Bedtime Tales: A Taste Of Paris With Ali

Hello beautiful souls,

This is June-Bee and welcome to an amazing night's sleep.

Thanks for being here for another in the series Bedtime Tales with June-Bee.

Tonight,

We are going to Paris for the second time to visit my dear friend Ali,

Who is nearly an honorary Parisian,

Taking in the city of lights,

The place of dreams and the land of perfectly flaky croissants.

Yes,

Need I say more?

So let's get into your favorite sleeping position,

Making sure you're comfortable.

Close your eyes,

Relax your muscles and slowly imagine yourself melting into the bed.

Now let's go to your breathing,

Slowing down the heart rate and let's take some nourishing breaths together.

Breathe out,

Last time breathe in,

Breathe out.

Settle in now,

Relax and get comfortable.

Listen to the sound of my voice,

If your mind wanders,

It's okay,

Bring it back to the sound of my voice.

Let go of everything that has happened today and let's go on our journey together.

Holiday time again,

Oh so exciting.

I arrive happily at the airport,

Luggage in hand,

Boarding pass on my phone and passport tucked safely away in my travel handbag.

As always,

After passing through customs,

I check out the duty free.

Spraying so many different fragrances,

I've lost my sense of smell.

Oh the joys of going to the airport,

Right?

There's a buzz in the air,

The soft hum of excited travellers,

Chatting,

Laughing,

Kids crying,

Parents getting last minute gifts for loved ones.

Then there are the regular sounds of the airport,

The rolling suitcase wheels,

The people who are literally running to catch a flight they may have missed.

The clink of coffee cups as I people watch and have my legendary travel delicacies of a cheeky sweet treat and a decaf latte in my favourite airport restaurant.

Soon enough,

It's time to board our flight.

Now I'm in my seat,

Destination Paris.

As the plane lifts off,

We fly through the clouds and for a moment,

Everything is grey.

Then in one quick second,

We rise above the clouds,

Higher and higher,

Until the world below becomes a soft quilt of land,

Water and light.

After a very short flight,

France unfolds beneath me.

Patchwork fields,

Winding rivers,

Tiny towns with pointy rooftops.

I smile to myself,

I'm going to see Ali,

Whoopee!

I have not seen her for a while and I'll be glad to hang out with her for a few days and all the many adventures we will get up to in this iconic city of lights.

Here we are now,

Landing in Paris.

Oh,

The familiar charm.

Once I've collected my suitcase,

I find the metro navigating the elegant chaos of stops and signs like a seasoned Parisian.

Of which I am not,

Although I can fake it like anyone else,

Right?

As I get to my stop,

The metro doors whoosh open,

I step out,

Find the exit and there she is.

Ali,

Her smile glowing like the Eiffel Tower at night.

Simply beautiful.

Do you know how wonderful it is to see someone whose whole face lights up when they see you?

Oh,

It's such joy.

We hug affectionately and I'm so happy to be here with her.

She takes me to her quaint Parisian apartment.

Through a big door,

A beautiful green courtyard opens up,

Leading us to her apartment.

With quaint Parisian features,

Deep rugs and soft laughter echoing off the walls.

I quickly unpack and we're off exploring the beautifully cobbled streets.

We wander through old cities,

Each stone a whisper of history.

We stroll through courtyards with ivy trailing along the walls of the buildings,

Like a green jacket wrapping itself so subtly around the buildings.

Stopping every so often to breathe it all in and take endless pictures,

Of course.

What would life be like without our camera phones to capture each and every moment?

So we can look back at a later date with fond memories of the time we spent and those indelible marks we wish to cherish.

Oh,

Let's not forget about the food,

The food.

We sampled some of the finest.

My favourite smoked salmon,

Salads,

Breads,

Cheeses,

And cheeses that not only tell you,

Scream at you its entire life story with every bite.

Wines that dance across the tongue like poetry,

While engaging your senses like a movie.

We pass by the Louvre and marvel at the endless queues of excited,

Art-hungry tourists,

Winding their way into galleries to witness the masters up close.

One evening we find ourselves at the 228 bar,

Decorated like an old English smoking room with leather seats to boot.

Simply classy and with our delightful waiter,

Frederick,

In tow,

Playing us with delicious mimosas dripping with golden effervescent bubbles.

Soft jazz music playing in the background,

Low laughter,

Even lower lights,

And feeling like a million dollars.

After being fully fed and watered,

We went onto the giant wheel,

That glorious turning eye in the sky.

We rode it high above the city,

The skyline stretching like a dream in every direction.

Being very daring by standing up and taking 360 videos and pictures of the beautiful,

Endless skyline of Paris.

A view that is like no other.

Another day we visit the Ritz Paris.

We enter the Grand Jardin and discover the Summer Bar,

Only opened this summer to our pleasure and delight.

Where the finger food is tiny and mighty,

And the cocktails are delicious and sublime.

We pass by the famous Hemingway Bar.

Iconic,

Legendary,

Still whispering secrets through its wooden panels.

Way too packed for us to go in,

Although that was okay.

We enjoyed the Garden Bar so much,

We didn't feel hard done by.

I mean,

Visiting the Ritz Paris,

How could it get any better,

Right?

Class personified.

And as the French say,

Creme de la creme.

Another day we take a stroll along the Seine.

The weather and scene is delightful,

Like something out of a watercolour picture.

Moments frozen in time for you to look at and imagine yourself being right there.

This is where the Parisians picnic like they were born to it.

Red wine,

Beer,

Baguettes,

Smelly cheese and joy spilling along the river as far as the eyes can see.

As we took a gentle walk back to the apartment,

We passed a square where the Parisians were dancing to the tango in the streets.

And what a joy to see them moving in complete harmony to the beat of the music,

Like they were the only people in the world.

Poetry in motion.

And of course,

How could we leave out the piece de resistance,

The Eiffel Tower?

Visiting this iconic structure so big and almost imposing at the bottom looking up.

Although as you get inside and start rising to the top in the two different lifts that take you to the summit,

You know why it has long been renowned as one of the iconic landmarks of Paris.

So we went right to the top,

Of course.

Champagne at the summit,

Naturally.

Is there any other way to do it,

Darling?

I don't think so.

Later,

Croissants and coffee.

And I remember only a few hours ago,

I was one of those little people walking around looking up.

Now being at the top and looking down is a beautiful sight to see.

Feels like I'm floating high above,

Almost like flying.

We visit the Flame of Liberty,

That solemn golden torch near the tunnel where Princess Diana's light dimmed.

A quiet and reverent moment to reflect.

Reflecting on the joy and love we can experience in this life and the fact that it is short.

So making the most of it while we can.

The Arc de Triomphe comes next into view,

Strong and proud.

Cue numerous selfies,

Of course.

We then move on and lunch at the prestigious Napoleon Hotel.

In Paris,

It is considered famous due to its prestigious location by the Arc de Triomphe,

Its history as Petit Palace,

Frequented by celebrities such as Ernest Hemingway,

John Steinbeck,

Salvador Dali and Errol Flynn,

To name a few.

And lastly,

Its recognition as a five-star luxury hotel.

After lunch,

We sneak up to the rooftop for the most breathtaking panoramic views of Paris.

People say Paris is magical.

Well,

They're not wrong.

We walked past the long queue at the Louis Vuitton flagship store.

I take a peek in the window and keep walking.

I came for joy this trip,

Not handbags.

Then on to Eau Chateau for an expert wine flight so heavenly,

I nearly grew wings and took off.

So expertly curated by our guide,

Anna,

And paired with delicious cheeses and apple and pear chutney.

Each wine tells its unique tale.

The soil,

The sun,

The grapes,

The region,

And the centuries of expertise bottled and tasted with every sip.

Moving on to the Place Royale.

The Place Royale is one of the oldest in Paris and also one of the most beautiful.

Known as the Place Royale until the end of the 18th century,

It was originally dedicated to King Henry IV.

All around are beautifully cobbled stone squares filled with art galleries which are adorned with cafes,

Restaurants that have lots of chatter,

Soft clinks of glasses and cutlery,

And laughter all around.

Even the odd naughty mouse making a guest appearance.

And to end my culinary exploration,

The legendary,

The famous,

Flambéed delight,

Crepe Suzette.

All I can say is ou la la.

What a treat to spend time with my dear friend Ali and looking forward to many more adventures with her to come.

A trip like no other.

Spread over a few dreamy,

Joy-packed days with amazing culinary delights and honestly,

I think I need a holiday from my holiday.

So now with memories dancing in my mind like the lights of Paris at night,

Feeling so blessed,

I gently snuggle under the covers with joy in my heart and a smile on my face.

I'm not sure about you.

I'm getting sleepy even thinking about it.

So I'm ready to let go fully and surrender to sleep.

Thanks for joining me tonight and as you slowly drift away,

Have yourself a great night's sleep and looking forward to seeing you again for another in the series of bedtime tales with June B.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.