Paris: Part One
Trip Start
May 04, 2006
1
7
Trip End
May 22, 2006
Paris,
France
Saturday, May 6, 2006
The first three days of my trip were spent in Paris. Walking along the Seine, sitting on boat riding along the Seine, taking pictures of the Seine, and crossing bridges over the Seine. It's a big nice river. I honestly think I could be happy living in very close proximity to it....not making any long term plans yet though
A.) my sign
.I spent my first night in Paris roaming around the Latin Quarter, eating wonderful pasta, watching the street singers and making a fool of myself trying to remember my french-I believe I told a women in a bathroom (in an attempt to say a machine ate my change) that I like to munch on corners, and enjoying the company of Kathryn, something I have missed for the past year.
Day two was spent first at La Grande Episserie which is Paris' premier food shopping experience where I indulged in a broquette du pain (bread on a stick...nowhere but France right?), scoping out La Duree where Carrie sits next to the big dog in the final Paris episode of Sex and the City (wasn't sure if I was going to admit to that typical American touristy activity, but hey we all have moments of weakness), and checking out the Louvre's huge lines (which we choose not to stand in) and Notre Dame's huge stained glass windows. A late dinner took us to a really cool bar (that may be featured in the hotspot section of the really really great online magazine for twixters, www.twixtmagazine.com) that had one of the best Caesar salads I've ever had. Also, I just want to mention at this point, so I don't forget- seriously the yogurt in France is AMAZING. California cows just don't cut it
Broquette du pain
.We spent our last day in Paris, a Sunday, in the 3rd Arrondisment (Paris is shaped like a snail shell and all of her swirling layers are numbered) in an area called The Marias (pronounced 'morray'), which is heavily populated with Israelis and thus, one of the only areas where places are open on Sundays. For months and months Kathryn had been raving to me about falafel in the Marias and I can safely say that it is now one of my all time favorite foods (see picture of me plowing into my falafel like a vicious beast in the photo album).
During all of our Paris adventures, the Metro was our preferred mode of transportation second to feet. Kathryn taught me a few guessing games like "Are they American or German?" and "Is he gay, or just French?" She also instructed me on many of the French's most annoying characteristics, such as their inability to pass people when walking down the street. They just inch up really close to you like a pedestrian tailgater, and their fear of confrontation, it's as if the entire nation is slightly passive aggressive. For example while Kathryn and I were waiting for our train to Angouleme, the cafe we were sitting in was closing and we were the only people there. The staff started to look at each other quizzically and begin closing procedures but never told us that the cafe was closing. The staff just kept cleaning and putting up all the chairs and tables. Never once did they ask us to skidaddle, it was just assumed that we were supposed to "understand" it was time to go. So when we picked up our stuff to go and we're walking out, one of the staffers mumbled under his breath, "it's about time." Kathryn said this is common procedure all throughout France.
