Passport to Paris '08 Winners
Our trip to Paris - courtesy of the Tennis Channel - has been spectacular. Paris is utterly amazing. Because of the time difference we had no sleep from Friday's departure to Saturday morning's arrival in Paris. That did not stop us, however, to take in every sight and sound from the moment we got off the plane. Once we arrived in Paris, we were transported to the Hotel de Vendome. We knew right away we were in a very special place. We were welcomed in our room with Champagne fruit,cheeses,and chocolates. It was absolutely the most beautiful hotel we've ever been in. We have been treated like royalty since our arrival. Our room - or should I say rooms - is fit for a king and queen. It's like being in a palace. The staff tends to every detail of your stay like you are the only guests there. It's amazing. Even though you could spend most of your time in the hotel, it was time to see the sights.
We ventured into Paris to sight see. And sight see we did. Paris and its architecture are amazing. At every turn there is something more beautiful to see. We started taking picture after picture of all Paris has to offer. The only problem is that pictures do not do this city any justice. Every movement of your eyes take you to another beautiful view. Our walk along the Seine River was breathtaking. We were on our way to the most famous landmark in Paris - the Eiffel Tower. It is one of the most awesome sights you can imagine. Again pictures do it no justice. We couldn't help but just stare at it for the longest time. As Pat and I stared at this unbelievable structure, we realized that we owed it all to the Tennis Channel. You guys certainly know how to treat contest winners!!
Sunday we were off to the the Open at Roland Garros. Entering the stadium with it's rich tradition was unbelievable. What made it even more special were the seats that the Tennis Channel provided. They were fantastic!! We were right on top of all the action. We got to see some of the finest opening round matches you could imagine. Walking around the grounds of Roland Garros brings you face to face with some of the players. We couldn't believe we were here. Hopefully the pictures will tell some of the story.
Walking the streets of Paris is something everyone should experience. The sights sounds of Paris especially the wonderful Cafe's are well worth all the walking. We found Cafe's that were right out of a magazine. It's like you're transported to a different time in history. The food in Paris is something special. Parisians don't take eating lightly. The detail they take in preparing meals is something we don't see in the states. Every aspect of the meal is special to them. Don't expect a quick meal. Sit back, relax and sip on the finest wines the world has to offer and take in all the sights. After experiencing the food we walked the streets to see more of Paris and the Eiffel Tower that was now lit up. We walked along the Champs Elysees. It was everything we read about it and more. Looking at our watches we saw it was 2 am. Although there was much more to see, the Open was in our plans first thing Monday morning. It was so nice to get back to our 'kingdom' at the Hotel de Vendome.
We were greeted in our room with Godiva chocolates and wine. What a life!
Monday took us to the Open again. The day started out great with some fantastic tennis. Opening round matches at a major to me are the best matches of the tournament. You can venture from court to court to see most of the top players in the world trying to advance. We visited every court to see some of the best tennis I've ever seen. Then it happened. The rains came and came etc. Play was finally suspended after a few hour wait. It really didn't matter though. Just being on the grounds of this hallowed event was enough for us. We did see some great tennis before the rain. We finally had to leave Roland Garros with some amazing memories. Memories that will stay with us forever.
Bourdeaux
Next we're off to Bourdeaux.
Taking the train from Paris to Bordeaux was a real treat. We really enjoyed the French countryside. Passing farms and small villages were something we've never seen. Upon arriving in Bordeaux we were promptly taken to our hotel the Caudelie. Not your normal hotel however. We felt like we were in a picture postcard. The surrounding area had 100's of vineyards with castles and manors in the midst of it all. This country inn before us was spectacular. The grounds are covered with beautiful flowers and greenery. There is a small pond right behind the main building with Swans and peacocks. Our building is called the 'Lodge.' It is a separate building that looks like a converted barn. Not a barn that you see on a farm. A barn that was converted with country charm yet elegant. Our room overlooks the pond and the vineyard. We feel like we're in a fairy tale. We have been treated like a king and queen. The food here at the restaurant is amazing. These French sure know how to cook!
We took a bike ride to a quaint village yesterday. The ride through all the vineyards was inspiring. It took us to another time it seemed. Upon entering the village we were awe struck. It was absolutely beautiful. We immediately made friends with a couple locals who gave us a tour and of course pointed us to the local winery. The time we spent there will be instilled in our memories forever! We rode our bikes back through a different route to see some of the most gorgeous scenery you can imagine. We returned to our Inn just in time as a late afternoon thunder storm came in. Being from Arizona and never seeing rain it was great to see. We sat and sipped a glass of wine and just stared!
Today we're visiting a vineyard complete with caves and a castle. In the meantime we decided to take another bike ride around this beautiful area. We found a man standing outside his small vineyard. We decided to stop and talk. We were so glad we did. He gave us an education on making his wines. He treated us like we were the only two people who mattered. Of course we had to taste his creations. They were spectacular. Now it was time to get back to take the tour we scheduled.
The vineyard we toured has been around since the seventeenth century. It is one of the largest producing vineyards in France. Not only did we get to see the wine making process, but also the castle on the grounds. After the tour we were treated to a couple of the finest wines produced in this region. The French take just as much pride in their wines as they do in their food. Now it's back to our last night dinner. It was utterly amazing!
As we sat on the patio to reflect this past week, we realized how special it was. Every moment we had in Paris and Bordeaux was something that stay would stay with us forever. Unfortunately it's time say good by.
With the trip nearing it's end we were so grateful to the Tennis Channel for their efforts in making the trip so memorable. We also want to thank our new friend there, Neil Roberts. Neil has been so supportive to us throughout our trip, checking in on us to make sure we were taken care of. We feel like we've made a friend for life. Thanks Tennis Channel.
I hope some of the pictures we include will help you understand how fantastic this trip was. It really does make you believe that dreams do happen. All we did was enter online and the Tennis Channel did the rest. So that's it for a week we'll never forget.
Mark & Pat Palumbo