Our Home for 4 Days.

One of my favorite parts of a trip is the planning and since I have discovered the great deal that an apartment is, the search is even more fun. I started looking for a place for us back in July and as always I started with vrbo.com, I had great success using them last year when I got our apartments for Paris and Barcelona. Once again I wanted to be based in an area of Paris that I hadn't stayed in before and wanted to good access to the Metro. Of course we kept our fingers crossed that it would not go on strike again. At one point someone asked me what I was looking for in an apartment and I could have given an list of thoughts however, my answer was more accurate, "I will know it when I see it." And I did. The place was suitable for 4 people, as long as two didn't mind bunk beds, a little alcove living room, a dining room/kitchen and the typical bathroom set up. This weekend, which kicked off my six weeks, was supposed to be a girls weekend for MW, my friend CR in Montana and me. Unfortunately, CR had to back out but CF came down for Zurich for the weekend so we were still 3 for part of the time. It was on the first floor of a building in the 2nd arrondisement near the famous Rue Montorgueil pedestrian street and darn close to 3 Metro stops. The price was perfect too. This part of the 2nd is just out of the tourist area but close enough to walk and near enough to the conveniences of the Chatelet/Les Halles transportation but out of range of the slightly seedy feeling of that area. We spent quite a bit of time shopping on the Rue Montorgueil, picking out cheeses, fruits, veggies and meat for our breakfasts and dinner. I was also able to resume one of my favorite experiences, getting croissants for breakfast every morning. For the most part we just loved walking up and down the street looking at the great shops that are foriegn to our life in the U.S. but the Parisiens stop into everyday without batting an eyelash.

Thanks for reading.

Photo credit - top right of the courtyard was taken by MW.