Paris, France

Ahhh! Grand Paris!

A couple of friends of mine recently returned from a trip to France and Belgium and it got me thinking about my trip I took with my wife and parents to Paris soon after my college graduation. We did one of those 20 day "taste of Europe" trips and being a history buff that I was, it was awesome to see all of the famous sites in London, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Florence and Paris. What was even better was sampling the local cuisine from each Country we went through.

Since I have not gone International yet, there is no better place to start than with Paris.

The two days we spent there were fantastic and we were able to do a lot of things in such a short amount of time. We visited Notre Dame Cathedral, The Eiffel Tower, a perfume factory and spent a morning running through the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo (we literally ran the whole time).

In addition to all of the popular sites there are a few foods you have to eat when you visit this magical city.

1. French Onion Soup: I have mentioned some great State side locations to get some of this soup but nothing beats the original. My friends that just got back agreed. I think it has to do with the cheese they use as it has a flavor all it's own and really makes the flavors come to life.

2. Beef Burgundy: What makes this dish standout in Paris must be the local French red wine and herbs they use as the beef just melts in your mouth. A side of fresh cut green beans is a good way to go.

3. Escargot: Yes snails! I had tried these before on a cruise I took soon after high school graduation. The ones we had at the restaurant the night of our farewell dinner must have been infused with steroids as they were huge. No one dared dig in until I did. I love being a trail blazer. Don't be surprised if you really like them as they taste just like a marinated mushroom.

4. Baguettes & Crepes: Stop in to a local bakery and get yourself a fresh baguette to enjoy as you wonder around town. It was funny to see all of the people riding bikes with these huge pieces of bread under their arms but after eating one you will want one every meal as well. Just make sure you do not stop to eat it or you will have about 100 pigeons watching your every move. Also, try a few different types of crepes as no one makes a better "flat pancake". I recommend eating at least 12 as you will need the energy...running through the Louvre.

Just get used to the warm sodas or sparkling water as they must have an ice shortage in Europe. We got used to saying "No Gas" when ordering water. Try to get it from a bottle cold as warm carbonated water is not very refreshing.

Don't worry about the perceived rudeness some people talk about as we found every one very nice. We would try to order off the menu's in French and they would in turn try to explain the dishes in English. The people at the local bakery's and deli's were also very helpful. If your friendly to them, they will be friendly to you.

So make sure you visit this awesome city as soon as you can and as they say in Paris:

Bon Appetite!