If you recall my trip to Amsterdam a few years ago, you might remember how much I love funny signage. Here are a few goodies I saw in London and Paris.

Be nice to the Transport for London staff.

Falling down the stairs can be hazardous to your health.

This ashtray looks like a cute little robot. One that eats ashes and cigarette butts.

Trash-eating barge

Don’t stick your hands in the doors.

And definitely don’t stick your head in the doors, unless you want to lose it.

And in case you need condoms before you hop on the train, there’s a vending machine in the Metro station.

One of my favorite museums is the Musee D’Orsay. It’s in an old train station, the Gare D’Orsay. The building is gorgeous. It houses mostly French art, including paintings, sculptures, photography, and furniture, and collections by well-known artists such as Cezanne, Gaugin, Degas, Van Gogh, and Monet, among others. I spent my third and final day roaming the museum, then headed over to St. Germain to see the Eglise Saint-Sulpice. I enjoyed a delicious lunch of crepes before heading back to London.

Beautiful Musee D’Orsay

Saint-Sulpice is the second largest church in Paris, next to Notre-Dame. It was mentioned in The Da Vinci Code, which made it a popular destination for tourists.

La creperie des Canettes was charming and cozy. The crepes were amazing!

When I got to Gare du Nord to catch my train to London, it was snowing! What a great way to end an amazing trip to Paris. I can’t wait to go back again!

 My second day in Paris brought me to the Ile de la Cite, home of the Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris, the Conciergerie, and Sainte Chapelle, the old site of the Bastille

Lovely Notre Dame was covered in scaffolding when I was last in Paris, so it was nice to see it in all its glory.

Palais de Justice

Sainte Chapelle, known for its amazing stained glass windows

Statue of Louis IX

La Conciergerie is the former royal palace and prison in Paris. Prisoners were kept in tiny, crowded cells at La Conciergerie to await trial and execution during the French Revolution. Two of the most famous prisoners were Queen Marie Antoinette and Robespierre.

Pont Neuf, with the Eiffel Tower in the background

The Place de la Bastille no longer looks like it did during the French Revolution. What was once a fortress, and later a prison, was torn down in the mid-1700s. Today, the area consists of the July Column (a monument to the Revolution of 1830), the Opera Bastille, a marina, the Bassin de l’Arsenal, and the Canal Saint Martin.

What’s a trip to Paris without a hot bowl of French Onion Soup?  The soup at Brasserie Bofinger was pretty tasty.

After lunch, I walked to the Place des Vosges.

In warmer seasons, this park is filled with people. It’s a lovely area to sit and people-watch, read, catch up with friends, or spend time with family.

Bronze statue of Louis XIII (notice the ominous stormy sky!)

I ducked into the Maison de Victor Hugo to escape the storm. It was a hotel in the 1800s, and Victor Hugo lived there for about 16 years. Through the windows, I spotted this lovely rainbow.

Not sure what this is, but it was pretty! I stumbled upon as I wandered around the Marais.

On my way back to meet Bill and Evelyn for an amazing dinner at Le Bistro du Sommelier (Happy Thanksgiving to me!), I stopped by the Louvre for this amazing night shot.

I hadn’t been to Paris since my very first trip to Europe, back in 1997. I could have spent an entire week in London, but I wanted to mix it up a bit, so on Wednesday, I hopped on an early train from Henley to London, took the Tube to St. Pancras station, and continued my journey on Eurostar, bound for Gare du Nord. About three hours later, I was greeted by my friend and Parisian host, Bill, who lives in the 16th arrondisement. Bill, his girlfriend Evelyn and I dined at the Cafe du Trocadero, with a fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower. What was supposed to be a snowy day turned out to be brisk, sunny day, so after lunch, we walked over to the Arc de Triomphe and climbed to the top for the most amazing views of Paris. What better way to get reacquainted with this city!

View down the Champs Elysees

And of course, the Eiffel Tower

L’Arc de Triomphe

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Galeries Nationales, Grand Palais

Place de la Concorde

Grand Palais