Paris, Paris, Paris, Que Je Te Quitte

If there were a soundtrack to our nine months in Paris, the title track would have to be Camille's "Paris" off her début album, Le Sac des Filles (2002). (If you feel that the video's a disappointment, just scroll down and follow along with the lyrics while enjoying the irrepressible catchiness.)

In her sprightly, street music-inspired tune, we find lyrics that reflect all of our frustrations with daily life in the city - the endless months of winter and grisaille; the dirty sidewalks; the way even famous landmarks eventually seem normal (or worse, boring). 

Finies les balades le long du canal les escaliers des cartes postales c'est fini, Paris c'est décidé, je me barre finis le ciel gris, les matins moroses, on dit qu'à Toulouse les briques sont roses oh là-bas, Paris, les briques sont roses	No more canal-side strolls No more stairs, or postcards It's over, Paris I've decided, I'm leaving No more gray skies, downer mornings People say that in Toulouse, the bricks are pink Oh over there, Paris, the bricks are pink
{Refrain:} Paris, tu paries, Paris, que je te quitte que je change de cap, de capitale Paris, tu paries, Paris, que je te quitte je te plaque sur tes trottoirs sales	Paris, you bet, Paris, that I would leave you that I'd change capitals Paris, you bet, Paris, that I would leave you that I'd dump you on your dirty sidewalks
je connais trop ta bouche, bouche de métro les bateaux mouche et la couleur de l'eau c'est fini Paris, je les connais trop ici je m'ennuie, même quand vient la nuit on dit que Séville s'éveille à minuit là-bas, Paris, la ville s'éveille à minuit	I know too well your métro entrances the Seine tourist boats and the color of your water It's over, Paris, I know it all too well Here I'm bored, even at nighttime People say that Seville awakens at midnight Over there, Paris, the city awakens at midnight
{Refrain, x2} à Toulouse il a plu, à Séville j'ai trop bu à Rio j'ai eu le mal du pays oh pari perdu, je retourne vivre à Paris	In Toulouse it rained, in Seville I drank too much in Rio I got homesick I lost my bet, I'm coming back to live in Paris

Just like Camille, we experienced high times and low times, enthusiasm and regrets. Sometimes we felt like we were "over" the city, and then the city would invariably pull one over on us, revealing another secret or moment of unmatched beauty.

In the end, we've come to the same conclusion as Camille: we may have left Paris, but we can already tell that Paris will never quite leave us.

No Vacancies at Hotel Kaiserstein

Someone asked us yesterday if we're going to have any more visitors before we leave. Sadly, the answer was no - Hotel Kaiserstein (Paris) is closed until further notice. On the bright side, we have gads of lovely memories of all the guests we hosted this year, and right now we'd like to revisit some of our favorites from each visit, if only briefly. (Click on each visitor's name for all the posts associated with their time here.)

Robert - making Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur dinners from scratch, and our visit to the Société Générale headquarters
Jacob - Nuit Blanche and funtimes at the Eiffel Tower with Sandi and Ethan

Phil and Josh - proof that couchsurfers are always friends of friends of friends
Sarah Fischer - long walks and the Centre Pompidou

(Picture taken with Sarah's camera)

Joy and Jake - they may have saved my life, and Christmas Eve at the Menilmontant church
Alyssa and Michelle - all-too-short sight-seeing extravaganza, including a romp through two department stores

Eden and JP - they brought the bitter cold with them from Minneapolis but together we found warmth in excellent cheese and excellent tea
Matt - proof that research and fun should be mutually inclusive; his Eiffel Tower Tips post is a must-read
Katie and Darryl - two Chinese New Year parades, and a great dinner at La Bouche
Talya and Ari - making hamantashen and hitting up Purim services

PS - Congrats to Talya and Ari on their recent engagement!!!

Rebecca and Moritz - playing a part in Moritz's proposal!!!
Becky and Gladis - picnic, museums, May Day, and SO MUCH DELICIOUS FOOD
Dimi - our last burst of speed sightseeing, including a bateau mouche ride, three former palaces/mansions become museums, our second best meal of the year, and much, much more . . . coming soon to a panda-à-paris blog near you!

Special mention: Joy and Cathy - Technically they didn't stay with us, but given that we spent anywhere from 8 to 12 hours a day with them throughout their visit, they qualify for "Hotel Kaiserstein Preferred Guest" status. Like Dimi, they ran us ragged with sightseeing and quality dining experiences - or was it the other way around?

21 guests in 8 months - not too shabby. Will Hotel Kaiserstein remain popular after moving back to its Somerville location? We doubt it, but we hope we're wrong!

Next Time Around

With our departure only four days away, it's high time we embarked on some retrospection. There's no disputing that we had an amazing year, that we learned a lot, and that we're satisfied with our experience. Still, if we ever have the opportunity to do it all over again, there are a few things we'd do differently.

1. Subscribe to a French newspaper or news journal.
2. Watch more French TV.
3. Go to the movies more often.
4. Plan more trips during the winter, fewer during the spring.
5. Take more day trips around France.
6. Write down the schedules of local food boutiques (for a long time we always thought to go to the fromagerie on days when it was closed), try to buy food from them whenever possible, and budget the added cost (because it can get quite expensive if you shop there regularly).
7. Get year-long passes to the Louvre (which cost only 30 euros if you're under 30 and which let you bring one guest for free per pass) and the Centre Pompidou (only 27 euros, which is more than paid for by three visits - and exhibitions change every few months).
8. See what it's like to live outside of Paris, maybe even outside the metropolitan area. 
9. Dedicate time to creating a children's book called "Panda à Paris" in which Panda has a series of adventures around the city. The plot line is still in the development stage, but we have a lot of faith in the premise.