Albania to Paris, France!
September 22, 2025
3 Countries, 3 Meals, 1 Day
Breakfast: Albania
Lunch: Corfu, Greece
Dinner: Paris, France
A big day, dropping the car, catching the ferry, sometime in
Corfu before our flight to Paris and our first French meal.
Everything with the car went great and we even got our
security deposit back! We were 50/50.
Breakfast was a last piece of orange cake and a still warm
sugar donut. Almost the best.
The ferry is one of the fast James Bond hydrofoils. Cool
feeling to have it rise out of the water. 30kts and so smooth! We put in a good
deal of strategy on where to sit and set our bags. Hopefully setup well to get
off quickly with bags and towards the front of the customs line. Number 5 off
the boat and 1st for non EU travelers!
Into cab to drop our bags at apartment Kantoni where we spent our first night. Our second time in old Corfu and this time more leisurely. We picked up some olives, spices and allegedly the best chap stick. This time literally instead of figuratively.
For lunch we hit Elia which was a place we spotted during our earlier visit to Corfu but chose to go elsewhere. Of course, the meal of the trip with spit roasted pork knocking our socks off.
Back to the hotel for a change into our suits and a swim
with the town, moat, ruins and super yachts as the back drop. Couldn’t be any
better. The water cooled us off and was a nice way to finish our time here.
Thankfully no fish nipping at our heels. An Australian bather suggested Crete
for another visit and the most hospitable people.
We barely recognize the airport since we were so tired last
time and couldn’t wait to get out. Cindy has been talking non stop of her Paris
bucket list and has marked a hundred more things than we will be able to fit
into our time. We will have to wait though as our flight is delayed. Thankfully
just an hour.
Transavia is a French version of Ryan air, cheap with no
extras. A bus takes us all of 200 yards to the plane which is parked in front
of the terminal. Efficiency must not be part of today’s plan. Boarding is from
both ends which should be a winner except someone in the front always boards in
the back. Squeezed into tightly set seats we hope for the best. Thankfully just
a 2.5hr flight. Stewardess pants are extra tight…so French.
Two metros from the airport and a slug through the rain has
us at Hotel My Home in Paris hotel in the 11th. Small and well situated will
work for the next four nights. Very comfortable bed, quiet and clean. Would stay here again.
Out looking for food we wind up at Chez Janou. A well known
place with tourists and just right for night number one. Duck and entrecôte for
dinner were very good. 500ml of wine had Andy feeling boisterous and had to be
shushed by the maître d , his wife and turnaround in the chair glares from a
none to happy patron. The chocolate mousse is famous and they kept serving
until we cried no more. Wifey’s is better but it was still fun. Our neighbors
were from Serbia and happy to chat. Nothing memorable just friendly banter.
In bed at midnight.
A big day with time spent in three different countries.
September 24, 2025
After our late night and some great sleep, we are off to
explore Paris. This is Cindy’s highlight of the trip and she has a bucket list.
Into the Marais for a sandwich at Cochin charcuterie. A very
hyped place where they have different quality levels of meat and cheese to
select from. Each comes with a story and from different countries. Sharing a sandwich we opt for high end ham and
a Brie like cheese. Cow cheese please as Cindy doesn’t do the other kinds. Very
good, worth 23 euro probably not and definitely catering to the tourists. 
Wandering we do a mix of entering shops and viewing through
the windows. Highlights include a butcher, high end chocolate shops and the
sheer number of places you can buy glasses. Everything is presented beautifully
with just the right lighting and arrangement. Most surprising high end chickens
can go for upwards of $60/lb. They have little medallions on them we presume
noting their achievements and qualifications.
Ready for something more to eat, Cindy gets a lobster roll
and Andy gets a doner. Both very good, though not quite the best!
Julia Childs kitchen supply was a let down. Poor quality
wears and it seems to have lost its stride.
Ready for a sit we stop in a lovely little bistro on a park
like pedestrian only street. Pied au cochon, walking pig I think although he
could be dancing on the sign. Oysters, wine and French onion soup plus people
watching make for the perfect break.
On our way we stumble onto all the high end brand stores.
Just looking. Private parking for the real shoppers with black Mercedes and
range rovers sitting idle. Many manned by drivers awaiting the return of their
employers and their spoils.
Across the Seine and into St. Germaine. Great neighborhood
with stores to explore and wander. Lots of cute boutiques to browse,
interesting and unique. Paris seems to thrive in this way with everyone having
a unique style and there being no status quo. Disappointing the owners as we
are just browsing and share a shy merci as we depart. Everyone has been very
nice and we have yet to have a rude pariessenne experience.
Time for another break at an outdoor table, our feet enjoy the
rest. Wine, champagne and more people watching is dreamy. Seems the French have
not received word smoking is not so good for you. Trying to spin past the
unpleasant smell, it adds to the vibe of slowly enjoying life, a conversation
and accepting the passing of time. Our waiter, young , energetic and with four
young daughters only adds to the experience.
Cindy has done well with all sorts of skin care products and
a lovely perfume from the pharmacies. Prices are great and the women that
working know their stuff. Cindy gets along famously with one and you can hear
them laughing and happily chatting across the aisles. Lots of good information
learned in saving taxes and navigating the sales.
Le grand Episcerree is incredible! The nicest high end grocery store anywhere. We can’t help buying a few things to take home. The butter is a crazed experience with only American woman stocking up on blocks. TikToc has definitely contributed to this and it really is a must because the butter in France is incredible! Many varieties to choose from and no basket leaves with less than 4. Cindy was a star with details on which ones were the must haves and how to use each one. All the ladies were very keen to hear. A Black Friday like event, at least in the butter aisle. They vacuumed seal everything on the way out and we have plans to put it in our hotel freezer for storage and transport.
In other shopping we
picked up ham, olives, cheese and bread for snacking. The cheese monger offered
an impromptu tasting and we wound up with some monbure. Paid for our goodies
and back in to sit at a table to eat. Signs in the store were very explicit
that the tables were for takeaway food from the food takeaway counters. We broke
the rules and enjoyed. Andy’s blueberry yogurt was a highlight.
In motion for 10 hours, we are pooped and manage the metro
back to our place. Cindy shines with the technology and shortly has us scanning
our way onward.
Back at the hotel, feet are up and it’s going to be extra
hard getting back out into the dark and rain for dinner. We do and hit bouillon
Republique. Bouillons are lower cost establishments serving bistro classics.
Filled with young French Parisiennes it is boisterous and busy with lots of
laughing. Not a place to linger so much as eat with friends and get on with
whatever the evening has in store. For us that’s dinner and bed. Quality is
fair, the giant profiterole is excellent and a big pour glass of wine is $4.
The deviled eggs are DIY with half a hard boil egg on the bottom and dollop of
seasoned mayonnaise on top. One of the three go uneaten. Happy to have the
experience (no need to return) we left smiling, didn’t notice the walk back to
our place and happy to be in bed.
Our hotel has the comfiest bed and we love sleeping with the
windows open. Bon Soir Paris.
Bucket list items completed, an eclair, champagne, French
onion soup, scarf, steak frites, profiteroles, deviled eggs, French butter and
stocked up on skin care products from the pharmacy.
September 25, 2025
Paris, France
Hard leaving bed after the late night. The prospect of chaud
chocolate is highly motivating. Outside it’s a lighter shade of grey and
thankfully dry. Round two of cavette for a proper sit down hot chocolate. This
time for both of us with a croissant to dip in the thick rich chocolate and Chantilly
cream. So good and a filling breakfast. Dipping croissants is like milk and
cookies.
Part deux of the market rouge enfants
Roasted for high end pedigree rotisserie chicken. Basted in the reduced juices is an early morning snack. A lovely chat French guy and his American buddy behind the counter is interesting and educational on the Parisienne food scene. We leave with Great recommendations for restaurants all the way to Copenhagen and some wisdom “we need to take time in life for the good food”. Last market observation. The seafood place leaves out tins of eaten clam shells on their tables before anyone has dined. Presumably to lure in patrons we’ve named it the Clam scam.
After yesterday’s hyped sandwich we found a better place just down the street Alain Miami. Prosciutto with everything. Mostly tourists and excellent!
A high high end art work chocolatier was the next stop. Picture art gallery slash showroom of caramels, fruit drops and decorated chocolate squares. We learned keep caramels cool and chocolate never goes in the fridge. 30 euro poorer and just a few pieces. 150 euro per kilo! The caramel is excellent and doesn’t stick to our teeth.
Sacre Coeur trek 100 steps dreary rain. Hot chocolate in a paper cup. Wine outside at a cafe. City view.
Monmarte wandering and 4.9 star cookies. best bakery ever, Union Bakery for kouign amann, brownie and mega ccc. Saved for late night nibble.
Leverage concierge at intercontinental. Rooftop bar no go in the rain. Fun till they asked for name and room number. Cindy jones, parents on down low. Don’t think she bought it but came through on reservation request.
Bus ride bust, long wait, route hiatus, too much traffic, stiff legs, too much traffic and wound up at Eiffel Tower. Dreary. Many poses and indulgent volunteer photographers. Hope one is good enough for our wall.
Quick drink outside in cold evening light. Nice but not as leisurely as we hoped.
Expert navigation on metro to dinner at Chez Denise. Anthony Bourdain place, Paris group and market guys thumbs up. Small boisterous, hot and only French make feel authentic and local. A Paris institution. Pork shoulder for two is outstanding with crispy skin and potatoes. We also have snails and some excellent French onion. Enough for three and we eat it all. House wine of the bottle and our waitress bills on how much you drink. For us 2/3 of a bottle. Best meal yet 100/10. Chocolate mousse for dessert Cindy’s still is best in Paris!
Short walk to underground jazz club. Stone walls, low ceiling and we are oldest people there. The band is smoking good. Locals listen intently. Shushing any small talk. We are silent.
Into the Bascilica
market to stroll past the food vendors and buy another scarf and some bracelets
for the girls.
Hiking along the canal St. Martin we follow a boat through as it navigates the tunnels locks and bridges. A beautiful waterway and a great place for a warm afternoon picnic.
We passed by a boys and girls pee only outhouses. The girls
had a proper door and lacked a seat. The boy’s was more of a saloon swinging
door you could see above and below. We had to go and had the experience.
More walking gets us to lunch. Les Arlots as we could not
manage a dinner reservation. Incredible tuna tartar, terrine and haddock.
Andy’s most refined meal of the trip. Lovely wine and chatting with our neighboring
table. A British couple in town for a few hours on the way to the south of France.
We talked of Sunday roast, places we have loved and places we want to go. Very
friendly banter.
Time for Cindy to eat lunch as the last place was not her
cup of tea. We search out Aligot, which is a combination of cheese, potato and
butter. Just meh and another bucket list item punch. All the way back to Montemarte.
Small and intimate. Great wander past bridal, costume and fabric shops.
Onto a series of metros we make our way to the Monet museum
housed in a former hunting lodge. Beautiful. Some recognizable paintings.
Beautiful use of light and we connect with the focus on nature in his work.
Quite the life of serving in the military, outliving two wives, moving out of
the city to ultimately creating the works he is best known for later in life. A
little art appreciation.
Leaving we stop for a sit and two glasses of champagne.
People watching and slowing down are so nice. Even when surrounded by smokers.
Back home for some chill time and packing. between the
shopping in different countries we are loaded with treasures to bring home.
Checked bag which is unusual.
Dinner is a wander
till something strikes us. We wind up in a very busy Italian restaurant. Good
enough to fill our bellies and we finally have an aperol spritz thankfully not
too bitter. Time for bed and an early taxi ride. 3 of 5 countries completed.
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