Windchimes

suite de la visite

Well, I found the answers I wanted, then left the book on the table after packing all the rest of them in my tote bag. It worked out okay. Since she figured a lot of students wouldn't get the email advising us to read that story, she had copies available. Considering a lot of the students didn't know to read the story, the class went pretty well. It's going to be interesting. But back to Paris.

I forgot to include staying to watch some pétanque players while we were still at the Tuileries. One of these days, I'd like a pétanque pit...among other things. I left off behind Notre Dame, didn't I? From there, we walked toward the Latin Quarter, or in what I thought was the general direction. I usually just look for the huge Gilbert LeJeune bookstore, but couldn't see it from where we were standing. Still found the other end of Rue de la Huchette. I guess I've spent a fair amount of time around there. Pointed out the little theatre where I've been wanting to see "La Cantatrice Chauve" since I found out I could see it there, but we knew we wanted to wait till we could get together with Amanda and Jason to actually go in and watch the play. I took Cliff to one of the bistrots nearby, where you can buy a "grec" or a "kabob." I'm still not sure what the French term for this sandwich is, but it makes a filling meal for a very reasonable price...meat shaved from a huge hunk of meat hung on a vertical skewer, lettuce and tomato with tatszikie sauce and fries all stuffed into a pita. After having a couple of meals at fancier sit down restaurants, Cliff was pleasantly surprised about how reasonably one can stuff themselves while in Paris. I think we went to the medieval garden just outside the Musée Cluny on the Boulevard St. Michel after that, to rest a little before going to find our planned boat ride. That's another one of my favorite spots in Paris, especially before 4:30p.m., when the Jardin Céleste is still open. All of this jardin publique only contains plants that were grown in medieval times, but that special part of the garden just outside the museum is full of richly fragrant plants. It always makes me feel rested, less pressed.

Afterwards, we went back to a Metro station to study how we might best get back to where we'd taken mental note of seeing the Bateaux Mouches. Cliff figured out the Metro system pretty quickly, told me Atlanta needed something more like this. Preaching to the choir. We found the Metro station right across the street from the Bateaux Mouches, bought our tickets and found a seat on top of the boat. Rain threatened all during the ride up and down the Seine, but never did more than spit a little bit. Some people went to the sheltered seats below, we stayed where we were, in seats right next to a speaker. I could hear recordings describing the places we floated by in French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, and an Asian language I suspect was Japanese. Since a group of kids on the boat felt obliged to scream every time we went under a bridge, I was happy I could pretty much understand three out of the six. The Eiffel Tower lit up in sparkles the final time our boat floated by it. It was perfect.

It was also after 10:00p.m. by the time we got off the boat, even if it wasn't yet dark. We noticed the daylight hours last much longer in France than we're used to here in Georgia. I'm pretty sure the sun rose around 6:00. Still, we'd packed the day pretty full (starting with Montmartre) so decided to head back to our hotel in the Montparnasse district (le 14ème). Leaving the nearest (still open) station to our hotel, we noticed a bar across the street, called Au Metro. This turned out to be our favorite stopping place on the way home every night we were in Paris. We went in just to have a drink before retiring, but I saw crème brulée on the menu. I know that's not such an unusual thing in some places, but I don't know of many places around where we live where it's available, and j'adore ça. So I had some Cointreau and a crème brulée, Cliff had a Long Island iced tea. Yep, in Paris. Came with two straws and a glow-stick.

By the time we got back to the hotel, we both started feeling the effects of packing so much into one day. After breakfast in the hotel the next morning, we did a little shopping without ever getting on the Metro, only on the streets nearby. I hadn't packed enough warm clothes (the weather was beautiful when I was there at this time last year) so a light jacket was necessary. I'd also learned from a phone call to my daughter the night before that my uncle, my dad's last remaining sibling, had died. Feeling a little frustrated and worried, I found a cybercafe about where I remembered one being, checked my email and ordered some flowers to be sent to my aunt's house. Also went to a Monoprix to buy some conditioner and a couple of tubes of a certain brand of tinted moisturizer with an SPF of 50+. I'd bought one tube last year, and have been missing it since it ran out sometime in December. Have to go back to France when I run out of it again, I suppose... Then we got on the Metro so I could show Cliff the first place I'd ever stayed at in Paris, the FIAP Jean Monnet on Rue Canabis. Really. The street sign informs readers that M. Canabis was "un médecin et homme d'état," if I remember correctly. Thought we might find a friend of my daughter's who used to work there, but he wasn't there, so I called him. He sounded tired, but said he'd like to meet us. I gave him the number to our hotel, and we went to a nearby pizzeria for lunch. The waiter who greeted us spoke some English, and seemed happy for a chance to practice.

Crashed into the bed upon going back to leave our purchases in the room before heading out again. Had a messsage from Amanda and Jason. When I called their hotel again, I'd be armed with their room number. I called and left a message saying we'd wait outside La Petite Huchette at 5:00 both Wednesday (which was today) and Thursday. We woke back up just in time to get on the Metro and into the Latin Quarter, even though I doubted Amanda would get back to our hotel in time to get that message on the same day. We waited till about 20 after five anyway, then found a creperie just around the corner. After dinner and another little nap (oh yes, the day before had done us in), we headed to Champs Elysee, which seems to stay open all night. Close up view of L'Arc de Triomphe and a slew of posh shopping opportunities, theatres, and a McDonald's. I still haven't eaten at a McDonald's in France. That's ok. Cliff couldn't get enough of the Toyota showplace there, with all its concept vehicles. They had some pretty interesting stuff, I have to admit. I was happier to find an open Pharmacie and buy some Maalox, and even after the long nap, I felt ready to fall into bed. We still stopped at the little bar across from our Metro station though, and I had my first ever cheeseburger in France. Never thought I'd do that, but glad I've done it once now. Beouf haché is nothing like our ground beef here. They turn the beef into playdough here, then pass it through tiny holes, I think. This cheeseburger still tasted like beef.

Well, I think that's the first two full days. I'll write more later.

J.H. Larrew
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