ones to the church including the chandelier and the Schwartzberg’s Coat of Arms (Sedlec pamphlet). Since we could not take pictures inside, I took this picture of the bone decorations from their website (Church website).
The bone decorations of the Roman Catholic Cemetery Church of All Saints with Ossuary
The inside of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption was very impressive with its statuary and paintings. We were able to take our time and really explore the church with our tour guide. It did not look like many services were still held in the church and it was more for touring.
The inside of the Church complex where the congregation seems to meet only in the front part of the church.
The tours of the main chapel
While the front part of the church looks like it is still used for services, the back part of the museum looks like it is being used as a museum for pieces of the inside of the church on display. A museum within a church. Exquisite pieces are on display that stand on their own.
One of the church’s altars
The other altar
The wooden carved confession booth
Church statuary
The magnificence ceiling
When we climbed the stairs to the second floor of the church and walked through the upper part of the floor, the church was sponsoring an art exhibition of a contemporary artist. I thought the was an interesting use of the ceiling area of the church. Still being used for services, the church is being repurposed for other events as well.
After visiting both churches and the bone decorations creating quite a discussion amongst our group, we went to visit the third church on our list , the other UNESCO site, St. Barbara’s Cathedral. I have never seen a more beautiful church and I have been to ones all over the world.
St. Barbara’s Cathedral as we approached the church
St. Barbara’s Cathedral from the front
Walking on the side of St. Barbara’s Cathedral
A unique work of peak and late Gothic architecture. It’s construction was started in 1388 by Petr Parler and his workgroup. Construction was interrupted several times and the monumental cathedral was finally completed after more than 500 years of building (Kunta Hora Tourist Information Center).
St. Barbara’s School across the street from the church
The Shrine of St. Barbara’s Cathedral
The church altar
The holy water at the church
The inside of St. Barbara’s pews
In 1905, in some chapels late gothic murals with mining themes are preserved, the most prized can be found in Smisek Chapel (Kutna Hora Tourist Information Center).
The stained glass windows
The beautiful stained glass windows
Paintings on the walls
The detailed paintings of St. Barbara’s Cathedral
Just walking around the church for the afternoon was a treat. I have never seen such beautiful detail on a church before with all the colorful stained glass windows and elegant paintings on the walls. The churches in this town had so many interesting aspects of carvings and painting to them. This is what the silver mining money of this town bought.
The outside of the church was just as beautiful with all the plantings and gardens. The pathways around the church were so nicely landscaped and there was even a small vineyard on the pathway out of the church.
The views from the church is breathtaking
The vineyard by the side of St. Barbara’s
The saints line the walkway by the vineyard
The views from the church’s walkway
The views looking into downtown Kutna Hora were just amazing. The church was the showpiece of the town and it looked like a postcard.
Me at St. Barbara’s second floor of the church. I wanted to remember this beautiful church.
After we left St. Barbara’s, we had the afternoon to ourselves for lunch and touring. This was my escape time and I wanted to explore the town on my own. There were a couple of suggestions of places to eat as we were walking into town but I wanted to explore Downtown Kunta Hora first and see what it had to offer. It is such a great downtown with lovely shops and some great restaurants.
The Kutna Hora Town Square
While some of my classmates toured the city together, I walked to the middle of the downtown where we were meeting to catch the bus home and walked all the side streets of the town. It was such a cute little town. It reminded me of the towns in the Hudson River Valley with their unique architecture and wonderful restaurants. I just wanted to find something different.
The quaint downtown of Kutna Hora
These planters were blooming all over the square
As I explored the side streets and looked at the menus, I did not want to eat pizzas and hamburgers. I wanted a nice meal but something light because we were having our going away dinner this evening in Prague and I did not need a big meal inside me.
I had passed this open doorway on the side street and peeked inside to find an restaurant that had both an inside dining room and an outdoor café. The weather was so beautiful the entire time we were in the Czech Republic, warm and sunny and in the high 70’s it would be fun to eat outside. Plus they had an interesting lunch menu that was reasonable. This is when I found Restaurant Ctyri Sestry at Havlickova Namesti 512.
What a beautiful restaurant with excellent food and service with views of the gardens and the valley as well. I even had a little cat join me for lunch (I think he was a feral cat as he walked away while I was eating my main course). I was seated in the corner table in the garden area and talk about views. I had the most wonderful of the walled garden that surrounded me and of the valley below with its slopes and small villages.
The outdoor dining
The walled gardens
The walled garden
The beauty of the walled garden where I was sitting
4-
The menu of daily specials in which everything looked good.
The menu specials were very creative and were not the ordinary schnitzels and potato dishes I had seen in other restaurants. It was almost a fusion of Italian and French with a little Czech thrown in. I wanted something on the lighter side but still filling because it was still going to be several hours before we had dinner. So I chose the Cream of Broccoli Soup and the Pork Patties with fresh noodles. Everything was not only excellent but so well presented.
My first course was the Cream of Broccoli Soup
The Cream of Broccoli Soup
The Pork Patties with Fresh Noodles in a Soy Sauce
I had this cat sitting right by me in the garden and I was not sure if it was the owner’s cat or just a feral cat hanging around. I was friendly to it but did not encourage it with food. You can never be sure with a cat. The cat looked more like a kitten was looking at me as I was looking at him.
My lunch companion who never left the dining area
When I was done with my lunch, my little dining companion climbed the wall and walked away through the roof and the gardens. He then just disappeared.
After the wonderful lunch was over, I went back down to the downtown area and visited the pastry shop that was around the corner from the restaurant. I had passed it earlier when I was looking for a restaurant to eat at and I wanted to stop back. The pastries in their cases looked delicious. This is where I found the delicious pastries of Cukrarna U Kraba bakery.
Peeking in the window is what attracted me to the bakery
The amazing pastry case
Picking out the pastries I wanted to try
I was not sure what I wanted to try as everything looked so good but I decided on the one on the top right that was a Vanilla Cream filled Glazed Doughnut and the Red Velvet doughnut with a heavy glaze on the bottom right.
More selection to choose from
Indulging in the delicious pastries of the bakery. A Chocolate covered Red Velvet Cake and a Vanilla Cream filled French Cruller. Yum!
Other wonderful items line the shelves
After a wonderful meal and a phenomenal dessert, it was time to visit the merchants that I saw as I was walking around looking for places to eat. there are some wonderful shops in the town with a lot of handmade merchandise.
Visiting the shops
The beautiful handmade porcelains (was cash only)
An excellent gift shop (with hand made cards)
There was even a Justy’s Café Restaurant which I thought was a good sign
It was back to the town square after the relaxing afternoon of lunch and shopping in the town. The town square was just so beautiful to sit in and relax. It was so nice to just sit back and relax and enjoy the beautiful day.
The elegant statue in Town Square
Relaxing under the trees before the trip home
Admiring the town architecture
Admiring the town architecture
Even the stone walls are attractive here
We took the bus back to the train and the train back to Prague and then we walked back to campus when we returned to Prague. The professor gave us two hours to just relax before we left for our farewell dinner which we would be having at a wonderful restaurant in the Old Town section of the city, Manes Restaurant.
We had a Prix Fixe menu and I had settled on the Goat Cheese appetizer and for dinner I had the Asparagus Risotto. For dessert, we had a refreshing Lemon Sorbet. Everything was so elegantly served and the service at the restaurant was flawless. Everyone was so nice to us and we had the back room all to ourselves. Jana joined us on our last night in the city so it made it special for our class as she became part of our group. The menus were very reasonable.
The Appetizer Menu
Tomato and Mozzarella Salad
The Entrée Menu
Asparagus Risotto
The Dessert Menu
Lemon Sorbet with Fresh Fruit
Our Farewell group shot on our last day of class in Prague. I left the next morning for Palermo in Italy for my brother’s wedding.
Our group shot at our farewell dinner our last night in our Prague class
After the wonderful dinner as over, we took one last trip over the Charles Bridge to see the views of the skyline of Prague and one more tour of the Old Town section of the city. Talk about an excellent view of the city at night.
The Charles Bridge at night with the City of Prague behind it.
After our walk on the bridge, we got the other side and everyone went their own ways. I had to head back to the campus to pack and get ready for a long airplane ride to Palermo (with three stopovers and a ten hour layover. Groan!) We all said our goodbyes and went one our ways. What a wonderful night and what a great class. I learned so much from the experience and from the City of Prague. There is so much potential here and I can see a big influx of American tourism in the future.
I could not put a price tag on what I experienced between my Paris and Prague classes. It was a valuable experience that I will remember for the rest of the rest of my life. Now I just have to finish the homework for the class in Italy (I got an “A” in both classes).
Our second day in Prague was a productive one as we started the day visiting the NYU Campus in the Old Town section of Prague. I have to say one thing, the person who invested in real estate for NYU to create the campus was very forward thinking. They knew the neighborhoods to buy in and how trendy they would become. The dorms were in the “Williamsburg” section of Prague that I could see would be a neighborhood of the future as it was in the second stages of becoming ‘hipster’ and the classrooms are right in the middle of the historical section of the city.
Leaving the dorms early in the second morning in Prague.
I could not make up my mind with the pastries the second morning for either the fresh Apricot Cake or the Cream Cake so I had them both. God, the desserts here for breakfast are the best. Everything is made from scratch and made on premise and was still warm when they served it in the morning. I loved coming here for breakfast in the mornings. The courtyard was the best place to eat when the weather was nice.
The Apricot Cake
The pastries and baked goods here are excellent
The Cream Cake at Osada in our dorm complex
After another quick breakfast at the campus, off we went to visit the NYU Campus in Old Town Prague for the morning. We got an early start, so the cable cars were quiet that morning when we took the trip into the heart of Prague.
We arrived at the heart of “Old Town” Prague for a day of touring the main campus, having a meeting with the head of Prague City Tourism, Michel Drobik and then a tour of “Old Town” Prague with a visit to the famous “Astronomical Clock” and then a lecture and lunch at the new Manifesto Market with Senior Marketing Manager, Marc Felton. So, we had a full morning and afternoon planned for our tourism class.
The Prague Cultural Center
The detail of the Prague Cultural Center
The entrance to the Old City next to the Cultural Center
It was a quiet walk through this part of the city this early in the morning. I swear that we were the only people walking around this part of the city. It was like it had not woken up yet. It was like walking in Manhattan in the morning before everyone gets up for work. We had the whole city to ourselves. The restaurants were setting up their outside cafes so we got to see how the city comes to life and prepare itself for the day.
The unusual sculpture in the Old Town district
Old Town architecture
The architecture and decorations on the buildings were breathtaking. The pictures I took did not do this part of the city justice as there were so many beautiful embellishments all over this neighborhood.
The Golden Angel sculpture in Old Town
Old Town Square by the NYU Campus
Town Square by NYU set for lunch time
Town Square by the NYU entrance to campus
The NYU Campus building in Old Town Prague
The beautifully painted ceilings of the NYU Building are from Medieval times.
Waiting for the Astrology Clock performance that is on every hour on the hour.
Our group in front of the Astrology Clock
The Astrology Clock right before the 10:00am performance that has been happening for 600 years in the city of Prague.
After seeing the clock display, we met our tour guide for the afternoon, and she took us on a tour of Old City Hall and then we toured the Astrology Clock from the inside. That was a really interesting tour.
Old City Hall
Old City Hall Seal of the City
Doorway at Old City Hall
Touring Old City Hall with our tour guide
Old City Hall tour
The City Crest
The Old City Hall ceiling
We were then off to tour the Astrology Clock Tower and learn all of its secrets. Some of my classmates took the elevator but the rest of the took the stairs and really explored the tower. I thought the stairs really gave you a birds eye view of the tower and it’s inner workings.
My classmate climbing the stairs up to the tower at the Astronomy Tower
Climbing the stairs at the Astrology Tower
Climbing the stairs at the Astrology Tower
The 600-year-old religious figures at the clock tower
I thought it was fascinating to see the puppets of the saints that moved around. I could not believe these were 600 hundred years old and still worked perfectly. They told us on the tour they have the clock maintained by a master clocksmith who knows the clock well.
The stained-glass windows at the Astrology Tower
Me at the top of the tower
The view from the Astrology Tower
The view of the people at the Astrology Tower
View from the Astrology Tower
After the tour at Old City Hall and at the Astrology Tower, we met with the head of tourism for the city of Prague. He gave a us a presentation on the direction of how Prague wants to see themselves to the outside tourist. I thought they could have done a better job with the presentation because I did not think it showcased it that well.
It could have had more pictures and a better game plan on how to move tourists around the city. There was so much more to see than just Old Town and the Astrology Clock building. They are wonderful but I experienced so much more without even knowing the city.
Our class with Mr. Michel Drobik from the Prague City Tourism Board
Our Group shot with the speaker
I thought the one thing the city was lacking was promoting the city as a whole not just the touristy areas of the city. There are so many great neighborhoods with places to shop and eat and things to do that foreign tourists would like to see. People sometimes want to ‘live among the locals’ and see a city firsthand.
We had been lucky that day in that we got to the clock tower and Old Town early so there were not so many tourists but later on it was elbow to elbow. When we visited the obscure parts of the city with our tour guide, Jana, she took us to regular neighborhoods where the locals live and there was so much to see and do there as well. I think there is more of the city people would want to see and that would become the theme of our final project.
We took another group shot in Old Town before we left for the Manifesto Market
We left the center part of the tourist area after the lecture and talk for a tour and lunch at the Manifesto Market Andel, a gourmet sustainable grouping of restaurants in a market like setting. I have seen concepts lie this in Brooklyn where a grouping of ‘hipster like’ restaurants with seating and really nice visuals like fountains and pools with gardens is the focal point of the visit.
We met with the Senior Marketing Manager who explained the concept to us. After lunch I discovered that the Google and Pfizer headquarters were just down the street near the cable car station so I understood why it was located here.
The inside eating area of Manifesto Market Andel with lounge chairs and pool with fountain
The Senior Marketing Manager talked with our group about the restaurants that they choose for the market complex, the sustainability practices that everyone has and the shared services that the market provides to all of its clients.
Senior Marketing Manager Marc Felton explaining how the Manifesto Market works and the restaurants and services that it provides to the community.
After the talk was over, we all had lunch at the market. I chose to go to Dirty Dog Barbecue, an American barbecue restaurant inside the complex. I had not had good barbecue in awhile and they had a dish called “Triple Sliders”, which was a barbecue pork slider, a hamburger slider and a fried chicken sandwich slider. The food was really good and the place filled up for lunch with a twentyish crowd of customers.
Ordering a slider combination for lunch at Dirty Dog Barbecue
The weather really cooperated that afternoon and it was a clear, blue sky sunny day. It was perfect for eating outside. The only thing about the Market concept that a lot of us questioned is what do they do when it rains or when the cold weather comes. There is no way to cover the complex and there is no proper roof to cover the restaurants. I am not sure how they have worked this out.
When lunch was over, we had the rest of the day to ourselves and everyone dispersed and made their own plans. Our tour guide let me know that the cable cars were just down the street and I could pick them up to head back downtown again. After I finished my lunch, I walked down the street and discovered why the Manifesto Market complex would work so well in this neighborhood.
I passed the modern complex building of several American companies and right at the end of the block was an American style mall right down to the third floor food court that was larger than anything I had seen in the United States lately.
The Google headquarters was a block down from the market
The modern four story Westfield partnered mall at the end of the block.
I felt like I had entered a modern American zone of the city. I decided that since I had some time I wanted to walk into the mall and see what the difference was between this mall and the ones at home. I felt like I had been transported back to Paramus, NJ. It felt so much like home down the people shopping there were dressed like everyone in America. They just spoke a different language and with the diversity now in New Jersey of residents, it was not far off Garden State Plaza near my home.
The food court on the fourth floor was amazing. They had restaurants that I had never heard of before serving all sorts of casual food both in their seating areas and the large communal seating area in the middle of the floor. Who was the most busy? The large McDonald’s both inside the food court and in the first floor outside cafe. I felt like I was home. I have to say one thing is that if I ever move here for school or business, I will never feel homesick.
After I walked the mall and walked around the neighborhood for a bit, with its modern skyscrapers and Americanized businesses, I took the cable car back to Old Town to take a longer tour of the city. I retraced my steps and walked back to the Astronomy Tower which was packed with people later in the afternoon. As a matter of fact, the entire Old Town district was filled with tourists one on top of another.
I watched the clock tower perform again and then took an extensive walk around the entire part of Old Town, touring all the nooks and crannies of the side streets and then walking around “Paris”, a street of fancier designed buildings that housed all the exclusive stores from Paris and New York. Between the architecture and the stores and just coming from Paris, it did look like a Parisian street on the right bank.
Passing the old Opera House
After walking around the city for the rest of the afternoon, I decided to head back to campus. I was not sure what cable car to take and then looked at the map that I had and I decided to walk back to campus and explore the city. That was fun. I did it all at my own pace and stopped where I wanted to stop.
The Old Town Square
Crossing the bridge into the older part of the city
Creative bars at the riverfront
How these tunnels have been reused as bars
The Tunnel bars
The Riverfront from the bridge
Looking from all sides of the Prague riverfront
The statuary by the riverfront in a little park
It was a wonderful way to explore the city. I walked at my own pace and walked down roads and through small parks. I was able to peek into the windows of stores and restaurants taking mental notes when I might be able to come back.
I got to admire beautiful architecture, make detours on the road and just followed my Google Map on my phone that took me things marked on the map. The city seemed quiet that afternoon so I had the sidewalks to myself. It was a interesting walk through the city as I got to explore both the old and new sections of the city and then took a second bridge to the other side of the city back to campus. I must have walked over five miles back to the “Williamsburg” section of the city to the NYU dorms.
Passing artwork in our neighborhood
Passing interesting street art in our neighborhood.
When I came back to our section of the city, I realized how close everything was and the walk was not bad at all. I really got to see parts of the city that tourists usually don’t see or just pass on a bus. I also got to explore more if our part of the city. We really had a unique neighborhood.
The artwork on the buildings
After a long rest in my room, I headed off to dinner at a Chinese restaurant around the corner from our dorm. The neighborhood had some interesting Asian restaurants and I wanted to try a lot of them before we left. We would only have two nights free but I got to try some of the neighborhood spots that I had passed when touring.
The Hunan Chicken with White Rice at Xing Wang was really good.
I was really surprised with dinner. The food was really good but it reminded me more of Americanized Chinese food than something really authentic. I think the concept of Americanized Chinese food is spreading around the globe. Even so, the Hot & Sour Soup was really good and had a nice fire to it from the chiles in the soup. The Hunan Chicken with white rice was also delicious. The service was so friendly too and the owners spoke perfect English which made ordering easier.
After a nice dinner, I walked around the neighborhood again and admired all the buildings and parks. NYU really picked a great neighborhood to put the dorms. It really was a great day of exploring the city and seeing how it has so much to offer not just to tourists but to locals as well.
On our third day in Prague, we got out of the city to visit the spa town of Karlovy Vary. Our professor wanted to show us tourism sites outside of Prague as a way of furthering our knowledge of the country as well as show us other places that tourists can visit when they are in the Czech Republic.
The entrance to the downtown from the train station is very impressive but old until you get further into the downtown.
We took a train ride out of the city and that was interesting as the train was packed with people both going into the town and leaving the town that day. Getting a seat was an adventure. When we arrived at Karlovy Vary I was not too sure what to expect. What I experienced was a beautiful spa resort town with gorgeous Victorian architecture, excellent restaurants and shops, a extensive history of the spa industry of the area due to the mineral water springs and a whimsical turn of the century luxury hotel right in the center of it all.
Arriving in Downtown Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic
When we first arrived, it was early in the morning. The City was just beginning to wake up and we had the downtown to ourselves. RIght by the train station, the city seemed a bit quiet but when we walked in the entrance to the downtown, I could not tell you how impressed I was with the beauty of Karlovy Vary. The Becherovka bottle statue would be our meeting place at the end of the tour at the end of the day.
The Becherovka Bottle would be our meeting place at the end of the day
The city is row after row of delightful Victorian buildings with the Beaux Arts style looking almost like a wedding cake with all the embellishments.
Touring the picturesque downtown in Karlovy Vary
When we arrived in town, we did not have time to eat breakfast before we left Prague so we stopped at a few places to see what we could find. We came across Coffee Republic, a small funky coffee shop similar to those we see in Greenwich Village and had breakfast.
What a great meal we all had! It was fun to stop and just relax on this glorious morning.
Republica Coffee was our savior that morning
It was just nice to stop and relax. We had a nice time talking to the owners who had very different sodas and desserts on their menu.
The inside of Republica Coffee
The pastry selection in the cases
Their drink selection had a the most unusual and delicious local brands to purchase
I needed my sugar fix for the long day of walking. I had a traditional Honey Cinnamon cake and pear juice drink. Since it was such a nice morning, we were able to sit outside in the outdoor cafe. The cake had layers and layers of goodness.
Now this is a breakfast! Honey Cinnamon Cake and a Classic Pear drink by Cappy
The seating was just like New York with the outdoor seating and over head umbrellas. Since it was so early in the morning when we arrived, we were the only ones in the coffee shop and pretty much kept the staff busy for that part of the morning. People loved it when our group arrived with twelve hungry people all the time.
Sitting outside was fun on a warm sunny day
My classmates that morning chilling out before our full day of touring.
After breakfast was over, our group walked the historical downtown on our way to our tour of the Mineral Baths complex. It was one of the most beautiful downtowns I have ever seen and it put Saratoga to shame.
Starting our downtown tour through the beautiful streets of Karlovy Vary
On our way to the tour of the Mineral Baths of the City of Karlovy Vary, which is what gave the town is point of the map for being a spa town, we winded through the Victorian laden streets admiring all the elegant buildings, pocket parks, fountains and statuary of the city. I fell in love with the area in just the first half hour.
The whole town was built after the Civil War and the start of the Industrial Revolution that followed that era. When King Charles IV discovered that the mineral waters cured the wounds on his leg established a spa here and that was the beginning of the town’s development. The Victorian architecture that is now well protected under historical guidelines was built when German, French, Czech and American tourists came here for treatment after the war.
The streets were lined with interesting independent shops, restaurants and bakeries including surprisingly enough a very popular McDonalds that was always busy. I could not believe how popular McDonald’s was in both France and the Czech Republic! Just shows the power of American cultural influence all over the world. Plus people really like the food.
When we reached the center of the town and discovered the most beautiful garden that had the most unusual feature, a garden that in the landscaping had the day of the week. They must have to change this every day but it was fun to look at.
The day of the week is done in flowers
We got such a kick out it that we had to take a picture
Walking through their downtown is just breathtaking with all the beautiful Victorian gardens,statuary, fountains and gorgeous architecture. One block was better than the other and I do not know if the people living here every get tired of this beautiful town.
All the gardens are so well-maintained
All the buildings look like a wedding cake
I just want to jump in their fountains and splash around
Touring the downtown by the obelisk
With every twist and turn of this
I don’t think there was a bad looking corner of this town.
Our first stop on the tour was going to visiting the Mineral baths and where the water flow was controlled.
The entrance to the building
Touring the flow of the mineral baths
Our class observing the flow of the mineral waters to the baths
Our group seeing how the mineral bath systems work in the building
The model of the mineral water system for the city
Mineral Water buildup
Our class group shot with Dr. K, our professor for the class
Walking through the pipes
The mineral water running through the system
What the mineral water does to products during build up
Our group shot when we were leaving the mineral bath tour of the water system. It was an interesting behind the scenes tour of how the whole system worked.
After the tour, we walked outside where the sunny, blue day was in full blaze. The flowering trees made quite the backdrop to the local Catholic Church. It was such a great day.
The beautiful landscaping accented all the beautiful buildings.
After the tour of the behind-the-scenes workings of the mineral baths, we then took a tour of the Hotel Prezident with its noted doctor, MD Sarova, who explained to us how the spa/wellness visits benefit clients from all over the world. This form of luxury spa treatment has been popular in Karlovy for over a hundred years and in a post-COVID world has found a spot of healing people.
Touring the various spa treatment rooms
The spa terrace used after treatments
This is when I just wanted to stop the tour and check in. I thought this was the perfect way to get better from any ailment. This seemed to me to be the perfect place to detox from all the problems that ailed people. With a view like this I would get better.
The relaxing view from the spa terrace
One toured the whole facility, the doctor sat down with us and explained how treatments worked, that there was a three-week treatment period to work with the body and some of the spa treatments that people used during and while having COVID. It was a fascinating lecture on the use of mineral water treatments, diet and exercise that makes people better.
Then we walked around the town and saw the various building that housed the baths, and it was like going back in time. Some looked like the famous Roman Baths and others looked like post-Civil War Victorian of the Gilded Age. It showed me the importance placed on getting better in an elegant and relaxed environment.
The Roman Baths built during the Victorian Age
The Roman baths in the Victorian Age
The Victorian Spa
The inside of the Victorian spa
In any era, I know that I would get better from a treatment like this. I think it is not just the mineral water and diet but the attitude that needs to change as well. Our approach to handle a situation is also part of the therapy that is given. The doctor had a lot of insights that day.
After our tour of the mineral baths and the spa it was off to the luxury hotel, The Grandhotel Pupp, considered one of the premier hotels in the country. What I liked about this town is that everything is within walking distance of everything else, so it was a quick walk to the hotel through the town.
The waterway in the downtown on our way to the hotel
Us touring the downtown on our way to the hotel
On the way over to the hotel we stopped for a sweet waffle or ‘wafer’ that the Czech Republic is known for in Karlovy Vary.
On the way over to the hotel, we stopped, and the Professor treated us to a waffle or known as a ‘wafer’ cookie that the city was known for. These thin little cookies were really good and very sweet. This was a great treat before lunch.
Guest Relations from the Grandhotel Pupp met us at the front door of the hotel and I was just floored by the luxury of the surroundings. Like the rest of the town, it was Victorian picture-perfect. It was like someone had dropped The Plaza Hotel into a small town. What a gorgeous hotel.
I was struck by just how beautifully decorated each room was and the details on all the features. This was Victorian splendor at its best. When we walked into the lobby, the detail work and molding was something I had not seen in an American hotel.
The Grandeur of the lobby where we met Guest Relations
Our group shot at the Grandhotel Pupp
After the introductions, we started on the tour which continued through the lobby and into the bar area off the lobby in which the staff was setting up for service. They glanced at us as they wiped down glassware that was already sparkling. The whole bar area was set up perfectly. After years in the fast casual dining segment of the business, I was not used to such perfection.
The bar area being set up for service
The bar ceiling
We then walked further inside the room to the Formal Dining Room and got to see the view from the Dining Room into downtown. The room was being set up for dinner that evening.
The Formal Dining Room
The Formal Dining Room set for lunch
The ceiling in the Formal Dining Room
We then moved on to touring a few of the bedrooms. Like in France, we started with the Presidential Suite. It was elegant but not overdone which was nice. It would not intimidate anyone.
The Presidential Bedroom sleeping area
The Living Room
The Bathroom really wowed everyone
We toured two smaller rooms but after seeing all this nothing compared to it. Then we moved to the spa area of the hotel which here was more for Wellness rather than getting over an ailment. We finished the tour on the back terrace where people were outside talking and chatting over drinks.
The Terrace Dining at the Grandhotel Pupp. I just wished we could have stayed over!
After we took a group shot with the Director of Guest Relations, we were off to lunch at Restaurant Diana, which stood above the city on the monorail system called the ‘Funicular’. We got the most amazing view of the city from this point. We took the monorail up the top of the mountain and stopped at a building that looked like one of the old Lodge Hotels in an American National Park.
The amazing views at the top of the mountain should not be missed
Our first stop when we reached the top was Restaurant Diana for lunch. I was not knowing what to expect and what we experienced was an excellent hearty lunch with wonderful service in an beautiful environment.
We sat down in a back table in a sun-drenched dining room and ordered. The waitress could not have been nicer to a large group of people and since it was quiet in the dining room that afternoon, we got a lot of attention. The food and the service were wonderful that afternoon.
The inside of Restaurant Diana
I had the Pan-Fired Pork Cutlets with a side of Bacon Dumplings. The dumplings were rather large and looked and tasted more like a small slice of bread rather than a traditional dumpling either Chinese or Pennsylvanian Dutch. We found out later in the week how they were made but I really enjoyed them, and it was a rather filling meal for a traditional lunch.
The Pan-Fried Pork Cutlet and Bacon Dumplings were delicious that afternoon.
We talked about the hotel tour and all the wonderful things to see in Karlovy Vary over lunch and then afternoon lunch of our tour up the Observation Tower. I could not wait to see the views. All I know was that I was going to take a very long nap when we got back to Prague. This was a heavy lunch.
The views from the tower were breathtaking and you really got to see the City from here. The forests that surrounded the city were just amazing.
Restaurant Diana from the view from the top of the tower
The City with the views of the surrounding forest
More of the surrounding city
The surrounding forest
The city in the distance
After the tour in the Observation Deck, we decided to walk down the hill/ Not the best move when you are wearing topsiders and the path is mostly not paved. It was a treacherous walk down in some spots, but we got back down in one piece. It was a good way of working off lunch.
When we got to the bottom, the Professor let us have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves so we could tour the town. I started to revisit all the streets that we walked down and wanted to see some of the shops and bakeries that looked interesting. I also took my time to admire the architecture in the town squares.
The wedding cake architecture of the buildings
The Repre Bakery at T.G. Masaryka 837/29 is just amazing for Czech pastries!
While walking around on my way back to the train station to meet everyone else I came across Repre, a wonderful bakery featuring the most delicious Czech pastries. What a selection of glazed and cream filled goodies! I could not make a choice on which one I liked so I got two of them. I got a
The excellent selection of pastries that I could not choose from
I was not sure of the names of these delicious desserts but the Chocolate one was filled with Mocha and Whipped Cream topped with a rich milk chocolate sauce and the other one is a glazed doughnut topped with extra thick icing and filled with vanilla and whipped cream.
I chose these two pastries and was in high heaven with each bite. The quality and flavor of these pastries was just excellent, and I could see the women who worked the counter were watching me with a big smile on my face. This is what I love about being an adult and can pay for my own things. You have choices.
After dessert was over, I kept walking back to the liquor bottle that was our meeting point, taking pictures of buildings, parks and fountains. It was just one nice thing to look at after another.
One of the unusual fountains that I came across on my way back to the train station,
Walking around the downtown
We met back at the meeting spot and took one last picture by 5:00pm so that we could take the train back to Prague. From not knowing what to expect to having an absolute ball in Karlovy Vary, I highly recommend this side trip out of the city for a restful and relaxing afternoon of touring and dining.
Another great day of touring! What beautiful weather we had too!
I woke up and the jet leg was not as bad this morning. I guess that day to myself was really helpful. I got all the laundry done, my work emails completed and got a good night’s rest and that was a big help. I woke up refreshed and ready to start touring the great City of Prague. Our Placemaking Tourist class in Prague was much different in perspective than Paris with more emphasis on experiences and less on the food culture (although that did not stop me from taking lots of pictures on food).
I started off with a light breakfast at this wonderful little cafe in the courtyard of the NYU Residence Hall called Cafe Osada, which would become my go to place for breakfast almost every morning we were in Prague. The pastries and the breakfasts were amazing!
Their danishes were always handmade and baked on premise and when you order them first thing in the morning, they were still warm. Everything I had from them during the week was excellent. I wish I could have tried them for lunch or dinner but we were always on the road with touring but still they were a treat at breakfast.
The delicious Cherry Pastry with Pear juice started off my first day of touring
The Cherry Pastry was to die for and it also came in Plum and Apricot
The Scrambled Egg breakfast I really enjoyed and it was visually stunning. Don’t underestimate salad for breakfast. It was delicious!
We started our day with our first (and only thank God) NYU class introducing us to the campus, to the City and to the culture of Praguel led by one of the NYU Prague professor’s and then a talk from the Head of NYU Prague campus. It was a nice way to start the class off.
After that part of the class, we were introduced to Jana Markova, our tour guide extraordinary, who would be our guide for the rest of the week. She had been born and raised in Prague and her family was in the tourism business so she would be our guide to corners of the city. She ran the business “Absolutely Prague”, her own touring company and she did excellent work throughout the whole week and became part of the gang with the students attending the class.
Ms. Jana Markova, the owner of “Absolutely Prague” and our tour guide for the week
After a quick talk from her, we would get our passes for public transportation and off we went touring the city of Prague by cable car. First we would be exploring the Castle District of the city and then part of Old Town and then a site tour of the Hotel. The would be a very nice afternoon with a lot of walking.
Before we left on our tour of Prague for the first day, we had our welcome lunch right down the road from the NYU Prague campus at Holesovicka Kozlovna, a wonderful Czech restaurant that I had passed my first night in Prague. It was a really nice lunch and a good way to get to know some of my classmates. Not everyone from Paris went on to Prague. There were only four of us who continued on from that class.
Restaurant Holesovicka Kozlovna at Delnick 1501/28
Our lunch, a traditional Chicken Schnitzel with Potato Salad
The menu had already been set for us so it did not take that much time to serve us. The food and the service at the restaurant were excellent and everyone enjoyed lunch. It was a little heavy for a long day of touring, but we needed the energy. We were told that the rest of the menu is just as delicious.
We were joined by Jana from Absolute Prague for lunch, and she helped lead all the tours for the rest of the week. She became part of our class, and she was the best! She assisted in leading our group to all our activities and did a wonderful job.
Our group shot at lunch.
Getting to know everyone over lunch
We started by taking the cable car from our hipster neighborhood to the Palace District. I was not sure what to expect but I was blown away by the architecture and the history of the area. The buildings were so amazing, and I liked how an elite community was built around the palace. We were lucky that we had gotten here early in that the streets and walkways are so narrow that it must be tough to maneuver them when at the height of the tourist season.
The cable car system around Prague is amazing. It got us all around the city the entire time in Prague.
The entrance to the Palace District in Prague
The entrance to the Palace District of Prague
Us starting our adventure in the Old Section of Prague.
We walked section by section through the complex passing former homes of elite families of Prague, some of whom still live in these homes. I can’t see people living in such a highly traveled section of the city but in houses that big you can stay away from the foot traffic.
The view of the City from the palace grounds
One of the old homes is now an art gallery
What I loved about this section of the city was the detail work on all the homes, light fixtures on the streets and in the small parks and fountains. You can see the craftsmanship in the stone and metal work that went into building this complex of homes and palaces.
The Castle Square leading to the main building
The light fixture in Palace Square
Statue in one of the squares leading to the Castle.
The Prague Castle
The entrance to the Prague Castle
When we finally arrived at the Prague Castle, the security was all over the place. People were running around taking pictures of the law enforcement protecting the place. We just bypassed them as we continued our tour of the complex, but I have to admit one thing, people seemed very respectful and didn’t pull the stunts that pull at Buckingham Palace by trying to harass the guards. I would not pull that in a foreign country.
Prague Castle was most likely founded in around 880 by Prince Bořivoj of the Premyslid Dynasty (Přemyslovci). According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Prague Castle is the largest coherent castle complex in the world, with an area of almost 70,000 m². A UNESCO World Heritage site, it consists of a large-scale composition of palaces and ecclesiastical buildings of various architectural styles, from the remains of Romanesque-style buildings from the 10th century through Gothic modifications of the 14th century. The famous Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik was responsible for extensive renovations in the time of the First Republic (1918-1938). Since the Velvet Revolution, Prague Castle has undergone significant and ongoing repairs and reconstructions (Prague Castle for Visitors-www.hrade.cz).
We then walked through St. Vitus Cathedral where many royal coronations and funerals took place when the palace was still in use by royalty. The stained-glass windows were gorgeous.
The Roman Catholic Church, St. Vitus Cathedral, in the Palace complex
The beautiful stained-glass windows at St. Vitus Cathedral
As we exited the Cathedral, we continued through the complex. The tour guide explained that the gargoyles that adorned the top of the church is something it was known for, and we used to redirect water from the top of the church.
The church as we exited it
The gargoyle on the church is something its famous for
Prague leader Tomas G. Masaryz
Walking around the Palace Square
A fountain in the one of the Palace Squares
Prague Castle Square
As we exited the complex after many stops, our group took a turn and we went on our site visit of the Agustine Hotel, a Marriott property, that is a historic luxury hotel in Prague. The unique architecture and its historic background is a much different Marriott than its more traditional partners.
The front of the Hotel Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Marriott property at Letenska 12/33 Lesser Town
Our meeting with the head of Guest Relations at the Augustine, A Luxury Collection Hotel
We started out meeting in the bar area off the main lobby of the hotel with the head of Guest Relations talking about business at the hotel and its history. We then proceeded to tour all part of the hotel’s guests’ spaces.
The Front Desk lounge
I love the sculpture throughout the hotel.
The hotel’s Meeting/Banquet area
The hotel’s restaurant dining room
The Terrace restaurant area that was popular that evening
Right off the hotel’s gardens is the Monastery where the monks live who help create
The Sundial Gardens inside the hotel and the Monastery off to the left.
The outside gardens with the monestery in the back
The tour included a visit to the Presidential Suite. This is the living room.
The bedroom of the Presidential Suite
We concluded the tour with a beer tasting in the bar dedicated to American singer, Debbie Harry. The monks of the monastery had been brewers of beer.
The hotel was interesting in its design being part of monastery complex and how it was incorporated into a hospitality complex. I thought the designer of the hotel did an interesting job with it.
Our class group shot outside the hotel with Guest Relations and our tour guide, Jana.
After the tour of the hotel was over, we continued to make our way through the complex and ended up at the Wallenstein Gardens right off the palace grounds. These beautiful gardens were an oasis from all the traffic walking around the complex. These breathtaking gardens were built in 1630 and have continued to inspire people who visit them.
Before we left the Palace complex, we visited the Lennon Wall, named after John Lennon after his assassination in New York City in the 1980’s. This has always been a wall of ever-changing art but was dedicated to the singer as it continues to change today. The artwork and messages change on a daily basis.
The end of the Palace complex on our way out. There was even a McDonald’s just outside the entrance.
After this extensive tour of the Palace and it complexes and grounds, we were on our own again for the rest of the evening and we all went off to do other things in the city. I went to campus and walked around our ‘happening’ neighborhood to find a place to eat.
I ate at Pizza Bistro Gallo Nero right around the corner from campus, a small pizzeria I had passed on my first night in Prague. All the pizzas coming outside to guests looked really good. It was such a beautiful night and the perfect night to eat outside. The pizza was fantastic, and I really enjoyed my dinner.
The outside seating of the Pizza Bistro Gallo Nero where I had my dinner that night.
I ordered a wood-oven fired pizza with Cherry Tomatoes and Parma Ham and it was excellent. The flavors combined so nicely, and the ingredients were so fresh. They loaded the toppings on the top of the pizza and the complexity of the flavors were in every bite.
The Parma Ham and Cherry Tomato pizza was delicious.
After dinner I got to talk to the pizza chef and asked if he was Italy. He told me in his broken Czech that he was born and raised in Prague, and he seemed to be happy that I thought he was Italian. I told him the pizza was excellent. I think I made his night.
I walked around our “Williamsburg” neighborhood that evening, exploring all the bars, restaurants and art galleries. It was too bad that we had things planned the next few nights as there were concerts planned and an art gallery exhibition the next evening. For the next time.
I could not believe how fast the trip to Paris went. We were there for five days and then done and off to the next class in Prague. It was an informative and interesting trip and what a way to spend a week walking around one of the most exciting city’s in the world. It was an open air classroom for me.
All I know is that I had a productive week. My walking tour of the Gourmet Stores and Shops went by really well and I learned a lot from it. When we had the wrap up class on Friday afternoon, everyone complimented me on the tour and how much they enjoyed it. One of my classmates said it best, “It could have been a disaster with all the twists and turns but you made it fun.” I filled them full of candy, fruit ices and chocolate and paid for all the samples they ate so it was an engaging walk and not just “Here’s a store. It’s wonderful.” Altering the program did not make me happy but I understood and reworked it so that everyone benefited. I just had a collective sigh of relief when it was done and everyone liked it.
My last morning in Paris was wonderful. I did not have to get up for a tour early and run around. I was already packed and ready for Prague and had checked out of my dorm. The rest of my class was staying on Saturday and had planned a picnic dinner on the Quad of the University of Paris for that night. Most of them were taking their free day off going shopping or going to the museums or exploring Paris on their own time. We were so busy that we did not have much free time for ourselves. Remember this was a class and not a vacation.
What I was bummed at is that I never got to explore the Louvre and see the “Winged Venus” sculpture and Botechilli’s “The Birth of Venus” painting, which I have wanted to see since I was four years old. We did not have the museum in our agenda. I also did not get to see Le Nain Bleu, the Children’s toy store or Galeries Lafayette or Printemps Department Stores and barely scratched the surface at Bon Marche. For the next trip to Paris I figure. Those were things on my bucket list and I will have to come back. At least I know Paris really well now.
I got up late and walked around the campus by myself with a lot of quiet which I enjoyed. No 8:00am wake up calls and no running around. I ate breakfast on my own time and just relaxed.
The University of Paris campus in the mornings
There were not too many places open at that time and I did not want to eat at the residence hall cafeteria so I ventured outside and walked around the campus. With the help of Google Maps (I am turning into a Gen Z now) and my What’s App on Paris, I was ready to go.
The University of Paris in the mornings is so quiet
Our group shot from the day before on the University of Paris campus
What was nice was there was a branch of Bakery Thevenin two blocks from campus so I could go there for those incredible croissant. I walked over to bakery which was only three blocks away and got to finally have the time to explore the neighborhood. The University of Paris was right on the border of Left Bank of Paris and was a unique, racially diverse neighborhood that you could see was starting to gentrify. It was a mix of students, middle class families, immigrants and business people all vying for space. I thought it represented what cities all over the world are all about.
Bakery Thevenin at 14 Rue Daguerre had the same selection as their Saint Germain branch
I stopped at Bakery Thevenin at 14 Rue Daguerre and had breakfast. Even though it was a smaller branch of the one we went to on Wednesday, it had the same assortment and was just as mouthwatering. I don’t think that staff had seen an American with an appetite like mine for breakfast. I ordered a mini Quiche Lorraine, a Beignet filled with cream, a Croissant and a large Orange Juice. In my broken French I ordered the whole thing and they warmed the quiche for me. They guy who served it did not speak much English and was floored about how hungry I was that morning. I am like the English and I love a good breakfast.
I ate it outside and got to finally enjoy a quiet breakfast on my own. I sat at the little cafe table they set up outside and watch the neighborhood come to life. What really got to me was that I never had the time to explore the neighborhood because the second I got to Paris, I got off the plane, got to the dorm and it was run, run, run, run and run (see My Walk in Paris-Day Two Hundred and Sixty-Six: https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/32933). It was so nice to just sit back and enjoy the moment.
Did I enjoy the breakfast! The croissant here is truly the best in Paris and it was a pleasure to eat them again and not have to stand up. I really dug in. I don’t think a group of French people saw an American eat so much, so fast and really enjoy it. I was in high heaven as I love breakfast so much and this was such good quality and such a great assortment of baked items. The woman who waited on me so how happy I was and she had a smile on her face.
Me digging into breakfast. I was in heaven! Everything was delicious!
After breakfast was over, I got back to my dorm room, checked everyone one more time and checked out of my room. I had the security guard call me a cab and I handed in my key. I thanked him in my broken French and he continued to talk to me in French where I could pick up every third word. I guess he thought I knew more than I did.
My cab driver was an older, well dressed Frenchman who proceeded to grab my heavy luggage and throw it in the back of the taxi with gusto and we were on my way to the airport. This guy must have been doing this for years because he was amazing how we got to the airport so quickly and so professionally. When we arrived at Charles Laguelle Airport, he got me right to the gate and I was on my way. He even added in his own tip (those clever French!).
United Airlines arranged Business Class for the flight to Prague so I got through the airport really quickly and got to the gate. What was nice was we were in our own section and we had this amazing little bakery cafe at the airport where everything in the case looked amazing. I was ready to eat again but I did not want more in my stomach before a flight. I said goodbye to Paris and boarded my flight to Frankfurt, Germany and then onto Prague. We got there in record time and then I had a six hour layover.
The Frankfurt Airport looked brand new and was so well organized. I just had to go two gates over and I was at my gate. I was going to start working but I was now getting hungry again. I am not sure where my appetite was coming from but I think it was from finally relaxing. I did not want any more baked items or sandwiches because I had enough of them in Paris. I passed this small restaurant near my gate and thought everything coming to the tables looked good. I had the time and ate there. It was a great decision because I ate one of the best burgers I ever had in my life since Jeff’s Pirate’s Cove in Guam.
I ate at Goodman & Filippo, which is in Terminal A at the Frankfurt International Airport and I highly recommend it. The food, service and views of the grounds around the airport makes you feel that you are not even in an airport terminal. The whole meal was reasonable and delicious.
The Goodman & Filippo Restaurant in Terminal A is fantastic!
The food and service were great for an airport restaurant and I wish more restaurants were like this at Newark Airport. Everyone was so friendly and professional. I felt like I was in a three star restaurant on the way they treated me, speaking perfect German English ( the German’s speak better English than most Americans) and the meal came really quickly. I had a Bacon Cheeseburger with BBQ sauce, crisps (potato chips) and a tiny but flavorful side salad. I could not believe how good everything was for lunch and the quality of the food.
The Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger at Goodman & Filippo was excellent!
I later told the waiter who cooked everything because the burger was so good and everything including the pastas coming out of the kitchen looked wonderful. He pointed to this older German woman who looked stern and ran a strict kitchen. The kitchen looked immaculate and she looked no-nonsense with the staff. God could she cook! I would visit this airport again just to sample her pasta.
After lunch, I just sat at the terminal until 9:45pm when the flight to Prague was called and I got into Business Class again. This is when I met this jerk from Toronto who by mistake I sat in his window seat. Do you know that he had the gaul to say to me, “Are your in my seat. Do you know your on your way to Prague? Are you sure your in the right section?” I was about to tell the guy off but then I remembered all those videos of people on planes fighting and I just remained calm, acted like the gentleman I am and changed seats. I just said, “I thought I had the window seat” and changed seats without a fuss. When he knew that he didn’t get to me, he proceeded to talk to me the whole flight and would not shut up or stop bragging. I could not wait to land to get away form this jerk!
We got into Prague with no problems and since the airport was not that ibig, we got our luggage pretty quick and I ran as fast I could to the Prague Courtyard Hotel to get away from the jerk. What was nice about the hotel was that it was brand new and it was located between the two terminals.
I walked over the Marriott Courtyard at the Airport for the evening. I could not check into my room at the dorms until the next morning and was lucky that this hotel was located between Terminal I and 2 at the airport. I needed a good night’s sleep after never getting any rest in Paris and never really getting over the jet lag.
I ‘slept like the dead’ that night and woke up completely refreshed knowing that I did not have to be anywhere until later that morning. The cab would not be picking me up until 11:00am and I could sleep in and relax and have some breakfast without rushing around.
The breakfast buffet at the hotel was really nice. It had the usual Marriott breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and breads, cereals and yogurt. The thing was that it catered to a more International crowd so there was rice, miso and kimchi and most of the breakfast meats were not the Americanized ones but the European ones.
I relaxed for a bit and then it was time to get to the dorms and settle in. The shuttle service got there on time and we got off to the dorms. I did not know Prague at all in comparison to Paris on what to expect so when we got to the dorms, I was pleasantly surprised. The residence halls were located in an old historic Ham Factory building and that it was part of a complex that included shops, offices and a small cafe, Osada, that was terrific for breakfast. I felt like I landed in a hipster neighborhood.
The NYU Residence Hall is located in an historic Ham Factory building
You need to look at the beauty of the building
The detail work in the building
The founder of the Ham Factory, our new home from home, Josef Jerabek
I got to my room and settled in. The best part was that I had the whole room for myself. The room looked like a small studio with a view of the trees and the outside neighborhood. I swear I could live here it was so nice.
Cafe Osada and the courtyard just outside our residence hall room
Once I settled in I wanted to explore the neighborhood and discovered what a vibrant hipster neighborhood that NYU was located in. We had a great array of restaurants right around the block. We had a fantastic pizzeria, a great Vietnamese restaurant and innovative bakery just around the corner.
Isadore is a hipster Tapa bar and Coffee Shop
We also had an art gallery, a music bar and several great design shops just a block down. The graffiti art was amazing and I should known when later on our tour guide called this neighborhood the ‘Williamsburg’ of Prague. It did look like a former warehouse industrial district.
The inside of Isadore with its tables and paintings
The artwork was so creative
I talked with the RA for our hall, Eva and she gave me some great recommendations to eat. She recommended the Vietnamese restaurant around the corner for their glass rice noodles. I knew where I was eating that night. I had to get my laundry done, get my paper written and get some journal entries done so there was a lot to do first. That took up most of the afternoon and I was still jet lagged.
Pho C & A at Osadní 642/23, 170 00 Praha 7-Holešovice
After I finally got all that done, I went for dinner. I tried Pho C & A, the restaurant that Eva suggested for dinner and settled outside for dinner. I had not eaten outside in a Vietnamese restaurant since I was in Vietnam in 2016. The food was excellent.
I had the Spring rolls that were excellent. The were full of ground pork and fresh vegetables and fried perfectly. I ordered for the main dish which was the Chicken Tempura with a curried cream sauce that was different from anything that I had before and was nice with the white rice. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
The delicious Chicken Tempura dish I had that evening
When I showed the owner my pictures for our social media site for the college (I also put them on TripAdvisor) and she seemed amused. She just laughed and tapped me on the should. I think she approved. Both her and her husband seemed to like the idea. It is just nice to enjoy good food while dining outside.
Their delicious Spring Rolls
After the nice dinner and all the laundry was done from the Paris class, I decided to walk around the neighborhood that would be my home for the next week. What I discovered was interesting restaurants, hip coffee shops and bars, interesting artwork and pocket parks. There was a lot in this neighborhood to attract college students and tourists alike. You can tell there is an edginess to the neighborhood catering to musicians, artists and college students.
Interesting names of restaurants
Interesting Street Art
Community Art work
Graffiti Art
New uses for old buildings like this firehouse now a club and wine bar
Unique architecture proves what’s old is new again
This concept being put to creative use.
Before it got dark I got to walk around a very busy ‘pocket park’ around the corner from the campus which had a bar and small restaurant and a games are for kids. This is what makes a neighborhood. It would be fun to explore and try out other restaurants over the next week.
The pocket park on the edge of an edgier neighborhoods
It was an interesting and productive day and night and I was rested and ready to go on another busy week of classes in Prague. What adventures lie ahead.
I still did not get over the jet lag from the first day in Paris but I was feeling a bit better. The good night’s sleep was really helpful. We got off to an early start this morning as we would be traveling all over Paris for one of the student’s walking tour. He really had us in many different sections of the city.
We started the morning in the Maubert Mutualite of the Quarter Latin on the left bank. When we got off the Metro station, we were faced with the ruins of Notre Dame Church, which is still under reconstruction from the fire several years ago. Construction workers were all around the church that morning but we were still able to get a good view of the church.
Notre Dame Church on 6 Parvi Notre Dame Place in Paris
The church stood quiet while it was being repaired but there was still lot activity around the church as the day started and people arrived for work. It was a rather gloomy Tuesday morning and since it was still around 8:30am, no one was really out and about in the neighborhood but us.
We crossed over the bridge to Square Renée Viviani and took pictures in the quiet but beautiful little park. There were a lot of these tiny pocket parks all over Paris and it is fun to just sit and relax when you are tired of walking. These tiny parks have all the classic makings of a French park, tiny benches, colorful plantings and statues.
The Square Rene Viviani near Shakespeare & Company Cafe and Bookstore
We walked through the park to Shakespeare & Company bookstore where Ernest Hemingway used to hang out when he was in Paris. This was not the original spot but one of their store’s in Paris. This is a very well known tourist attraction.
The second Shakespeare & Company bookstore at 37 Rue de la Bucherie
We took another group shot in front of Shakespeare & Company
We made our way to the end of the block and had breakfast at Cafe Panis Paris, which was a cute little cafe/bistro just off the square and looked like the classic French restaurant that you see in the movies with the banquettes, the wooden brass fixtures and our waiter, who could not have been nicer and spoke English in that beautiful English French accent that Americans find so charming and welcoming. He could not have been nicer and more accommodating to us since we showed up thirty minutes early. He had it all under control and knew how to read the table.
The baked goods that came to the table were excellent! The buttery croissant and the crusty and crunchy baguettes with jam and butter were delicious and we devoured two baskets of these delicious treats. The hot chocolate was amazing in that the cups were filled with melted chocolate and then served with hot frothy milk and a cookie.
The wonderful croissant basket
They melted the chocolate for the Hot Chocolate
With a pitcher of hot frothy milk created heaven in a bowl
It was when the waiter offered to get us omelets that things turned in the food. The omelets were cleverly folded in such a way that you could not see that they were chard on the inside. On the outside they were a little too caramelized but on the inside four of the omelets were burned. I could not believe a chef would serve these to a customer (we did not complain so it was our fault. It tasted good but with a burnt flavor). I was disappointed when we left. I will remember this meal (See review on TripAdvisor).
My breakfast at Cafe Panis Paris
Take a closer look at the burnt edges and the over-caramelized top. Not a good attempt on an omelet.
Our next stop was on the tour was to Cafe Pierre Herme on the Rue de Saint Germain. What a beautiful store. The pastries are treated like jewels. I wish I could say the same about the customers. Our group ordered our pastries and were sitting down while the others finished their orders. This jerk of a salesperson (or he could have been a manager, we did not know) ordered me to stop taking pictures in the store. He then proceeded to tell us to stop sitting down because we did not but our pastries to stay. We just left and this left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. We talked about that for the rest of the trip.
The Raspberry Brioche was delicious (second to the left)
If you see this jerk in the Cafe, go to someone else. You don’t need his attitude problem.
When we left the store, we had about an hour on our own time and I was finally allowed some time to explore the neighborhood. I wanted some me time to visit the stores, explore the streets and visit the open air market that I had passed down the road. That was a lot of fun. The market sold all sorts of items like gourmet foods, clothing, hand carved products and gifts. I ended up buying my mother some jelly spreads from a vendor whose product was just excellent. I ended up buying a few of the smaller jars and had to hike them home through five countries.
The open market on the Rue du Saint Germain on a Tuesday
The open air markets are all over Paris on certain days and I was able to visit two of them on the hour and a half break that we had to walk around the neighborhood. I had been watching so many of those “Les Frenchie’s” videos that I knew where they all were and what time they ran. There really was all sorts of things that you could buy at them. One lady I watched open up asked me to sample these delicious honey/jelly spreads and I have to admit they were delicious. I ended up buying some small jars for my mother as a late Mother’s Day gift.
There was all sorts of delicious things to buy as well such as hot waffles, crepes, ice cream and pastries. I was really beginning to love Paris. Being in a place that took pastry and sweets so seriously was my type of place. I love how food was treated so differently than in the United States.
The market was starting to get busy when we arrived. With the Sorbonne close by I saw a lot of students.
The Candy Stall
Fresh Waffles and Crepes
After I walked around the markets and viewed all the vendors and had my purchase, I started to walk around the side streets looking at all the little stores and restaurants. These little streets had an array of hotels, cafes and shops one nicer than the other in all these older buildings. I wish I had more time to spend here.
Walking around the Latin Quarter
There were lots of little cafes all over the neighborhood
The wonderful little streets to walk around on
One of the tiny hotels in the Latin Quarter Hotel Mont-Blanc
Another market by the Fountain Saint Michel at Place de Saint Michel
The Fountain Saint Michel in Place Saint Michel is a beautiful statue
The tiny shops and restaurants around the square in the Latin Quarter
I would have loved to explore the Latin Quarter more and walk its tiny streets to discover its secrets but it was time to leave for lunch. I swear that I had no appetite after the burned omelet. It did not give me much faith. We had to take the bus to the other side of the city because we were going to eat at an extremely famous restaurant, La Grande Cascade that was located in Bois de Boulogne, right near the real cascade waterfall.
Le Grande Cascade in the film “Belle de Jour”
It was an experience because we were running and there was an accident that blocked the route that the bus needed to take to get to the restaurant and Blaine, who was running the tour that day, started to panic and called the restaurant to tell them we would be late. I was not too sure what to expect at that point. We finally arrived at the restaurant and the whole patio area was closed at the time. We walked into this really elegant dining room where everyone was in suits and so beautifully dressed. I felt like one of my students when they would not follow dress code and failed the group project. This was a first class Michelin restaurant and it was the first time in a long time that I felt out of place.
As we walked through the door, I felt like a fish out of water in my polo and khakis. At least I had not worn shorts. Even the staff was completely dressed up in suits. I had not seen a dining room like this since I took my father to “21” for Father’s Day in New York City. Still it would be an experience to eat here. I had not realised what a famous restaurant this was in Paris.
The gardens in front of The Grand Cascade Restaurant
Entering the dining room at The Grande Cascade Restaurant feeling really under-dressed
It was quite the exchange between our professor and the captain of the restaurant and we never really knew what they said to one another until further in the week. I found out later on he thought we were coming in to try the $200 Euro Tasting Menu (that is everyone one of us). That would have blown the whole budget and somehow they settled in the $70 Euro Tasting menu. I did not ask many questions and just looked at the menu.
Honestly I had no appetite for lunch after the burned omelet but figured that I could handle a little something for lunch and ordered the macaroni. I was not sure what to expect with this meal but it was one of the best we had in Paris. We had one delicious course after another. I had not enjoyed a meal like this in a long time. What I liked was it was served “French” style where all the plates were placed down at once by the servers and they worked as a Team to get the job done. The food was just amazing and our group was extremely impressed by the cuisine, dishes and the service. The staff really came through for us and as a group of students on a Culinary Tour were floored by the experience.
Our first course: The Amuse-Bouche “The Gift from the Chef” concasse in a shell and a tiny Croque Monsieur
The Breads:
The freshly baked Brioche
The freshly baked Baguette
The Entree:
Macaroni with black truffle, foie gras, celery, and a parmesan gratin
This was a special dessert of a Twill Cookie filled with sauteed Pineapple and served with fresh Pineapple/Coconut Ice Cream with a Coconut Sauce
The tiny cream puffs were served to each table as a gift from the Manager of Le Grande Cascade. I thought this was a nice touch.
When we were done, we gave a very welcoming goodbye to the staff there. We really appreciated the hospitality of the restaurant and how they came through for us. I never really knew what the student who arranged this lunch promised but we had one excellent experience in the end. I won’t forget their generosity and gave them an excellent review on TripAdvisor.
Our Class at le Grande Cascade in Paris
After lunch was over, we took a tour of the Right Bank where I swear we must have covered five miles. I had no problem with the trip but I was still fighting jet lag so it was a little tough at times.
Our first part of the tour was walking through the Bois du Boulogne, the former hunting grounds that is now a park. I swear I thought we were getting lost in the woods. For a park that was going wild, it was really beautiful. Even the weeds in the park looked really nice. I was amazed at the colors. Even the French do this correctly.
This picture does not do the weeds justice as they were tiny blue, purple and white flowers on a bed of green.
Our next stop was the Musee Marmottan Monet at 2 Rue du louis Boilly just outside the park. This tiny museum had once been a private home and now housed a collection of Monet paintings that were donationed by the artist’s son upon his death.
While we got to tour the whole house which was decorated in early Victorian decor and early 1800’s furniture, the star of the this museum was the collection of floral and water lily paintings that Daniel Monet donated. I had not seen some of these paintings since the big “Monet” exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
The elegant furnishings of the Musee Marmottan Monet at 2 Rue Louis Boilly
Most of us toured the whole house and then spent more time in the Monet section of the museum. As usual, they had to drag me out last because I was enjoying seeing the paintings so much. The paintings were so beautiful and talk about vibrant colors. I could not believe that Monet had problems selling these wonderful pieces of art.
The Water Lily painting that I saw at the MoMA
The Monet floral paintings
The Monet Floral Paintings
After we left the museum, we proceeded to walk through the 16th District of the city down the Boulevard Beausejour. Here we explored the neighborhood, walking down small side streets, visiting grocery stores for water and snacks, peeking in shops and looking at the amazing architecture of buildings, windows and doorways.
A grocery store on the Right Bank everything was displayed so beautifully
There is much to see when you stop for a moment and look at it. I see this all the time when I walk in Manhattan.
I thought this was the most perfect door
Walking through the neighborhood past the Jardin du Ranelagh and watched little French children running around playing tag and what looked like ‘Stop Light’ while the parents talked amongst themselves.
A beautiful townhouse on the Right Bank
They did not hover over their children like American parents do today. It reminded me of when I was growing up where parents did their thing while we did ours.
The little French cat we saw in the restaurant window
We walked down the Boulevard Delessert and explored some of the side streets as we passed by on our walk to the Eiffel Tower. I loved all these little side streets with their tiny food stores with their equally tiny baskets of strawberries and tomatoes, restaurants with residents sipping coffee and eating crepes and homes with small gardens and arches with faces. It was my kind of neighborhood.
I snapped this as we were walking through the Right Bank
We walked to the foot of the Jardins de Trocadero and saw the Eiffel Tower in full view. That was truly amazing. I had only seen pictures of it but to see it up close. The books and the Internet do not do it justice.
The area was loaded with tourists and picture takers and you had to kind of maneuver your way around the site. Still it was a pretty amazing site to see. It is like when I pass the Statue of Liberty on a boat ride. You know it’s there and very touristy but you are still in awe of it. The lines to get in were not as bad as everyone said they would be and we could have gone up to the top. It was not high on priority list but it would have been fun.
I got my ‘tourist’ shot in before we left to take the rest of the tour
I had to get my picture in with the Eiffel Tower so I did my own share of snapping pictures. It still is an impressive monument and it is surprising how jaded Parisians were when it was constructed how much many thought it was a joke. It has become a symbol of the city and of the country. Its funny how the attitude to things change and morph over the years.
After this, everyone had time for themselves before dinner that evening. Blaine and a few of the others ran off to do their thing and I went with the professor and a couple of my classmates to the Four Seasons George V for a tour of the hotel. I have never been floored by a hotel before and I have stayed in five star hotels all over the world. This was another version of true luxury.
On our way to the George V, we walked up the Avenue de New York and I thought this was pretty clever. A little piece of home away from home.
The sign for Avenue de New York
I saw this beautiful doorway just at the beginning of our tour on the Avenue de New York
A little symbol of home by the Avenue de New York by the Seine River
We got to the Four Seasons George V and again I felt a little out of my element being so under-dressed. I thought khakis and topsiders would be a nice outfit as I was not sure what we would be seeing that afternoon but everything we did, visited and ate at were all first class and I looked a college senior out on a tour. If I had known the significance of the places we went to that afternoon, I would have dressed up a bit more.
The Four Seasons George V I had only seen in the movies and heard about from my older brother who had stayed there many times when visiting Paris. Talk about a palace of luxury. The hotel exceeded every expectation that I thought it would be. Talk about security all over the place. There were guys in ear pieces that looked like retired police officers at each entrance and of course the hotel picked the best looking ones.
Everyone working at the hotel was so well groomed and well dressed and many so young. The only people I saw closer to my age were a few of the security guards and waiters and there were not even many of them as well. I got the impression that the entire staff was hired by their look and their age. I felt like the hotel was ‘window dressing’ their staff. This was nothing like the staffs I worked with at Holiday Inn, Prince Hotels or the Hyatt Regency over the years.
Our tour guide in Guest Relations was this beautiful, young Italian woman who did her Internship at the hotel and had moved up the ladder in about three years. I was amazed on how quick they got promoted at the hotels in Paris but then I remembered the stress I dealt with at Hyatt and people moved around a lot in management. She took us on a tour of the lobby, where the hotel must have spent a small fortune on flowers alone to decorate the place.
The lobby of the Four Seasons George V that afternoon
The three restaurants in off the lobby were all Michelin rated with one to three stars. The commitment that the hotel takes to quality and service are what makes it such a special place to stay and dine at for the afternoon and evening. Although we only saw the first floor on this impromptu visit, that was more than enough to satisfy me. I could never take my eyes off her.
Taking a group shot at the Four Seasons George V at 31 Avenue George V
Our last part of the tour of that day before we left for dinner was walking up the Avenue George V to the Avenue des Champs-Elysees to the L’Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile at the circle of the Boulevard at Place de Charles LaGualle. Now this was an impressive visit. I remember my father talking about this when he came to Paris several times on business.
He would talk about Christmas in Paris with all the white lights looking down the Champs-Elysees and the pictures of the Nazi tanks rolling down it but to see it up close, was a site to see. It is about ten times bigger than the Arch at Washington Square Park which one of my classmates commented on. Talk about in awe.
L’Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile at the circle of the Boulevard at Place de Charles LaGualle
The details on the Arc are just beautiful. You really have to walk around and underneath it to appreciate it.
We had just enough time to walk around and underneath the monument. You can see the detail work best this way and I would not wait in line for tickets when you can see it from any angle on your own. I looked down the Champs-Elysees and really thought about those tanks going down it during WWII. Parisians must have been scared out of their minds.
Me in front of the L’Arc de Triomphe before we left for dinner that evening
I was in awe of the surroundings and kept wanting to pinch myself as I could not believe I was actually here. It still never registered with me on my second night in Paris.
Dinner that evening was at Le Fouquet’s, a film industry hangout at 91 Avenue des Champs Elysees. This is the industry equivalent of “21”, “Sardi’s and “The Russian Tea Room” in New York. This was part of the film tour because Blaine wanted to show us what film industry places were like and why they were so important. I think he secretly wanted to go there because he thought there would be someone important he could talk to or meet. I was just impressed that we got the front table by the door as ordinarily this is the table you want to be in so that people could see you when they walked in.
At this point of the day, I was not hungry at all. We had a big breakfast, a big lunch and now a big dinner. Since it was after 7:00pm, ordering a simple sandwich was not possible and I do not like onion soup. So I decided on a Cheeseburger and Frites. Now I have to admit that I do not come to places like this for dinner for a burger but I was at dinner and had to eat something.
God, it was one of the best Cheeseburgers I had eaten in a long time. The meat was so flavorful and juicy and the French Fries were cooked perfectly. Now I know why people order the burger at “21” all the time. It was wonderful and the service that night was flawless. I guess they get a lot of tourists ordering these cheeseburgers.
The Cheeseburger with Frites at La Fouquet’s is worth the money
After dinner our group just walked around a bit before heading back to the NYU dorms while a small group stayed behind to wait for the rest of their meals. I was not too sure what to expect from Blaine’s tour for “Food in Film” since so many changes had to be made but in the end I think he did a good job. We ate at some high quality restaurants, got to see a wonderful museum and did a lot of people watching while toured some of the most luxurious locations in Paris.
My last night of freedom. Maricel took me to the Sheraton Canal Street as a present
I found out the night of the “Rocking it in Rutherford-Be a Tourist in your own Town” event back in April that I had gotten accepted to New York University for my Masters Degree. I had applied months earlier for the college after the initial get together in October of 2019 (pre-Pandemic). I never thought I would get in but there was the email the night of the presentation as almost a gift from God that I had done good work with the students.
My ID card picture
It has been exciting journey so far and this leads to the next stage of my life. For the next two years I will be playing “college student” for the fifth time (Michigan State University, Fashion Institute of Technology, Culinary Institute of America and Cornell University proceeded it).
I will be graduating in the Spring of 2024 with my Masters in Science in Global Hospitality Management and from there, who knows? I like the idea that there is a new future with a new job and new adventures coming soon. It will be a long ride with a lot of hard work but I look forward to my future.
The blogs may come slower than before but I will be doing a lot more exploring of the City in between classes.
Wish me luck!
Maricel and I the weekend before I started Graduate School
mywalkinmanhattan 