In the Panthéon quarter, around dusk, along the way to dinner are the finer details: an ochre-washed building with a gated courtyard, left corner above; the chalky 19th century façade of an ordinary apartment building, middle right; a green public fountain called a "fontaine Wallace," lower right corner. Nearby is the Place de la Contrescarpe, in a neighborhood where Ernest Hemingway lived. The writer left his mark all over Paris, it seems. Sometimes I wonder if places just make up a connection with him to attract American tourists. Contrescarpe has its share of tourists, though it does lack the plastic Eiffel Tower and T-shirt feel. At Delmas, a restaurant café, our table just inside gives us a nice vantage on the Place, lower left. If there's a better way to finish a meal than an espresso and a crème brûlée, top right corner, I haven't found it. Back to the Hotel du Panthéon (sister to the Grands Hommes next door), at center above. The cocktail sitting area, top center, is low-key elegance. Aged-in-the-wood tones mark the staircase and its fabric-covered walls, at left. Our sweet room featured French country fabrics in rich crimsons (I NEVER use red in describing anything good) and Provence yellows, from the bed's headboard and the wall covering, at right, to the dust ruffle, bottom center. Our hotel and our neighborhood were a delight. I am sad to say, however, that this, my 19th visit to a city I love, was virtually ruined. Delta saw fit to lose our luggage. My bag was delivered four days after we arrived, the night before we left Paris for Germany; we have no clue where my husband's is. We wore the same clothes for several days and, fortunately, had toothbrushes and medications with us. Unfortunately, we wasted stressful hours on the phone every day with baggage people and spent money we had not budgeted when we finally bought several changes of clothes. This is not to dump my drama on you. It is a cautionary tale. DO NOT CHECK LUGGAGE. Not overseas, not in the United States! certainly not on Delta. Carry-on sized luggage plus the secondary bag allowed on board (backpack, tote bag, large purse, etc.) are ample to carry all you need. If you think otherwise, you have an inflated view of your own importance. Next time, I'll share a delightful side adventure in Paris that even dirty clothes couldn't ruin! à bientôt...Tatie