Friday - March 27
Up at 5:30 and on the road by 6:00. It is an easy drive from Bergerac to Limoges on the autoroute and we arrived at the railroad station in Limoges by 8:30, just in time to buy our train tickets and eat breakfast - my first and probably last pain au chocolat of the trip. A large coffee in France is not large so it took two large coffees to satisfy the morning call for coffee.
The train trip was smooth, pleasant and uneventful. We were back in the apartment by 14:00. Now after all those phenomenal meals it was time to scratch together lunch from whatever remained after a week away. That consisted of spaghetti with store bought tomato sauce and leftover carrots which, after a week in the refrigerator, left a lot to be desired. Pruneaux d'Agen provided dessert. What a comedown!
The rest of the day was spent doing laundry and bringing this blog up to date. A most uneventful day.
Saturday - 28 March
A return to the morning ritual of going down for a newspaper and bread felt great. Unfortunately, I am always a bit too early for the baguette aux noix and so had to settle for the seed bread which is quite good also.
The morning passed quickly and at about 11:00 we started off for a new restaurant which was written up in an old issue of the French version of Saveur magazine which Yvonne had. It is near the Luxembourg Gardens - Les Papilles, 30 rue Gay Lussac, Paris 75005, tel number 01.43.25.20.79. The restaurant is small seating perhaps 40 people and also carries wine and other tempting products for sale to take away. At lunch on Saturday (and perhaps on other days also) there is a fixed menu. There is the owner chef, a sous-chef and a server. This is a "worth a detour" restaurant for anyone in or near Paris.
The first step is to select a bottle of wine which is sold at the take-away price plus 7 Euros. There are bottles of red and white for every taste and price range from under 10 Euros to over 200 Euros. The proprietor suggested a red, Domaines de Ravanes, Les Gravieres du Taurou , vin de pays des Coteaux de Murveil 2005 (a good year Thierry had informed us).
For lunch the menu started with a cream of celery soup which was brought to the table in a large tureen. The soup bowls arrived with a melange of goodies in the bottom which I didn't recognize but, after ladling in the soup and tasting it, the combination was delicious as well as quite rich. The tureen provided two good size bowls of soup each and, in other circumstances would, along with the excellent bread, have provided a normal meal for us. But this is not a normal experience.
Then came a Beef Daube, a beef stew cooked in red wine for about 8 hours and including tiny potatoes, carrot slices, mushrooms and lardons. Another triumph which was also brought to the table in a copper casserole and which we could not finish. Then came a wedge of blue cheese from the Auvergne served with a stewed prune and for dessert there was a small bowl of a creamy pudding which may have been prepared with fromage blanc and topped with a strawberry sauce. With the coffee they provided a small cup of chocolate and cocoa covered walnuts. If only we had more time here, it would be wonderful to go back for dinner when a regular menu is available which, according to the Saveur article, includes an excellent brandade de morue. Next trip this place is a must!
As we left the restaurant it began to rain and rather than walking about, we took the metro directly home where the dinner and full bottle of wine led to a nap. After that lunch, dinner was out of the question.
Notes on the French language:
Be careful of words which look the same in French as in English.
1. French - l'avertissement = caution or warning in English
English - advertisement = la publicite in French
The French sometimes prefer the negative to the positive. For example, there is no French adjective for convenient. You must essentially say it is not inconvenient. And whenever I have said to someone, "it is cold" they have almost always answered " yes, it is not warm". All languages have their peculiarities.
Sunday - March 29
The last day to visit the marche Richard Lenoir. With only two days left in France it would seem that we would need very little but still we returned with quite a load- fish, brussel sprouts, radishes, mache, cheese, eggs and some goodies to bring back home. I'll miss that market. It is about three blocks long with three double sided rows of stalls and has so many delicious looking and smelling things to eat.
Back at the apartment we prepared lunch and then decided that this was a day for R&R. So I caught up on the blog, did the Sunday Times puzzle and just puttered.
Monday - March 30
Tomorrow we leave and we will have lots of luggage to schlep so it seemed like a good idea to find the best way to get to the RER, the train to CDG, without changing metros and with minimum up and down stairs. Chatelet les Halles is the best bet even though it is a fair walk from the apartment. But this is an immense station covering an underground area about 10 blocks long and 4 blocks wide. In order to scout out the best approach and find elevators and excalators if they existed, we walked over and checked the station out. It serves 3 RER lines and 6 or 7 metro lines. We think we have found the best approach for getting to RER B, the line to CDG. Hope we can find it again tomorrow.
Other than that, packing is the next important step.
Tuesday - March 31
Time to go home, but I don't want to leave. We walked from the apartment to the RER stop at Chatelet. It is about a mile but it is all flat and is easier then changing trains at a metro stop because of the stairs. We easily made it and all went well until I tried to drag two suitcases through the wide entrance, wider than the regular gates. I didn't go fast enough and the doors are viscious. They started to swing shut with such force that they knocked me and my suitcases to the floor. Fortunately no broken bones but I have a sore hip and a black and blue spot. So goes it.
Trip back was smooth and on time. Even got an earlier flight from Boston to Baltimore so we got home before 21:00.
Hope to be back in France next year. Au Revoir.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
A Month in Paris - 5
Friday – March 20, 2009
Up early today to get the train to Limoges. We used two suitcases for our clothes and stuff including the computer which one can’t go anywhere without. It is almost as hard going down the stairs with baggage as going up. But we made it.
Another beautiful day. The metro from Richard Lenoir station is the best even if a bit further to walk since it means you don’t have to change trains which in turn means fewer stairs.
Yesterday there was a grande manifestation, a large demonstration in opposition to some of the economic decisions of President Sarkozy. France is facing major unemployment problems and also some attempts to reduce the costs of the social programs. What else is new.
And today, the newspapers are on strike so there was no IHT and no major French newspapers. There were Greek and Russian papers but no French dailies.
So here we are on the train on our way to Limoges. The train is very long, 17 cars, and since our reserved seats are in car 16, it was a long walk down the platform. Second class on the train is by US standards quite posh. The ride was pleasant. South of Paris the land is flat with beautiful farm country as far as you can see and a very large wind turbine farm along the way. Further south of Paris, the landscape changes to rolling hills. And the further south you go, of course, the more the trees are in flower or starting to leaf out. Many of the trees are host to a parasite which looks like balls of mistletoe. Near Limoges, there are many cattle farms with the reddish Limousine cattle for which the region is famous. The French take good care of their land and preserve the lovely small villages which dot the countryside. Every mile presents innumerable photo ops.
We arrived in Limoges at about 1:30 and found Yvonne waiting for us in the station and we went directly to her apartment for lunch. First things first and food is a “first thing”. She served her own homemade duck pate with excellent bread, marinated salmon and boiled potatoes, a cheese course. All were delicious. And of course there was wine which is served with every meal except breakfast. This was followed by homemade cakes local to Bordeaux paired with the chestnut puree which we had brought. Do you sense the need for a nap at this point?
After getting rested we were off to see a small art exhibit by someone Yvonne knew. It is hard to describe the art, but there was a book for the exhibition which we have. Following that we walked through some of the old town with its tiny twisting streets which survive from medieval times. Then it was back to the apartment for another meal! This consisted of fennel-zucchini soup prepared with a touch of Ricard, more pate and salmon and to go with the salmon some excellent acquavit.
Saturday - March 21
Today is a sunny day but a good bit colder than yesterday. After breakfast we visited the Limoges outdoor markets - there are two of them, one quite small consisting mostly of vegetables and the other much larger with the full range of food and flowers. In addition to these outdoor markets which open only once a week, there is a large indoor market open daily with fixed stalls and the most luscious looking, smelling, and as we later learned, tasting food you can imagine. The major purchase was some buckwheat crepes to be made into hors d'ouvres to be taken to Yvonne's sister this evening where we have been invited for dinner.
Following the market visit we walked through more of the old parts of town which contain wonderful half-timbered houses along narrow cobblestone streets. One of the streets is called rue de Boucherie, or street of the butchers. The shops, which are no longer butcher shops, have open grills instead of windows front and back to provide circulation.
As you can imagine, by this time, it was time to eat. So we went to a small restaurant, Le Parenthese, located in a medieval courtyard completely surrounded by medieval buildings. I chose a casserole of mashed potatoes with duck confit along with a small salad - delicious. Wine, dessert and coffee rounded out the meal. The restaurant is charming with birdhouses and a recording of bird song to set the tone. There were even birds in a blue sky with clouds painted on the ceiling.
After more sightseeing, we stopped for a coffee at an outdoor terrace. Nearby the entire side of a building is painted in trompe-l'oeil to look like a 3-dimensional house parts of which fooled me completely at first. After that, since Limoges is a city famous for its porcelain and its enamel (cloisonné), we visited Gallerie d'Emaux which displayed modern examples of both crafts in the form of jewelry, dishes, lamps, etc.
at evening we visited Yvonne's sister Andree and her husband Marcel Redon for an an aperitif. They are a lively and welcoming couple. Andree is an artist who designed, painted and restored porcelain before she retired and her work is truly beautiful. Marcel is an excellent painter, primarily in oil but in watercolor too. He is also a musician who has played bass in a jazz band. Their daughter is another artist so the family is one of great talent.
The first thing we did was admire his paintings in the living and dining rooms and then visit his studio downstairs where he showed us his stash of paintings. He has had several exhibits of his work which is wonderful.
A friend of theirs, Danielle, arrived soon after and we had drinks and hors-d'oeuvre consisting of gougeres, boudin (a local sausage), galettes wrapped around various fillings and an excellent savory cake which Danielle had brought. Three of us, me included, were drinking rum punch made of rum, cane syrup and lime juice. After a couple of those, the party took off and we had a lot of fun just talking. Maybe it was the drinks, but I could understand a lot of what was said and could even do some of the talking.
A bit tipsy (me) but quite content, we went back to Yvonne's for a good night's sleep.
Sunday - March 22
Today we ( Yvonne, Andrre, Marcel, H and H) visited a nearby village, Panazol, which has a huge Sunday market. The stands go on and on and offer everything - meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, honey, crepes, cheese, flowers, clothing, household goods, even mattresses (free delivery provided) and chairs. It is a busy place and, as is typically French, many people bring their dogs. One of the attractions for me is watching the dogs socialize as they see or sniff other dogs. Funny!
Of course, you have to eat so the five of us returned to Yvonne's for lunch of lotte (a type of fish)prepared in coconut milk, rice and steamed chestnuts. The chestnuts can be bought frozen, without shells and are absolutely delicious. Have to see if they are available in the US. This had to followed by rest time.
Cramming many things into each day, we then went for a ride to another of Yvonne's sisters, Renee and her husband George who live in a country house with a large yard. Much less gregarious than the Redons or Yvonne, it produced a low key visit.
When we got back to Yvonne's it was - can you guess? - time to eat. This didn't occur until 21:00. First, it was necessary to arrange to rent a car for the drive from Limoges to Bergerac on Tuesday. This is no easy feat on the internet using French. The SNCF, the French railroad, provides access to car rental information. The forms to be filled out are "formidable". However they provided the best prices we found so I picked Europcar which could rent us a small Fiat for less then 100 Euros for three days. Great price since an attempt earlier to rent a car from Avis by going to an Avis office produced a price of over 300 Euros. The Avis office admitted, it is always cheaper to rent on the Internet. In any event, the rental completed, the Internet informed me that I must present the confirmation which would be sent by email in order to get the car. Now the troubles began. We could not get Yvonne's printer to print. It made all the appropriate sounds each time we clicked on the PRINT icon, but only a blank paper appeared in the out-tray. After much tinkering, we got it to print, but I don't know how. Now the problem was that it wanted to print the three page confirmation again and again for each time we had queued up the print command and I didn't know how to empty the queue. Oh well, we finally had the appropriate document to enable us to take possession of the car.
Monday - March 23
This morning was relaxing with normal chores. We had lunch at Andree and Marcel's. It was, as is so normal in France, delicious - potato-meat pie, salad with an excellent dressing followed as usual by a cheese course, apricot pie and coffee. All of the people we spent time with are slender. How do they do it?
Now it was time for a sad but necessary experience. The five of us went to the town of Oradour sur Glane. On June 10, 1944, this village of 600 plus people was destroyed and burned by the Nazis in retaliation for the resistance which was strong in this region. All of the men, in several groups, were herded together, their legs broken so they could not flee, and then burned to death. The women and children were gathered in the church and they too were burned alive. It is impossible to assimilate such horror - how one set of "human beings" could do such things to others. Yet today, amid the ruins, flowers bloom, trees grow, birds sing, the world goes on. Railroad tracks through the small village bring back thoughts of Auschwitz. All that is possible to ask is "why".
But a most pleasant event was to follow. We returned to Andree and Marcel's for a drink and they presented us one of Marcel's oil paintings as a gift. I was absolutely thrilled. It was so unexpected and so generous that I still cannot believe it. It will hang proudly at home.
Tuesday - March 24
Today is a transition day. At 10:00 we said goodbye to Yvonne and started off by car from Limoges to Bergerac. After arriving at the town of Brive, we left the autoroute and proceded on small roads toward Bergerac. As lunch time approached we began searching for a nice restaurant. In the village of St. Pierre de Chignac we found a small hotel with a prix fixe menu which appeared pleasant so in we went.
It was a small place with 3 people at the bar and the owner in attendance. They all gave us the once over since at this time of year it is probably most unusual to find tourists roaming about. When it became obvious that we were English-speaking, the owner asked if we were English in a not too welcoming tone - not bad, just cool. When we said we were Americans his face lit up in a big smile and the whole mood changed. He insisted on changing the pitcher of wine which he had set on the table for a "much better wine of Bergerac".
The three people at the bar, two men and a woman, were locals. The woman was from Holland and spoke English quite well. After a bit, they too sat down for lunch at a nearby table. Little by little we began to exchange comments and then to chat a bit. By the end of the meal we had become quite friendly. At this point the proprietor offered me another glass of the good wine which I accepted. And then one of the gentlemen at the other table decided that our meeting had to be celebrated by a bottle of champagne. So the three of them, Harley and myself and the proprietor and his wife who was also the cook, joined in champagne toasts. It was such a surprise to find a level of friendliness and acceptance toward strangers as I would never have imagined. It made the day.
We got a bit lost as we continued toward Bergerac. Could it have been the wine and champagne? So we got to the railroad station where we were to meet Thierry and Pierrette at a few minutes after 4:00 and there they were. A great reunion. We had last seen them in Paris in May 2008. Following their car we proceded to Thierry's mother's house where we met his mother, Muky, for the first time. Emilie, Thierry's niece, was there also. She was visiting from her home near Paris. As noted on an earlier entry, she and her immediate family had spent a Saturday afternoon with us in Paris.
It was a friendly and welcoming group that greeted us. Emilie's presence, since she speaks English well, was a big help. Being France the first thing to do was to have an aperitif. Thierry has a good memory and had ready a bottle of Pernod for me. After drinks, hors d'oeuvres and conversation, it was time for another late dinner. Pierrette, who is an excellent cook, made a leek pie. This was followed by very rare roast beef which was delicious, a salad and, of course, cheese. I was so tired by then that I can't remember if we had dessert. After all, midnight is not my normal bedtime.
Wednesday - March 25
Ate the leftover leek pie for breakfast. This must have been shocking to Muky because French people eat small breakfasts compared to Americans. And instant coffee? Oh well, even France isn't perfect.
In the yard behind Muky's house, there are a number of chickens, a rooster and two goats. It makes a nice picture. And the view from the back of the house is lovely. Hope the pictures come out.
The day was quite chilly. We went to the weekly outdoor market but the cold and wind made it hard to stay long. We did buy some endive and, on the way back to the house, we picked up some of the best baguettes aux noix (walnut baguettes) that we've ever had. It makes me want to learn to make baguettes. It will take some experimenting with different flours and I'm not sure our regular ovens without steam vents to produce the environment for a good crust will produce anything like the ones in the really good bakeries here. But it is worth a try.
Another recipe is required here. For lunch, Muky cooked the endive in the micro with a bit of olive oil and salt in a covered dish with air holes in the cover. So simple and they were delicious. This one is a must to try at home. Also learned a new wine combination. White wine with cassis is a Kir. Red wine with cassis is a Cardinal.
Muky's son Richard, Thierry's twin brother, arrived by train from his home near Paris. He got in just after 15:00. It was the first time we had met.
After he arrived, Harley played the piano which Muky and Richard seemed to enjoy very much. Muky is also a good pianist with a large collection of piano music. They enjoyed especially Chopin's music.
Then we were off to Thierry and Pierrette's. Thierry is converting a large barn into a spacious house and it is going to be beautiful. He showed us his progress so far. The barn has a very high ceiling with huge wood beams. The living room looks like it will be large with lots of windows. Since he works full time it is proceding slowly and we look forward to seeing how it goes on our next visit.
For dinner we had an aperitif and hors d'oeuvres as usual. Thierry, like Andree, makes a good rum punch - same basic recipe. A couple of those with brandade de morue on slices of baguettes started the evening. (Others chose different drinks.) Dinner included a beef bourgignon and a salad, followed by a great cheese selection and again, since it was getting very late, I forgot what we had for dessert. I think both Harley and I fell asleep on the quite long ride back to Muky's.
Thursday - March 26
What a long but lovely day. We slept later than usual because of our late bedtime, had a quick breakfast and then prepared to meet Thierry and Emilie for a visit to some interesting villages with medieval quarters. There were four of us – Harley and me, Mukey and Richard. We left the house at about 10:15 and finally got to our first stop, Cadouin about 11:45. Thierry and Emilie had already arrived so we began our visit. Cadouin has a very old Cistercien Abbey which was our first stop. It has an absolutely beautiful cloister which is the covered walkway which encloses a lovely garden. The cloister is supported by many columns each of which is decorated differently. Many of the stone carvings have worn away over the years but some are still in excellent condition. There is a museum like section describing a shroud which was originally believed to have covered Christ’s head. But in the 20th century expert evaluation found that the shroud contained Arabic writing (embroidered on the cloth) which mentioned Mohammed so that along with other analyses resulted in redating the fabric to the 11th century. The abbey church is relatively ornate by Cistercian standards but still quite simple. The village of Cadouin is very small so in a short while we had seen most ot the old streets and interesting buildings – most of the very old structures are built of stone. Wood ones would probably have burned down. The stone is a pleasant golden color which is also the color of the local sand. Over time though, oxidation has caused some of the stone to take on a rosy hue – quite lovely.
By this time, we were all getting hungry so we started out in our two cars to search for a nice restaurant. We drove a short distance and, as we entered Siorac en Perigord we saw a sign that advertised a culinary museum, a good indication that it might also have a nice restaurant and we were not disappointed. On one of the tiny streets we saw a small hotel, L'Auberge du Trefle a Quatre Feuilles. Thierry quickly checked it out and offered the opinion that it looked like a good bet. We entered a charming restaurant and discovered an excellent collection of set menus to choose from. Wish I had a copy of the menus. The restaurant is part of an inn which also offers rooms and small apartments. It would be an excellent location for touring the Dordogne which is overloaded with charming villages and unbelievable castles dotting a wonderful countryside. To be considered for a week on a future trip.
I will try to describe what I had for lunch because it is well worth the effort. It was another meal where it seemed I had entered food heaven again. First Thierry found a wine which was excellent and unbelievably inexpensive considering the quality. It was about 14 Euros or $18.00. Such a good wine would be very hard to find in a US restaurant for that price.
For entree, I had a creme brulee made with cepes with pieces of toasted gingerbread and a small salad (not to mention the very good hot rolls which were brought to the table). It should be noted that it is necessary to have good bread in these restaurants in order to wipe up the last bit of whatever is on the plate. What a sin not to be able to do that! The next course was very rare magret (duck breast) with several small mashed potato croquettes served with a delicious sauce. The croquettes were not fried, but I don't know any other way to describe them except as croquettes. For dessert I chose a trio of chestnut goodies which included a small piece of chestnut cake, a cup of chestnut mousse and a ball of chestnut ice cream. Not only was everything delicious (I must be using this word too much, but it can't be helped) but it was beautifully presented.
After that I'd have loved a nap but Thierry was bound that we see Sarlat, a mcuh larger medieval city, so off we went. And it was well worth seeing. There were so many photo ops that I used up two camera batteries. Hopefully, the photos will tell the story better than words.
Back to Muky's and to bed without supper since no one was hungry after that lunch. And tomorrow required getting up at 5:30 to be on the road by 6:00 to return the car in Limoges before 10:00.
Up early today to get the train to Limoges. We used two suitcases for our clothes and stuff including the computer which one can’t go anywhere without. It is almost as hard going down the stairs with baggage as going up. But we made it.
Another beautiful day. The metro from Richard Lenoir station is the best even if a bit further to walk since it means you don’t have to change trains which in turn means fewer stairs.
Yesterday there was a grande manifestation, a large demonstration in opposition to some of the economic decisions of President Sarkozy. France is facing major unemployment problems and also some attempts to reduce the costs of the social programs. What else is new.
And today, the newspapers are on strike so there was no IHT and no major French newspapers. There were Greek and Russian papers but no French dailies.
So here we are on the train on our way to Limoges. The train is very long, 17 cars, and since our reserved seats are in car 16, it was a long walk down the platform. Second class on the train is by US standards quite posh. The ride was pleasant. South of Paris the land is flat with beautiful farm country as far as you can see and a very large wind turbine farm along the way. Further south of Paris, the landscape changes to rolling hills. And the further south you go, of course, the more the trees are in flower or starting to leaf out. Many of the trees are host to a parasite which looks like balls of mistletoe. Near Limoges, there are many cattle farms with the reddish Limousine cattle for which the region is famous. The French take good care of their land and preserve the lovely small villages which dot the countryside. Every mile presents innumerable photo ops.
We arrived in Limoges at about 1:30 and found Yvonne waiting for us in the station and we went directly to her apartment for lunch. First things first and food is a “first thing”. She served her own homemade duck pate with excellent bread, marinated salmon and boiled potatoes, a cheese course. All were delicious. And of course there was wine which is served with every meal except breakfast. This was followed by homemade cakes local to Bordeaux paired with the chestnut puree which we had brought. Do you sense the need for a nap at this point?
After getting rested we were off to see a small art exhibit by someone Yvonne knew. It is hard to describe the art, but there was a book for the exhibition which we have. Following that we walked through some of the old town with its tiny twisting streets which survive from medieval times. Then it was back to the apartment for another meal! This consisted of fennel-zucchini soup prepared with a touch of Ricard, more pate and salmon and to go with the salmon some excellent acquavit.
Saturday - March 21
Today is a sunny day but a good bit colder than yesterday. After breakfast we visited the Limoges outdoor markets - there are two of them, one quite small consisting mostly of vegetables and the other much larger with the full range of food and flowers. In addition to these outdoor markets which open only once a week, there is a large indoor market open daily with fixed stalls and the most luscious looking, smelling, and as we later learned, tasting food you can imagine. The major purchase was some buckwheat crepes to be made into hors d'ouvres to be taken to Yvonne's sister this evening where we have been invited for dinner.
Following the market visit we walked through more of the old parts of town which contain wonderful half-timbered houses along narrow cobblestone streets. One of the streets is called rue de Boucherie, or street of the butchers. The shops, which are no longer butcher shops, have open grills instead of windows front and back to provide circulation.
As you can imagine, by this time, it was time to eat. So we went to a small restaurant, Le Parenthese, located in a medieval courtyard completely surrounded by medieval buildings. I chose a casserole of mashed potatoes with duck confit along with a small salad - delicious. Wine, dessert and coffee rounded out the meal. The restaurant is charming with birdhouses and a recording of bird song to set the tone. There were even birds in a blue sky with clouds painted on the ceiling.
After more sightseeing, we stopped for a coffee at an outdoor terrace. Nearby the entire side of a building is painted in trompe-l'oeil to look like a 3-dimensional house parts of which fooled me completely at first. After that, since Limoges is a city famous for its porcelain and its enamel (cloisonné), we visited Gallerie d'Emaux which displayed modern examples of both crafts in the form of jewelry, dishes, lamps, etc.
at evening we visited Yvonne's sister Andree and her husband Marcel Redon for an an aperitif. They are a lively and welcoming couple. Andree is an artist who designed, painted and restored porcelain before she retired and her work is truly beautiful. Marcel is an excellent painter, primarily in oil but in watercolor too. He is also a musician who has played bass in a jazz band. Their daughter is another artist so the family is one of great talent.
The first thing we did was admire his paintings in the living and dining rooms and then visit his studio downstairs where he showed us his stash of paintings. He has had several exhibits of his work which is wonderful.
A friend of theirs, Danielle, arrived soon after and we had drinks and hors-d'oeuvre consisting of gougeres, boudin (a local sausage), galettes wrapped around various fillings and an excellent savory cake which Danielle had brought. Three of us, me included, were drinking rum punch made of rum, cane syrup and lime juice. After a couple of those, the party took off and we had a lot of fun just talking. Maybe it was the drinks, but I could understand a lot of what was said and could even do some of the talking.
A bit tipsy (me) but quite content, we went back to Yvonne's for a good night's sleep.
Sunday - March 22
Today we ( Yvonne, Andrre, Marcel, H and H) visited a nearby village, Panazol, which has a huge Sunday market. The stands go on and on and offer everything - meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, honey, crepes, cheese, flowers, clothing, household goods, even mattresses (free delivery provided) and chairs. It is a busy place and, as is typically French, many people bring their dogs. One of the attractions for me is watching the dogs socialize as they see or sniff other dogs. Funny!
Of course, you have to eat so the five of us returned to Yvonne's for lunch of lotte (a type of fish)prepared in coconut milk, rice and steamed chestnuts. The chestnuts can be bought frozen, without shells and are absolutely delicious. Have to see if they are available in the US. This had to followed by rest time.
Cramming many things into each day, we then went for a ride to another of Yvonne's sisters, Renee and her husband George who live in a country house with a large yard. Much less gregarious than the Redons or Yvonne, it produced a low key visit.
When we got back to Yvonne's it was - can you guess? - time to eat. This didn't occur until 21:00. First, it was necessary to arrange to rent a car for the drive from Limoges to Bergerac on Tuesday. This is no easy feat on the internet using French. The SNCF, the French railroad, provides access to car rental information. The forms to be filled out are "formidable". However they provided the best prices we found so I picked Europcar which could rent us a small Fiat for less then 100 Euros for three days. Great price since an attempt earlier to rent a car from Avis by going to an Avis office produced a price of over 300 Euros. The Avis office admitted, it is always cheaper to rent on the Internet. In any event, the rental completed, the Internet informed me that I must present the confirmation which would be sent by email in order to get the car. Now the troubles began. We could not get Yvonne's printer to print. It made all the appropriate sounds each time we clicked on the PRINT icon, but only a blank paper appeared in the out-tray. After much tinkering, we got it to print, but I don't know how. Now the problem was that it wanted to print the three page confirmation again and again for each time we had queued up the print command and I didn't know how to empty the queue. Oh well, we finally had the appropriate document to enable us to take possession of the car.
Monday - March 23
This morning was relaxing with normal chores. We had lunch at Andree and Marcel's. It was, as is so normal in France, delicious - potato-meat pie, salad with an excellent dressing followed as usual by a cheese course, apricot pie and coffee. All of the people we spent time with are slender. How do they do it?
Now it was time for a sad but necessary experience. The five of us went to the town of Oradour sur Glane. On June 10, 1944, this village of 600 plus people was destroyed and burned by the Nazis in retaliation for the resistance which was strong in this region. All of the men, in several groups, were herded together, their legs broken so they could not flee, and then burned to death. The women and children were gathered in the church and they too were burned alive. It is impossible to assimilate such horror - how one set of "human beings" could do such things to others. Yet today, amid the ruins, flowers bloom, trees grow, birds sing, the world goes on. Railroad tracks through the small village bring back thoughts of Auschwitz. All that is possible to ask is "why".
But a most pleasant event was to follow. We returned to Andree and Marcel's for a drink and they presented us one of Marcel's oil paintings as a gift. I was absolutely thrilled. It was so unexpected and so generous that I still cannot believe it. It will hang proudly at home.
Tuesday - March 24
Today is a transition day. At 10:00 we said goodbye to Yvonne and started off by car from Limoges to Bergerac. After arriving at the town of Brive, we left the autoroute and proceded on small roads toward Bergerac. As lunch time approached we began searching for a nice restaurant. In the village of St. Pierre de Chignac we found a small hotel with a prix fixe menu which appeared pleasant so in we went.
It was a small place with 3 people at the bar and the owner in attendance. They all gave us the once over since at this time of year it is probably most unusual to find tourists roaming about. When it became obvious that we were English-speaking, the owner asked if we were English in a not too welcoming tone - not bad, just cool. When we said we were Americans his face lit up in a big smile and the whole mood changed. He insisted on changing the pitcher of wine which he had set on the table for a "much better wine of Bergerac".
The three people at the bar, two men and a woman, were locals. The woman was from Holland and spoke English quite well. After a bit, they too sat down for lunch at a nearby table. Little by little we began to exchange comments and then to chat a bit. By the end of the meal we had become quite friendly. At this point the proprietor offered me another glass of the good wine which I accepted. And then one of the gentlemen at the other table decided that our meeting had to be celebrated by a bottle of champagne. So the three of them, Harley and myself and the proprietor and his wife who was also the cook, joined in champagne toasts. It was such a surprise to find a level of friendliness and acceptance toward strangers as I would never have imagined. It made the day.
We got a bit lost as we continued toward Bergerac. Could it have been the wine and champagne? So we got to the railroad station where we were to meet Thierry and Pierrette at a few minutes after 4:00 and there they were. A great reunion. We had last seen them in Paris in May 2008. Following their car we proceded to Thierry's mother's house where we met his mother, Muky, for the first time. Emilie, Thierry's niece, was there also. She was visiting from her home near Paris. As noted on an earlier entry, she and her immediate family had spent a Saturday afternoon with us in Paris.
It was a friendly and welcoming group that greeted us. Emilie's presence, since she speaks English well, was a big help. Being France the first thing to do was to have an aperitif. Thierry has a good memory and had ready a bottle of Pernod for me. After drinks, hors d'oeuvres and conversation, it was time for another late dinner. Pierrette, who is an excellent cook, made a leek pie. This was followed by very rare roast beef which was delicious, a salad and, of course, cheese. I was so tired by then that I can't remember if we had dessert. After all, midnight is not my normal bedtime.
Wednesday - March 25
Ate the leftover leek pie for breakfast. This must have been shocking to Muky because French people eat small breakfasts compared to Americans. And instant coffee? Oh well, even France isn't perfect.
In the yard behind Muky's house, there are a number of chickens, a rooster and two goats. It makes a nice picture. And the view from the back of the house is lovely. Hope the pictures come out.
The day was quite chilly. We went to the weekly outdoor market but the cold and wind made it hard to stay long. We did buy some endive and, on the way back to the house, we picked up some of the best baguettes aux noix (walnut baguettes) that we've ever had. It makes me want to learn to make baguettes. It will take some experimenting with different flours and I'm not sure our regular ovens without steam vents to produce the environment for a good crust will produce anything like the ones in the really good bakeries here. But it is worth a try.
Another recipe is required here. For lunch, Muky cooked the endive in the micro with a bit of olive oil and salt in a covered dish with air holes in the cover. So simple and they were delicious. This one is a must to try at home. Also learned a new wine combination. White wine with cassis is a Kir. Red wine with cassis is a Cardinal.
Muky's son Richard, Thierry's twin brother, arrived by train from his home near Paris. He got in just after 15:00. It was the first time we had met.
After he arrived, Harley played the piano which Muky and Richard seemed to enjoy very much. Muky is also a good pianist with a large collection of piano music. They enjoyed especially Chopin's music.
Then we were off to Thierry and Pierrette's. Thierry is converting a large barn into a spacious house and it is going to be beautiful. He showed us his progress so far. The barn has a very high ceiling with huge wood beams. The living room looks like it will be large with lots of windows. Since he works full time it is proceding slowly and we look forward to seeing how it goes on our next visit.
For dinner we had an aperitif and hors d'oeuvres as usual. Thierry, like Andree, makes a good rum punch - same basic recipe. A couple of those with brandade de morue on slices of baguettes started the evening. (Others chose different drinks.) Dinner included a beef bourgignon and a salad, followed by a great cheese selection and again, since it was getting very late, I forgot what we had for dessert. I think both Harley and I fell asleep on the quite long ride back to Muky's.
Thursday - March 26
What a long but lovely day. We slept later than usual because of our late bedtime, had a quick breakfast and then prepared to meet Thierry and Emilie for a visit to some interesting villages with medieval quarters. There were four of us – Harley and me, Mukey and Richard. We left the house at about 10:15 and finally got to our first stop, Cadouin about 11:45. Thierry and Emilie had already arrived so we began our visit. Cadouin has a very old Cistercien Abbey which was our first stop. It has an absolutely beautiful cloister which is the covered walkway which encloses a lovely garden. The cloister is supported by many columns each of which is decorated differently. Many of the stone carvings have worn away over the years but some are still in excellent condition. There is a museum like section describing a shroud which was originally believed to have covered Christ’s head. But in the 20th century expert evaluation found that the shroud contained Arabic writing (embroidered on the cloth) which mentioned Mohammed so that along with other analyses resulted in redating the fabric to the 11th century. The abbey church is relatively ornate by Cistercian standards but still quite simple. The village of Cadouin is very small so in a short while we had seen most ot the old streets and interesting buildings – most of the very old structures are built of stone. Wood ones would probably have burned down. The stone is a pleasant golden color which is also the color of the local sand. Over time though, oxidation has caused some of the stone to take on a rosy hue – quite lovely.
By this time, we were all getting hungry so we started out in our two cars to search for a nice restaurant. We drove a short distance and, as we entered Siorac en Perigord we saw a sign that advertised a culinary museum, a good indication that it might also have a nice restaurant and we were not disappointed. On one of the tiny streets we saw a small hotel, L'Auberge du Trefle a Quatre Feuilles. Thierry quickly checked it out and offered the opinion that it looked like a good bet. We entered a charming restaurant and discovered an excellent collection of set menus to choose from. Wish I had a copy of the menus. The restaurant is part of an inn which also offers rooms and small apartments. It would be an excellent location for touring the Dordogne which is overloaded with charming villages and unbelievable castles dotting a wonderful countryside. To be considered for a week on a future trip.
I will try to describe what I had for lunch because it is well worth the effort. It was another meal where it seemed I had entered food heaven again. First Thierry found a wine which was excellent and unbelievably inexpensive considering the quality. It was about 14 Euros or $18.00. Such a good wine would be very hard to find in a US restaurant for that price.
For entree, I had a creme brulee made with cepes with pieces of toasted gingerbread and a small salad (not to mention the very good hot rolls which were brought to the table). It should be noted that it is necessary to have good bread in these restaurants in order to wipe up the last bit of whatever is on the plate. What a sin not to be able to do that! The next course was very rare magret (duck breast) with several small mashed potato croquettes served with a delicious sauce. The croquettes were not fried, but I don't know any other way to describe them except as croquettes. For dessert I chose a trio of chestnut goodies which included a small piece of chestnut cake, a cup of chestnut mousse and a ball of chestnut ice cream. Not only was everything delicious (I must be using this word too much, but it can't be helped) but it was beautifully presented.
After that I'd have loved a nap but Thierry was bound that we see Sarlat, a mcuh larger medieval city, so off we went. And it was well worth seeing. There were so many photo ops that I used up two camera batteries. Hopefully, the photos will tell the story better than words.
Back to Muky's and to bed without supper since no one was hungry after that lunch. And tomorrow required getting up at 5:30 to be on the road by 6:00 to return the car in Limoges before 10:00.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
A Month in Paris - 4
Sunday March 15 (continued)
I went to check out the restaurant, Le Pamphlet. It is closed today but I was able to find exactly where it is located and read the posted menu. Sounds good. That done I walked to the Bastille and took the metro to Gare Austerlitz to get tickets for our trip to Limoges on Friday. More expensive than I thought, it costs 100 Euros from Paris to Limoges, one way. Turns out I got us on the TGV rather than the local train. Not what I had planned. When you buy a ticket for the TGV it is for the specific train on the given date with reserved seating.
Coming back home, I walked across a bridge over the Seine just west of Gare Austerlitz to get some photos. With the sun shining brightly, it was the ideal time and place to get some good shots along the river including a picture of Notre Dame far to the West. The river in both directions provides interesting views from this spot. Can't help loving this city.
Had to hurry home, because with only one key to the apartment, I had to get back before Harley or he would be locked out.
Lunch was leftovers from yesterday with some couscous added. Because it was such a beautiful day and much warmer than earlier in the month, we ate with the heat off and the front window open to enjoy the fresh air and the sounds of a street filled with people out for a Sunday stroll or for shopping.
Both yesterday and today the streets were filled with people. It reminds me of what I have read of the Spanish habit of strolling about on a nice afternoon or evening. The sidewalks were packed. Part of this is due to the fact that Parisians walk! Of course, if you had to drive in Paris you might walk too. And besides walking, many use motorbikes, bicycles (either their own or ones that can be rented for the day at a quite reasonable price from stations scattered about the city), and even in-line skates to move about the city.
Thierry called this afternoon to invite us to visit him and his wife, Pierrette in the Lot et Garonne. His home is near Bergerac which is southwest of Limoges so it makes sense to go there from Limoges after we visit Yvonne. As a result of these two visits our time in Paris is now quite limited. It will be great to see our friends, but I will miss Paris. We haven't accomplished much while we have been here. Still many things to see and do. Guess we'll have to come back next year and perhaps stay for a longer time. Still stopping at every real estate agency to scan the apartments for sale!
Another note on the apartment. There are no doors except for the one to the toilet (which is the size of a small closet - the toilet that is, not the door). And it contains the toilet, a miniature sink and bookshelves over the toilet containing all manner of travel books about Paris and nearby areas of France. There is no door to the room where you bathe or to the dressing area between the bathroom and the bedroom. And instead of a door between the bedroom and living room, there is a window shade mounted in the doorway. Different, but not a problem with only the two of us.
Monday - March 16
Monday seems to be street washing day in Paris. On the way to get the paper this morning I saw many people hosing down the sidewalks in front of their buildings or shops and sweeping the water into the street. And the green men were out in force washing down the streets and collecting the trash which had been dropped over the busy weekend. The street system provides a continual water source which pours out from the curb and is then used to clear away dirt and debris. Works well.
We took a long walk this morning to find out about renting a car which will probably be the best way to travel from Limoges to Lot et Garonne. My French is improving slightly but it is still hard to follow telephone conversations. Some car companies add a surcharge to the rental fee if you are 75 or older and we weren't sure how much that would be. But Europcar, the company we visited, does not have an additional fee so if we go with them, that will make it easier.
The internet and, in particular, SKYPE is amazing. I hadn't gotten through to Sandy for her birthday so I decided to use SKYPE to contact her if she were online. Sure enough as soon as I "phoned" her with SKYPE she answered and I could see her and talk to her. And it is all free. What a great invention. Also saw Satch when he sat on her lap asking her help in building a "humanoid" that is probably part of the Lego collection which he and Eli possess.
Sandy, Vic, Eli and Satch are leaving tomorrow for Istanbul for a weeks visit. I am looking forward to hearing about it as it is one of the places on my list of "to be seen". Sandy and the boys will then return to Singapore while Vic goes on to London on university business.
One of the nicest things to have happened in France is the banning of cigarette smoking in restaurants. It makes it so much nicer to go out to eat. Smoking is permitted at outside tables or in rooms which have their own ventilation system but not in the main dining room or at the bar. Bravo!!
Today the weather is again beautiful, the third day in a row. So it seems like a good time to visit another area in Paris. Checking a combination of Paris Walks ideas and restaurant suggestions and maps, we decided on a combination of walks. Belleville was the first objective (part of walk # 45. While the Marais is tres chic, Belleville is a working class neighborhood with many immigrants of different ethnicities. There are Muslims from Arab countries and from Africa, other Africans, Jews, and Asians. One area where we walked must be the Paris Chinatown as there were large numbers of Chinese restaurants and Chinese grocery stores. There were also some Vietnamese and Cambodian restaurants plus kosher shops and restaurants. We started at the metro stop, Belleville which was also the start of a large outdoor market. Fitting into the less affluent neighborhood, there were more stands with inexpensive clothes and the food items were much lower priced of lower quality and less elegantly displayed than in other markets we had visited. And the aisles were jam packed with people. Almost impossible to move at times.
After some time at the market, we decided we were hungry so we set out in search of a restaurant found in the 102 Best Restaurants book. And as usual it was easy to get lost. We had three different maps: one from the walk card, one on our main map of Paris and one I had sketched from the Yellow Pages which provide the most detailed and accurate maps for each arrondisement. So after wandering in a small hopeless circle, it was time to stop and spend a few minutes analyzing the maps and the possibilities. Aha, we are north of the main street, rue de Belleville and we should be south of it. I am going to lose my navigator's licence if I'm not more
careful.
Returning to rue de Belleville we happened upon the right street quite by accident and found the restaurant, Le Baratin on rue Jouye-Rouve in the 20th. It was a quite tiny, pleasant place seating about 25 people and definitely a neighborhood restaurant, not a tourist place. We were a few minutes early for lunch (nothing starts here for lunch before noon) but we were seated and had a chance to study the wine list posted on a large blackboard.
While we waited, the owner went out to get the baguettes for the day and returned with them, unwrapped and stuffed casually under his arm. Such a mode of transport would never fly in the US. Soon thereafter another blackboard was produced with the prix fixe menu for the day with the choice of a starter, choice of a main and cheese or dessert to finish. The food was good but didn't live up to its description. First time the restaurant book let us down. But the place was pleasant and the people friendly so we enjoyed ourselves.
Side note: Why hasn't the US adopted the idea of the handheld machines which are brought to the table to process credit cards?
Leaving the restaurant we walked 1/2 block up the street to the Parc de Belleville and sat down to enjoy the view and the beautiful Spring day. It was now time for another Paris Walks escapade.
Heading west we made our way to the Canal St. Martin which flows from the Seine through the northeast part of Paris, sometimes disappearing for a time when it is covered by a street and then emerging again to provide a pleasant stretch of water (Walk # 29). The canal is crossed by a number of pretty bridges and contains a several locks.
Off of the canal the walk card suggested a short detour to visit the Hopital St. Louis which was built in the early 17th century to house plague victims in isolation. It is a large compound and quite attractive having been designed by the same architect who designed the Place des Vosges. In the center is a similar square, not quite as elegant but very pleasant.
Returning to the canal, we continued to walk along it until we headed for the metro stop recommended as the end.
It bears repeating that the Paris metro system is a major asset for this city. I don't know of any city in the US that is as well served. It took three trains to get back to our area, but it was possible to connect and return to the apartment quickly.
Interesting fact: The name of our street is rue Vieille du Temple. There is another street named rue du Temple. Our street is older and when rue du Temple was constructed, the name of our street was Vieille rue du Temple which makes sense since it means the old rue du Temple. Then one day a bureaucrat decided that all street names must begin with the word rue. Hence the change in name so that it now does not make sense.
Wednesday - March 18
The day is again sunny and comfortable. After a quiet morning, we walked to the restaurant, Le Pamphlet. Our friends were due at 1:00 and it seemed a good idea to be there when they arrived. So, as usual we were much too early. But the dining room was very attractive and it was pleasant to sit and enjoy the ambiance. Georgette and Guy arrived just about 13:00. Nelly didn't get there until about 13:30 so we had a good chance to chat, in French of course. Georgette very kindly speaks slowly and distinctly so Harley was also able to follow along with most of the conversation.
Let me describe my dinner. The entree (note that the French use entree to mean the starting dish, which makes excellent sense) was made up of a circle of puff paste covered with a delicious sauce, grilled sardines, some tiny greens and grated Parmesan cheese. Small rolls were also served. Next came three of the best small lamb chops I've ever had served on of bed of polenta. And last was dessert - a mille feuille with a pistachio cream between the pastry leaves and a scoop of pistachio ice cream at the side. They also placed a plate of petit fours on the table in case you needed more food. And then we all had coffee which is quite expensive at this restaurant. Harley and I had doubles and the others took singles, which are the size of an espresso. One double cost 8 Euros otherwise know as about $11.00. It was excellent coffee! Everything was first rate. I'd love to go back there for a going away dinner.
It was also pleasant to note the different sizes and shapes of the plates on which the courses were served. Very attractive.
Thierry sent directions on getting from Limoges to Bergerac next Tuesday. We will rent a car in Limoges and drive there. It looks like a straight shot and using a city map on the Internet, it was easy to find the railroad station where we are to meet at 16:00.
(It is important to get used to the 24 hour clock as I have made several errors based on not thinking in this way. One involved missing a train a number of years ago and the other was this week when I tried to make a reservation at the restaurant for "onze heure" thinking that was 1:00PM when it was actually 11:00AM.)
Thursday - March 19
A few odds and ends.
Andre Malraux was appointed a minister of culture after WWII. And, thanks to him, many architecturally and historically significant buildings and entire areas were preserved in Paris and in other cities and towns. Of immediate interest is the Marais, this wonderful old quartier where we are staying and which has become tres chic and hence expensive. This part of Paris was a slum in the 1940's. All the buildings were old and in need of much repair and updating. The French government wanted to level the entire district, widen the streets and build modern apartment buildings. Realizing what would be lost by such a move, Malraux insisted that the area be restored, new systems be installed in houses and the original architecture retained to the greatest extent possible. And so now we have a wonderful quartier of narrow, meanderinstreets, charming facades and valuable real estate. Thank you M. Malraux.
The southwest of France is dotted with medieval towns, which were created by the Knights Templar as fortified villages called Bastides. They are another architectural treasure which has been preserved and which provide many opportunites to see the delightful architecture, often including medieval castles. One can spend much time wandering between these small towns and enjoying the oldest parts of the villages. And most also have a weekly market where surrounding farmers bring their produce - meat and poultry, vegetables and fruits, brandies and wines, and prepared foods. One of the true joys of the French countryside.
Where did the word limousine come from. According to a Rough Guide about France, the countryside called the Limousin was mainly a cattle raising section where the herdsmen wore a large shepherd's cape known as a limousine which gave its name to the "big, wraparound, covered 20th century car." Now you know.
Our dining table is close to the fireplace in the living room. This morning during breakfast it was a surprise to hear the sounds of a mourning dove coming down the chimney. The bird must have been near the chimney pot or, perhaps he has a nest in the chimney which is not now used.
The main task for today is to find a restaurant for Wednesday when we have invited Georgette, Guy and Nelly for lunch. The restaurant book on which I rely describes a place not far from here, Le Pamphlet, which sounds very good. If we can get a reservation, it will be our choice and I will report on it after we dine there.
Harley decided to go to St. Gervais to hear the organ and find if it is possible to play on the organ sometime. It is the organ described earlier which is about 500 years old and on which Couperin played.I went to check out the restaurant, Le Pamphlet. It is closed today but I was able to find exactly where it is located and read the posted menu. Sounds good. That done I walked to the Bastille and took the metro to Gare Austerlitz to get tickets for our trip to Limoges on Friday. More expensive than I thought, it costs 100 Euros from Paris to Limoges, one way. Turns out I got us on the TGV rather than the local train. Not what I had planned. When you buy a ticket for the TGV it is for the specific train on the given date with reserved seating.
Coming back home, I walked across a bridge over the Seine just west of Gare Austerlitz to get some photos. With the sun shining brightly, it was the ideal time and place to get some good shots along the river including a picture of Notre Dame far to the West. The river in both directions provides interesting views from this spot. Can't help loving this city.
Had to hurry home, because with only one key to the apartment, I had to get back before Harley or he would be locked out.
Lunch was leftovers from yesterday with some couscous added. Because it was such a beautiful day and much warmer than earlier in the month, we ate with the heat off and the front window open to enjoy the fresh air and the sounds of a street filled with people out for a Sunday stroll or for shopping.
Both yesterday and today the streets were filled with people. It reminds me of what I have read of the Spanish habit of strolling about on a nice afternoon or evening. The sidewalks were packed. Part of this is due to the fact that Parisians walk! Of course, if you had to drive in Paris you might walk too. And besides walking, many use motorbikes, bicycles (either their own or ones that can be rented for the day at a quite reasonable price from stations scattered about the city), and even in-line skates to move about the city.
Thierry called this afternoon to invite us to visit him and his wife, Pierrette in the Lot et Garonne. His home is near Bergerac which is southwest of Limoges so it makes sense to go there from Limoges after we visit Yvonne. As a result of these two visits our time in Paris is now quite limited. It will be great to see our friends, but I will miss Paris. We haven't accomplished much while we have been here. Still many things to see and do. Guess we'll have to come back next year and perhaps stay for a longer time. Still stopping at every real estate agency to scan the apartments for sale!
Another note on the apartment. There are no doors except for the one to the toilet (which is the size of a small closet - the toilet that is, not the door). And it contains the toilet, a miniature sink and bookshelves over the toilet containing all manner of travel books about Paris and nearby areas of France. There is no door to the room where you bathe or to the dressing area between the bathroom and the bedroom. And instead of a door between the bedroom and living room, there is a window shade mounted in the doorway. Different, but not a problem with only the two of us.
Monday - March 16
Monday seems to be street washing day in Paris. On the way to get the paper this morning I saw many people hosing down the sidewalks in front of their buildings or shops and sweeping the water into the street. And the green men were out in force washing down the streets and collecting the trash which had been dropped over the busy weekend. The street system provides a continual water source which pours out from the curb and is then used to clear away dirt and debris. Works well.
We took a long walk this morning to find out about renting a car which will probably be the best way to travel from Limoges to Lot et Garonne. My French is improving slightly but it is still hard to follow telephone conversations. Some car companies add a surcharge to the rental fee if you are 75 or older and we weren't sure how much that would be. But Europcar, the company we visited, does not have an additional fee so if we go with them, that will make it easier.
Tuesday - March 17
The internet and, in particular, SKYPE is amazing. I hadn't gotten through to Sandy for her birthday so I decided to use SKYPE to contact her if she were online. Sure enough as soon as I "phoned" her with SKYPE she answered and I could see her and talk to her. And it is all free. What a great invention. Also saw Satch when he sat on her lap asking her help in building a "humanoid" that is probably part of the Lego collection which he and Eli possess.
Sandy, Vic, Eli and Satch are leaving tomorrow for Istanbul for a weeks visit. I am looking forward to hearing about it as it is one of the places on my list of "to be seen". Sandy and the boys will then return to Singapore while Vic goes on to London on university business.
One of the nicest things to have happened in France is the banning of cigarette smoking in restaurants. It makes it so much nicer to go out to eat. Smoking is permitted at outside tables or in rooms which have their own ventilation system but not in the main dining room or at the bar. Bravo!!
Today the weather is again beautiful, the third day in a row. So it seems like a good time to visit another area in Paris. Checking a combination of Paris Walks ideas and restaurant suggestions and maps, we decided on a combination of walks. Belleville was the first objective (part of walk # 45. While the Marais is tres chic, Belleville is a working class neighborhood with many immigrants of different ethnicities. There are Muslims from Arab countries and from Africa, other Africans, Jews, and Asians. One area where we walked must be the Paris Chinatown as there were large numbers of Chinese restaurants and Chinese grocery stores. There were also some Vietnamese and Cambodian restaurants plus kosher shops and restaurants. We started at the metro stop, Belleville which was also the start of a large outdoor market. Fitting into the less affluent neighborhood, there were more stands with inexpensive clothes and the food items were much lower priced of lower quality and less elegantly displayed than in other markets we had visited. And the aisles were jam packed with people. Almost impossible to move at times.
After some time at the market, we decided we were hungry so we set out in search of a restaurant found in the 102 Best Restaurants book. And as usual it was easy to get lost. We had three different maps: one from the walk card, one on our main map of Paris and one I had sketched from the Yellow Pages which provide the most detailed and accurate maps for each arrondisement. So after wandering in a small hopeless circle, it was time to stop and spend a few minutes analyzing the maps and the possibilities. Aha, we are north of the main street, rue de Belleville and we should be south of it. I am going to lose my navigator's licence if I'm not more
careful.
Returning to rue de Belleville we happened upon the right street quite by accident and found the restaurant, Le Baratin on rue Jouye-Rouve in the 20th. It was a quite tiny, pleasant place seating about 25 people and definitely a neighborhood restaurant, not a tourist place. We were a few minutes early for lunch (nothing starts here for lunch before noon) but we were seated and had a chance to study the wine list posted on a large blackboard.
While we waited, the owner went out to get the baguettes for the day and returned with them, unwrapped and stuffed casually under his arm. Such a mode of transport would never fly in the US. Soon thereafter another blackboard was produced with the prix fixe menu for the day with the choice of a starter, choice of a main and cheese or dessert to finish. The food was good but didn't live up to its description. First time the restaurant book let us down. But the place was pleasant and the people friendly so we enjoyed ourselves.
Side note: Why hasn't the US adopted the idea of the handheld machines which are brought to the table to process credit cards?
Leaving the restaurant we walked 1/2 block up the street to the Parc de Belleville and sat down to enjoy the view and the beautiful Spring day. It was now time for another Paris Walks escapade.
Heading west we made our way to the Canal St. Martin which flows from the Seine through the northeast part of Paris, sometimes disappearing for a time when it is covered by a street and then emerging again to provide a pleasant stretch of water (Walk # 29). The canal is crossed by a number of pretty bridges and contains a several locks.
Off of the canal the walk card suggested a short detour to visit the Hopital St. Louis which was built in the early 17th century to house plague victims in isolation. It is a large compound and quite attractive having been designed by the same architect who designed the Place des Vosges. In the center is a similar square, not quite as elegant but very pleasant.
Returning to the canal, we continued to walk along it until we headed for the metro stop recommended as the end.
It bears repeating that the Paris metro system is a major asset for this city. I don't know of any city in the US that is as well served. It took three trains to get back to our area, but it was possible to connect and return to the apartment quickly.
Interesting fact: The name of our street is rue Vieille du Temple. There is another street named rue du Temple. Our street is older and when rue du Temple was constructed, the name of our street was Vieille rue du Temple which makes sense since it means the old rue du Temple. Then one day a bureaucrat decided that all street names must begin with the word rue. Hence the change in name so that it now does not make sense.
Wednesday - March 18
The day is again sunny and comfortable. After a quiet morning, we walked to the restaurant, Le Pamphlet. Our friends were due at 1:00 and it seemed a good idea to be there when they arrived. So, as usual we were much too early. But the dining room was very attractive and it was pleasant to sit and enjoy the ambiance. Georgette and Guy arrived just about 13:00. Nelly didn't get there until about 13:30 so we had a good chance to chat, in French of course. Georgette very kindly speaks slowly and distinctly so Harley was also able to follow along with most of the conversation.
The menu has a 35 Euro prix fixe section with good choices for entree, main and dessert. The a la carte menu also is tempting but the prix fixe is a good buy so Nelly, Harley and I had that. Guy and Georgette chose the tete a veau. I've never tried that but it is their favorite. They decided to skip the entree and dessert. We also had a very good red Sancerre from the Cote du Rhone. I had never seen a red Sancerre before. It was most pleasant with a spicy aftertaste.
Let me describe my dinner. The entree (note that the French use entree to mean the starting dish, which makes excellent sense) was made up of a circle of puff paste covered with a delicious sauce, grilled sardines, some tiny greens and grated Parmesan cheese. Small rolls were also served. Next came three of the best small lamb chops I've ever had served on of bed of polenta. And last was dessert - a mille feuille with a pistachio cream between the pastry leaves and a scoop of pistachio ice cream at the side. They also placed a plate of petit fours on the table in case you needed more food. And then we all had coffee which is quite expensive at this restaurant. Harley and I had doubles and the others took singles, which are the size of an espresso. One double cost 8 Euros otherwise know as about $11.00. It was excellent coffee! Everything was first rate. I'd love to go back there for a going away dinner.
It was also pleasant to note the different sizes and shapes of the plates on which the courses were served. Very attractive.
Thierry sent directions on getting from Limoges to Bergerac next Tuesday. We will rent a car in Limoges and drive there. It looks like a straight shot and using a city map on the Internet, it was easy to find the railroad station where we are to meet at 16:00.
(It is important to get used to the 24 hour clock as I have made several errors based on not thinking in this way. One involved missing a train a number of years ago and the other was this week when I tried to make a reservation at the restaurant for "onze heure" thinking that was 1:00PM when it was actually 11:00AM.)
Thursday - March 19
A few odds and ends.
Andre Malraux was appointed a minister of culture after WWII. And, thanks to him, many architecturally and historically significant buildings and entire areas were preserved in Paris and in other cities and towns. Of immediate interest is the Marais, this wonderful old quartier where we are staying and which has become tres chic and hence expensive. This part of Paris was a slum in the 1940's. All the buildings were old and in need of much repair and updating. The French government wanted to level the entire district, widen the streets and build modern apartment buildings. Realizing what would be lost by such a move, Malraux insisted that the area be restored, new systems be installed in houses and the original architecture retained to the greatest extent possible. And so now we have a wonderful quartier of narrow, meanderinstreets, charming facades and valuable real estate. Thank you M. Malraux.
The southwest of France is dotted with medieval towns, which were created by the Knights Templar as fortified villages called Bastides. They are another architectural treasure which has been preserved and which provide many opportunites to see the delightful architecture, often including medieval castles. One can spend much time wandering between these small towns and enjoying the oldest parts of the villages. And most also have a weekly market where surrounding farmers bring their produce - meat and poultry, vegetables and fruits, brandies and wines, and prepared foods. One of the true joys of the French countryside.
Where did the word limousine come from. According to a Rough Guide about France, the countryside called the Limousin was mainly a cattle raising section where the herdsmen wore a large shepherd's cape known as a limousine which gave its name to the "big, wraparound, covered 20th century car." Now you know.
Our dining table is close to the fireplace in the living room. This morning during breakfast it was a surprise to hear the sounds of a mourning dove coming down the chimney. The bird must have been near the chimney pot or, perhaps he has a nest in the chimney which is not now used.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A Month in Paris - 3
Wednesday - March 11
The Paris metro is fabulous. No matter where you want to go in this city, it seems possible to get within walking distance by metro. It may mean taking multiple lines with lengthy underground walks between lines some of which include a lot of stairs but you can get there! And except for Sundays, trains seem to run every three minutes all day, not just at rush hour. On Sunday the wait time is about 5 minutes. Not bad! And we haven't even tried the buses of which there seem to be many. As a confirmed public transport rider, Paris gets my vote all the way.
A couple of other general notes. SKYPE is a great system. When I came online yesterday afternoon, there was a SKYPE message from Deb. She cannot yet use the system to talk as her computer is lacking a microphone. But, using the SKYPE system we could have a "conversation". She could send a message with SKYPE showing me she was writing something (a pencil symbol wiggling away) and when I received and read it I could immediately write back. An excellent way to communicate in real time.
And since we never pass a real estate agent's window without checking out the places for sale, yesterday during our walk near the Hotel de Ville, we noted that apartments in other parts of Paris than the Marais, are more reasonably priced. So last night when I couldn't sleep, I spent time dreaming up ways we might be able to afford a small place in Paris - how about a reverse mortgage on our Baltimore house. That might do it. Worth considering.
Today is turning into a lazy day. Morning paper, breakfast, run dishwasher, update blog, catastrophe when water started to leak out of the cabinet under the kitchen sink onto the kitchen floor probably from dishwasher, turn off emergency water valve, mop up floor, turn water back on and hope for the best, make lunch, go out to buy eggs, bread and wine, take a nap to recover from yesterdays excercise, continue updating blog. Pretty boring eh what.
Thursday - March 12
Today is one of the two days during the week when marche Richard Lenoir is open; since this is a huge and fun market (5 stars in the book of Paris markets from which I took copious notes), we made the trip to it. Actually, it is not very far and we could walk, but having a metro pass makes it so easy to take the metro. And coming back we were loaded with food so we again took the metro.
We found the stand which had the delicious pruneaux d'Agen and the garlic olives so we stocked up again - more than last time as it is best not to run out of these staples. It is interesting that a number of stands have cooked beets for sale. Nelly suggested a salad of mache, beets, apples, cheese and walnuts which we want to try for dinner so we collected the ingredients at the market. We will substitute cashews for the walnuts since we have quite a few of them left from the purchases the other day at Izrael. I was disappointed in the stand where we got the mache and cooked beets. The mache was full of soil and grit. Have to skip that stand from now on. Not every vendor is good and it takes a bit of time to scout out the stars, but many are excellent and their owners are beginning to recognize us as this was our third visit to this market. We continue to use the same fish stand, cheese stand and olive and prune stand.
Also got cod, scallops and shrimp to make a cioppino for Saturday when Brigitte, Eric and Emilie are due to visit. The scallops are sold in the shell but the fish merchant will remove them for you.
In Peter Mayle's book about food in France, "French Lessons", there is an entire chapter on Livarot cheese and an annual fete for that cheese. Therefore it seemed necessary to try some of it. It is quite strong and delicious. I believe we ate Livarot in Normandy where it is produced, when we visited there several years ago.
So far we have found excellent baguettes in the local bakeries but the larger loaves of bread have been disappointing. Harley described them as Wonder Bread with a crisp crust. Today we noted that the stand where we got the olives and prunes also had some good looking bread including a pain aux noix otherwise known as walnut bread. We got a loaf and it is as good as it looks. We'll have to buy our bread at the artisinal stands in the market from now on!
Lunch (sauteed rascasse w/shallots and garlic, tiny boiled potatoes, broccoli and turnips) was almost over when Mme. Ferreira, the housekeeper who comes once a week to care for the apartment, arrived. She knew we were having a problem with the kitchen sink drainage since Martine had phoned her from the US after I emailed her. She worked on the sink drainage system for a while but was unable to get it working quite right. It still takes a long time to drain water which collects when washing dishes. When she left, she promised that her husband would stop by in the evening and work on it further. He arrived as we were finishing dinner and started in on it. He must have seen the same problem here before, because he knew just where to insert the snake he brought. The blockage was somewhere in the pipes in the floor or wall and was quite far down the system. And he produced a great improvement in the water flow. Not perfect but much more satisfactory. Hope it stays that way. It will be nice not to wait for 10 minutes for the sink to drain after washing vegetables or rinsing dishes. And, having gotten used to it, it will be nice to use the dishwasher again.
Mme. Feirrera is from Portugal but has lived in Paris for 19 years. She is a very pleasant person and does a great job of cleaning the apartment and changing sheets, etc. She does not speak English so it gives me a chance to practice French. Her husband is also a most agreeable person. We are lucky to have their help.
This afternoon, we visited the Picasso museum which is about 2 blocks from our apartment. Figuring there was no harm in asking I checked whether they would allow me free entrance as a volunteer at a museum in Washington. And they did. Professional courtesy I guess. The museum is in a huge hotel particulier (private mansion) and parts of the original interior architecture has been restored to its former elegance with high ceilings surrounded by plaster friezes and magnificent room proportions.
Their collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures is extensive. It covers the wide range of styles which Picasso experimented with during his long lifetime. He seemed to like goats as there were several goat sculptures. There was also a large painting from 1951 depicting a "Korean Massacre" which was reminiscent of Guernica and was probably sending the same message.
I especially liked his metal sculptures which were composed of metal sheets, cut, bent and painted.
Included in the exhibit were many of the paintings by other artists which Picasso himself had collected - Braque, Cezanne, Corot, Derain, Gauguin, Matisse, Miro, Modigliani, Renoir, Vuillard.
For dinner we had the mache salad with beets, etc and it was very good. Almost finished the walnut bread. It is a disaster to find so much good food when you have weak willpower. Oh well, back to Weight Watchers on our return to Baltimore.
We decided to splurge and go out to lunch today. 102 Best Restaurants in Paris has been reliable so we picked the Cafe des Musees, 49 rue de Turenne, 3rd arrondisement. I am including all this detail because next time we are in Paris this is a must visit.
The restaurant is quite small and tables are very close to each other. We went without reservations, something not to do again, even for lunch. Rather than have the daily menu which is the most reasonably priced, and undoubtedly excellent, we wanted to try two of the dishes recommended in the restaurant book. So Harley had the entrecote and frites accompanied by a bearnaise sauce and I had the chicken from Bresse cooked in an iron pot and served on a creamy bed of morels. The chicken dish got 4 OT's. What is an OT you ask. Many years ago there was a reviewer in Philadelphia who rated restaurants in OT's rather than stars. An OT was an "Orgasm of the Tongue". This dish really got them. Sopping up the sauce with the pieces of baguette prolonged the pleasure. We also shared a "pot" of wine, a carafe by another name and ended up with double cafes. We went away feeling like we had found nirvana. Just couldn't stop smiling. Quoting Peter Mayle's mention of Michelin Guide restaurant inspectors, "eating for a living is as close as one can reasonably come to heaven on earth". Friday the 13th certainly wasn't an unlucky day for us.
On the way back to the apartment we picked up salad for the next day at the marche des Enfants Rouge.
After a rest necessitated by lunch, it was time to make the soup base for the cioppino which we will serve on Saturday for our first guests. It is an easy recipe so getting it ready was no problem. It also seemed a good idea to wash all of the salad greens which we had picked up at the market. Enough work for one day.
Saturday - March 14
Out early to get the paper and the bread for lunch. I discovered that the patisserie was open already before 8:00AM so I picked out an assortment of pastries for lunch and proceeded on to our favorite bakery for bread. Horrors!! It is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Guess it will take a second trip to get the bread for lunch.
Back home, breakfast and the paper finished, we set up the table for lunch for 6 people. We added the leaf stored in the closet and found a table pad, table cloth and napkin. Then we made a trip to find good bread. It turns out that the patisserie/boulangerie where I had found the delicious looking pastries had some very good looking bread. There was a long line out the door waiting for their turn. When it was our turn, we picked 5 baguettes, a combination of walnut, traditional and seeded and returned once again, climbing our 82 steps to await our guests.
Brigitte, Eric, Emilie and Emilie's brother Maxanse were due at 12:30 so I warmed up the cioppino base, prepared salad dressing and got out the caponata, olives, sausage slices for the entree (French for starter and much more sensible than using entre to mean the main dish).
Our guests called us to tell us they would be late. They arrived just after 1:00PM laden with gifts - a beautiful bouquet of tulips, moutard de mieux, cheese, a bottle of wine. Such kindness. We are so fortunate to know them because of our friendship with Alain, Brigittes father. After we greeted each other, it was time for lunch. I believe all went well and that they enjoyed themselves.
It seemed like a good idea to take a walk in the area after lunch. Although they live close to Paris they do not come into the city very often so I served as guide. Brigitte mentionned that she loved gardens so we headed back toward the Hotel de Ville where we had discovered the 15th century house and garden several days ago. On the way we stopped at Izrael which seems to be a destination "worth a detour", walked by the garden and then went to the shop which sold antique musical instruments. Brigitte is a musician and this seemed like a worthwhile detour also. It was.
By this time, Harley was tired and went back to the apartment (where he proceeded to clean up most of the mess from lunch). The rest of us continued our walk, heading for the Place des Vosges and then coming back to the apartment. The end of a lovely day together.
Sunday - March 15
Today is Sandy's birthday. I sent her an email but don't know if it will be possible to speak with her.
Sunday provides a relaxed morning since there is no IHT so I don't have to go shopping first thing. And today is a beautiful day. OOPS, must have hit the wrong key and find I have published this part of the flog while I have more to say. I'll continue of part 4.
The Paris metro is fabulous. No matter where you want to go in this city, it seems possible to get within walking distance by metro. It may mean taking multiple lines with lengthy underground walks between lines some of which include a lot of stairs but you can get there! And except for Sundays, trains seem to run every three minutes all day, not just at rush hour. On Sunday the wait time is about 5 minutes. Not bad! And we haven't even tried the buses of which there seem to be many. As a confirmed public transport rider, Paris gets my vote all the way.
A couple of other general notes. SKYPE is a great system. When I came online yesterday afternoon, there was a SKYPE message from Deb. She cannot yet use the system to talk as her computer is lacking a microphone. But, using the SKYPE system we could have a "conversation". She could send a message with SKYPE showing me she was writing something (a pencil symbol wiggling away) and when I received and read it I could immediately write back. An excellent way to communicate in real time.
And since we never pass a real estate agent's window without checking out the places for sale, yesterday during our walk near the Hotel de Ville, we noted that apartments in other parts of Paris than the Marais, are more reasonably priced. So last night when I couldn't sleep, I spent time dreaming up ways we might be able to afford a small place in Paris - how about a reverse mortgage on our Baltimore house. That might do it. Worth considering.
Today is turning into a lazy day. Morning paper, breakfast, run dishwasher, update blog, catastrophe when water started to leak out of the cabinet under the kitchen sink onto the kitchen floor probably from dishwasher, turn off emergency water valve, mop up floor, turn water back on and hope for the best, make lunch, go out to buy eggs, bread and wine, take a nap to recover from yesterdays excercise, continue updating blog. Pretty boring eh what.
Thursday - March 12
The weather man doesn't do much better here than in the US. The forecast promised a cloudy day but we are having another rainy day. But it doesn't matter.
Today is one of the two days during the week when marche Richard Lenoir is open; since this is a huge and fun market (5 stars in the book of Paris markets from which I took copious notes), we made the trip to it. Actually, it is not very far and we could walk, but having a metro pass makes it so easy to take the metro. And coming back we were loaded with food so we again took the metro.
We found the stand which had the delicious pruneaux d'Agen and the garlic olives so we stocked up again - more than last time as it is best not to run out of these staples. It is interesting that a number of stands have cooked beets for sale. Nelly suggested a salad of mache, beets, apples, cheese and walnuts which we want to try for dinner so we collected the ingredients at the market. We will substitute cashews for the walnuts since we have quite a few of them left from the purchases the other day at Izrael. I was disappointed in the stand where we got the mache and cooked beets. The mache was full of soil and grit. Have to skip that stand from now on. Not every vendor is good and it takes a bit of time to scout out the stars, but many are excellent and their owners are beginning to recognize us as this was our third visit to this market. We continue to use the same fish stand, cheese stand and olive and prune stand.
Also got cod, scallops and shrimp to make a cioppino for Saturday when Brigitte, Eric and Emilie are due to visit. The scallops are sold in the shell but the fish merchant will remove them for you.
In Peter Mayle's book about food in France, "French Lessons", there is an entire chapter on Livarot cheese and an annual fete for that cheese. Therefore it seemed necessary to try some of it. It is quite strong and delicious. I believe we ate Livarot in Normandy where it is produced, when we visited there several years ago.
So far we have found excellent baguettes in the local bakeries but the larger loaves of bread have been disappointing. Harley described them as Wonder Bread with a crisp crust. Today we noted that the stand where we got the olives and prunes also had some good looking bread including a pain aux noix otherwise known as walnut bread. We got a loaf and it is as good as it looks. We'll have to buy our bread at the artisinal stands in the market from now on!
Lunch (sauteed rascasse w/shallots and garlic, tiny boiled potatoes, broccoli and turnips) was almost over when Mme. Ferreira, the housekeeper who comes once a week to care for the apartment, arrived. She knew we were having a problem with the kitchen sink drainage since Martine had phoned her from the US after I emailed her. She worked on the sink drainage system for a while but was unable to get it working quite right. It still takes a long time to drain water which collects when washing dishes. When she left, she promised that her husband would stop by in the evening and work on it further. He arrived as we were finishing dinner and started in on it. He must have seen the same problem here before, because he knew just where to insert the snake he brought. The blockage was somewhere in the pipes in the floor or wall and was quite far down the system. And he produced a great improvement in the water flow. Not perfect but much more satisfactory. Hope it stays that way. It will be nice not to wait for 10 minutes for the sink to drain after washing vegetables or rinsing dishes. And, having gotten used to it, it will be nice to use the dishwasher again.
Mme. Feirrera is from Portugal but has lived in Paris for 19 years. She is a very pleasant person and does a great job of cleaning the apartment and changing sheets, etc. She does not speak English so it gives me a chance to practice French. Her husband is also a most agreeable person. We are lucky to have their help.
This afternoon, we visited the Picasso museum which is about 2 blocks from our apartment. Figuring there was no harm in asking I checked whether they would allow me free entrance as a volunteer at a museum in Washington. And they did. Professional courtesy I guess. The museum is in a huge hotel particulier (private mansion) and parts of the original interior architecture has been restored to its former elegance with high ceilings surrounded by plaster friezes and magnificent room proportions.
Their collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures is extensive. It covers the wide range of styles which Picasso experimented with during his long lifetime. He seemed to like goats as there were several goat sculptures. There was also a large painting from 1951 depicting a "Korean Massacre" which was reminiscent of Guernica and was probably sending the same message.
I especially liked his metal sculptures which were composed of metal sheets, cut, bent and painted.
Included in the exhibit were many of the paintings by other artists which Picasso himself had collected - Braque, Cezanne, Corot, Derain, Gauguin, Matisse, Miro, Modigliani, Renoir, Vuillard.
For dinner we had the mache salad with beets, etc and it was very good. Almost finished the walnut bread. It is a disaster to find so much good food when you have weak willpower. Oh well, back to Weight Watchers on our return to Baltimore.
Friday - March 13
One of the delights of the streets in this and other neighborhoods is the beautiful black wrought iron work on many windows and balconies. The metal is formed into intricate designs and adds a graceful note to so many buildings. Other pleasures are the roof lines and chimney pots, and the huge elegant doors . So many things to take note of.
We decided to splurge and go out to lunch today. 102 Best Restaurants in Paris has been reliable so we picked the Cafe des Musees, 49 rue de Turenne, 3rd arrondisement. I am including all this detail because next time we are in Paris this is a must visit.
The restaurant is quite small and tables are very close to each other. We went without reservations, something not to do again, even for lunch. Rather than have the daily menu which is the most reasonably priced, and undoubtedly excellent, we wanted to try two of the dishes recommended in the restaurant book. So Harley had the entrecote and frites accompanied by a bearnaise sauce and I had the chicken from Bresse cooked in an iron pot and served on a creamy bed of morels. The chicken dish got 4 OT's. What is an OT you ask. Many years ago there was a reviewer in Philadelphia who rated restaurants in OT's rather than stars. An OT was an "Orgasm of the Tongue". This dish really got them. Sopping up the sauce with the pieces of baguette prolonged the pleasure. We also shared a "pot" of wine, a carafe by another name and ended up with double cafes. We went away feeling like we had found nirvana. Just couldn't stop smiling. Quoting Peter Mayle's mention of Michelin Guide restaurant inspectors, "eating for a living is as close as one can reasonably come to heaven on earth". Friday the 13th certainly wasn't an unlucky day for us.
On the way back to the apartment we picked up salad for the next day at the marche des Enfants Rouge.
After a rest necessitated by lunch, it was time to make the soup base for the cioppino which we will serve on Saturday for our first guests. It is an easy recipe so getting it ready was no problem. It also seemed a good idea to wash all of the salad greens which we had picked up at the market. Enough work for one day.
Saturday - March 14
Out early to get the paper and the bread for lunch. I discovered that the patisserie was open already before 8:00AM so I picked out an assortment of pastries for lunch and proceeded on to our favorite bakery for bread. Horrors!! It is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Guess it will take a second trip to get the bread for lunch.
Back home, breakfast and the paper finished, we set up the table for lunch for 6 people. We added the leaf stored in the closet and found a table pad, table cloth and napkin. Then we made a trip to find good bread. It turns out that the patisserie/boulangerie where I had found the delicious looking pastries had some very good looking bread. There was a long line out the door waiting for their turn. When it was our turn, we picked 5 baguettes, a combination of walnut, traditional and seeded and returned once again, climbing our 82 steps to await our guests.
Brigitte, Eric, Emilie and Emilie's brother Maxanse were due at 12:30 so I warmed up the cioppino base, prepared salad dressing and got out the caponata, olives, sausage slices for the entree (French for starter and much more sensible than using entre to mean the main dish).
Our guests called us to tell us they would be late. They arrived just after 1:00PM laden with gifts - a beautiful bouquet of tulips, moutard de mieux, cheese, a bottle of wine. Such kindness. We are so fortunate to know them because of our friendship with Alain, Brigittes father. After we greeted each other, it was time for lunch. I believe all went well and that they enjoyed themselves.
It seemed like a good idea to take a walk in the area after lunch. Although they live close to Paris they do not come into the city very often so I served as guide. Brigitte mentionned that she loved gardens so we headed back toward the Hotel de Ville where we had discovered the 15th century house and garden several days ago. On the way we stopped at Izrael which seems to be a destination "worth a detour", walked by the garden and then went to the shop which sold antique musical instruments. Brigitte is a musician and this seemed like a worthwhile detour also. It was.
By this time, Harley was tired and went back to the apartment (where he proceeded to clean up most of the mess from lunch). The rest of us continued our walk, heading for the Place des Vosges and then coming back to the apartment. The end of a lovely day together.
Sunday - March 15
Today is Sandy's birthday. I sent her an email but don't know if it will be possible to speak with her.
Sunday provides a relaxed morning since there is no IHT so I don't have to go shopping first thing. And today is a beautiful day. OOPS, must have hit the wrong key and find I have published this part of the flog while I have more to say. I'll continue of part 4.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
A Month in Paris - 2
Saturday - March 7
Our apartment building is quite small. From the street, you enter a vestibule and then pass through another door into the main hallway. Each entrance door requires that a code be entered in a pad by the door. There is no way to announce your arrival to someone in the building if you are a visitor so either you tell guests the code or they phone you that they are downstairs and you climb down the 82 steps to let them in. I don't know how one arranges with workmen or people delivering something to contact you if they don't have your phone number. Mysterious!
The staircase rises in one corner of the building. It is an elongated circular staircase. At each landing there are two apartments and there is a doorbell at the apartment door. We also discovered that there are toilets off the staircase between every two floors. Wonder if this remains from earlier times when apartments may not have had their own toilets.
The front windows of the apartment face the street and there are back windows facing a courtyard which makes the apartment very bright. Coming into the apartment itself, there is a small room off of which is the toilet. Here there is a desk by the window; the room serves as an office since the DSL connection is here. Then you pass into a good sized living room with a kitchen arranged along the wall opposite the front window. The bedroom is to the left of the entry room. It too is a nice size and also has a window facing the courtyard. Off the bedroom is closet space and the salle de bain - a bathroom without a toilet. It is common in France to separate the toilet from the rest of the bathroom appliances.
The kitchen is well stocked with equipment except for the lack of sharp knives or a sharpening stone. And it would be nice to have a couple of non-stick fry pans to replace the ones which have no non-stick surface left.
In the rear courtyard are multiple trash containers so that, in addition to the normal waste, you can dispose of bottles and glass in one place and paper in another. Very convenient.
Today I followed a shortcut which I discovered yesterday to the newsstand which carries the International Herald Tribune. It shortens the walk in the morning by a good bit - nice if you are lazy but bad if the exercise is needed. Have to decide if it is a good idea to take the shortcut or follow a longer route. Depends on plans for walking the rest of the day. The news kiosk opens at 7:00 and I am usually there shortly thereafter. Gotta get the news and the crossword.
After lunch we took the metro to the Bibliotheque National, the new national library. It is quite an imposing structure. It covers an area of about two long city blocks on one side and one long city block in the other direction. On each corner of this rectangle there is a large, tall, L-shaped building. Leading up to the entrance is a formidable staircase. When you climb the staircase, you are on about the fifth floor of the complex since far below, in the center is an open area which has been planted with a small forest. Between the buildings are closed walkways which themselves contain rooms of books on diverse subjects.
One of the buildings contained a fascinating display of two huge globes which were made as gifts for Louis IV by an Italian artist commissioned by a French bishop. One showed the earth as they knew it at that time and the other was their concept of the heavenly sphere. Along with this display were a series of videos showing features of the earth and Mars which were discovered by recent space probes.
Sunday - March 8
No paper today. The IHT publishes on Saturday for both Saturday and Sunday. This edition contains the Sunday New York Times crossword which took me a good part of Saturday and Sunday to complete.
Sunday is supposed to be the best day for the marche Richard Lenoir which we visited last Thursday, so we rose early to get to the market shortly after 9:00. It was an overcast. drizzly day but we tramped through most of the market and made many purchases - salmon, cheeses, pate, several vegetables, more of those delicious olives with garlic, some fruit. Again we will eat well for several days. But we didn't find the pruneaux d'Agen which are like no prunes found at home. We will continue our search again next week.
We hurried back to the apartment to put away our stash since we were to meet Nelly, Yvonne's daughter, at 11:30 at another market, marche d'Aligre. We arrived in plenty of time but then proceded to get very lost as we tried to find our agreed upon meeting place. By this time it was raining hard and my shoes and pants, which are too long and drag in the water, were thoroughly soaked. Finally, after asking a number of people for directions, we discovered, that I, as navigator had gone in exactly the opposite direction as we left the metro so that, after an hour of trudging throught the rain, we found our meeting place, a very popular pub (or the French equivalent thereof) but no Nelly. We were very late. We decided to wait and struck up a conversation with two men who allowed as how the US was horrible under M. Bush but had improved in their view now that Obama was president. Couldn't have agreed with them more. Just then Nelly returned and we started off to visit the market. It is a multi-part market including a flea market, a very chic indoor market and an outdoor market with lower prices.
Our first stop was at a stand selling African food ready to eat because, by this time, I was starving and so we ordered a large plate of various finger foods all of which were delicious. They also sold pecan pie (is this African?) which Harley could not resist. I had ginger juice to drink which I could not resist. We sat a tiny table with three chairs on the side of a narrow aisle and enjoyed our food. Nelly called her mother Yvonne who was in Biarritz at a market (what else matters in France except food) and I got a chance to say hello. After recovering from this great hunger we strolled about the market getting wetter and wetter with each passing minute. But great success was achieved when I found drain unclogging liquid in a shop to try to make our kitchen sink behave better. Haven't tried it yet but here's hoping! (So far it hasn't worked and we will try another application, but the problem probably requires a plumber.)
Nelly had brought her car and she drove us back to the Marais where we searched for a long while for a parking place. She ended up parking on a crosswalk facing the wrong direction on a one-way street hoping not to get a ticket. We'll see! And then she came up to the apartment where I changed out of my very wet clothes and we had hot tea, some sweets we had bought at the market, pears, cheese and honey.
For me, to have a car in Paris which has a wonderful public transportation system is madness. There is a traffic jam on every street and parking is an eternal challenge, but if you love driving a car it seems to be worth it.
When Nelly left, both of us took naps, exhausted by the busy morning.
Monday - March 9
Walking about the Marais continues to be a delight. On Sunday many of the shops remain open although Nelly told us it is not legal and they will all pay fines. But, it must be worth it to them since so many were open.
I may have mentionned this already but it is fascinating that, to preserve the history of the area many of the old signs above the shop windows have been retained announcing the type of shop which is below the sign. However, when you look at the shop it turns out to be something totally different such as a hotel lobby with a sign above that says "bakery" or a brasserie under a "butcher shop" sign.
I haven't yet learned how to add photos to the blog. Perhaps today and if not some other time!
I am about to make lunch and since I haven't yet figured out the regular microwave or it there exists a regular oven, the salmon will have to be prepared on top of the stove. Another challenge. And in addition we will steam some broccoli and reheat the delicious tiny potatoes that were cooked on Saturday. Food, food, food. Or to quote Peter Mayle about France, food is the basic religion here. Not a bad idea! No wonder I love France. Just so the recipe is not lost - pan-fry the salmon in a very hot skillet with some olive oil until almost done. Add some orange juice mixed with tamari and cook another few seconds. Serve. Yum! The fish which was from the marche Richard Lenoir was wonderful.
Our apartment building is quite small. From the street, you enter a vestibule and then pass through another door into the main hallway. Each entrance door requires that a code be entered in a pad by the door. There is no way to announce your arrival to someone in the building if you are a visitor so either you tell guests the code or they phone you that they are downstairs and you climb down the 82 steps to let them in. I don't know how one arranges with workmen or people delivering something to contact you if they don't have your phone number. Mysterious!
The staircase rises in one corner of the building. It is an elongated circular staircase. At each landing there are two apartments and there is a doorbell at the apartment door. We also discovered that there are toilets off the staircase between every two floors. Wonder if this remains from earlier times when apartments may not have had their own toilets.
The front windows of the apartment face the street and there are back windows facing a courtyard which makes the apartment very bright. Coming into the apartment itself, there is a small room off of which is the toilet. Here there is a desk by the window; the room serves as an office since the DSL connection is here. Then you pass into a good sized living room with a kitchen arranged along the wall opposite the front window. The bedroom is to the left of the entry room. It too is a nice size and also has a window facing the courtyard. Off the bedroom is closet space and the salle de bain - a bathroom without a toilet. It is common in France to separate the toilet from the rest of the bathroom appliances.
The kitchen is well stocked with equipment except for the lack of sharp knives or a sharpening stone. And it would be nice to have a couple of non-stick fry pans to replace the ones which have no non-stick surface left.
In the rear courtyard are multiple trash containers so that, in addition to the normal waste, you can dispose of bottles and glass in one place and paper in another. Very convenient.
Today I followed a shortcut which I discovered yesterday to the newsstand which carries the International Herald Tribune. It shortens the walk in the morning by a good bit - nice if you are lazy but bad if the exercise is needed. Have to decide if it is a good idea to take the shortcut or follow a longer route. Depends on plans for walking the rest of the day. The news kiosk opens at 7:00 and I am usually there shortly thereafter. Gotta get the news and the crossword.
After lunch we took the metro to the Bibliotheque National, the new national library. It is quite an imposing structure. It covers an area of about two long city blocks on one side and one long city block in the other direction. On each corner of this rectangle there is a large, tall, L-shaped building. Leading up to the entrance is a formidable staircase. When you climb the staircase, you are on about the fifth floor of the complex since far below, in the center is an open area which has been planted with a small forest. Between the buildings are closed walkways which themselves contain rooms of books on diverse subjects.
One of the buildings contained a fascinating display of two huge globes which were made as gifts for Louis IV by an Italian artist commissioned by a French bishop. One showed the earth as they knew it at that time and the other was their concept of the heavenly sphere. Along with this display were a series of videos showing features of the earth and Mars which were discovered by recent space probes.
Sunday - March 8
No paper today. The IHT publishes on Saturday for both Saturday and Sunday. This edition contains the Sunday New York Times crossword which took me a good part of Saturday and Sunday to complete.
Sunday is supposed to be the best day for the marche Richard Lenoir which we visited last Thursday, so we rose early to get to the market shortly after 9:00. It was an overcast. drizzly day but we tramped through most of the market and made many purchases - salmon, cheeses, pate, several vegetables, more of those delicious olives with garlic, some fruit. Again we will eat well for several days. But we didn't find the pruneaux d'Agen which are like no prunes found at home. We will continue our search again next week.
We hurried back to the apartment to put away our stash since we were to meet Nelly, Yvonne's daughter, at 11:30 at another market, marche d'Aligre. We arrived in plenty of time but then proceded to get very lost as we tried to find our agreed upon meeting place. By this time it was raining hard and my shoes and pants, which are too long and drag in the water, were thoroughly soaked. Finally, after asking a number of people for directions, we discovered, that I, as navigator had gone in exactly the opposite direction as we left the metro so that, after an hour of trudging throught the rain, we found our meeting place, a very popular pub (or the French equivalent thereof) but no Nelly. We were very late. We decided to wait and struck up a conversation with two men who allowed as how the US was horrible under M. Bush but had improved in their view now that Obama was president. Couldn't have agreed with them more. Just then Nelly returned and we started off to visit the market. It is a multi-part market including a flea market, a very chic indoor market and an outdoor market with lower prices.
Our first stop was at a stand selling African food ready to eat because, by this time, I was starving and so we ordered a large plate of various finger foods all of which were delicious. They also sold pecan pie (is this African?) which Harley could not resist. I had ginger juice to drink which I could not resist. We sat a tiny table with three chairs on the side of a narrow aisle and enjoyed our food. Nelly called her mother Yvonne who was in Biarritz at a market (what else matters in France except food) and I got a chance to say hello. After recovering from this great hunger we strolled about the market getting wetter and wetter with each passing minute. But great success was achieved when I found drain unclogging liquid in a shop to try to make our kitchen sink behave better. Haven't tried it yet but here's hoping! (So far it hasn't worked and we will try another application, but the problem probably requires a plumber.)
Nelly had brought her car and she drove us back to the Marais where we searched for a long while for a parking place. She ended up parking on a crosswalk facing the wrong direction on a one-way street hoping not to get a ticket. We'll see! And then she came up to the apartment where I changed out of my very wet clothes and we had hot tea, some sweets we had bought at the market, pears, cheese and honey.
For me, to have a car in Paris which has a wonderful public transportation system is madness. There is a traffic jam on every street and parking is an eternal challenge, but if you love driving a car it seems to be worth it.
When Nelly left, both of us took naps, exhausted by the busy morning.
Monday - March 9
Walking about the Marais continues to be a delight. On Sunday many of the shops remain open although Nelly told us it is not legal and they will all pay fines. But, it must be worth it to them since so many were open.
I may have mentionned this already but it is fascinating that, to preserve the history of the area many of the old signs above the shop windows have been retained announcing the type of shop which is below the sign. However, when you look at the shop it turns out to be something totally different such as a hotel lobby with a sign above that says "bakery" or a brasserie under a "butcher shop" sign.
I haven't yet learned how to add photos to the blog. Perhaps today and if not some other time!
I am about to make lunch and since I haven't yet figured out the regular microwave or it there exists a regular oven, the salmon will have to be prepared on top of the stove. Another challenge. And in addition we will steam some broccoli and reheat the delicious tiny potatoes that were cooked on Saturday. Food, food, food. Or to quote Peter Mayle about France, food is the basic religion here. Not a bad idea! No wonder I love France. Just so the recipe is not lost - pan-fry the salmon in a very hot skillet with some olive oil until almost done. Add some orange juice mixed with tamari and cook another few seconds. Serve. Yum! The fish which was from the marche Richard Lenoir was wonderful.
After lunch we wandered over to the Jewish area on rue des Rosiers. (Part of walk #9 in Paris Walks) This used to be a neighborhood of small Jewish shops, especially food shops and small restaurants. Although there are still quite a number of such places, there are also quite a few new falafel stands and chic clothing and accessory shops. One of the food shops, Sacha Finkelsztajn, was recommended by Nelly. It had a large selection of prepared foods of all kinds: gefulte fish, borek, tarama salata, many kinds of bread, desserts and many more items. Just what we needed for supper.
On interesting fact of little importance - the dishwasher takes 177 minutes to wash and dry a load of dishes! Wonder if there is a better setting to shorten the time. But then the clothes washing machine takes about 2 hours. Perhaps this is normal for appliances here. It is possible, since our washing machine at home, which is European, takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to do a normal load of wash, part of the time being used to heat the water since the machine takes in only cold water.
Tuesday - March 10
It started out quite rainy this morning so we planned to go to the Picasso Museum instead of taking a long walk in some new area. But, by the time lunch was over, the sun had come out (and besides, Picasso Museum is closed on Tuesday) so it looked like a good time for another walk.
This time we headed for the Hotel de Ville by metro. Having a month pass for the metro makes it convenient to go places at a moments notice without worrying about the cost or having to stop to buy a ticket. In the long run, it may not be cost effective, but it is very efficiency effective and that counts for a lot. In any case, the walk led to the church St. Gervais which we had visited on an earlier stay in Paris. We went in to admire the organs - there are three and I have photos of two of them. The grand orgue (large organ) is about 500 years old and was played by Francois Couperin, a contemporary of JS Bach. It wasn't being played but Harley may yet return to hear it and I may tag along to visit some of the great shops in the neighborhood.
Harley stopped into a shop, Orphee, which had antique musical instruments for sale. They dated from the 17th century to the mid-20th century. As we left the shop another hard rain shower began and we ducked into a tapas bar to escape the downpour and to refresh ourselves - a pression (draft beer) for Harley and a hot chocolate for me. Then, as quickly as it started, the rain was over and we continued our ramble. The next stop was the most wonderful to date! The name of the shop is Izrael. It carries the most amazing collection of food stuff. It is quite small and has shelves floor to ceiling and very narrow aisles. The shelves are chock full of jars and bottles of every unusual ethnic food you can think of from all over the world. It also had every spice imaginable and large containers of dried fruits, nuts and fresh foods such as hummus, sour pickles, the equivalent of samosas, olives, etc. etc. etc. To quote the information on the Paris Walks card it is "a legendary spice shop stacked high with shimmering candied fruits and other treats." Here I found chestnut puree which is delicious. Anything with chestnuts is delicious. They are apparently used more widely here than in the US as I see chestnut soup and other dishes including chestnuts on many restaurant menus.
Across from the shop are two half-timbered houses from the 15th century. Probably taxes were assessed according to the number of feet of house facing the street because each is five or six stories high. There are very few of such houses left because frequent fires destroyed most of the them and their construction was finally forbidden.
We then turned a corner and walked by a medieval mansion dating from 1475, the Hotel de Sens. Hotel was a word used to described a very large private house in earlier days. Behind the house is a beautiful "tapestry" garden, a formal geometric arrangement of boxwood.
Thoroughly exhausted by this time, we decided to return home but I hope to return to shop at Izrael and to see more of the Hotel de Sens and its garden.
The closest metro stop at this point did not go in any direction that led quickly home so we followed a circuitous route going far south to Place d'Italie, changing for a metro to Bastille and changing again for a metro to St. Sebastian-Fossarte. The length of the walks when changing metros and the many stairways might have made it more effective to just have walked home!
And guess what - it was almost time for supper and early to bed.
A Month in Paris - 1
A Month in Paris – March 2009
The time has finally arrived. We are going to spend a month in Paris, a dream of many years. We have rented an apartment on the fourth floor of an older building for the month of March. Well it is the fourth floor by French standards but the fifth floor by American count. So each time we go or come we have 82 steps to maneuver. Remember this is an old building with high ceilings. But it is in the Marais and so is convenient to many sights and good transportation.
Sat-Sun Feb 28 – March 1.
But let’s start at the beginning. On our way to Paris from Baltimore, we stopped in Newton, MA to spend a few days with a dear friend and had a wonderful time while there. After enjoying the visit, eating at some favorite restaurants and spending a morning at the Museum of Fine Arts, we set off for the airport. As usual. We were several hours early and spent the time waiting for our Air France flight to CDG reading and browsing the shops. The plane was a Boeing 747, huge and packed. We had reserved our favorite sitting arrangement, aisle seats across from each other so neither of us was stuck in the middle seat. The flight left promptly at 5:30PM and a while later, we were served dinner. We had taken advantage of the ability to pre-order our dinner, seafood for both of us, and were soon enjoying some very good food along with a small bottle of red wine. Service on Air France sure beats any US airline we have ridden lately. Then came the attempt to doze for a short time because a light breakfast was served about three hours later.
We arrived at CDG earlier than scheduled and, as is normal for an early arrival, had to wait a while for a gate. But once landed we got through immigration rapidly and then went to get our baggage – a very long process. It seemed like the baggage handlers were having a mini-strike because our bags did not show up for almost two hours. But they did arrive and so we were lucky. At this point we were lugging three suitcases of varying sizes, all on wheels, plus a backpack. Going through customs was a breeze; the officers barely looked at us as we left the baggage area.
Now it was time to figure out how to get a monthly metro/bus pass and tickets on the RER to the center of Paris. Luckily the first line I tried was the correct one and a lovely and most helpful young woman sold us passes for transportation throughout the city of Paris plus the requisite tickets on the RER and told me what lines to take on both the RER and the metro to reach our street. We were off to the RER which provided express service to Gare du Nord, a lengthy walk underground to the desired metro line and a one stop ride to our street. Since I knew only the street address of our apartment, we ended up far from our destination and had to make a long walk with all the luggage to find the place. But this was the easy part. Hardest was pulling our bags up the stairs at our final metro stop. With luck a very helpful man carried two of the bags up part of the way.
And so we finally got to the correct building. Now to figure out how to get in. Step one was to enter a code on a keypad to get through door #1. Whoo, that worked. Now repeat for door number 2. An expert now, that too worked. Now to find the keys to the apartment which were to be in an electric box – but where was the electric box. So we tried the two electric boxes in the entry hall – no hall light and no keys appeared to the touch. So I climbed to our apartment toting some of the luggage as I went. It took a few rest stops on the way up to catch my breath but I finally made it and, voila, there was an electric box by the door in which I found the keys. I opened the door, dragged in what I had brought up and returned downstairs. Now Harley made a trip up with a small suitcase and I began moving things from the largest suitcase to a large plastic bag and a couple of canvas bags we had brought for shopping. Then I started carrying things up, one landing at a time to bring the suitcase and the three filled bags upward. I got everything to the third floor when Harley reappeared and we got it all into the apartment where we promptly collapsed on the sofa. After a few minutes of catching our breath and making a quick survey of the apartment, the unpacking process began. Before I could settle in, everything had to find its proper place. As soon as that was over, a nap was in order and it turned into a very long nap. After all, we had had no naps on Saturday and hardly slept Saturday night.
Finally, toward about 3:00 PM local time, we decided to go out and find a restaurant for a meal. This is a very old and thus very confusing quarter. Streets are narrow and go every which way. So we ended up going in the opposite direction than the one intended and found a good brasserie with the most amazing salads – huge and very good plus a good quiche, bread, wine. An excellent first meal in Paris.
The next step was to make a brief shopping excursion for breakfast food for the next day. Across from our apartment we found a tiny grocery store where we picked up eggs, orange juice, apples and clementines. That would do until we had the energy for a more extensive shopping trip for other necessities on Monday.
Finally we returned to the apartment, climbed up the long staircase and went very early to bed. Must have been asleep by 7:00 PM. And what is more astounding, we slept until 8:00 in the morning, catching up on just about all of the lost sleep. Who says you should try to stay up and get on the correct schedule immediately. This large amount of sleep the first day and night wiped out just about all of our jet lag.
Monday – March 2
Feeling very Parisian, the first thing in the morning required a trip out for a newspaper and fresh bread. As I noted above, it is easy to get lost in the Marais as no streets are parallel or perpendicular to each other and get lost I did. At last I found the requisite International Herald Tribune (IHT) and two delicious baguettes and found my way back to the apartment where we made our first meal in the apartment. After reading the paper we wandered the local streets enjoying the ambiance. Wonderful architecture is everywhere with those great huge doors sprinkled about. These lead into large courtyards that in earlier days provided access for horses and carriages. Fun to peer inside when the doors are open.
After breakfast, it was time for some more shopping for food and other necessities. We found a supermarket not too far away and stocked up on corn flakes, oatmeal, milk and staples such as laundry soap, soup and olive oil. We also found a very pleasant Italian food shop on rue de Bretagne where we couldn’t resist the delicious looking eggplant salad, olives, cheese from Sicily and red wine as well as pasta and pasta sauce.
We returned laden with packages and had lunch based on the goodies from the Italian grocery. Food and wine encouraged us to take another long nap. Supper was also created with our finds of the morning and we went to sleep early to finally make up for our loss of sleep. Getting older necessitates lots of sleep, especially after jet lag sets in.
Tuesday – March 3, 2009
So far the weather has been lovely so after breakfast today we went walking in the neighborhood to discover more about it and to visit the Marche des Enfants Rouge, one of the many farmer’s markets in Paris. It is quite near our place and was recommended by a friend of Deb’s who owns an apartment not too far from here. It is a small market with beautiful vegetable and fruit stands and a number of stands that sell prepared foods that can be eaten there or taken home with you. Everything looked delicious - Morroccan food, Middle Eastern food, African food, Italian and Organic food. We bought a bagful of fruits and vegetables to better stock the refrigerator including a huge cauliflower which we cooked for lunch. We also visited a butcher shop which had chickens on a rotisserie out front. We decided that would contribute to two or three good lunches. While in the shop we were tempted by a pate which we looked forward to having for supper. We also found a nice wine store and brought home 2 bottles, a Cote du Rhone and a Sancerre. Gotta be prepared remembering that it is necessary to carry heavy things up the stairs a few pieces at a time.
While we were out on our morning jaunt, we visited a watch repair atelier which we had found listed in the yellow pages. Harley’s pocket watch had suddenly gone a bit wild, and was marking time at a very rapid rate. The man who checked the watch indicated that it had become magnetized, probably from being too close to credit cards; he demagnetized it and it seems to be working well. Then began a most pleasant conversation with the gentleman speaking the usual rapid French that is so common in Paris. I think I got about 75% of the content which covered interesting things to do in Paris, a trip he had made to national parks in the western US, and a visit he had just completed to an island south of Madagascar. He recommended that we get a book which describes the private gardens of Paris. Haven’t done it yet but it is another thing to try.
Time to eat lunch. It is fun to prepare meals from all of the wonderful food which is everywhere you look. And the dishwasher in the apartment is certainly a plus. Wish we had room for a dishwasher at home. It surely cuts down on the clean-up problem.
After lunch I went in search of the bakery I had found on Monday morning but couldn’t find earlier in the day. Their poppy seed baguette was awesome. I decided to just go up and down every street in the neighborhood until I found it and, voila, there it was on a small side street. Trouble is that describes the majority of the nearby streets. At the same time I got some freshly ground coffee and some coarse ground pepper which I like very much. We’ll try the coffee tomorrow and see if it lives up to expectations.
At dinner we enjoyed the pate with a salad, good bread and wine with apple and cheese for dessert. Another great day.
Wednesday – March 4
Today I got lost again going for the paper but found my way. It just meant a very long walk first thing which is better than sitting still. During the walk I spotted one of the “green” men of Paris who, with their green brooms, sweep the streets. They keep things in order and quite clean without resorting to huge street cleaning trucks necessitating alternate side parking on specified days. Does seem an advantage as it also provides jobs. Another thing that struck me is that hallways in apartment buildings are not kept lit all the time. To get light you press a switch and the lights come on for a specified period of time after which they automatically turn off. Seems like a good idea in these energy deficient times. Wonder why the US doesn’t adapt that system.
This was a quiet morning during which we caught up on computer chores and reading the paper. Also figured out how to heat food in the micro so we used this new found knowledge to heat up some of yesterday’s leftover chicken and cauliflower. Made some couscous which I found in the cabinet. Good lunch again with figs, clementines and bananas for desert.
Just as we were about to go to the Picasso Museum the phone rang which produced a short panic moment while I wondered how to answer it. Turned out all that was necessary was to pick the phone up out of the charger where it normally resides. It was Emilie who was in Paris. So instead of visiting Picasso’s art, we waited for Emilie to arrive and then took a walk to the Place des Vosges. We hadn’t seen Emily since January when she returned from her job in Washington as an au pair to her home outside of Paris.
Every new street we walk down produces interesting shops and architecture. It is always a treat. And then to top it all, we walked all around the Place de Vosges which is a magnificent square with gardens in the center and fabulous buildings encircling it completely. Many of the buildings now house art galleries which will be worth returning to for a more leisurely examination.
On our way back to the apartment, we stopped into the Musee Carnavalet, a huge and elegant building from 1544 with wonderful gardens. It was once a private palace and is beyond belief in its size and elegance. Now it is a museum with displays depicting aspects of the history of France. One of the characteristics which I found most interesting was the leaded windows in several of the rooms of the palace. Each room contained windows made up of small glass panes but the design of the windows in each room was different from that in any other room.
After returning to rue Vieille du Temple, we stopped at a very nice creperie across the street from our apartment, Café Breizh, which was written up in our restaurant guide to the 102 best restaurants of Paris. We all enjoyed excellent buckwheat crepes along with a bottle of Brittany cider, the traditional drink with crepes from Brittany. The dessert crepes looked and sounded delicious, but the savory crepes were so filling we decided to leave that for another day. But they are a must before we return to the real world,
Thursday – March 5
Time for another adventure today. First though it was necessary to get the newspaper and stock up on bread. I now knew the whereabouts of my favorite bakery and was tempted by a baguette sprinkled with poppy seeds, which we had before and liked a lot, a whole wheat bread (pain complet) and a baguette containing seeds in the dough.
Then, the adventure. After analyzing maps we set out for the Marche Richard Lenoir. We walked for quite a way and then took the metro the rest of the distance. It proved we knew how to use our metro pass and also allowed us to warm up a bit because the morning was quite chilly. When we got to the Bastille, which is where the market begins, we were surprised by the large size and amount of activity we found. The market runs for several blocks, has 3 major aisles and carries not only food products but clothing and household goods.
The number of fruit and vegetable stands and their quality was mind boggling. There were also flower stands, cheese stands, butchers, fish stands and takeaway food stands of various ethnicities. Since hunger was setting in from seeing so much delicious food, we treated ourselves to a plain buckwheat crepe as a snack. (Plain but with a bit of butter spread on it.) It was delicious. You can get the crepes to take away. They would make a wonderful meal with a filling of cheese and/or mushrooms or a lot of other things.
We returned home with loaded shopping bags – mache, clementines, haricots verts, fish (rascasse, a fish from the Mediterranean which is an important ingredient of boulliabasse), cheeses, eggs, olives (which were delicious flavored with garlic and thyme), pruneaux d’agen which reminded us of earlier visits to le Temple sur Lot which is in the region where these plums are grown, and mushrooms. If it seems like this trip revolves around food, you are so right.
We pan fried the fish for lunch and they were delicious.
Friday – March 6, 2009
I didn’t get lost today when going for the newspaper and I discovered a more direct route to the paper stand. I also took the opportunity this morning to acquire a bottle of calvados which reminds me of an earlier trip to Normandy when we visited a place where they produced calvados, a brandy made with apples.
Today was the day to branch out, leaving the Marais and taking the metro to another arrondissment. After lunch we took the metro to the 13th starting at the Place d'Italie to take ParisWalks #34 described in our deck of Paris walks. This walk is in the 13th arrondissement and centers on La Butte Aux Cailles. It was a beautiful day for moving about. There were some interesting small attached houses in one area which appeared to be a housing development of an earlier era. We also stopped in a shop which carried many different kinds of honey and soap. We bought some buckwheat honey which is one of our favorites. We also found a bakery which had such delicious looking bread in the window that we felt impelled to purchase a round loaf of poppy seed (la graine de pavot) bread. We had some for dinner and it proved to be a wise decision.
The time has finally arrived. We are going to spend a month in Paris, a dream of many years. We have rented an apartment on the fourth floor of an older building for the month of March. Well it is the fourth floor by French standards but the fifth floor by American count. So each time we go or come we have 82 steps to maneuver. Remember this is an old building with high ceilings. But it is in the Marais and so is convenient to many sights and good transportation.
Sat-Sun Feb 28 – March 1.
But let’s start at the beginning. On our way to Paris from Baltimore, we stopped in Newton, MA to spend a few days with a dear friend and had a wonderful time while there. After enjoying the visit, eating at some favorite restaurants and spending a morning at the Museum of Fine Arts, we set off for the airport. As usual. We were several hours early and spent the time waiting for our Air France flight to CDG reading and browsing the shops. The plane was a Boeing 747, huge and packed. We had reserved our favorite sitting arrangement, aisle seats across from each other so neither of us was stuck in the middle seat. The flight left promptly at 5:30PM and a while later, we were served dinner. We had taken advantage of the ability to pre-order our dinner, seafood for both of us, and were soon enjoying some very good food along with a small bottle of red wine. Service on Air France sure beats any US airline we have ridden lately. Then came the attempt to doze for a short time because a light breakfast was served about three hours later.
We arrived at CDG earlier than scheduled and, as is normal for an early arrival, had to wait a while for a gate. But once landed we got through immigration rapidly and then went to get our baggage – a very long process. It seemed like the baggage handlers were having a mini-strike because our bags did not show up for almost two hours. But they did arrive and so we were lucky. At this point we were lugging three suitcases of varying sizes, all on wheels, plus a backpack. Going through customs was a breeze; the officers barely looked at us as we left the baggage area.
Now it was time to figure out how to get a monthly metro/bus pass and tickets on the RER to the center of Paris. Luckily the first line I tried was the correct one and a lovely and most helpful young woman sold us passes for transportation throughout the city of Paris plus the requisite tickets on the RER and told me what lines to take on both the RER and the metro to reach our street. We were off to the RER which provided express service to Gare du Nord, a lengthy walk underground to the desired metro line and a one stop ride to our street. Since I knew only the street address of our apartment, we ended up far from our destination and had to make a long walk with all the luggage to find the place. But this was the easy part. Hardest was pulling our bags up the stairs at our final metro stop. With luck a very helpful man carried two of the bags up part of the way.
And so we finally got to the correct building. Now to figure out how to get in. Step one was to enter a code on a keypad to get through door #1. Whoo, that worked. Now repeat for door number 2. An expert now, that too worked. Now to find the keys to the apartment which were to be in an electric box – but where was the electric box. So we tried the two electric boxes in the entry hall – no hall light and no keys appeared to the touch. So I climbed to our apartment toting some of the luggage as I went. It took a few rest stops on the way up to catch my breath but I finally made it and, voila, there was an electric box by the door in which I found the keys. I opened the door, dragged in what I had brought up and returned downstairs. Now Harley made a trip up with a small suitcase and I began moving things from the largest suitcase to a large plastic bag and a couple of canvas bags we had brought for shopping. Then I started carrying things up, one landing at a time to bring the suitcase and the three filled bags upward. I got everything to the third floor when Harley reappeared and we got it all into the apartment where we promptly collapsed on the sofa. After a few minutes of catching our breath and making a quick survey of the apartment, the unpacking process began. Before I could settle in, everything had to find its proper place. As soon as that was over, a nap was in order and it turned into a very long nap. After all, we had had no naps on Saturday and hardly slept Saturday night.
Finally, toward about 3:00 PM local time, we decided to go out and find a restaurant for a meal. This is a very old and thus very confusing quarter. Streets are narrow and go every which way. So we ended up going in the opposite direction than the one intended and found a good brasserie with the most amazing salads – huge and very good plus a good quiche, bread, wine. An excellent first meal in Paris.
The next step was to make a brief shopping excursion for breakfast food for the next day. Across from our apartment we found a tiny grocery store where we picked up eggs, orange juice, apples and clementines. That would do until we had the energy for a more extensive shopping trip for other necessities on Monday.
Finally we returned to the apartment, climbed up the long staircase and went very early to bed. Must have been asleep by 7:00 PM. And what is more astounding, we slept until 8:00 in the morning, catching up on just about all of the lost sleep. Who says you should try to stay up and get on the correct schedule immediately. This large amount of sleep the first day and night wiped out just about all of our jet lag.
Monday – March 2
Feeling very Parisian, the first thing in the morning required a trip out for a newspaper and fresh bread. As I noted above, it is easy to get lost in the Marais as no streets are parallel or perpendicular to each other and get lost I did. At last I found the requisite International Herald Tribune (IHT) and two delicious baguettes and found my way back to the apartment where we made our first meal in the apartment. After reading the paper we wandered the local streets enjoying the ambiance. Wonderful architecture is everywhere with those great huge doors sprinkled about. These lead into large courtyards that in earlier days provided access for horses and carriages. Fun to peer inside when the doors are open.
After breakfast, it was time for some more shopping for food and other necessities. We found a supermarket not too far away and stocked up on corn flakes, oatmeal, milk and staples such as laundry soap, soup and olive oil. We also found a very pleasant Italian food shop on rue de Bretagne where we couldn’t resist the delicious looking eggplant salad, olives, cheese from Sicily and red wine as well as pasta and pasta sauce.
We returned laden with packages and had lunch based on the goodies from the Italian grocery. Food and wine encouraged us to take another long nap. Supper was also created with our finds of the morning and we went to sleep early to finally make up for our loss of sleep. Getting older necessitates lots of sleep, especially after jet lag sets in.
Tuesday – March 3, 2009
So far the weather has been lovely so after breakfast today we went walking in the neighborhood to discover more about it and to visit the Marche des Enfants Rouge, one of the many farmer’s markets in Paris. It is quite near our place and was recommended by a friend of Deb’s who owns an apartment not too far from here. It is a small market with beautiful vegetable and fruit stands and a number of stands that sell prepared foods that can be eaten there or taken home with you. Everything looked delicious - Morroccan food, Middle Eastern food, African food, Italian and Organic food. We bought a bagful of fruits and vegetables to better stock the refrigerator including a huge cauliflower which we cooked for lunch. We also visited a butcher shop which had chickens on a rotisserie out front. We decided that would contribute to two or three good lunches. While in the shop we were tempted by a pate which we looked forward to having for supper. We also found a nice wine store and brought home 2 bottles, a Cote du Rhone and a Sancerre. Gotta be prepared remembering that it is necessary to carry heavy things up the stairs a few pieces at a time.
While we were out on our morning jaunt, we visited a watch repair atelier which we had found listed in the yellow pages. Harley’s pocket watch had suddenly gone a bit wild, and was marking time at a very rapid rate. The man who checked the watch indicated that it had become magnetized, probably from being too close to credit cards; he demagnetized it and it seems to be working well. Then began a most pleasant conversation with the gentleman speaking the usual rapid French that is so common in Paris. I think I got about 75% of the content which covered interesting things to do in Paris, a trip he had made to national parks in the western US, and a visit he had just completed to an island south of Madagascar. He recommended that we get a book which describes the private gardens of Paris. Haven’t done it yet but it is another thing to try.
Time to eat lunch. It is fun to prepare meals from all of the wonderful food which is everywhere you look. And the dishwasher in the apartment is certainly a plus. Wish we had room for a dishwasher at home. It surely cuts down on the clean-up problem.
After lunch I went in search of the bakery I had found on Monday morning but couldn’t find earlier in the day. Their poppy seed baguette was awesome. I decided to just go up and down every street in the neighborhood until I found it and, voila, there it was on a small side street. Trouble is that describes the majority of the nearby streets. At the same time I got some freshly ground coffee and some coarse ground pepper which I like very much. We’ll try the coffee tomorrow and see if it lives up to expectations.
At dinner we enjoyed the pate with a salad, good bread and wine with apple and cheese for dessert. Another great day.
Wednesday – March 4
Today I got lost again going for the paper but found my way. It just meant a very long walk first thing which is better than sitting still. During the walk I spotted one of the “green” men of Paris who, with their green brooms, sweep the streets. They keep things in order and quite clean without resorting to huge street cleaning trucks necessitating alternate side parking on specified days. Does seem an advantage as it also provides jobs. Another thing that struck me is that hallways in apartment buildings are not kept lit all the time. To get light you press a switch and the lights come on for a specified period of time after which they automatically turn off. Seems like a good idea in these energy deficient times. Wonder why the US doesn’t adapt that system.
This was a quiet morning during which we caught up on computer chores and reading the paper. Also figured out how to heat food in the micro so we used this new found knowledge to heat up some of yesterday’s leftover chicken and cauliflower. Made some couscous which I found in the cabinet. Good lunch again with figs, clementines and bananas for desert.
Just as we were about to go to the Picasso Museum the phone rang which produced a short panic moment while I wondered how to answer it. Turned out all that was necessary was to pick the phone up out of the charger where it normally resides. It was Emilie who was in Paris. So instead of visiting Picasso’s art, we waited for Emilie to arrive and then took a walk to the Place des Vosges. We hadn’t seen Emily since January when she returned from her job in Washington as an au pair to her home outside of Paris.
Every new street we walk down produces interesting shops and architecture. It is always a treat. And then to top it all, we walked all around the Place de Vosges which is a magnificent square with gardens in the center and fabulous buildings encircling it completely. Many of the buildings now house art galleries which will be worth returning to for a more leisurely examination.
On our way back to the apartment, we stopped into the Musee Carnavalet, a huge and elegant building from 1544 with wonderful gardens. It was once a private palace and is beyond belief in its size and elegance. Now it is a museum with displays depicting aspects of the history of France. One of the characteristics which I found most interesting was the leaded windows in several of the rooms of the palace. Each room contained windows made up of small glass panes but the design of the windows in each room was different from that in any other room.
After returning to rue Vieille du Temple, we stopped at a very nice creperie across the street from our apartment, Café Breizh, which was written up in our restaurant guide to the 102 best restaurants of Paris. We all enjoyed excellent buckwheat crepes along with a bottle of Brittany cider, the traditional drink with crepes from Brittany. The dessert crepes looked and sounded delicious, but the savory crepes were so filling we decided to leave that for another day. But they are a must before we return to the real world,
Thursday – March 5
Time for another adventure today. First though it was necessary to get the newspaper and stock up on bread. I now knew the whereabouts of my favorite bakery and was tempted by a baguette sprinkled with poppy seeds, which we had before and liked a lot, a whole wheat bread (pain complet) and a baguette containing seeds in the dough.
Then, the adventure. After analyzing maps we set out for the Marche Richard Lenoir. We walked for quite a way and then took the metro the rest of the distance. It proved we knew how to use our metro pass and also allowed us to warm up a bit because the morning was quite chilly. When we got to the Bastille, which is where the market begins, we were surprised by the large size and amount of activity we found. The market runs for several blocks, has 3 major aisles and carries not only food products but clothing and household goods.
The number of fruit and vegetable stands and their quality was mind boggling. There were also flower stands, cheese stands, butchers, fish stands and takeaway food stands of various ethnicities. Since hunger was setting in from seeing so much delicious food, we treated ourselves to a plain buckwheat crepe as a snack. (Plain but with a bit of butter spread on it.) It was delicious. You can get the crepes to take away. They would make a wonderful meal with a filling of cheese and/or mushrooms or a lot of other things.
We returned home with loaded shopping bags – mache, clementines, haricots verts, fish (rascasse, a fish from the Mediterranean which is an important ingredient of boulliabasse), cheeses, eggs, olives (which were delicious flavored with garlic and thyme), pruneaux d’agen which reminded us of earlier visits to le Temple sur Lot which is in the region where these plums are grown, and mushrooms. If it seems like this trip revolves around food, you are so right.
We pan fried the fish for lunch and they were delicious.
Friday – March 6, 2009
I didn’t get lost today when going for the newspaper and I discovered a more direct route to the paper stand. I also took the opportunity this morning to acquire a bottle of calvados which reminds me of an earlier trip to Normandy when we visited a place where they produced calvados, a brandy made with apples.
Today was the day to branch out, leaving the Marais and taking the metro to another arrondissment. After lunch we took the metro to the 13th starting at the Place d'Italie to take ParisWalks #34 described in our deck of Paris walks. This walk is in the 13th arrondissement and centers on La Butte Aux Cailles. It was a beautiful day for moving about. There were some interesting small attached houses in one area which appeared to be a housing development of an earlier era. We also stopped in a shop which carried many different kinds of honey and soap. We bought some buckwheat honey which is one of our favorites. We also found a bakery which had such delicious looking bread in the window that we felt impelled to purchase a round loaf of poppy seed (la graine de pavot) bread. We had some for dinner and it proved to be a wise decision.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)