My Paris Art Trail

I’ve done the Louvre and checked off the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. I’ve visited Versailles and been humbled by its architecture and extravagance. So, which art gallery is next...

...The Rodin Museum!

I love a good sculpture, probably more than any other type of art. While Henry Moore may be my favorite, I really appreciate the naturalism of Auguste Rodin. His museum was at the top of my list, and luckily, it wasn’t too busy 👌

The sculpture garden was full of his most famous bronze statues like the Thinker, the Kiss and the Gates of Hell. 

There were also statues of influential French leaders I’d never heard of, grouped as The Monument to the Burghers of Calais. It depicts six men who surrendered to the King of England during the Hundred Years’ War. Each figure was displayed solo, then finally together in a powerful grouping. My favorite was Andrieu d’Andres, with his head in his hands, overcome with despair.

The Gates of Hell was another standout—massive and intricate, inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, and incorporating many of Rodin’s other works like The Thinker and The Three Shades. I actually saw the original plaster version at the Musée d'Orsay the next day!

After the garden, I toured Rodin's former rental home, Hôtel Biron, which now houses a lot of his art. As expected, I was drawn to my favorite piece of his: The Kiss.

But I was also unexpectedly moved by two of his hand sculptures—The Cathedral and The Secret. These sister statues were beautifully made.

Fun fact: when Rodin first began sculpting, he made a statue of a Belgian soldier that was so lifelike, critics in 1877 accused him of using a life cast instead of sculpting it by hand. Talk about a compliment!

Musee D'Orsay

This has always been a bucket-list museum for me. I love expressionism and post-expressionism, and the architecture alone was worth the visit. The museum is housed in a former train station (Gare d'Orsay) built in 1900, the first electrified urban terminal station in the world. It still has much of that original beauty.

My favorite animal has always been the polar bear (bless you, elementary school project), so I was thrilled to see François Pompon’s sculpture. Pompon worked with Rodin, but his focus was animals, not humans.

I also fell in love with these quirky little sculptures by Léopold Chauveau called Monstre. Which Little Monster speaks to you most? Move over, Seventeen Magazine, this is the hottest personality quiz yet.

Since today was a low-energy, recovering-from-jet-lag kind of day (Rodin Museum and Hôtel des Invalides wore me out yesterday), I headed straight to the 5th floor for the Impressionists while I still had some steam.

I mostly skipped the Renoirs (though I did appreciate Dance at the Moulin de la Galette) and just soaked in the Monets and Van Goghs.

Impressionist Highlights:

• Les Villas à Bordighera – Monet: This surprised me. I thought Monet only did dreamy water lilies and garden scenes, but this Mediterranean villa felt like an exotic twist on his usual.

• Nymphéas bleus – Monet: 😍 Classic for a reason.

• Danseuses bleues – Degas: As a kid, I loved the Degas dancers, so it was special to see this one in person.

• The Siesta – Van Gogh: Something about this just feels peaceful. Like, everything can wait... it’s nap time.

• Starry Night Over the Rhône – Van Gogh: My favorite painting is Starry Night (at MoMA in NYC). This felt like a beautiful brother of it.

• Self-Portrait – Van Gogh: Calm and unhinged all at once. Painted while he was in a psychiatric hospital.

• Port de la Rochelle – Paul Signac: Pointillism at its finest. 'Nuff said.

• The Origin of the World – Gustave Courbet: A bold and divisive piece, but one I find absolutely beautiful. NSFW, so click this link to view.

Thanks for joining me on this little art adventure. I have zero art history background, but I sure appreciate the heck out of it.

Bienvenue à Paris!

I’m kicking off a 3-week tour de France (not that one) with a few days in Paris. The last time I was here was in 2009, backpacking through Europe with the boys. We hit all the big landmarks (e.g. climbing theEiffel Tower, Mona Lisa, Versailles, Notre Dame...) so this time I could explore at a more relaxed pace.

I always get travel anxiety the night before a trip and during the flight, but upgrading my seat made the red-eye a little smoother. I landed at Charles de Gaulle around 10:30 AM and took the train & bus to my hotel in the 2nd Arrondissement (which is north of the Seine, below Montmartre, and not far from the Palais Garnier). My hotel (Joe M) was a charming little spot with classic, tiny Parisian rooms (the shower was tiny... and I’m 5' nothing!). I had mentioned it was my 40th birthday trip, and they surprised me with a room upgrade (double bed!), chocolate, and a sweet birthday note.

Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

After a quick jet lag nap, I set out to explore the neighborhood... basically anything within a 15-minute walk. A few people recommended checking out Galeries Lafayette: a grand, 7 floor department store with an absolutely stunning domed ceiling.

Founded in 1894, it also boasts a panoramic rooftop view of Paris. From the top, you can see the Eiffel Tower and Palais Garnier. Best part? It’s free! (Which also means: very crowded.)

After my not-actually-shopping trip, I grabbed dinner nearby at Café du Mogador, my first of many cheese-based meals (an open-faced goat cheese toastie with tomatoes and herbs). As a mostly vegetarian/occasional pescatarian, I’m predicting a three-week diet of cheese, bread, and eggs. I also stood out as a tourist by eating at 6:30 which is early by Parisian standards.

To walk it off, I wandered around the Palais Garnier (inspiration for Phantom of the Opera, my favorite musical!). Fun fact: there is a lake (actually a cistern) underneath the opera house, though no masked men kidnapping ingenues from behind mirrors.

Space Invaders – Gotta Catch Them All

That night, I started hunting for Space Invaders in my neighborhood. Invader is a French street artist who creates pixel mosaics inspired by the classic video game. His art is scattered across cities worldwide and he calles them "urban acupuncture... little playful disruptions in the city to make you pause and smile". I used this handy map to track them: Space Invaders Map

The next couple of days were a blur of museums, art galleries, and jet lag. I’ll save Rodin & Musée d’Orsay for another post, but here’s how I filled the rest of the time:

Eiffel Tower Picnic

Even though I climbed it back in 2009, I still needed that classic Eiffel Tower moment. So I grabbed a baguette and coffee from a boulangerie and chilled on the lawn in front of the tower. I think I nailed it.

Hôtel des Invalides – Napoleon's Tomb

On my way to the Eiffel Tower, I passed this imposing building with a giant golden dome and decided to check it out. Turns out, it's the final resting place of Napoleon. The 107-meter-high golden dome sits atop a mausoleum that houses a hundred different prominent French figures in history (such as Marshal Foch, the allied commander in WW1). Like a Russian nesting doll, Napoleon is entombed in 5 different caskets with his heart and lungs in separate vases. Then those caskets are in a giant brown marble sarcophagus. What an ego, this dude. ;)

Hôtel des Invalides – Army & Liberation Museum

Though I was starting to fade, I couldn’t miss this museum focused on my favorite historical subject: WWII. It was incredibly interesting to learn about the liberation angle since I haven't been to many exhibits on that slice of history. It had exhibits on Charles de Gaulle’s efforts in Britain, and artifacts from the French Resistance: hidden suitcase radios, carrier pigeons (sent over with hopes they’d fly back with intel), cyanide capsules, and propaganda leaflets. One of my favorites was a drawing of Hitler with a guillotine, parachuted down to German troops to demoralize them.

 

They also displayed tiny sabotage manuals. They were 100-page booklets with harmless-looking titles, dropped by the British for the Resistance. Clever.

I could honestly talk WWII for hours (and I will, after my upcoming D-Day beaches tour... stay tuned).

Quick Restaurant Faves

• Land & Monkeys (Grands Boulevards): Stumbled into this vegan bakery and had an incredible apricot tart (apricots are everywhere here and I’m obsessed). Wish I had gone back for a sandwich.

• Mopa Sentie: Another vegan spot, great when I got overwhelmed trying to find veggie options hidden on French menus. Had a delicious, elevated vegan version of bangers & mash.

• Ma Cocotte du Faubourg: Huge salad topped with deep-fried brie. €6 wine at happy hour. Enough said.

A London Return

It's funny that this blog started as a way to keep my family and friends updated on my life while living and teaching abroad in London, way back in 2010. Now this cyclical traveller is back in SE23, South East London. :) I love this city. This part of my travels will be 60% nostalgia satiation and 40% new things.

To kick off the nostalgia, I'm staying with my friends Martin and Louisa, whom I met through my old flatmate Allen. I visited them in 2017 for their wedding, and they've since had a new addition to the family, a little girl named Ruby. They still live in Lewisham, but in a different neighborhood near Dulwich. Martin kindly picked me up from Heathrow at night, and we started the next day with breakfast at The Teapot café. We had a wander through Peckham Rye Park trying to find a three-year-old's birthday party that Ruby was invited to. We were unsuccessful in our search for said party and had a pint from the park cafe instead. 

My hosts for the weekend

The Southwark Walk

One of my favourite areas of London to recommend to tourists is Southwark. Move over Trafalger Square or Buckingham Palace - this is my favourite spot in London to tour. I love strolling along the Thames, and the Wrigley family joined me for this favorite walk.

Tourist Susan

We started at Southwark station, taking in views of St. Paul's and the Millennium Bridge (which I always refer to as the bridge that the Death Eaters destroyed in Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince movie). I separated from the group for a quick tour of the Tate Modern, my favorite free art gallery. 

Some Tate pieces I enjoyed

After taking in so many wonderful pieces of art and continuing on our wander (passing by the Globe theatre, Winchester Palace, the Golden Hinde, and Borough Market -- which was WAY too insane on a Saturday to stay long at) -- we had a quick refueling stop at Leon's (a new-to-me fast food chain where I had an absolutely smashing Halloumi wrap). Louisa and Ruby left, and Martin and I met up with Allen, reuniting with my former roommate and his daughter (the last time I "saw" her, she was in his wife's belly when Sarah was pregnant!) 

We continued our stroll, finding a touristy spot selling Pimm's near Tower Bridge. We enjoyed this classic British cocktail (on my bucket list of things to eat/drink while I was here) which is a cocktail containing Pimm's gin-based liquor, lemonade (sprite), mint, cucumbers and strawberries. It's fantastic and I have not had a proper Pimm's cup recreated ever in Toronto.

It's Pimm's O'Clock

We then walked past the touristy area to the Angel Pub for another pint. The pub had a no-cell-phone policy, but it had a great view of the Thames and a classic British pub atmosphere (but you'll just have to take my word for it since I couldn't take any photos inside - lest some grumpy old British bartender scold me). We ended the evening with some amazing take-away pizza and my (surprisingly) inaugural viewing of Point Break at Martin and Louisa's house. 

The V & A, Swiftie Madness & Sunday Roast

I embarked on my own touristy adventure on Sunday, heading to South Kensington to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum. While the Tate is my favorite free art gallery, the V&A is my favorite free museum in London (or perhaps tied with the Natural History Museum next door). The building itself is stunning, and the artifacts inside are diverse and interesting. 

Entrance to the V & A

Coincidentally, Taylor Swift was in London at the same time as I, and I hoped to score a last-minute ticket to her show the following night (unfortunately, resale prices kept rising so spoilers: I did not go). However, the V&A had a cool exhibit celebrating Taylor's time in London - a 'songbook trail' featuring costumes from her previous tours, album covers, and music videos. The museum was bustling with Swifties (recognizable by their Era's T-shirts and friendship bracelets), making this probably the busiest museum in London that day.

Top: Speak Now Album cover dress & uke from that tour, Red Album cover hat and music video dress, shirt dress from the AMAs. Bottom: Cardigan from same titled music video, Bejewelled music video dress, Willow music video dress, costume from Reputation studio tour.

After my Taylor fix, I met up with the Wrigley family for a classic Sunday Roast Dinner at the Great Exhibition. Fun fact that confused me the first time I lived here: In England, dinner is lunch and supper is dinner. I was eager for some Yorkshire pudding and enjoyed it with my veggie Wellington and potatoes.

Sunday Roast

After a bit of a respite, Martin and I headed to Peckham Rye for Sunday night drinks. When I lived here 14 years ago, Peckham Rye was NOT the place I'd ever consider going out in. But time and gentrification has transformed Peckham into a cool mix of urban and hipster culture. after wandering through some back alleys and climbing the sketchy stairs of an old warehouse, we had some cocktails at the Bussey Rooftop Bar. Sunday night is not the most hopping of nights normally, but we stumbled upon a free open mic drag show at John the Unicorn, featuring a performance by Jess Queen and some beginners. What a delightful surprise!

Night Life in Peckham Rye

Tower Bridge & the Moulin Rouge (not the one in Paris)

Martin and Louisa took Monday off work to tour me around. We took the 185 Lewisham bus (MEMORIES) from their place to Lewisham Station, passing through my old neighborhood in Ladywell. I squealed at the Felday Rd sign, lamented the loss of Kebabalicious (Lewisham Best Kebabs doesn't have the same ring), and nodded solemnly at Lewisham Hospital for taking great care of me when I was sick. We ate breakfast at Maggie's Café near the DLR station and I enjoyed jacket potatoes with cheese and sweetcorn (another British staple checked off!). 

Afterward, we wandered around Greenwich, shopping for souvenirs in the market and taking the Thames Clipper boat back to the Tower Bridge area. Since none of us had ever done the Tower Bridge Experience, we headed there. It was cool to learn historical facts about the bridge, like its eight-year construction and the use of divers to lay the foundation. King Edward VII (then the Prince of Wales) laid the final stone in 1886. When it opened, Tower Bridge was considered the 'technical marvel of its age' and still functions as a moveable bridge today. We climbed across the top, stood on the glass ceiling, and witnessed the bridge rising to let a warship pass through.

Tower Bridge Experience

As I wasn't able to get tickets to Taylor Swift, I treated myself to an amazing seat at the Moulin Rouge! musical that evening at the Picadilly Theatre. I picked it since the original Baz Lurham film is one of my favorites (I saw it twice in theaters!). It was a fantastic choice, as sitting in the second row allowed all my senses to be overwhelmed in the best way possible for this energetic jukebox musical. I bonded with another solo traveler sitting beside me over our enthrallment with this spectacular production (🎶 Spectacular, Spectacular...No words in the vernacular can describe this great event. You'll be dumb with wonderment 🎶 ...ok, I'll stop)!"

You can-can-can!

Shopping & Goodbyes

On my last morning in London, I did some solo shopping around Oxford Street, starting with a pre-fueling stop at my favorite coffee spot, Pret-a-Manger (another British treat checked off!). Instagram Reels had alerted me to a unique shop called the "Poetry Pharmacy," which sold small bottles of "pills" (capsules with poems) for various ailments and needs (e.g., hope, sadness, vice, and social media detoxes). I purchased one called "S.A.D. Remedy" to help me cope with the gray, wintry months in Canada. I also hit up my favorite London store, Primark, for some cheap deals where I can always say, "Hey, it's from Europe!"

In the afternoon, I left London for a quick evening stopover in Dublin before my flight home to Toronto the next day. This three-week Euro trip, through Dublin ➡️ Vilnius ➡️ Riga ➡️ Tallinn ➡️ Helsinki ➡️ London, has been wonderful.  I had forgotten how much I enjoy traveling in Europe and was glad to explore the Baltics, an area I knew little about. Growth is only achieved when you're out of your comfort zone, and hopefully, you have some fun along the way. I know I did. 

24 hours in Helsinki

I left Tallinn via the Tallink Silja MyStar Passenger Ferry to Helsinki for a quick 24-hour stop in the Finnish capital. The ferry was smooth and relaxing, allowing me to write a blog post and do some digital cleanup on my phone during the two-hour journey between ports. 

The first views of Finland from the ferry

I had bought snacks and water before the trip to avoid overpriced ferry items. However, I had my second blunder of the trip when my e-SIM wouldn't connect to the network in Finland, and I hadn't downloaded any maps when I had Wi-Fi, assuming I could rely on my data to navigate. With no Wi-Fi at the port (plenty on the ship!), I struggled for 20 minutes to recall my hotel's location and transit options before taking an expensive cab (likely ripped off by the driver). My hotel, Hotel Finn, was a clean and perfect single room in the city center. I appreciated the shower pressure! The hotel had a cute, small elevator to the 6th floor, but my window was closed and covered due to construction next door.

After unwinding, I visited the award-winning Yeastie Boi bagel shop for dinner. The vibe and food were delicious, with a crispy tofu bagel and home-brewed lager. 

One of the best tofu bagels I've ever had

Helsinki is quite expensive compared to previous countries I visited. For example, an Aperol Spritz ad in Tallinn yesterday and Helsinki today highlighted the price difference. 

Tallin vs. Helsinki

Luckily, I stumbled upon Helsinki's annual "Night of the Arts" festival, featuring artistic pop-ups throughout the city. Highlights included a samba band, free photo art prints, a personal poem writer (too long a line to wait), a protest march against arts funding cuts, and various street musicians. I enjoyed a delicious blueberry ice cream while wandering the streets before bed.

Exploring the Night of the Arts

The next morning, I visited Fazer's Cafe, recommended by a former student's pareny (Thank you to Emilia's mom Riita for all her reccomdations). I indulged in a latte and cinnamon bun. Karl Fazer is known for his chocolate, earning him the nickname "Willy Wonka of Finland." I brought some chocolates home to share. 

This girl runs on coffee and cinnamon buns.

Since this was my 4th walking tour of the trip, I was becoming a bit disengaged. However, I still managed to retain a few interesting facts: 

- Finland gained independence from Russia in 1917 without Soviet occupation, has mandatory military service, and closely monitors its border with Russia. 

- The Havis Amanda statue, a symbol of Helsinki, was under repair during my visit, but we got to catch a glimpse of her when they removed the barricades to allow construction vehicles to enter. 

Glimpse of Havis Amanda

- I also learned about Lonkero, a drink invented during the 1952 Olympic Games, consisting of gin and lemonade/grapefruit. Turns out I actually drank this drink when I was in Tallinn! It was delicious.

The walking tour ended at Oodi Library, an impressive, state-of-the-art facility. As a former teacher-librarian, I was particularly interested in the maker space, offering 3D printing, vinyl printing, sewing machines, music rooms, and more. The top floor featured a cafe, viewing deck, and book area, while the kids' section had a play area and appropriate shelving height!

Oodi Library

After the library, I treated myself to salmon lunch at a cute cafe and explored the market by the Harbour before heading to the airport for my last destination of this Eurotrip: a return to London.

Tallinn, Estonia

 Tallinn, Estonia, is the last spot on my Baltics leg of this European trip. My private room in Fat Margaret's hostel was ... alright, but may be encouraging me to book hotels in the future instead. I also committed my first travel blunder on this trip here. After a leisurely wake-up, I ended up grabbing a sandwich and drink to eat in a park beside a church before joining my walking tour. I had started to notice small bubbles under my screen protector on my phone, so I reached into my bag to get my credit card to iron them out. And guess what wasn't there... A bit of panic set in; I thought back to the last time I used it (coffee machine in my hostel earlier). I gave up on my walking tour and headed back to my hostel, scanning the road with every step I took. I knew no one had used my card since I get alerts on my phone with every overseas purchase, so I started brainstorming a contingency plan if I needed to cancel it. After arriving back at my room and tearing apart my bag, I worriedly asked the person at the front desk—and there it was (I had left it on a couch). Crisis averted, and cortisol levels stabilizing.

Tallinn Old Town

Since I had missed the "storytelling" tour due to being the Absentminded Professor, I ended up on a regular walking tour of the old town. In a weird, "it's a small world" moment, I learned that two other travelers in my tour group were from Toronto. Not only from Toronto but also from Leslieville. One of them was a teacher in the TDSB (at Wexford High School). What's more, they originally met at the Only (my local bar beside my apartment). I actually met her during a staff social there when both my school and hers were having drinks. Crazy!

Some things I learned about the town on this tour were:

- Like the other Baltic countries, it had been taken over by various countries throughout its existence and gained freedom in the 90s, after the Soviet Union's collapse. They have a Freedom Square with a military parade every February 24th (although they don't have an army, but a "defense league"). In 1911, there was a statue of Peter the Great, but they decapitated it during the first revolution. During Soviet rule, it was known as the Red Square, then a parking lot in the 90s, and eventually became a freedom monument.

Freedom Monument

- Old Towers: Built in the 14th century, the square Virgin's Tower was used as a jail for prostitutes in medieval times. It was a square tower useful against bows and arrows. The round tower was the Kiek in de Kök (translating to "peep into the kitchen" in German) and provided good defense against cannonfire.

Kiek in de Kök 

- They had a big brother attitude towards Finland, and Estonian is a Finnish-Hungarian language, so they can understand Finnish pretty well. They also adopted the same national anthem tune (but with different lyrics).

- My guide attributed the colors of the Estonian flag to: Blue - blue sky and hope for tomorrow, Black - dirt under fingers from when they were not free, and White - their craving for independence.

- After the Soviet era, people bought land outside the church, and as the city and tourism grew, the city slowly bought back all the land from civilians. Except for one spot where a stubborn citizen refused to sell. In defiance, he placed a Soviet-era grain truck in the middle of the grass as an "eyesore," but to me, it adds a bit of whimsy and a refreshing "fuck-you" attitude.

It's my land and I'll leave a car if I want to...

Food-wise, Tallinn was hit and miss for this pescatarian. I had an amazing plant-based burger (VLND Burger Vanalinn), a fantastic full breakfast with avocado substituted for the meat (Kohvik Must Puudel), aaaannnnd a half bite of chicken dumplings (I assumed "boiled dumplings with grilled vegetables" was vegetarian, but quickly realized it was not). However, even though their food was less than enjoyable, the ambiance of the Headless Chicken Tavern was on point. It was a Lord of the Rings-themed bar, brought to my attention via Instagram reels from my friend Kurt back home. It had a sweet One Ring chandelier and fantastic decor, with soft Howard Shore scores playing in the background. It also turned out to be the meeting place of a group of larpers, which is even more intense than anything dorky I do, but was interesting to eavesdrop on.

And in the darkness bind them

Telliskivi Loomelinnak (Telliskivi Creative City)

As I was pretty old-towned out by this point in the trip, I decided to indulge my other travel passion: finding cool street art. I visited the artsy and hip area of Tallinn called Telliskivi. I may not be cool enough to be here, but I enjoyed it anyway. I snapped some great graffiti, hovered around the Banksy exhibit in town (but refused to go in and pay for a Banksy exhibit, as I believe his work is meant to be enjoyed outside, ideally by happenstance), and checked out some awesome vinyl and vintage shops.

Telliskivi art

I grabbed a coffee and cinnamon bun from a fantastic roastery called The Brick Coffee Roastery, where I met a cute stray dog (or maybe he lives at the coffee shop?). Obviously, I had to share some with him. I also wanted to take him home with me.

Good boy.

Kadriorg Park

I swung through the food and vintage market (Balti Jaama Turg) and grabbed takeaway sushi before leaving this area of the city to head to Kadriorg Park. This was a beautiful area of Tallinn, and I passed by the harbor to get there. The park was originally meant as a summer residence for Peter the Great (Russian Czar). The residence is now an art gallery that I viewed from the outside. I took my takeaway sushi, grabbed a great bench spot, and people-watched in this city park.

Dinner in Kadriog Park

After my bench dinner, I explored some ponds and fountains, a cool sundial, a children's amusement park, and a Japanese Garden (throwback to Summer 2023!). My last evening was spent wandering back through old town with a walking drink. I enjoyed my time here and encourage you to venture outside the old town as well. Also, try to avoid the massive hordes of descending cruise shippers (I was originally confused why it was so much busier than the other old towns, but was reminded of this fact, and indeed, by 5 pm, it was much more chill). See you next time, Estonia. I'd love to explore more.

Last stop on the Baltic Way