Parisian Peonies
Today was a day where I almost felt like I was living in Paris. Not just visiting or being a tourist, but really living here.
Part of this stems from the comfort of staying in an apartment during our time here. Renting a flat, especially in a city like Paris, makes so much sense. Hotel rooms in this city tend to be very, very small (think postage stamp size) and very, very expensive. For the past two years my Mom has done some online research and found us some spacious, comfortable, real Parisian homes to rent. The other major bonus is that these places cost quite a bit less than a teeny tiny hotel room.
Renting a flat is about more than saving money however. Renting a flat allows us to have a “normal” daily routine which is important to me and even more so to my Mom. We are able to start our day with our lemon water, followed by coffee and yogurt and croissants from the bakery while still in our pyjamas. We have a dining room table where we can place a vase of peonies (although as we couldn’t find a vase in the flat we had to improvise and use a sawed off plastic Volvic water bottle as seen above), work side by side on our computers, eat an evening meal and talk. There is a comfortable couch in the living room where we can read books, a full kitchen to prepare meals, a washer and dryer, and a bedroom for each of us.
In addition to our lovely space I think I was feeling more settled and at home today as I spent some time with friends that I know from Vancouver who happen to be living/visiting in Paris.
This morning I had coffee with an old friend who followed his heart and moved to Paris three years ago and tonight I went out for dinner with a co-worker of Glen’s who happens to be spending a month in Paris as well.
Mom and I also did some shopping, picking up some fruit and other groceries and spent an hour or so walking around “our” neighbourhood. It almost felt like life at home. Well, without all of the working and cooking and cleaning and stuff…
This sounds like my perfect kind of travellin’ … on so many levels! And I didn’t even notice that “vase” until you mentioned.. ah, Europe!
I couldn’t agree with you more on the comfort of staying in an apartment versus a hotel. It’s such a lovely way to travel.
The Euro life is the life for me….
My daughter and I rented an apartment in Paris for our trip last month, for exactly the same reasons. We rented in Madrid earlier this year too. I love being part of a neighborhood, and you just don’t get that feeling when you’re in a hotel.