Passing Through Paris on Our Way Home

Since we spend a few days in Paris at the beginning of our journey, we fly Air France nonstop to Paris and schedule our return flight to the US from Paris, giving us another night in the city at the end of our trip.  We catch an early train from Monterosso al Mare to Milan and an afternoon flight from Milan to Paris, with our flight home scheduled for the next day.  It is a clear day and we have beautiful views of the Alps as we travel from Milan to Paris.

Leaving Monterosso al Mare as the sun rises

Crossing the Alps

We stay near the Île Saint-Louis in Paris and walk across the Seine to explore the Left Bank, crossing at Pont de Sully on the end of the island.

Crossing Pont de Sully

Walking along the Seine, we pass Notre Dame, just across the river on  Île de la Cité and also stroll past the famous restaurant La Tour d'Argent (which we'll have to experience some day) and the famous bookstore Shakespeare and Company.

Notre Dame

La Tour d'Argent

Shakespeare and Company

As evening arrives, we wander through the network of streets in the Latin Quarter, one of the oldest districts in Paris, just off Place Saint-Michel.

Latin Quarter at sunset

We stroll back to our hotel to arise and return the next morning to visit local shops and explore some more before our flight.

Returning along the Seine at night

After breakfast, we cross the Seine to the Left Bank again and wander over to the market Marché Maubert with a cheese shop (Fromager) recommended by a blog we enjoy: The Real Emily in Paris, written by an Australian author and chef who is currently living in Paris.

Crossing the Seine (again)

Marché Maubert

The cheese shop

We purchase several interesting-looking cheeses to take back to the US with us later today and wander back to the hotel to start our journey toward the airport and home.  But, on the way to the hotel, we stop at the small park (Square Barye) at the tip of  Île Saint-Louis for a last view of gardens, the Seine, and of Paris.

Barges on the Seine

Square Barye

We're heading home again, after a fabulous two weeks, and planning our next journeys to Europe and elsewhere.

Dining in Monterosso al Mare

We always dine incredibly in Cinque Terre and this trip is no exception.  We have all our dinners in Monterosso al Mare, the northernmost of the five villages, and they are all memorable experiences.  Our first full day, we dine at Tosca, starting with caprese di buratta and tomatoes, tris di acciughe (anchovies), followed by trenette artigianali con gamberie gorgonzola (homemade trenette pasta with local shrimp and gorgonzola cheese sauce), ravioli with branzino, and octopus with buratta and confit cherry tomatoes

Starters

Trenette, ravioli

Octopus

Our next dinner is at an old favorite, L'Osteria, where we enjoy mixed bruschetta and anchovies, followed by ricotta and spinach ravioli and seafood ravioli

Bruschetta, anchovies

Ravioli

We return to Tosca another night for buratta (again) and salt cod on polenta, followed by ravioli with branzino (again also).

Buratta, salt cod

Ravioli

Later in the week, we dine at Ely, sharing red mullet fillets stuffeed with ricotta and potatoes (breaded with tartar sauce and caper flowers), stuffed calamari with tomato sauce, and a speck and brie pizza.

Red mullet, calamari

Pizza

We dine so well in Cinque Terre!  We've learned to make a few of these dishes ourselves at home, but some we can't master or get the ingredients (fresh anchovies).  And, dining in this spectacular environment is a tremendous part of the experience!