Monday, August 14, 2006

Today I started out with a walk across the Seine to a café called Bistro Marguerite on the Quai de Gesvres by the Hotel de Ville. I sat for a good while reading my book, writing post cards, listening to my ipod, eating a baguette with ham and cheese and people watching. My favorite picture of the day (which I can’t figure out how to get up on the blog because it was taken in RAW format) was of an African mother with her baby tightly wrapped around her back with cloth. He was so cute just hanging out back there, I couldn’t stand it. So sweet. And flexible! His legs were spread wide across the span of his mother’s back and he seemed to so perfectly fit there closely hugging the curves of the woman who created him. I suppose she knows how to tie really tight knots, but I was thinking if it were me, I would be nervous the knot would slip and baby could fall…

Anyway, I did some more shopping, again without buying, so I don’t actually know if that counts as shopping, but I had fun.

Then I made my trek North. I have been praised, by my Paris dwelling friends, for my great walking feats. I walked all the way to Sacre Coeur and back today. It actually didn’t take as long as I expected and minus two short-lived but major downpours, it was a lovely jaunt. I sat in a café right below Sacre Coeur and ate a chocolate and banana crepe. Next to me there was a woman who was thoroughly entertaining. She was obviously meeting someone and she kept checking her phone, smoking her cigarette (always followed by a cough) reading her fashion magazine and drinking a glass of wine. I was so tempted to take my headphones out and tell her to stop smoking, you know, as a way to help with that awful cough. I found her quite annoying actually and by the time I left, she was still sitting there nervously waiting for something to happen.

I climbed to the top of the hill, entered the church and found a pew in the back to sit in. It truly is an unbelievable place. So gorgeous and ornate. It must be spectacular to worship in Sacre Coeur. I sat for about twenty minutes, taking it all in and then walked all through the church pausing to admire and appreciate the beauty and holiness of this place.

Eventually I headed outside to take some pictures of all the visitors and the view. For a second I considered climbing the towers to get some really great shots, but there was quite a line and I just wasn’t feeling it. I went along the west side of the structure and snuck some pictures in between trees of the Eiffel Tour. I do love my zoom lens! Then I made my way back to the center to sit, read and take more pictures. I’ll admit I was much better at the people watching than the reading part. The entertainment was brilliant. There was seriously a woman sitting on the grass for over an hour and a half with a huge pink mirror who was very dedicated to looking at herself and with tweezers, proceeding to PLUCK hairs from all over her face. She just kept at it. Strangest thing I’ve ever seen. And so gross! Every few minutes she would pause and look around to see if anyone was looking at her. But mostly she just looked at herself, smiled into her big pink mirror and plucked away. I was beside myself. I kept taking pictures just to prove the amount of time she had dedicated to this process. She seemed to have a little friend, a funny looking old man, who would talk to her for a bit, then wander around, eventually finding his way back beside her. It was great, priceless entertainment.

Here’s my question. Would you really come to Paris as a tourist and sport a beret out and about? Because I noticed several many today, I mean they were screaming tourists, and they were in little matching berets. I don’t get it. I’m pretty sure you couldn’t pay me to put on a beret here. What does that say about me? Does that make me less fun? In trying to think of the equivalent (a baseball cap in the states?) but I couldn’t come up with anything that made sense. I found myself truly interested in the process of deciding to purchase and then wear a beret in Paris. Ok, I will bend a little and say, MAYBE in the winter, but I’m not sure there’s any excuse for summer.

I trekked all the way back home, taking pictures along the way. I stopped in the Palais Royal and shot all kinds of photos in the square and gardens there. They have some really unique sculptures that are spread out almost like a chessboard and some beautiful fountains with huge silver balls, which provided great reflections of the surrounding buildings and the sky. I took pictures of the sunset from a bridge and finally made it back to my apartment but not until after 10pm. Having thought ahead, I bought some brie and a baguette en route. To top off my evening, I climbed the 6 flights of stairs, put on my PJ’s, cracked open a beer, nibbled on my snack and put my poor flip-flopped-out feet, up.