If You Find Yourself In Paris For A Few Hours...

For whatever reason, my time in Paris is always fleeting. 24 hours here, a weekend there (and there, in 2014). But perhaps it’s the short and sweet nature of these visits that shrouds the city in magic for me: these glimpses are windows into surely the most dazzling city of all, with its fiery foliage, steaming crepes delivered straight from the pan into cold fingers desperately needing to be defrosted, and of course that iconic sight of the Eiffel Tower all golden and lit up at night.

(I say this through the rose-colored glasses of Hindsight though because… well, read on.)

Most recently, I had two extended layovers in Paris. Last November, my favorite travel buddy Cassandra and I left for our spontaneously-planned trip to Estonia and Latvia - listen, cheap flights are my kryptonite. Our friend Leah was supposed to come too, and she championed hard for the longer layovers in Paris (as she’d never been). We were reluctant as we’d both spent time in Paris before and OOO days are precious, but eventually agreed - aaaaand then Leah ended up needing to drop the trip, so here Cassandra and I were faced with 7 hours in Paris on the way over to Tallinn and 17 hours (this time, overnight) on the way home. I’ll be the first to say it: Champagne. Problems.

Before we proceed, I need to mention the flight from hell. Think: a grandpa next to us who kept wanting to chat as we watched Wonder Woman (for the first time!!!) (he also may have stolen someone’s phone...); a man who cut us in line to the bathroom and stayed in there for 30 minutes; a baby who screamed for all but the last twenty minutes of the flight, and a couple who would huff dramatically and turn to glare at the poor thing’s family every five minutes. All of this, plus the complete inability to get any shuteye PLUS

navigating the Paris airport through a sleepy haze trying to find the train that'd take us into the city, and then sprinting to make said train only to realize we were on the wrong side of the platform so sprinting back up and down more stairs...

needless to say, we both sighed audibly in relief as we finally emerged by the Notre Dame - exhausted, but more than ready to be in Europe. In fact, we were so caught up in travel woes and the anxiety from getting from one place to another in a short timeframe that it wasn't until the moment we stared up at the Notre Dame that it occurred to us: WE WERE IN EUROPE - and then we took a good, hard look at ourselves and que horror, would you look at our haggard selves! And so we threw on some red lipstick because what else could we do, and continued with our afternoon.

We admired the Notre Dame, and then walked over to Shakespeare & Co, an Instagram darling to be sure but also a true treasure trove of literary delights. We picked over the 1 euro books on display, but with heavy bags and intrusive selfie sticks a'plenty, we didn't stay for very long. Our next stop was a comic book shop down the street, and not too long after, our craving for crepes hit an all time high.

I was convinced that I could find my way over to my favorite little creperie in the Marais (the same one where I ordered two crepes only to realize that I had actually ordered three in broken French... and then proceeded to eat all three) without a map - and confidently led the way. 

But then it started to drizzle, and the streets all started to look the same, and we were getting hangry and cold, and it was all looking a bit bleak until the miraculous combination of my foggy memory and some bus station maps finally brought us into the invitingly warm La Droguerie. Cassandra and I shared two crepes (two, as intended this time) - indulging appreciatively on the crispy, thin edges and the thick chocolate smeared inside the pockets of bliss.

After our snack, we walked leisurely back towards the Seine and ambled along its banks, pausing to admire the sidewalk art purveyors and spectacular fall foliage. After I pointed out "the colors of the leaves!!!" for the 67th time, Cassandra snapped and threatened to push me into the Seine the next time she heard me repeat that line.

But!!! The leaves!!!

Do you see what I mean?

Irresistible.

It was soon time to start heading back to the airport, but we had one final stop to make: a peek at the Louvre... or more accurately, the sandwich cart outside of the Louvre that we knew had a particularly tasty ham & cheese baguette. Except by the time we arrived, they were out of the tasty ham & cheese baguettes and we'd walked an extra twenty minutes for nothing. Well, not nothing because ahem, the Louvre - look how gorgeous she is.

Back at the airport, the exhaustion from hellish flights and 28 straight sleepless hours and a Parisian afternoon that far surpassed our daily steps goals, we curled up in some chairs in our terminal and promptly passed out. 

*FAST FORWARD SIX DAYS (of stay tuned!! but frigid cold, two of my all time favorite travel memories, going back and forth between two countries, the most beautiful Christmas tree, so much snow, and did I mention the cold) LATER*

This time - a seventeen hour overnight sojourn! Now being such seasoned Paris Metro riders, we made it onto the correct platforms and stations... only to struggle to find our hotel in the pouring rain and confusing streets. Our home for the evening was Hotel Panache, a gorgeously designed boutique hotel in the 9th arrondissement. The room was tiny and the pipes creaky, but because we really only needed a place to rest our heads for a few hours, it more than did the trick. My very favorite part was the sweet little balcony that overlooked the brightly lit streets below. My only gripe is that we saw zero daylight as we left before dawn for the airport the next morning, so I wasn't fully able to enjoy the balcony with either a mug of coffee or a glass of wine as has always been my one Parisian dream!

The only plan for the night: grab some snacks for a light dinner picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower as it lights up right at 9pm on the dot.

You know what they say about plans.

Yep.

Reality: picked up aforementioned bites at the corner supermarket, got held up by a chatty security guard who wanted to tell us all about his writing career ambitions and political opinions, missed the train that'd get us to the Eiffel Tower in time, got off the train JUST as the skies opened for real, waited in the freezing, torrential downpour for 45 minutes. We stood there alone, absolutely drenched, cracked open the wine because it was necessary, and then hastily shared a soaking wet baguette and some cheese and salami because the paper bag that held them all was quickly disintegrating.

It was absolutely not the picture-perfect night in Paris we'd envisioned, but when the Eiffel Tower started sparkling at 10pm on the dot - well, it still made for the most unforgettable sight. Soggy bread and soaked clothes are really more our aesthetic, anyway.

We'll always have (these imperfectly perfect memories of) Paris, indeed! 

TIPS FOR A LONG LAYOVER:

• We had a 7 hour 40 minute layover in Paris, and spent about 3 hours in the city center - we probably could've swung staying just a little longer, but wanted to be conservative with time. Remember to factor in time for navigating through the airport, catching the right train, and luggage storage (if you'll need it) on the way out, and then customs + security on your way back in. The RER train itself takes about 40 minutes each way. This is a super helpful resource for planning your Paris layover.
  
• Take advantage of luggage storage if the terminal offers it. Because we had checked most of our bags and didn't have to worry about them, the remainder of our things went into a duffel bag and we traded off on carrying it. But during my long layover in Frankfurt, I stored everything away except a tote bag with valuables and it was the best 7 euros I've ever spent.
  
• Prepare small bills: this was more of an issue that I ran into in Frankfurt but you'll need small bills just in case the metro / taxi / etc. doesn't accept cards or have change for you.
  
• Stick to one neighborhood: spend the limited time you have in the city actually exploring rather than in transit. Poke your head into shops, grab a spot at a cafe for some people-watching, stroll the streets leisurely! There's no use anxiously trying to see 3 different landmarks located all over town, save the sight-seeing for next time.
  
• See if your hotel offers free airport transfers. If you have an overnight layover with an early flight time, see if your hotel has a complimentary airport shuttle service, or if they offer it at a discounted rate. These are common particularly in hotels close to the airport. Beats figuring out public transportation so early in the AM!

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The Prettiest Day In The Prettiest Place | Perast, Montenegro

So!
It's time!

I present to you... the final post from our 2016 Balkan Extravaganza. Yes, it took me two whole years to finish recapping the magical, wonderful, unbelievable two weeks that my three best friends and I spent in the region. Clearly I'm on Team Slow and Steady, but at last we've crossed the finish line.

Our final day together took place in Kotor, and starred a leisurely breakfast, cappuccinos and ice cream in Old Town, a lazy afternoon nap, and a fancy dinner at Restaurant Galion celebrating six years of friendship. A regular day in our world, just you know... halfway across the world. We were absolutely exhausted after two weeks of traveling, and a restful last day was much appreciated.
But! On our penultimate day, we expended the last of our energy on one more adventure.
The destination? Perast, a small town along the Bay of Kotor, about a 20 minute trek from Old Town Kotor by bus (and also allegedly where Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones own a vacation home).

Of course, we couldn't go a day without stopping by our newfound favorite eatery: sandwiches from Tanjga. Because we're not always gluttons, we ordered two sandwiches to share between the four of us... only to be sternly reprimanded. No sharing... you're in the Balkans, he insisted. Noted: sharing is for wimps.

One each, then!

And so we started the day by easily polishing off four gigantic sandwiches the size of our heads. Almost too easily.

What was expected to be a 5 minute wait turned into a 50 minute wait at the bus station because the Kotor to Perast bus broke down on its way to pick us up. We whiled away the wait by finding stray kittens to feed and play with until the replacement "bus" (a glorified mini-van) arrived.

Before long, we came upon our second hurdle:

the fact that the bus literally dropped us off in the middle of a highway.

Luckily, a couple of other travelers were on the same bus and lead the way to Perast - a short walk down from the "bus stop." Our first peek at Perast stopped us in our tracks: the downward climb boasted views of not only familiar terracotta roofs against the glittering bay, but also the two picturesque islands (Our Lady of the Rocks and St. George - man-made and natural, respectively) that Perast is known for, and that we'd only so far admired in photographs. 

Without having done much research or needing to follow a set itinerary, the natural thing to do seemed to be to head in whichever direction felt the most enticing. The promenade alongside the water was particularly lovely, so we opted for a slow stroll, taking in the picturesque isles and sleepy town (it's often called the quietest town in the Bay!).

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Kotor, Montenegro's Most Breathtaking Views

...and I do mean breathtaking in two very literal ways.

But first, let's back it up a minute and talk about making our way to Kotor in the first place. Short story: it was hell. Long story: we didn't buy bus tickets from Dubrovnik to Kotor in advance, and the bus to the bus station was delayed, and then the station didn't accept credit cards, and it was SO crowded and overwhelming, and so so hot, and this girl was not a happy camper.

UNTIL. This:

I know I keep on saying this about roadtrips in the Balkans, but you guys, I think this takes the trophy for Most Stunning Drive Ever.

It took a couple of hours longer than usual to make it through the border, but once we reached the Bay of Kotor... well, I don't have any words. I was in a state of shock, paralyzed by idyllic snapshots like the one above. Through all of the twists and turns along the bay, we had a front row seat to mountain peaks rising dramatically in the perimeter, hugging the edges of the bluish-green waters. 

This drive was bookended by us being hot MESSES, for sure - see: the situation above first of all. Second of all, there's only one road into the center of Kotor, so we were stuck in one-lane traffic for the last hour. Then, we were all hungry, tired, and pissed at each other (traveling! with! friends! so! fun!!!!) and seething at the injustice of it all as we dragged our suitcases to our Airbnb, red-faced and sweaty. Like a mirage, our host Gordana emerged in sky-high wedges, a crop top, with the prettiest blonde hair, all smiles and warm greetings. We were quite the juxtaposition, I'll tell ya!

That night, the plan was to wander over to Old Town - only a 5 minute walk away - and hit up the top-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor, then take it easy at the apartment.

Except that we didn't realize that the restaurant was closed for good. We walked around in circles for much too long, getting hangrier and hangrier by the minute. Finally, calling it as a loss, we sat down at the first restaurant we saw along the water and ordered the first things we saw on the menu. I'm not even exaggerating right now - the waiter couldn't even put down the appetizer before we inhaled it. He literally just picked up the plate again and took it away. That's also the closest I've ever come to vomiting from over-eating, I shoveled down my entire plate of pasta so fast that I almost choked.

That is all to say - even in the most beautiful of circumstances while traveling, you'll still hit  plenty of roadblocks. But I'll take it!

The next day was so much lovelier.

Alarms rang extra early, and we headed over to Old Town once again.

Old Town Kotor is very similar to Old Town Dubrovnik - a little less polished, a little smaller, a little sleepier, but no less enchanting. We ordered takeaway coffees from a corner store, and then...

it was time to hike!

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Hidden Gems in Old Town Dubrovnik

When folks come to me for Dubrovnik recommendations, I first assault their eardrums with too many enthusiastic exclamations. Never one to play it cool, that's me.
But I quickly take it down eight notches and do my best to temper expectations.
Not because Dubrovnik isn't gloriously beautiful and not because it isn't the medieval town of your dreams with its terracotta roofs and water as electrifyingly blue as Chris Pine's eyes. But because it's the sunny, beachy medieval town of everyone's dreams. In the last decade, Dubrovnik has experienced a tourism boom that continues to skyrocket, largely thanks to Game of Thrones fans and Pinterest browsers.
For many, this is their first impression of this little town:

Feeling a bit claustrophobic?

I got you.

After a three-week stay in 2015 plus 4 more wonderful days the following year, Cassandra and I feel that we are well-equipped with tips & tricks on navigating Dubrovnik. Our tactic:

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