November 2012 trip to Paris: Dear friends Chris and Silke

One of the greatest joys of Paris was visiting our dear old friends Chris Welsch and Silke Schroeder, former Minnesotans. Chris works for the International Herald Tribune; Silke teaches yoga and Sanskrit. They've learned French pretty well, and were our wonderful companions for some of the adventures that follow.

Chris and Silke in the kitchen of their little sixth-floor walkup apartment on the Rue d'Armaille, near the Arc de Triomphe. Six floors -- no wonder the long-legged ones are so fit! Noah and I braved the steps a few times ourselves, well worth it to see them and their sweet little place. Once we forgot something up there, and I made Noah go back and get it.

Tea, or was it wine?, with the lovely and wise Silke. Those flowers aren't really growing out of her head, but they could be, given her sun-loving aura.

Chris on the rather dizzying balcony of their sixth-floor flat overlooking the rooftops of central Paris. Chris said he and Silke love sitting out there on pretty evenings, something that native Parisiens rarely do.