Not many people would be adventurous enough to take on a trip across the ocean, and to a foreign city at 90 years old, but my beloved grandmother did just that. She made her reservations before I was even settled, and she followed through all the way to the Champs-Elysée. Now, when you are 90, you get very cold, very tired and a little snippy, but that is to be expected. But ultimately, I think she loved it. She was shown the town from a royal (blue) carriage ~ our Volvo, and we chartered a bus, (okay L'Open Tour) to take her to all of the sights. She had men applaud her (as she walked down the stairs), kiss her hand, and attend to her graciously. She had women smiling and commenting and frankly amazed at her persistence.
We attended a fashion show, a couple of chateaux, the open air market, ate lunch on the Seine and on Rues de Lafayette and Auber. We had her makeup done at Sephora and enjoyed a classic French meal at Auberge de Rifael, which I highly recommend and Grandma seemed to love (some of it, at least). She shopped in Gallerie Lafayette and took advantage of the soldes at BHV. She rode the bus, the Metro and the RER and used her carte orange like a native. She sipped café au lait in the shadow of L'Opera and in the Auber train station. She walked along the Rue de Rivoli and marveled at the crowds. She saw weddings at St. Denis Place, and visited the tombs of the kings. We lunched at Angelina and had a lovely waiter there, who delighted Grandma with extra attention. Every day there was something to see, and as long as we didn't have to walk too far, Grandma saw it. I think her only regret was that we didn't drive to Germany so she could say she crossed the border!
The beauty of it all is at 90 years old, my grandmother can say she went to France. Not many people would take that chance, or make that opportunity happen, depending on how you look at it. She did, and I love her even more for that.
P.S. Grandma wrote in the guest book that she will be back this summer.
