Day 22: Paris

I met Ria at the taxi stand just after 9 and off we went to the Marche D’Aligre. It was quite a distance and we got to see some grittier parts of Paris. Willa told me about a woman, Martine, who had a stall there with wonderful scarves and accessories. We walked through the market, saw beautiful fruits and vegetables including the most adorable radishes you could ever imagine. On either sides of the street where the market was set up, there were stores selling all kinds of food and food related items. All kinds of dead animals (enough to make you a vegetarian), cheese, spices, and lots of stores with outdoor rotisseries with chicken turning slowly around. At the bottom of the case there are potatoes just roasting in the chicken fat. Yum. We passed a few cafes, but none looked quite right for breakfast. We couldn’t find anything approaching a stall with accessories, most were used clothing or flea market finds. I finally asked a woman stall-holder if she knew Martine, and she said she was on vacation! Oh well, the best laid plans….

It was pretty quiet but we walked a few blocks and found a cab. We went to the Marais and found a wonderful cafe under the arcades in the Place des Vosges. It is so beautiful there.

Years ago, Laura and I stayed in a hotel there, secreted away through an archway. I found it, there is a beautiful garden in front.

We sat at a cafe, got the menu and found that you could have a coffee and selection of three mini breakfast Viennoiserie for €10. That sounded nice.

I had a silver pot of coffee, a small pitcher of milk and a plate of not-so-mini croissant, pain au chocolat and brioche. And I managed to eat them all, as did Ria. It was wonderful to sit under these ancient arcades without being asked to move along. I figured out why no one ever bothers you when you’re at a restaurant or cafe. Everyone gets a living wage and healthcare and I think subsidized education. They don’t have to live on tips so they don’t have to try to turn the tables.

I wanted to walk through the Marais, I remember it have lots of charming shops. Well, it sure has changed. The shops are now outposts of chain stores. There is still the famous falafel place L’As de Falafel but otherwise you could be anywhere in Paris. I didn’t see any religious Jews walking around, and it used to be filled with them. What a disappointment.
We got tired, it was hot! Found a cafe and I ordered a limonade. I remember the first time I was in France, that was the only soda they had. It’s like a 7Up. I wanted to take a trip down memory lane. Ria had a Coke Light. We decided to see two famous churches back in the St Germain district.

First we went to St. Séverin.

We walked in a back door and immediately saw this wonderful twisted column that branched out. It resembles a palm tree. The outside of the church sports fantastic gargoyles.

Then we went to St. Germain des Prés, back in our neighborhood. It’s undergoing renovations, but it will be wonderful. Rene Descartes is buried there.

Ria and I decided to meet up again for dinner.

Restaurants with a terasse are a gift. We sat looking up at beautiful quintessential Haussmann style buildings. Some of the apartments had window boxes.

I ordered a croque monsieur, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with cheese grilled into the top. I only ate half, that was my concession to diet.

Ria had a delicious looking ham, cheese and onion omelette. She was happy, too.

We arranged to meet at the taxi stand tomorrow morning for our trip to Chartres Cathedral. I’m looking forward to the trip.

Love,
Lynn