In July of 2022 we took back our Europe trip which was originally planned for 2020. This entry checks all of our boxes as we nourished our minds, bodies, bellies, and hearts on this adventure. The history nourished our minds. The endless walks, the climb up the Eiffel Tower and impromptu yoga photos in the extreme heat; our bodies. The savory bites of Paris and Rome; our bellies. The memories and laughs; our hearts. We learned much about history, art, gastronomy, couture shopping experiences, and how to stay cool in hot weather. Our palates were blessed with buttery bites from the local boulangerie; gratifying cones of gelato; relishing sips of rosé; and the savory, flavory dishes of Paris and Rome.

Nourishing our minds

In Paris we visited the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Versailles, and St. Sulpice (in honor of the DaVinci Code).

The Eiffel Tower was our first (and third) site. It was magnificent in the morning, before sunset, and after sunset. We stayed near the Eiffel Tower in the 7th Arrondissement. Watching the crowds picnic around the Eiffel Tower right after we landed was a perfect way to prevent jet lag. Waiting for the sun to set and the lights to flicker was divine eye candy. I have to confess though, that we were not expecting the entire city to smell like coming home from Scorekeeper’s in Ann Arbor circa 1997. That was probably our biggest culture shock. Our first impression was that Paris inspired and gave birth to the cities of Washington D.C. and San Francisco.

The Louvre tour was AMAZING!!! We had to jump through some hoops to get to the Louvre and get back home because the Tour de France was ending on the same date, but our Louvre guided tour was by far the best experience we had. Don’t get me wrong, all the attractions in both Paris and Rome were wonderful, but I am so glad we started off with the TakeWalks tour with our guide, Adam. The expertise he gave us helped us appreciate every other morsel of history, piece of art, and sculpture we saw on subsequent tours. He was highly educated in so many areas: art, history, science…it was as if DaVinci himself was giving us our tour!

Our tour focused on the highlights: the keep under the Louvre, the series of thefts that created the Louvre’s collection, the difference between Greek and Roman sculptures, the Venus De Milo, the Nike, and the Mona Lisa. Particularly interesting was the life, love story, and intellectual mind of DaVinci and how that all was embedded in the story of the small portrait of Mona Lisa, which ended the tour.

On DaVinci we learned:

Most of DaVinci’s women and male subjects look similar. The Bacchus, John the Baptiste and Mona Lisa all resemble his male lover. He sought safety in French because the Catholic Church judged him harshly for being gay. There, his lover sat for many of his portraits. In John the Baptiste we see DaVinci’s lover pointing toward the heavens. This was his symbolic way of saying, the Church and the public will not be my ultimate judge.
The Mona Lisa was a commissioned portrait of a rich man’s wife, Mona Lisa, but that man hated it because she looked masculine and “loose” with her unkempt hair. So DaVinci kept it and worked on perfecting it for years to come, and his lover sat for it as he continued to perfect it. She looks eerily similar to Bacchus and John the Baptiste. Today, it probably carries the wrong “pronoun”, but DaVinci named it a “her.” He added 40+ layers of varnish, protecting it from the elements and vandalism. It gained its fame because a janitor stole it and took it to Italy, but it is the one painting that the Louvre actually purchased, so it was returned.
Mona Lisa’s eyes follow you. It marks the first portrait where the eyes were done so realistically. They follow you because they are painted asymmetrically by just a “fraction of a millimeter” or slightly crossed, as all human eyes are. Before that, the eyes in portraits looked perfectly symmetric, and as a result, rather vacant. Adam taught us that DaVinci actually dug up a human corpse to study the eyes and how the light reflected and refracted from the eyes. He was after all, intrigued by science and biology as well as the arts. After months, maybe years, of studying these eyes, he was able to paint Mona Lisa’s and this changed art forever.
It’s impossible to get a decent photo with Mona…because the crowd is crazy!

On Sculptures:

We learned that when sculptures were found/conquered/stolen, the “finders” would often “deface” them by cutting off noses. The Greek women were sculpted in a more masculine form because the rich males had male lovers and if they had a woman lover, the woman needed to pass for a man because women were not allowed in public. Our guide showed us to how spot whether a sculpture built out of a solid piece of stone or in blocks, where evidence of restoration can be found, and how to hypothesize what the original form of a sculpture (like the Nike) was doing. Finally, we learned that these statues were not white marble in origin. They were painted and adorned with jewelry. The reason many have amputated arms was because looters stole the gold.

The Venus de Milo’s story:

The French originally stole a Venus de Milan and the popularity of the Louvre grew. But when they lost the war, they had to give the statue (Venus de Milan) back to Milan, Italy. The Louvre sales, dramatically decreased. Napoleon then set out his sailors all of over the world, to find a statue as beautiful as the first Venus de Milan. During this search, a running goat fell into a hole and screamed. A sailor followed and found the goat and there, in the hole, was the Aphrodite de Milo! This statue was brought back to the Louvre, but the Louvre sales did not increase because they wanted to come for the “Venus”. So they renamed it the “Venus de Milo” and voila - visitors to the Louvre increased once again!

The beauty of the Winged Victory of Samothrace (the Nike):

This was our family favorite at the Louvre. This sculpture is special because Xander knew all the answers to the Greek and Roman god and goddess questions posed by the tour guide. More remarkably, this sculpture portrays a moving woman, standing on the bow of a ship, with wind blowing her wet dress against her. In the context of all the other statues we saw before her, it was the only one that featured complex movement.

Our last sites were Versailles and Saint Sulpice (Saint Sulpice was the location of the Rose Line in the DaVinci Code, which Annika and Xander read before the trip and inspired a few of our mini-stops along the way). Versailles was supposed to be a bike tour but we failed to realize that booking a tour with the “Fat Bike Tour” company didn’t automatically include “bikes”! So it was a walking tour, but we wished we had bikes. Here we learned that King Louis XIV was obviously fancy with his fancy “house”, fancy clothing, and fancy bedrooms. He also thought of himself as the “sun god” as many ancient rulers did as well (Augustus in Rome). And so he had an “Apollo Room” which you can see at the Louvre and is also a theme at Versailles. But he was also really into his calf muscles as strong calves were a sign of wealth (biceps and 6-pack abs were NOT because those were signs of laborers!). He also wanted his garden to “defy” nature with geometrical shapes and straight lines. The Hall of Mirrors also was placed to capture the sunrise and sunset perfectly.

Mastering the Art of King Louis’s “Calf Posing” and laughing at ourselves along the way!

The moment when we realized Xander and Annika were the same height! (Notice Annika’s sneaky tip toes)

We next nourished our minds in Rome with mind-boggling history!

In Rome, we managed to check off everything on our list. We had private tour guide for the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. We then wandered around the city to see the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and the Santa Maria de la Vittoria (a site from Angels and Demons) right after the ancient ruins. We learned that Vespasian started the building of the Colosseum and Titus finished it. It took 10 years to build, all with slave labor (from Italy and Egypt, about 20,000 slaves worked per day). When you look at the complexity, size, and building materials of the theater it is a wonder of mind AND body to reflect on the level of intellect and manpower that went into building this ancient world, the water systems, and sailor made shade structures.

At the Roman Forum, you can still see the site and structures where the Vestal Virgins lived. Vestal virgins were chosen, elite girls, who remained virgins from around age 6 to 30. They were considered pure goddesses who were charged with keeping the Vesta’s Flame lit. If they failed to keep the torch lit or failed to remain chaste, they were buried alive (because shedding the blood of a goddess was wrong). The male they slept with was also “flogged” to death.

Staying Cool Tip: We didn’t find the outdoor tours and walks as hot as we anticipated. We wore wet hankies and scarves. There are frigid drinking water spouts all over the sites and the city. You can fill your waters and drench your scarves all along the way to stay cool. And the water is COLD and DELICIOUS! (Yet another marvel of their ancient infrastructure!)

The Pantheon was also a mathematical work of art. With its perfect circles and lines in the dome, it acted and still acts as a sundial for the ancient people to be able to tell time. The open dome also meant that precipitation could rain into the structure, and the architect (Agrippa) prepared for that with sloping floors toward the center of the floor for drainage. Again, the advanced human mind even in the early 100s. Likewise, the engineering and art of the Trevi Fountain, and all fountains in general, Spanish Steps - are sites worth seeing during the day and at night! Especially if your kids were ever into Percy Jackson or Greek mythology aficionados - this will help you appreciate the world through their eyes - which is my FAVORITE part of traveling.

Our final learning experience ended with a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, and the Sistine Chapel - all eye candy. The walls, ceilings, sculptures - magnificent. The lighting, Bernini and Michelangelo sculptures inside St. Peter’s, were my favorite part of Vatican City. The Pieta, by far, my favorite sculpture. The only time I can recall, my throat immediately knotted up and shedding tears over a piece of art. Michelangelo sculpted this out of ONE block of marble so early in his career (his 20s) before anyone knew who he was! This 3D portrayal of a mother holding the limp body of her perished son, whether it be Mary or any mother losing a child, is so deeply saddening and horrifying (makes me wonder how we have the death penalty, how we merely offer prayers to parents who lose their children in school shootings, etc…).

St. Peter’s Square

Vatican museum

The views, ceilings, the tiles, the tapestries, the Sistine Chapel (which will have to stay alive in our memories). So pretty. My favorites were the ceilings. One was hand-painted with such intricate shadows that they appeared 3-dimensional. Some of the tapestries were also woven with such intricate shadows that the clothing on the people featured rippled even when the tapestry remained flat. (Adam also informed us that the intricate tapestries, which could easily pass for a painting, were woven by women, but credited to a man.) A word of caution, visiting in the summer can be stuffy and claustrophobic inside the Vatican. And you must cover shoulders. We went for the evening tour, which I strongly recommend.

We had a private tour guide for our family for the major sites in Rome. Her name was Livia Polleti and she was wonderful. If you are planning a trip to Rome, reach out to her at: livia.poletti@gmail.com.

Nourishing our bodies

There is no true Parekh-Shah vacation without A LOT of walking, factoring in moments of exercise, and of course traveling yogi photo opportunities. When we woke up earlier than the Parisians, we practiced yoga in our flat. Instead of taking the elevator up the Eiffel Tower, we took the steps. And instead of doing jumping jacks or squat jumps we practiced the art of taking “mid-air” photos.

Tower Asanas

Tuilieries Twirls

Jumping “Practice”

Oh the hip pain, foot pain, and the really awful faces we make while jumping! We needed a do over, but we didn’t delete the private photos that make us laugh the hardest!

JUMPING FOR JOY!

This was our hardest workout because it took a while to be satisfied with (1) the visualization of flight, (2) the best angles, (3) the least amount of tourists in the background, and most importantly (4) ensuring that we weren’t making an ugly or overly strained face as we jumped. Number 4 definitely provided us with the most belly-aching laughter of our trip (doubling us on nourishing both bodies and hearts)! And after my 40+ year-old body produced a better photo than Annika and Xander’s first attempt, they were re-energized to get off the shady bench and try again!

Statuesque Asanas In Versailles

THE WARRIORS AND ARCHES OF THE COLOSSEUM

Trastavere Walks + Graffiti Warriors

Nourishing our bellies

Last but not least, what we ate and where we recommend you MUST eat when you venture to Paris and Rome. We had a long list of restaurants, coffee shops, and patisseries we wanted to try, but only made it to a few. I experimented with new dishes more than others since I am generally gluten/grain/carb free. The seafood, fish, and steak were all fantastic. I even tried a few bites of glutenous goodness along the way and didn’t have any immediate reactions, as many have suggested for the gluten intolerant folks (non-celiacs) of the USA! We never had reservations in Paris. Instead we stopped along the way at small bistros and brasseries, per my friend Christine’s recommendation. We tried to get a reservation at Frenchies, but our tight schedule couldn’t really be planned around meals. In Rome, our hotel made reservations for us beforehand to avoid waits. I highly recommend you do this before going to Rome or as soon as you arrive at your hotel.

Our favorite spots to “nourish the belly” were:

La Parisenne Boulangerie: This Boulangerie had a location a block from our Maison. We loved everything about it and went every morning and if we passed it again along our day we would get dessert or a panini. No photos…because it was THAT good! (Our regular orders were pan de chocolat, raspberry tarte, panini sandwiches, baguettes, and croissants all melted in our mouths.)
Any Chocolatier - stop by any and all of them!
L’ Eclair Restaurant: Rue Cler in general for late night wine, snacks and a family card game.
Crepes. We tried to go to Breizh, read about it, saw blogger photos of it…but we waited outside the place and no one ever seated us. We left and then all of a sudden, everyone started to get seated. So we found a nice quaint spot right by our place and went there. Everyone should try authentic savory crepes in Paris. Breizh might be the best spot, but proceed with caution!
le Relais d’el Entrecote: Upon recommendation of my friend Yvonne, we went here. She warned us about lines being worth the wait. Luckily we went to the Marbeuf location, where my niece was attending a summer program. We were there for first seating and had no wait! The fries were amazing and the sauce on the thinly sliced steak was buttery perfection.
GROM - the best gelato of all time (and we experimented A LOT!) This was on my list of places to go in Rome after heavily reading this blogger’s website: Wheatless Wanderlust (I like this blog not only because the male writer is gluten-free but also because he seems to love all the same pleasures in life that I do…namely really good coffee!) We happened to accidentally stumbled upon it after being annoyed with the wait at Breizh. It was the PERFECT pick me up and anytime we saw it again, we devoured! Even I tried it and had no reactions. It’s also gluten free, for my celiac sisters, should they wander here. Honorable mention for Amorino. This gelato spot had some really unique flavors like Lime + Basil, but most notably, it served the gelato on a cone in the shape of a beautiful flower! Surina introduced us to this spot, and we went a second time in Rome.
Taverna Trilussa in Trastevere. The restaurant was good, but the evening destination was even better! The seafood, wine, and the typical Roman pastas were all made in front of you in stainless steel pans and served right to you. They also serve freshly shaved truffles on several of their dishes. The general Trastevere area was a charming beautifully lit area to walk around at night, listen to street musicians, hear “youngsters” gather and sing in the piazzas, and walk along the river. The riverwalk is lined with tents of shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, and gaming areas (not the electronic kind). This was my favorite area in Rome, especially at night. (See photos above).
La Soffita Renovatio near the Vatican: The family favorite (but watch your step when you go to the washroom, Xander sprained his wrist because the door was open and hence the warning sign was not visible!) It has separate kitchens for the gluten free. I tried the gluten free pizza and tiramisu. Both amazing! But if you are not gluten free, the regular pizza crust is better. The best pizza dish was the one with “basil creme” but it is not currently on the online menu.
Broccoletti had the best gnocchi (which is always gluten free, in its origin).
Famous Patisseries in Paris: We tried to hit the well-known chocolatier and patisseries but knew in advance we were wholly unwilling to wait in the lines. So, we did the next best thing…we saw the main locations, said no to the lines, and then ended up trying the same delicacies at the Louvre and Versailles smaller shops. Angelina had nice food and pastries. Laduree had great macarons in unique flavors. Pierre Herme in St. Germain also had wonderful macarons. But in terms of pastries, La Parisienne’s Tart Frambois was the most memorable experience for Annika and Xander.
Sant’Eustachio - best caffe I have EVER had, in my life! Our tour guide, Livia, recommended this spot. It’s touristy but it was SO worth it. It was the only caffe I ordered in all of Rome where I had to SPOON out the crema from the top of my espresso. As soon as I arrived back home, I tried to mimic that crema. Can’t do it. I can make mine close to the other cafes in Rome, but not this one. Truly unique, delectable, memorable.
Summer drinks: Aperol Spritzers and Rosé wines on hot nights were perfection!
30 Montaigne: Coffee, tea, cookies with a nice dose of luxury at Dior 😉. Special thanks to Emily and Vinita for helping me make this experience memorable (and efficient!).

Photo dump of all the Bites and Sips!

Accommodations

A word about where we stayed. In Paris we stayed in an Airbnb and in Rome, we found a hotel that accommodated the entire family through American Express. Both were excellent, and the right choice for the respective cities.

In Paris our Maison was in a quieter neighborhood without flocks of tourists and seemingly away from the hustle and bustle. It was very close to the quaint Rue Cler, which may have been my favorite street in Paris. Rue Cler had perfect outdoor dining experiences, grocery stores, fruit markets, a boulangerie, and my favorite, a chocolatier.

I will also say that I am so glad that we chose to stay at an Airbnb. It was nice to have a larger accommodation, two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, laundry and nice showers. Waking up before the rest of Paris, practicing yoga, drinking coffee by the window and cuddling up with the kids and their books before the boulangeries opened and then coming home to our quiet neighborhood and playing Euchre in our courtyard or at a cafe on Rue Cler will forever be those memorable heart nourishing moments that will last forever.

Reflections + tips

We would love to go to Paris again for a few days and then combine it with a country-side visit. There were spots we missed: Frenchies restaurant, a spice shop, Notre Dame, Sacre Couer and the catacombs.
Take wet hankies and scarves to keep you cool in heat waves. I will likely do that for the next sporting event I need to watch as well at home!
Don’t visit during the Tour de France, unless that is why you are visiting.
All gelato is not the same.
Make sure you know which local airport you booked your inner European flights from! We almost had a major goof!
Download the G7 car service app in Paris. If you are more than 3, make sure you choose an XL Uber or G7 (post-Covid) because some drivers will reject front-seat passengers.
Staying in an Airbnb gives you a more Parisian experience and being able to do laundry is a huge plus. But having a concierge in Rome is probably a must.
Factor in downtime to pop in and out of small shops, people watch, and play games with your family.
Write down funny quotes in your iPhone journal, even the embarrassing ones, so you can remember them in years to come.
Read up or listen to podcasts about some of the history and art before you go. And sign up for tours with knowledgeable guides to maximize your experience. TakeWalks and privates guides are the way to go.
Food sensitivities (not allergies) aren’t as strong in Europe as they are in the US - try what you wish!
Coffee: drink espresso at the bar, even if you aren’t an espresso drinker. Don’t order a milky drink after noon.
Dessert hop - try chocolates, macarons, gelato, and pastries on the go. It will reenergize you motivate the whole family to explore more.
Stay unplugged. I deleted twitter and my ability to doom scroll my days away. I had to conserve battery life for google maps and photography (as you can see above), so I didn’t even listen to the Daily or read any news apps. It was SO nice!
Carry a stash of masks with you, in case you end up in a crowded subway or elevator. Covid anxiety is not fun.

Wandering Wanderlust Yogis Nourishing it all in Paris + Rome 2022