New Years in Paris

New Years Eve, le Réveillon, is perhaps the one magical night of the year that Parisians seem to be consistently cheery, eager to wish strangers a "Bonne Année" with a fist bump or a kiss on the cheek. For Christian and me, the festivities began after a busy day of sightseeing. After wandering along the cobblestone streets of Montmartre, we found our restaurant, less than a hundred yards from the Sacrée Coeur Cathedral but tucked away from the main tourist thoroughfare. It was a cozy, familiar atmosphere, with delicious food and friendly owners who served us our meals themselves. Our waitress had the air of a slightly overbearing mother, checking on us every five minutes, enlisting our help to translate menu items for other anglophone customers, and offering unsolicited advice on what to order. "No, no, no...ze andouillette...eet eez not for you," she proclamed firmly to our Dutch neighbors.

Just before midnight, we positioned ourselves at the top of the hill to ring in the New Year, while overlooking the city. Foggy weather made it difficult to see the main fireworks show, but we were nevertheless surrounded by an explosion of firecrackers set off by locals and tourists alike. On our way back to the hotel, we ran into a pair of young men who addressed us in broken French, asking "Ah kell urr kee-tay lah metro?" Christian was bewildered, but luckily I am fluent in American French, and was able to respond that I had no idea when the metro would stop running.

Overall, the four days that we spent in Paris were very enjoyable. We loved staring at Monet's enormous water lily paintings at the Orangerie, eating roasted chestnuts at the Christmas market, and of course, comparing outrageous fur clothing. My favorite ensemble belonged to a pampered Parisian dog, poking its head out of its owner's purse and wearing a fur coat. Now, I have arrived in Luxembourg and am ready to embark on three weeks of intensive relaxation before flying to Cameroon. I look forward to many new adventures in 2010 and wish all of my family and friends a Bonne Année!