Paris

 I cannot even begin to tell you how beautiful this city is. I've been wanting to come to Paris ever since I took French in 1962!  When we landed at Charles De Gaulle, we took the train into town.  As soon as we left the Metro and came above ground, it was like "magic."  I became an immediate Francophile.

We are staying in a one bedroom studio apartment that we found through VRBO.  Paris is divided into Districts, or Arrondissements.  We are in the 3rd Arr.right next to the border of the  4th Arr.  Very trendy and about one and half mile from Notre Dame.  You can walk just about every where from this location.   For those who are familiar with Paris, we are two blocks from Place des Vosges, built for Louis XIII.

I absolutely love the Paris Cafe culture.  I ordered a "croche monsieur" (grilled ham and cheese) and a "noisette" (hazelnut coffee espresso) in French this morning.  I felt very Parisian!  I could just spend my days sitting at these places forever, and there hundreds of them all over town.  

 

Peggy lost one of her small backpacks (long story...) on the way into town so she spent a lot of time re-buying toiletries, train tickets, a water bottle, and other miscellaneous things.  Her French?....not so good, but a lot can be said for body language in soulful eyes.  My 9th grade French is getting me by okay, but I keep putting things into Spanish.  Oh yeah, that's for later on this trip....

I walked around seven and half miles today on my crutches so I'm a bit tired.  But we saw so much.  As I strolled along the River Seine, I could imagine Javert as he dropped into the river in Les Miserables.  At Notre Dame, I took in the majesty of this cathedral, but my mind pictured Quasimodo as he called for "Sanctuary" for the lady Esmeralda.  We stopped at brassiere for a cafe and coke in

her honor

 Along the way, we passed by Victor Hugo's house and I paid my respects.  There is also a little bookstore that was frequented by folks like Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce that was run by a woman named Sylvia Beach.  It was a hang out for Ex-Pats and struggling writers.  She provided rooms for them free while they were trying to harness their creative juices.  I felt right at home.  It still stands as bookstore that you would imagine in the 1920s.  It is called Shakespeare and Company.  She actually is the one who published Joyce's "Ulysses."  

Shakespeare and Company

Peggy just came back from the market across the street and "our" patisserie around the corner.  So it's warm baguettes and fresh fruit for tonight's dinner.  Last night we went kinda nutso for dinner (I had breast of duck) and Peg had some type of amazing salad.  So tonight, it's more like home.

Tomorrow will be yet another busy day.  I had not planned to blog every day from Paris, but who knows. 

Bon soir mes amis.