Saturday willbe a busy day. Up early with the alarm at 7:30. It is market day so we head to Blvd des Batignolles for the bio market and make the usual rounds - veggies and fruit, fish (cod this week)' sausages and pate for a couple of quick meals and, of course, cheese. Hurry home, put everything away and head to Chatelet to meet Elisabeth and Jean Pierre, the couple we met on oour Danube tour last year.
The bus we took ended its run at Bourse so, rather than wait for the next bus we decided to walk. The streets in this part of Paris must have been laid out by a meandering cow,but a longer than expected walk. We arrived with time to spare since we always leave time for every possible contingency, adding all possibilities together, a habit I acquired from my Grandfather.
It was so nice to see both of them again. We had enjoyed their company on the boat trip and had kept in touch. We had lunch at a very old restaurant "Zimmer" founded by French ALsacians who had fled Alsace when the Germans won it in the 1870's. Lunch was delicious as expected, with each of us having some combination of lentil soup, pate, salmon and duck confit and of course bread and wine.
After lunch we walked along the Seine past flower shops and animal shops, an unusual neighborhood. We then visited the corner where Elisabeth's family had lived and owned a small restaurant and the church where Elizabeth's parents were married.
A short metro ride took us to the area near Champs Élysées where Elisabeth and Jean Pierre live in a lovely apartment with views of the neighborhood and a glimpse of the top of th Eiffel Tower. A bit of envy was inevitable since I'd love to live in Paris at least for a while.
We got home about 6:00, two very tired but contented people.
Sunday started slowly with a bread run after breakfast followed by a lazy morning. After lunch of salmon, ratte potatoes and veggies followed by my daily nap we took the bus to Parc Monceau. This area was home to many of the very wealthiest Jewish bankers at the turn of the 19th/20th century. We had planned to visit Musee Camondo, the home built by Moisse Camondo. All of that family is gone, the last daughter killed by the Nazis. Rather than visit so late in the day we plan to return later in the week. most important, it is a beautiful, warm day. The first since we arrived.
Random notes: There are little green women as well as little green men who keep the streets clean.
Older couples here often walk down the street holding hands.
Dog ownership in Paris is very popular.
Huge numbers of people, especially the young, smoke.
Teen agers are as rude here as in the US.
The city bus and metro systems are super good.
Architecture here is magnificent. It is a beautiful city.
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