I found a book of bus maps at one of my neighborhood news kiosks this morning. What a help it is! The bus map I had didn't show all of the streets nor does it show stops or route details, such as routing on the one-way streets. But, each page of the book shows a route on a street map with all stops shown. I seem to be well situated with 2 north/south cross-town bus routes and a good east/west cross-town buses within short walking distance. The advantage of bus travel over the Metro is that one is above ground, so can see the scenery, and there is less walking and stairways. Riding the Metro can involve walking long distances underground and many stations do not have elevators or escalators.
Today I got on the #38, which crosses the river to the Left Bank. I got off at on Blvd. St.Michel and Rue de les Ecoles and went to the Cluny Museum, formally know as Musee National du Moyen Age. It displays medieval artifacts. The building itself dates from the 15th century, and excavations uncovered Roman baths from 200AD. The museum is famous for its "Lady and the Unicorn" tapestries, but unfortunately, they are being displayed in Tokyo while their display room here is being renovated. They are supposed to be back in Paris and on display before the end of the year. I found that there was a lot of other interesting things to look at, including other tapestries, fragments of the original sculptures from the facade of Notre Dame, and fragments of original stained glass windows from Ste. Chapelle (famous for its stained glass) and other churches. They are back-lit and close enough that one can see detail that cannot be seen when viewing the windows in the churches.
I bought a museum pass at the Cluny, but didn't activated it because tomorrow is a special event where Parisians celebrate their heritage and many governmental buildings and museums are open to the public for free. So, I paid admission for the Cluny and will activate my museum pass next week (the pass is good for a specified number of consecutive days). The Cluny is a good place to buy the pass because there usually is not a line to buy tickets. The Louvre and d'Orsay are not good places to buy the pass because of the long ticket lines.
Upon leaving the Cluny, I walked down Blvd. St. Germain and had a nice lunch at Le Danton. I looked at what other people were eating and it looked good, so I decided to eat there. The plat du jour was a nice fillet of poached salmon with a light beurre blanc and nicely cooked fresh vegetables (potatoes, haricots vertes, peas, carrots, and zucchini) - these were the first vegetables I've had since I've been here except for what I've had at the apartment, so I really enjoyed them. The salmon was perfectly cooked.
After lunch I continued down Blvd. St. Germain to the church St. Germain-des-Pres, which is one of the oldest churches in Paris, dating back to the 8th century. At the corner opposite the church are the famous cafes, Le Deux Magots and Cafe du Flore, which are reputed to have been haunts of writers such as Hemingway and James Joyce in the 1920s. I took a picture, but didn't stop as it is now widely understood that they are quite expensive for cafe sitting. I walked up Rue Bonaparte to the church of St. Sulpice. This church has a famous organ and it is one of Rick Steves' favorite churches in Paris.
Next stop was the Luxembourg Gardens. It was grey and misty today, but there were still a lot of people enjoying the park and flowers are still pretty. I guess the difference between a public garden and a park in Paris is that you can walk or sit on the grass in a park, but not in a garden (except in certain designated areas). In any event, Luxembourg Gardens, like the Tuileries, has a generous supply of green metal, comfortable chairs for people to use. I heard band music and discovered there was what appeared to be a high school band playing in the park. There was also an all girl choir. It was nice to sit in one of those green chairs to enjoy the music for a little while.
When I was ready to leave, it was just a short walk out of the park and across the street to the bus stop where I got on the #38 to go back to the apartment.
The Eiffel Tower - Photo Taken September 2010
Friday, September 13, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Day 6: Cafe sitting with new friends
I got a slow start this morning, leaving the apartment around 10:30. I had arranged to meet a woman I connected with via the Tripadvisor.com travel forum at the Marche des Enfants Rouges. This market is in the same arrondissement as my apartment, so I walked about 2.5 km. Along the way, I stopped in at the Quartier de l'Horloge, which is a modern apartment block near my apartment. "Horloge" means clock and they have an interesting clock (see picture). The man "slays the dragon" on the hour. One of the fun things about walking in Paris is looking down the small side streets with the flowers and plants draping from the window ledges.
We were meeting at noon and I was early, so I looked around the neighborhood. There is a lovely little park Parc du Temple with a playground, flowers, and a water feature. The market is on Rue de Bretagne, which is lined with shops and cafes, with quite a few "antique" shops, and there was a flea market of sorts along the sidewalk. Marche des Enfants Rouges is the oldest covered market in Paris, dating back to the early 17th century. Its name comes from an orphanage that used to be next door. The children (Enfants) there wore red coats. I wasn't very impressed by the market; frankly, it is a far cry from the Pike Place Market in Seattle. The Paris street markets are far better. Shelly and I decided to eat a Cafe Charlot nearby and we had an excellent lunch of a grilled veal steak with a nice sauce, compote of onions and mushrooms, and noodles. Shelly is originally from Kansas and currently lives in Charlotte, NC. We had emailed back and forth and spoken by phone, and had no problem keeping a conversation going.
After lunch we went to another cafe where we met another woman we had both connected with via the TA forum. She is an American who has lived in Paris for several years. We had coffee and visited, the three of us hitting it off like old friends. While we were there Mairie de Paris Security men came by to inspect the cafe. Apparently, cafes are allowed to have tables and chairs on the sidewalk, but only out to a certain point. The guy got out his tape measure to be sure that this cafe wasn't taking up more than its proper amount of space. Apparently, the cafe passed inspection.
We then decided to head off to find a bakery that Shelly was interested in. It was another 2-3 km walk, and by the end of it, we all decided to meet for dinner. The one sight we did see on the way, was the Picasso Museum, which has been undergoing renovation for over 4 years. It is a very old building and apparently it has taken so long because there was a lot of asbestos that had to be cleaned out of it. The latest estimate for reopening is April 2014. After sitting awhile in another cafe, we each went back to our respective "homes" to rest up before dinner. I walked back to my apartment, another 2.5 km walk, stopping along the way to get some fruit for breakfast.
We met for dinner at 7:30 at a neighborhood cafe (I've been asked not to reveal the name of this gem of a cafe). We all ordered the pork cooked in garlic. The presentation included several cloves of roasted garlic still in their skins. I peeled it with my fork and ate a piece of garlic with a bite of pork - excellent. The side dish was potatoes dauphaniese (still haven't figured out how to spell it), even better than what I had last night. Two of us also had as our starter escargo nestled in mushroom caps and covered in parsley butter - yummy. There was a couple from Salt Lake City at the table next to us, and the five of us chatted together and had a wonderful time. I asked one of the waiters to call a taxi for me (in French, of course), and it was close to 11pm when I got back to the apartment. Two late nights in a row. I think I need to get back to eating dinner at the apartment.
This day was so much fun. Didn't see any big sights, but made a couple of friends. A wonderful day in Paris!
We were meeting at noon and I was early, so I looked around the neighborhood. There is a lovely little park Parc du Temple with a playground, flowers, and a water feature. The market is on Rue de Bretagne, which is lined with shops and cafes, with quite a few "antique" shops, and there was a flea market of sorts along the sidewalk. Marche des Enfants Rouges is the oldest covered market in Paris, dating back to the early 17th century. Its name comes from an orphanage that used to be next door. The children (Enfants) there wore red coats. I wasn't very impressed by the market; frankly, it is a far cry from the Pike Place Market in Seattle. The Paris street markets are far better. Shelly and I decided to eat a Cafe Charlot nearby and we had an excellent lunch of a grilled veal steak with a nice sauce, compote of onions and mushrooms, and noodles. Shelly is originally from Kansas and currently lives in Charlotte, NC. We had emailed back and forth and spoken by phone, and had no problem keeping a conversation going.
After lunch we went to another cafe where we met another woman we had both connected with via the TA forum. She is an American who has lived in Paris for several years. We had coffee and visited, the three of us hitting it off like old friends. While we were there Mairie de Paris Security men came by to inspect the cafe. Apparently, cafes are allowed to have tables and chairs on the sidewalk, but only out to a certain point. The guy got out his tape measure to be sure that this cafe wasn't taking up more than its proper amount of space. Apparently, the cafe passed inspection.
We then decided to head off to find a bakery that Shelly was interested in. It was another 2-3 km walk, and by the end of it, we all decided to meet for dinner. The one sight we did see on the way, was the Picasso Museum, which has been undergoing renovation for over 4 years. It is a very old building and apparently it has taken so long because there was a lot of asbestos that had to be cleaned out of it. The latest estimate for reopening is April 2014. After sitting awhile in another cafe, we each went back to our respective "homes" to rest up before dinner. I walked back to my apartment, another 2.5 km walk, stopping along the way to get some fruit for breakfast.
We met for dinner at 7:30 at a neighborhood cafe (I've been asked not to reveal the name of this gem of a cafe). We all ordered the pork cooked in garlic. The presentation included several cloves of roasted garlic still in their skins. I peeled it with my fork and ate a piece of garlic with a bite of pork - excellent. The side dish was potatoes dauphaniese (still haven't figured out how to spell it), even better than what I had last night. Two of us also had as our starter escargo nestled in mushroom caps and covered in parsley butter - yummy. There was a couple from Salt Lake City at the table next to us, and the five of us chatted together and had a wonderful time. I asked one of the waiters to call a taxi for me (in French, of course), and it was close to 11pm when I got back to the apartment. Two late nights in a row. I think I need to get back to eating dinner at the apartment.
This day was so much fun. Didn't see any big sights, but made a couple of friends. A wonderful day in Paris!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Day 5 - La Opera and La Madeleine
I slept until 8:30 this morning. It was blessedly quiet, but I woke up about 3 and read for a couple of hours, and looked at a map to help decide what to do today. Fortunately I was able to hit pause on my brain and go back to sleep for a few more hours.
The sky was grey when I went out for my demi-baguette and the weather forecast wasn't promising, so I donned my raincoat and walked up to Rue Etienne Marcel to catch the bus going to La Opera. I had been inside La Opera Garnier before, so it wasn't high on my list of priorities, but I had not been inside Galeries Lafayette before, so I headed that direction.
I have no idea how many buildings make up this famous "grand magasin" (department store), but there are several. I went inside two of them. The main building has the famous dome and it is spectacular -- breathtaking, in fact. But before getting that far, I walked through the handbag department, which was impressive in itself. Those who know me well, know about my eternal quest for the perfect black purse. I restrained myself, but the one price tag I looked at wasn't too bad - for a store brand. Around the outside walls, though, were salons of all the famous designers - just handbags - I didn't even go in them, just looked from the outside. When I saw the dome, it was so beautiful. Under the dome are all the cosmetic companies - all the famous ones, some I've never heard of. The lighting makes everything so luminous. It's hard not to want to buy one of everything. I found an escalator and rode up through the floors, getting closer and closer to the top of the dome. The further up you go, the less impressive merchandising is. I was making my way to the rooftop where there is an excellent view of Paris toward the south. Unfortunately, it was a dark day, but I can imagine it would be stunning on a sunny day. When I was ready to go down, I found the escalator from the roof; of course, the route I took up required I do about 4 flights of steps. Oh, well. I bought some things in the Paris Souvenir section, mainly so I could get a Galeries Lafayette shopping bag. After leaving the main building, I found my way to the gourmet food section and bought some macarons. Eight of them for 12 euros. I think the ones in Trader Joe's freezer section are about $3 for 12. But, I can tell you these are a lot better. These are not coconut macaroons, but French macarons, made from flavored meringue and fillings.
I walked around the Opera House and finally stopped at a cafe for a rest and "un cafe" before walking down Blvd des Capucines toward La Madeleine. There were a lot of high-end shops along the way. One shop was just brooms, brushes, and other household items, but unique designs and very cleverly
displayed. I had a "croque monsieur" (toasted ham & cheese sandwich) for lunch. It had some ham between 2 slices of good white bread, with a lot of cheese on top, which was toasted. It was served with a little salad and was very good. Also, at 10 euros, it was a great lunch.
When I got to La Madeleine, I first walked around it. There are several high-end food shops on the adjacent streets. I went into Fauchon. The interior of the store is done all in black and pink with subtle lighting that makes everything look wonderful. They have pastries, candy, coffee, tea, and savory items such as mustards, vinegars...and...foie gras. I was offered a small taste of duck foie gras. It was soooo good. I bought a small jar, which I'll have for dinner one of these nights. I should have bought that small bottle of Moet champagne to go with it, as well. There are also shops specializing in tea, mustard, even truffles (the mushroom kind) - you could certainly spend a lot of money around there.
La Madeleine is an active church and this is the first time I had been inside. I think it is more impressive on the outside than the inside where it is pretty dark. There's no stained glass. Just a lot of large statuary.
From La Madeleine I walked toward the Place de la Concorde. More high-end shops, including Laduree, which is famous for its macarons. I popped inside, and they looked lovely, but were terribly expensive, and since I already had some, I decided not to buy more. I'm sure they can't be that much better than the ones I got at Galeries Lafayette. Maxim's is also on this street - I took a picture. The Place de la Concorde is where the guillotine was during the French Revolution and where Marie Antoinette lost her head. Now there is an Egyptian Obelisk and a lot of traffic. I thought I might go to l'Orangerie since it was right there, so I walked through the west end of Jardin des Tuileries, and sat in one of their nice green metal chairs for a brief rest. There is a large pond - I think it may be where the kids sail their little boats on weekends, but today there were just a lot of ducks and seagulls. Also, there was a man feeding pigeons from his hand - there was even one on top of his head. When I got to l'Orangerie (a museum housing Monet's huge water lily canvases), there was a bit of a line, but not too long, but since I was getting tired, and it was past 3, I decided to find my way home. I'll go back when I'm not so tired.
I went down on Quai des Tuileries, thinking I could find a bus going in the right direction, but didn't see any buses at all, or any bus stops. So I crossed back over the Tuileries to Rue de Rivoli, which is one-way the wrong way. I thought if I couldn't find a bus, I'd get a taxi. I stopped at a little cafe, Da Rosa, across from the Westin, needing "les toilettes," as well as a rest. I was warmly greeted at the door, directed to les toilettes (down a very narrow spiral stairway, but there was one for handicapped right at the top, so with my knee, I took advantage of it). The young woman who met me at the door had taken my packages, and when I went to the table, she brought me a cup of coffee. So nice. As I left the cafe, an available taxi was right there, so a 8.80 euro taxi ride got me home - money well spent. I poured myself a glass of wine and iced my knee.
I went out for dinner tonight. I had read about Le Quincampe, a small restaurant across the street at #78 (I'm at #79). When I arrived, I was disappointed to see that it looked closed up and there was a note on the door indicating, I thought, that they would be closed until October 1. Well, on Monday, they were back in business. They must have been closed for the August holidays. Of course, I was the first one there, but I didn't arrive until nearly 8:00, and several people came in soon after I was seated. The waiter was a very good looking young man, who gave me an English menu, but spoke to me in very fast French. I speak French better than I understand either spoken or written French, so he finally reverted to excellent English while I stumbled along in French. Turns out he had lived in New York. We got along just fine. I had a starter of chevre with nicely dressed greens. It was such a large piece of cheese that I didn't eat all of it, though it was excellent. My main course was l'entrecote (rib steak) with potatoes dauphinese (that's not spelled right), sort of like scalloped pototoes only better, a glass of red wine, and a coffee. It came to 30 euros. The two women across from me were American, at least I thought so, and I heard one of them tell the waiter she was from Seattle. After awhile they asked if I was American, and when I said I was also from Seattle, they came over to my table for a chat. Turns out the one from Seattle is actually from Gig Harbor and she's lived in Australia for 11 years. Her friend is also Australian and they are here on a buying trip for a home decorating store they are planning to open in Sydney. It was fun talking with them. Finally, we decided it time to leave (it was nearly 10:00), so I got up, and with my hand on the door knob, I suddenly remembered that I hadn't paid yet! At least they wouldn't have had to chase me very far. It was a delightful evening and the first I've spent outside of the apartment.
The sky was grey when I went out for my demi-baguette and the weather forecast wasn't promising, so I donned my raincoat and walked up to Rue Etienne Marcel to catch the bus going to La Opera. I had been inside La Opera Garnier before, so it wasn't high on my list of priorities, but I had not been inside Galeries Lafayette before, so I headed that direction.
I have no idea how many buildings make up this famous "grand magasin" (department store), but there are several. I went inside two of them. The main building has the famous dome and it is spectacular -- breathtaking, in fact. But before getting that far, I walked through the handbag department, which was impressive in itself. Those who know me well, know about my eternal quest for the perfect black purse. I restrained myself, but the one price tag I looked at wasn't too bad - for a store brand. Around the outside walls, though, were salons of all the famous designers - just handbags - I didn't even go in them, just looked from the outside. When I saw the dome, it was so beautiful. Under the dome are all the cosmetic companies - all the famous ones, some I've never heard of. The lighting makes everything so luminous. It's hard not to want to buy one of everything. I found an escalator and rode up through the floors, getting closer and closer to the top of the dome. The further up you go, the less impressive merchandising is. I was making my way to the rooftop where there is an excellent view of Paris toward the south. Unfortunately, it was a dark day, but I can imagine it would be stunning on a sunny day. When I was ready to go down, I found the escalator from the roof; of course, the route I took up required I do about 4 flights of steps. Oh, well. I bought some things in the Paris Souvenir section, mainly so I could get a Galeries Lafayette shopping bag. After leaving the main building, I found my way to the gourmet food section and bought some macarons. Eight of them for 12 euros. I think the ones in Trader Joe's freezer section are about $3 for 12. But, I can tell you these are a lot better. These are not coconut macaroons, but French macarons, made from flavored meringue and fillings.
I walked around the Opera House and finally stopped at a cafe for a rest and "un cafe" before walking down Blvd des Capucines toward La Madeleine. There were a lot of high-end shops along the way. One shop was just brooms, brushes, and other household items, but unique designs and very cleverly
displayed. I had a "croque monsieur" (toasted ham & cheese sandwich) for lunch. It had some ham between 2 slices of good white bread, with a lot of cheese on top, which was toasted. It was served with a little salad and was very good. Also, at 10 euros, it was a great lunch.
When I got to La Madeleine, I first walked around it. There are several high-end food shops on the adjacent streets. I went into Fauchon. The interior of the store is done all in black and pink with subtle lighting that makes everything look wonderful. They have pastries, candy, coffee, tea, and savory items such as mustards, vinegars...and...foie gras. I was offered a small taste of duck foie gras. It was soooo good. I bought a small jar, which I'll have for dinner one of these nights. I should have bought that small bottle of Moet champagne to go with it, as well. There are also shops specializing in tea, mustard, even truffles (the mushroom kind) - you could certainly spend a lot of money around there.
La Madeleine is an active church and this is the first time I had been inside. I think it is more impressive on the outside than the inside where it is pretty dark. There's no stained glass. Just a lot of large statuary.
From La Madeleine I walked toward the Place de la Concorde. More high-end shops, including Laduree, which is famous for its macarons. I popped inside, and they looked lovely, but were terribly expensive, and since I already had some, I decided not to buy more. I'm sure they can't be that much better than the ones I got at Galeries Lafayette. Maxim's is also on this street - I took a picture. The Place de la Concorde is where the guillotine was during the French Revolution and where Marie Antoinette lost her head. Now there is an Egyptian Obelisk and a lot of traffic. I thought I might go to l'Orangerie since it was right there, so I walked through the west end of Jardin des Tuileries, and sat in one of their nice green metal chairs for a brief rest. There is a large pond - I think it may be where the kids sail their little boats on weekends, but today there were just a lot of ducks and seagulls. Also, there was a man feeding pigeons from his hand - there was even one on top of his head. When I got to l'Orangerie (a museum housing Monet's huge water lily canvases), there was a bit of a line, but not too long, but since I was getting tired, and it was past 3, I decided to find my way home. I'll go back when I'm not so tired.
I went down on Quai des Tuileries, thinking I could find a bus going in the right direction, but didn't see any buses at all, or any bus stops. So I crossed back over the Tuileries to Rue de Rivoli, which is one-way the wrong way. I thought if I couldn't find a bus, I'd get a taxi. I stopped at a little cafe, Da Rosa, across from the Westin, needing "les toilettes," as well as a rest. I was warmly greeted at the door, directed to les toilettes (down a very narrow spiral stairway, but there was one for handicapped right at the top, so with my knee, I took advantage of it). The young woman who met me at the door had taken my packages, and when I went to the table, she brought me a cup of coffee. So nice. As I left the cafe, an available taxi was right there, so a 8.80 euro taxi ride got me home - money well spent. I poured myself a glass of wine and iced my knee.
I went out for dinner tonight. I had read about Le Quincampe, a small restaurant across the street at #78 (I'm at #79). When I arrived, I was disappointed to see that it looked closed up and there was a note on the door indicating, I thought, that they would be closed until October 1. Well, on Monday, they were back in business. They must have been closed for the August holidays. Of course, I was the first one there, but I didn't arrive until nearly 8:00, and several people came in soon after I was seated. The waiter was a very good looking young man, who gave me an English menu, but spoke to me in very fast French. I speak French better than I understand either spoken or written French, so he finally reverted to excellent English while I stumbled along in French. Turns out he had lived in New York. We got along just fine. I had a starter of chevre with nicely dressed greens. It was such a large piece of cheese that I didn't eat all of it, though it was excellent. My main course was l'entrecote (rib steak) with potatoes dauphinese (that's not spelled right), sort of like scalloped pototoes only better, a glass of red wine, and a coffee. It came to 30 euros. The two women across from me were American, at least I thought so, and I heard one of them tell the waiter she was from Seattle. After awhile they asked if I was American, and when I said I was also from Seattle, they came over to my table for a chat. Turns out the one from Seattle is actually from Gig Harbor and she's lived in Australia for 11 years. Her friend is also Australian and they are here on a buying trip for a home decorating store they are planning to open in Sydney. It was fun talking with them. Finally, we decided it time to leave (it was nearly 10:00), so I got up, and with my hand on the door knob, I suddenly remembered that I hadn't paid yet! At least they wouldn't have had to chase me very far. It was a delightful evening and the first I've spent outside of the apartment.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Day 4 - La Cuisine Paris
I wanted to live like a Parisian for the time I'm here, and I guess I am. I was awakened at 6am this morning by the delivery of a load of scaffolding being placed in front of the building across the street by a crane! Fortunately, I had set the alarm for 6:30, so it wasn't really a rude awakening and my window was closed. But, still pretty darned early.
Today was my cooking class and I needed to meet the group at 9:30. So, wanting to save my walking energy for the market and walk to the cooking school, I checked the online interactive transit trip planner to see if the bus or metro would work best. According to the site both methods would require quite a lot of walking, so I decided to take a taxi. This morning I walked the block or so over to Rue Beaubourg where there is a taxi rank. There were 2 taxis there, but no drivers. I waited a few minutes, then looked at my bus line map. It appeared to me that #47 went right down Rue Beaubourg, across the river and right to the corner where I was to meet the group. So, I walked down the street to the bus stop, checked the map there, and yep, #47 looked to be just what I needed. A few minutes later #47 pulled up, I got on, and it dropped me off right at Cafe du Metro at the corner of Blvd. St. Germain and Rue Monge - right where I needed to be. I must not have put in the right addresses for the online planner or something. Guess I'll just rely on my own map reading.
The market on Rue Monge is 3 days a week. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and I think Saturday. It is a nice market with what appear to be semi-permanent shelters. There are fishmongers, vegetable and fruit sellers, meat and poultry butchers, fromangiers (cheese), flowers, and some crafts people. Everything is looks very fresh and pretty. This is not a farmers market per se - none of the markets in Paris are farmers markets as we know them - these markets are supplied by the big wholesale market in Rungis outside of Paris, which is the largest market in the world. The market had been at Les Halles, just a couple of blocks from my apartment until the late 1960s. I had time to look around a bit before meeting the group.
Looking across the street, I saw a small group gathering and was correct to assume those were the people I was meeting. The class was through La Cuisine Paris, a cooking school catering the tourists who want to take a cooking class in Paris, but only want to spend a few hours. This was a market class, meaning we met at the market and did the shopping for the meal we would cook and eat. Because it was a market class, there was no set menu as the group got to decide what we would buy - with guidance from our chef Diane. Diane spent quite a lot of time telling us about the history of the market and about how to pick out good fish, vegetables, fruits, etc. We decided to prepare fish, so our first stop was the fishmongers where we picked out some cod - actually fillets from the back of the cod. Next we got some peaches (for dessert), fingerling potatoes, carrots, zucchini, red and yellow peppers, and onions. Our next stop was at the boulangerie for bread, then the fromangerie for some cheeses. We also got some cashew nuts, and Diane popped into an Asian shop for some ginger and lemon grass.
To get to the school, we had to walk across the river to Ile de la Cite, and then across Ile Saint Louis. In route we crossed over one of the so-called "love lock" bridges, and I didn't take a picture because I needed to keep up with group, but I'll probably have a chance to go back. These are bridges where "lovers" place a padlock, confess their love for each other, then throw the keys into the river. The bridge is literally covered with these locks - 3 to 5 locks thick in places. This is very controversial and is not condoned by the City of Paris, which periodically has them removed. Some consider it vandalism, and I tend to agree with them. The weight of the locks can compromise the aging bridges, not to mention what the pile of keys at the bottom of the Seine is doing to the ecology of the river.
When we got to the school, there were welcome pots of coffee waiting for us, so we had a chance to get acquainted with our fellow cooks. There were 10 of us. A woman from Seattle (Lake Forest Park), couples from Denver and Minneapolis, a woman from Australia and her friend from Iowa, a fellow from New York, and a woman from Chicago. While we were drinking our coffee, the staff was busy prepping our purchases, eg., washing the produce, etc. By the way, the cost of the food was included in the cost of the course. When we went upstairs (a narrow winding staircase), all of our purchases were laid out on the work table and there was a spot for each of us with a cutting board and sharp knives.
Before we started to cook we got to taste some sausage and some little grey shrimp. Sort of like our salad shrimp. We had to peel them, then we buttered a piece of baguette, placed the shrimp on it, a squirt of lemon juice - very tasty. First job was preparing the peaches for dessert. They were poached in their skins in a syrup made with water, sugar, honey, lime juice, lemon grass, and some other flavorings. We then caramelized the cashews, which would be mixed with creme fresche as an accompaniment. The next project was fixing the vegetables. The peppers were diced and roasted in the oven. The carrots were peeled, sliced lengthwise and also roasted in the oven. The onions and zucchini were each diced and sauteed separately on the stove top. Everything was seasoned with salt and pepper and a little cumin and some garlic. The potatoes were cut lengthwise, then small crosswise slices were made without cutting all the way through. These were seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper, and whole unpeeled garlic cloves and some bay leaves were scattered around, then baked in the oven. Two sauces were prepared. One a beurre blanc made with white wine, white wine vinegar, shallots, and parsley. The wine, vinegar, and shallots were simmered to reduce, then a POUND of butter was slowly whisked in (I got to do that). Two of the women in the group were dietitians and I think they about swooned! Then some parsley was added, and simmered longer while I continued to stir. Finally, it was seasoned with salt and put through a sieve. The other sauce wasn't really a sauce, more of a topping, made with parsley, toasted pine nuts, and some other ingredients - that was done at the other end of the table. The cod was portioned, seasoned with salt, pepper, and fennel, sauteed for a few minutes, and finished in the oven for a few more minutes. We each plated our own dish and sat down to a wonderful meal - it was absolutely delicious! We also had a salad of lettuce with 3 different cheeses and fresh figs. We enjoyed some white wine and bread with the meal. Back to the peaches. Once they were cooked, the skins were removed, and the syrup reduced. We had the peach with some syrup and a spoonful of the creme fresche/cashew mixture. Yummy. I know my Mom is expecting me to fix this exact meal for her once I am home. We finished around 1:30.
After the class, I had originally thought I would go out to Chateau de Vincennes, which is just on the edge of Paris and the metro line is close to the school. But after yesterday's walk through the Marais, I decided to take it easy this afternoon, so walked back to the apartment and sat down to write this while it is fresh in my mind.
While taking a break from writing this, I went up to the Super Marche to pick up a few items. I went out without my coat or umbrella, and guess what! It started to rain while I was in the store, and I got drenched by the time I got home. After I lugged my raincoat around all day, too! I changed into a dry shirt and put on my raincoat, grabbed my umbrella and went out to get some goodies for tonight's dinner. I got some Terrine Campagne (sort of like meat loaf, but it's served cold), a little bit of sausage, a demi-baguette, and a Tarte au Chocolat for dessert. With the cheese, and vegetables I already had, it was a good dinner.
The cable seems to be out tonight, but I'm streaming KIXI through the internet, so I have some music. Think I'll watch a DVD.
Today was my cooking class and I needed to meet the group at 9:30. So, wanting to save my walking energy for the market and walk to the cooking school, I checked the online interactive transit trip planner to see if the bus or metro would work best. According to the site both methods would require quite a lot of walking, so I decided to take a taxi. This morning I walked the block or so over to Rue Beaubourg where there is a taxi rank. There were 2 taxis there, but no drivers. I waited a few minutes, then looked at my bus line map. It appeared to me that #47 went right down Rue Beaubourg, across the river and right to the corner where I was to meet the group. So, I walked down the street to the bus stop, checked the map there, and yep, #47 looked to be just what I needed. A few minutes later #47 pulled up, I got on, and it dropped me off right at Cafe du Metro at the corner of Blvd. St. Germain and Rue Monge - right where I needed to be. I must not have put in the right addresses for the online planner or something. Guess I'll just rely on my own map reading.
The market on Rue Monge is 3 days a week. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and I think Saturday. It is a nice market with what appear to be semi-permanent shelters. There are fishmongers, vegetable and fruit sellers, meat and poultry butchers, fromangiers (cheese), flowers, and some crafts people. Everything is looks very fresh and pretty. This is not a farmers market per se - none of the markets in Paris are farmers markets as we know them - these markets are supplied by the big wholesale market in Rungis outside of Paris, which is the largest market in the world. The market had been at Les Halles, just a couple of blocks from my apartment until the late 1960s. I had time to look around a bit before meeting the group.
Looking across the street, I saw a small group gathering and was correct to assume those were the people I was meeting. The class was through La Cuisine Paris, a cooking school catering the tourists who want to take a cooking class in Paris, but only want to spend a few hours. This was a market class, meaning we met at the market and did the shopping for the meal we would cook and eat. Because it was a market class, there was no set menu as the group got to decide what we would buy - with guidance from our chef Diane. Diane spent quite a lot of time telling us about the history of the market and about how to pick out good fish, vegetables, fruits, etc. We decided to prepare fish, so our first stop was the fishmongers where we picked out some cod - actually fillets from the back of the cod. Next we got some peaches (for dessert), fingerling potatoes, carrots, zucchini, red and yellow peppers, and onions. Our next stop was at the boulangerie for bread, then the fromangerie for some cheeses. We also got some cashew nuts, and Diane popped into an Asian shop for some ginger and lemon grass.
To get to the school, we had to walk across the river to Ile de la Cite, and then across Ile Saint Louis. In route we crossed over one of the so-called "love lock" bridges, and I didn't take a picture because I needed to keep up with group, but I'll probably have a chance to go back. These are bridges where "lovers" place a padlock, confess their love for each other, then throw the keys into the river. The bridge is literally covered with these locks - 3 to 5 locks thick in places. This is very controversial and is not condoned by the City of Paris, which periodically has them removed. Some consider it vandalism, and I tend to agree with them. The weight of the locks can compromise the aging bridges, not to mention what the pile of keys at the bottom of the Seine is doing to the ecology of the river.
When we got to the school, there were welcome pots of coffee waiting for us, so we had a chance to get acquainted with our fellow cooks. There were 10 of us. A woman from Seattle (Lake Forest Park), couples from Denver and Minneapolis, a woman from Australia and her friend from Iowa, a fellow from New York, and a woman from Chicago. While we were drinking our coffee, the staff was busy prepping our purchases, eg., washing the produce, etc. By the way, the cost of the food was included in the cost of the course. When we went upstairs (a narrow winding staircase), all of our purchases were laid out on the work table and there was a spot for each of us with a cutting board and sharp knives.
Before we started to cook we got to taste some sausage and some little grey shrimp. Sort of like our salad shrimp. We had to peel them, then we buttered a piece of baguette, placed the shrimp on it, a squirt of lemon juice - very tasty. First job was preparing the peaches for dessert. They were poached in their skins in a syrup made with water, sugar, honey, lime juice, lemon grass, and some other flavorings. We then caramelized the cashews, which would be mixed with creme fresche as an accompaniment. The next project was fixing the vegetables. The peppers were diced and roasted in the oven. The carrots were peeled, sliced lengthwise and also roasted in the oven. The onions and zucchini were each diced and sauteed separately on the stove top. Everything was seasoned with salt and pepper and a little cumin and some garlic. The potatoes were cut lengthwise, then small crosswise slices were made without cutting all the way through. These were seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper, and whole unpeeled garlic cloves and some bay leaves were scattered around, then baked in the oven. Two sauces were prepared. One a beurre blanc made with white wine, white wine vinegar, shallots, and parsley. The wine, vinegar, and shallots were simmered to reduce, then a POUND of butter was slowly whisked in (I got to do that). Two of the women in the group were dietitians and I think they about swooned! Then some parsley was added, and simmered longer while I continued to stir. Finally, it was seasoned with salt and put through a sieve. The other sauce wasn't really a sauce, more of a topping, made with parsley, toasted pine nuts, and some other ingredients - that was done at the other end of the table. The cod was portioned, seasoned with salt, pepper, and fennel, sauteed for a few minutes, and finished in the oven for a few more minutes. We each plated our own dish and sat down to a wonderful meal - it was absolutely delicious! We also had a salad of lettuce with 3 different cheeses and fresh figs. We enjoyed some white wine and bread with the meal. Back to the peaches. Once they were cooked, the skins were removed, and the syrup reduced. We had the peach with some syrup and a spoonful of the creme fresche/cashew mixture. Yummy. I know my Mom is expecting me to fix this exact meal for her once I am home. We finished around 1:30.
After the class, I had originally thought I would go out to Chateau de Vincennes, which is just on the edge of Paris and the metro line is close to the school. But after yesterday's walk through the Marais, I decided to take it easy this afternoon, so walked back to the apartment and sat down to write this while it is fresh in my mind.
While taking a break from writing this, I went up to the Super Marche to pick up a few items. I went out without my coat or umbrella, and guess what! It started to rain while I was in the store, and I got drenched by the time I got home. After I lugged my raincoat around all day, too! I changed into a dry shirt and put on my raincoat, grabbed my umbrella and went out to get some goodies for tonight's dinner. I got some Terrine Campagne (sort of like meat loaf, but it's served cold), a little bit of sausage, a demi-baguette, and a Tarte au Chocolat for dessert. With the cheese, and vegetables I already had, it was a good dinner.
The cable seems to be out tonight, but I'm streaming KIXI through the internet, so I have some music. Think I'll watch a DVD.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Day 3: Paris in the Rain
I must still be on Seattle time, because it took quite awhile for me to fall asleep last night. There was some street noise, but with the window closed, it was pretty quiet. Once I feel asleep, I slept really well.
Following my routine, I went out for my demi-baguette, then had breakfast - same as yesterday with the addition of melon and strawberries I got at the market yesterday. I really didn't have a plan for the morning, but had an appointment with Paris Greeters at 2:30. I also needed to get my prepaid cellphone SIM card charged, so first stop was at The Phone House, a block or so away, to top-off my phone. It was not to be as they didn't open until 11 AM and it was only 10:40, so rather than wait, I decided to do some sightseeing.
Using my new transit pass, I took the bus to Place de la Bastille. My plan was to walk along the Promenade Plantee, which is a park built on a former elevated railroad bed. It is a lovely walk with shrubs, trees, and flowers planted along the nearly 5km route. Parisians use it for strolling and jogging. It gives a birds-eye view of the Paris street scene below. Under the park is a series of arcades which have been converted into studios and shops for artists and craftsmen, called Viaduc des Arts. My idea was to stroll along the arcades on my way back after walking along the Promenade. I walked maybe 1 km or so before going back to street level. I stopped at a cafe for a coffee, sitting outside. Just after my coffee arrived the first rain drops fell, so I moved inside. By the time I'd finished my coffee it was a downpour. The cafe wasn't busy and was comfortable, so I decided to wait out the storm there for a while. After about 30 minutes, I thought this would be a good place for lunch. I had a very nice lunch at Le Viaduc Cafe: a tomato tart, a circle of puff pastry baked with tomatoes on top, garnished with greens and salad dressing; and for the main course, thin slices of pork loin, pan seared and served with a light sauce and mashed potatoes. By the time I finished lunch, it was still raining, but I couldn't spend the whole day there, so walked to the nearest bus stop, and rode back to the apartment to get my raincoat.
I rode the bus to Place des Vosges where I met Jordi, my Paris Greeter, in front of Victor Hugo's house (it is closed on Mondays). Jordi is a retired computer programmer and about my age. His english is better than my french, and we managed quite well. Paris Greeters is an organization of volunteers who love Paris and voluteer their time share it with tourists. The walks are free, but the organization accepts donations through their website at the time the tour is booked. Apparently, there are about 360 parisians who volunteer in this way.
Our "stroll" was through Le Marais, which is an old part of Paris with many buildings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Originally a marshland from when the Seine flooded its banks (the last big flood was in 1910), Le Marais became fashionable when Henri IV had Place des Vosges built. The square is surrounded on 4 sides by what were originally 9 mansions for royalty and friends of royalty. Evenually Le Marais, fell out of fashion, and over time the mansions and other buildings in the area were used for other purposes with many falling into ruin. In the mid-20th Century the area was saved from ruin and many of the buildings restored. It is once again a fashionable area, but the former mansions have been broken up into smaller apartments. Our walk included Hotel Sully; the church of St. Paul; Village of St. Paul, a maze of old buildings providing "social" housing for low income, and several antique stores; a section of the 12th century Paris wall; and the Jewish Quarter. Jordi pointed out several things that one probably wouldn't see without a guide. For example, a canon ball lodged in the facade of the church of St. Paul from the revolution in 1830, and the original street names carved into the corners of some of the buildings. We also peeked into some private courtyards and gardens. Many of the buildings have interesting carvings on them, faces and gargoyles. We walked for 3 hours over cobbled-stoned streets, and in rain ranging from mist to drizzle!
One thing I noticed today is the graffiti and the homeless. I saw some plywood and tarp-covered shanties outside of Paris when I came in from the airport, but today I saw several people in tents outside the Bastille Opera House. I've also seen some begging, but not aggressively - one chap had his cup out in the middle of the sidewalk while he kept dry under the overhang of a building. At lunch yesterday, a man held out his hand at those dining at the tables closest to the sidewake. One fellow offered him a cigarette, but he turned up his nose at that. As far as tourists are concerned, a bigger issue is the scam artists, many Roma (gypsies) and North Africans who approach tourists. One scam is the "petition girls" - they are usually Roma and approach tourists with a clipboard, asking if they speak english, then want them to sign a petition. While the unsuspecting tourist signs, having no idea what the petition is for, either a confederate of the first girl picks his pocket or they hit the him up for money. The hope is that the confused tourist will fork over some euros just to get rid of them. I was approached once yesterday, but being "in the know," I was able to shoo them away. The scammers mostly hang out in the busier tourist areas, such as the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, Louvre, etc. They are not dangerous, just annoying. These scams (there are 3 or 4 others) are discussed in Rick Steves' books and in forums like the one on the Trip Advisor website.
Before going back to the apartment, though I was exhausted and my knee hurt, I walked the additional block over to the Phone House and was able to get my cellphone topped off, so now I can make some calls. I can call from the apartment for free, but only to land lines, and since Mom, Catherine and Margaret are going on a trip themselves, I need to be able to call them by cellphone.
Once back in the apartment, I took off my wet clothes and put on my robe. Dinner was leftovers from last night. I think I'll sleep well tonight.
Following my routine, I went out for my demi-baguette, then had breakfast - same as yesterday with the addition of melon and strawberries I got at the market yesterday. I really didn't have a plan for the morning, but had an appointment with Paris Greeters at 2:30. I also needed to get my prepaid cellphone SIM card charged, so first stop was at The Phone House, a block or so away, to top-off my phone. It was not to be as they didn't open until 11 AM and it was only 10:40, so rather than wait, I decided to do some sightseeing.
Using my new transit pass, I took the bus to Place de la Bastille. My plan was to walk along the Promenade Plantee, which is a park built on a former elevated railroad bed. It is a lovely walk with shrubs, trees, and flowers planted along the nearly 5km route. Parisians use it for strolling and jogging. It gives a birds-eye view of the Paris street scene below. Under the park is a series of arcades which have been converted into studios and shops for artists and craftsmen, called Viaduc des Arts. My idea was to stroll along the arcades on my way back after walking along the Promenade. I walked maybe 1 km or so before going back to street level. I stopped at a cafe for a coffee, sitting outside. Just after my coffee arrived the first rain drops fell, so I moved inside. By the time I'd finished my coffee it was a downpour. The cafe wasn't busy and was comfortable, so I decided to wait out the storm there for a while. After about 30 minutes, I thought this would be a good place for lunch. I had a very nice lunch at Le Viaduc Cafe: a tomato tart, a circle of puff pastry baked with tomatoes on top, garnished with greens and salad dressing; and for the main course, thin slices of pork loin, pan seared and served with a light sauce and mashed potatoes. By the time I finished lunch, it was still raining, but I couldn't spend the whole day there, so walked to the nearest bus stop, and rode back to the apartment to get my raincoat.
I rode the bus to Place des Vosges where I met Jordi, my Paris Greeter, in front of Victor Hugo's house (it is closed on Mondays). Jordi is a retired computer programmer and about my age. His english is better than my french, and we managed quite well. Paris Greeters is an organization of volunteers who love Paris and voluteer their time share it with tourists. The walks are free, but the organization accepts donations through their website at the time the tour is booked. Apparently, there are about 360 parisians who volunteer in this way.
Our "stroll" was through Le Marais, which is an old part of Paris with many buildings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Originally a marshland from when the Seine flooded its banks (the last big flood was in 1910), Le Marais became fashionable when Henri IV had Place des Vosges built. The square is surrounded on 4 sides by what were originally 9 mansions for royalty and friends of royalty. Evenually Le Marais, fell out of fashion, and over time the mansions and other buildings in the area were used for other purposes with many falling into ruin. In the mid-20th Century the area was saved from ruin and many of the buildings restored. It is once again a fashionable area, but the former mansions have been broken up into smaller apartments. Our walk included Hotel Sully; the church of St. Paul; Village of St. Paul, a maze of old buildings providing "social" housing for low income, and several antique stores; a section of the 12th century Paris wall; and the Jewish Quarter. Jordi pointed out several things that one probably wouldn't see without a guide. For example, a canon ball lodged in the facade of the church of St. Paul from the revolution in 1830, and the original street names carved into the corners of some of the buildings. We also peeked into some private courtyards and gardens. Many of the buildings have interesting carvings on them, faces and gargoyles. We walked for 3 hours over cobbled-stoned streets, and in rain ranging from mist to drizzle!
One thing I noticed today is the graffiti and the homeless. I saw some plywood and tarp-covered shanties outside of Paris when I came in from the airport, but today I saw several people in tents outside the Bastille Opera House. I've also seen some begging, but not aggressively - one chap had his cup out in the middle of the sidewalk while he kept dry under the overhang of a building. At lunch yesterday, a man held out his hand at those dining at the tables closest to the sidewake. One fellow offered him a cigarette, but he turned up his nose at that. As far as tourists are concerned, a bigger issue is the scam artists, many Roma (gypsies) and North Africans who approach tourists. One scam is the "petition girls" - they are usually Roma and approach tourists with a clipboard, asking if they speak english, then want them to sign a petition. While the unsuspecting tourist signs, having no idea what the petition is for, either a confederate of the first girl picks his pocket or they hit the him up for money. The hope is that the confused tourist will fork over some euros just to get rid of them. I was approached once yesterday, but being "in the know," I was able to shoo them away. The scammers mostly hang out in the busier tourist areas, such as the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, Louvre, etc. They are not dangerous, just annoying. These scams (there are 3 or 4 others) are discussed in Rick Steves' books and in forums like the one on the Trip Advisor website.
Before going back to the apartment, though I was exhausted and my knee hurt, I walked the additional block over to the Phone House and was able to get my cellphone topped off, so now I can make some calls. I can call from the apartment for free, but only to land lines, and since Mom, Catherine and Margaret are going on a trip themselves, I need to be able to call them by cellphone.
Once back in the apartment, I took off my wet clothes and put on my robe. Dinner was leftovers from last night. I think I'll sleep well tonight.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Day 2: First Glimpse of the Eiffel Tower
Yesterday I was really tired, but stayed up til nearly 9:00. I slept well
despite the street noise. Mostly talking and laughing
from the bar across the street until about 2 AM, and the narrow street acts like a funnel sending the noise upwards. Since I was
so tired, though, it didn't bother me much.
I slept until 8 this morning, and a peek out the window revealed blue sky above. I showered, dressed and went out to get my demi-baguette (half of a baguette), came back to the apartment and had OJ, yogurt with raspberry jam, and baguette with Nutella, and coffee for breakfast. Then I went to the market. There is a Sunday morning market just a few blocks away near St. Eustache church. About 2 blocks long on both sides of Rue Montmarte. Very colorful with lots of fresh meats, seafood, vegetables, and fruits, but I decided to go to Rue Monorgueil, the market street a block over, before making my selections. Since it is Sunday I needed to buy tonight's dinner and most of the shops are open til 1pm. Everything looked so good that I bought my days supplies there: some chevre, a roasted petit poullet (cornish game hen), fruit and veg for salad at Le Palais du Fruits, and a chocolate eclair for dessert from Stroher, which is supposedly the oldest patisserie in Paris. Carrying everything back to the apartment was hard as I had a melon, a tomato, a cumcumber, and a couple of peaches, plus some other stuff, so the bag was heavy. Glad to have an elevator even if it is only about 2 feet square.
I needed a restroom, so stopped at a cafe and had a mid-morning pick-me-up of cafe au lait and croissant - buttery, flaky and crunchy, very good - and did some first class people watching. Lots of locals out with their kids and their dogs to do their shopping. Lots of little kids on scooters - the old fashioned kind; one little girl was pushing her dolly in a little stroller.
After going back to the apartment to put away my purchases and to rest up for awhile, I started out again. My original plan for today was to explore the Marais, but I'm doing a stroll with "Paris Greeters" through the Marais tomorrow, so decided to head down to Ile de la Cite (there should be an accent on the last "e" - I need to figure out how to do that, but it's not obvious in this program). I walked down Blvd de Sebastopol and before crossing the river, I caught my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower (Wow! I'm in Paris!). I crossed over Ile de la Cite, and walked on that side of the river to cross over to the Left Bank on the Petit Pont. This is where I had my first views of Notre Dame, which is celebrating its 850th Anniversary. There are some large temporaty structures in front of the cathedral for the event, so the views from that side are not the best. It was about 1:00 so decided to have lunch at Le Petit Chatelet where Mom and I had dinner 3 years ago. I sat outside with a view of Notre Dame (without the 850th Anniversary structures). I had Supreme Poulet avec jus - pan sauted chicken breast with pan sauce, accompanied by rice, and a glass of wine. It was very good. The bread basket included some slices of rustic bread that had been toasted in their wood-fired oven - nice smoky flavor. I topped the meal off with "un cafe." It was a pricey lunch, but I enjoyed it. Le Petit Chatelet is next door to "Shakespeare & Company," the famous english bookstore started by Silvia Beach back in the 1920s. She was friends with Hemingway and was the first to publish James Joyce's "Ullyses."
After lunch I walked along the boucanistas (booksellers who have the green stalls along the Seine). Didn't buy anything, but at some point I do want to buy some old Paris postcards (no, not the naughty ones). I crossed back over to the Ile de la Cite, and went to the flower market, which on Sundays has a bird market: everything you could possible want for your feathered friends.
One of my goals for the day was to get my Navigo Decouverte, a transit pass that works for the Metro, RER, and buses. It is permanent and rechargeable (I can use it again the next time I come). I brought the proper size picture from home. I learned that the Hotel du Ville Metro station has a manned-ticket booth, so went there, which was a short walk from the flower market. I got a 1 week, 5 zone pass for 34.50 euros. It is good Monday through Sunday, so I'll recharge it for the following week. The 5 zones allow me to use it when I make daytrips outside of central Paris. I think I'll get good use out of it as I don't think my knee will stand up to too many more walking days like today.
I next walked towards home, turning behind the Pompidou Center. I needed a rest and some refreshment, so I found a table at a cafe next to Place Igor Stravinski. There was a street performer dancing to music with a soccer ball. The things he could do with that soccer ball were amazing. At one point, he spinned it on a pencil point, then passed it over to the edge of the brim of his baseball cap while it was still spinning. Of course, the famous and imaginative Stravinski Fountain was right there, too.
I wandered around for a little while longer before going back to the apartment about 4:00. After a brief rest, I once again headed to St. Eustache church. This time for their 5:30 organ concert. I was early so walked a block or so further on. This is a very historical area of Paris, but there is very little left of what makes it historical, as it was the location of the central Paris produce market "Les Halles" for about 800 years. Unfortunately, the old structure was razed after the produce market moved to the suburbs in the 1960s-70s. As part of my trip preparation I read Emile Zola's "The Belly of Paris," which takes place exclusively in this neighborhood, which includes St. Eustache. The old market was replaced by a modern structure, largely hated by locals, that houses an underground shopping center and a busy hub of the Metro and RER systems. The 20th century above ground structure is being replaced, so there is a fence surrounding the construction site.
St. Eustache is a very old church in need of a lot of repair, but it is famous for its 8,000 pipe organ, one of the largest in Europe. The concert lasted a half-hour and consisted of 4 pieces, introduced by the organist in french, of course. So, other that a few words that happen to be in my french vocabulary, I didn't understand any of it. But the music was wonderful. The tone of the organ is so pure. There were a lot of people there for the concert - I was surprised at how many there were.
Back at the apartment I fixed a salad and had it and half of the chicken (it was small) for my dinner. The chocolate eclair was very good with a some french-press coffee. My first full day in Paris and it was wonderful.
I slept until 8 this morning, and a peek out the window revealed blue sky above. I showered, dressed and went out to get my demi-baguette (half of a baguette), came back to the apartment and had OJ, yogurt with raspberry jam, and baguette with Nutella, and coffee for breakfast. Then I went to the market. There is a Sunday morning market just a few blocks away near St. Eustache church. About 2 blocks long on both sides of Rue Montmarte. Very colorful with lots of fresh meats, seafood, vegetables, and fruits, but I decided to go to Rue Monorgueil, the market street a block over, before making my selections. Since it is Sunday I needed to buy tonight's dinner and most of the shops are open til 1pm. Everything looked so good that I bought my days supplies there: some chevre, a roasted petit poullet (cornish game hen), fruit and veg for salad at Le Palais du Fruits, and a chocolate eclair for dessert from Stroher, which is supposedly the oldest patisserie in Paris. Carrying everything back to the apartment was hard as I had a melon, a tomato, a cumcumber, and a couple of peaches, plus some other stuff, so the bag was heavy. Glad to have an elevator even if it is only about 2 feet square.
I needed a restroom, so stopped at a cafe and had a mid-morning pick-me-up of cafe au lait and croissant - buttery, flaky and crunchy, very good - and did some first class people watching. Lots of locals out with their kids and their dogs to do their shopping. Lots of little kids on scooters - the old fashioned kind; one little girl was pushing her dolly in a little stroller.
After going back to the apartment to put away my purchases and to rest up for awhile, I started out again. My original plan for today was to explore the Marais, but I'm doing a stroll with "Paris Greeters" through the Marais tomorrow, so decided to head down to Ile de la Cite (there should be an accent on the last "e" - I need to figure out how to do that, but it's not obvious in this program). I walked down Blvd de Sebastopol and before crossing the river, I caught my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower (Wow! I'm in Paris!). I crossed over Ile de la Cite, and walked on that side of the river to cross over to the Left Bank on the Petit Pont. This is where I had my first views of Notre Dame, which is celebrating its 850th Anniversary. There are some large temporaty structures in front of the cathedral for the event, so the views from that side are not the best. It was about 1:00 so decided to have lunch at Le Petit Chatelet where Mom and I had dinner 3 years ago. I sat outside with a view of Notre Dame (without the 850th Anniversary structures). I had Supreme Poulet avec jus - pan sauted chicken breast with pan sauce, accompanied by rice, and a glass of wine. It was very good. The bread basket included some slices of rustic bread that had been toasted in their wood-fired oven - nice smoky flavor. I topped the meal off with "un cafe." It was a pricey lunch, but I enjoyed it. Le Petit Chatelet is next door to "Shakespeare & Company," the famous english bookstore started by Silvia Beach back in the 1920s. She was friends with Hemingway and was the first to publish James Joyce's "Ullyses."
After lunch I walked along the boucanistas (booksellers who have the green stalls along the Seine). Didn't buy anything, but at some point I do want to buy some old Paris postcards (no, not the naughty ones). I crossed back over to the Ile de la Cite, and went to the flower market, which on Sundays has a bird market: everything you could possible want for your feathered friends.
One of my goals for the day was to get my Navigo Decouverte, a transit pass that works for the Metro, RER, and buses. It is permanent and rechargeable (I can use it again the next time I come). I brought the proper size picture from home. I learned that the Hotel du Ville Metro station has a manned-ticket booth, so went there, which was a short walk from the flower market. I got a 1 week, 5 zone pass for 34.50 euros. It is good Monday through Sunday, so I'll recharge it for the following week. The 5 zones allow me to use it when I make daytrips outside of central Paris. I think I'll get good use out of it as I don't think my knee will stand up to too many more walking days like today.
I next walked towards home, turning behind the Pompidou Center. I needed a rest and some refreshment, so I found a table at a cafe next to Place Igor Stravinski. There was a street performer dancing to music with a soccer ball. The things he could do with that soccer ball were amazing. At one point, he spinned it on a pencil point, then passed it over to the edge of the brim of his baseball cap while it was still spinning. Of course, the famous and imaginative Stravinski Fountain was right there, too.
I wandered around for a little while longer before going back to the apartment about 4:00. After a brief rest, I once again headed to St. Eustache church. This time for their 5:30 organ concert. I was early so walked a block or so further on. This is a very historical area of Paris, but there is very little left of what makes it historical, as it was the location of the central Paris produce market "Les Halles" for about 800 years. Unfortunately, the old structure was razed after the produce market moved to the suburbs in the 1960s-70s. As part of my trip preparation I read Emile Zola's "The Belly of Paris," which takes place exclusively in this neighborhood, which includes St. Eustache. The old market was replaced by a modern structure, largely hated by locals, that houses an underground shopping center and a busy hub of the Metro and RER systems. The 20th century above ground structure is being replaced, so there is a fence surrounding the construction site.
St. Eustache is a very old church in need of a lot of repair, but it is famous for its 8,000 pipe organ, one of the largest in Europe. The concert lasted a half-hour and consisted of 4 pieces, introduced by the organist in french, of course. So, other that a few words that happen to be in my french vocabulary, I didn't understand any of it. But the music was wonderful. The tone of the organ is so pure. There were a lot of people there for the concert - I was surprised at how many there were.
Back at the apartment I fixed a salad and had it and half of the chicken (it was small) for my dinner. The chocolate eclair was very good with a some french-press coffee. My first full day in Paris and it was wonderful.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Day 1: Bonjour, Paris!
This has been such a long day! My 2 flights all left and arrived as scheduled. The four hour lay-over in Amsterdam went quickly. I had a slice of pizza for lunch before boarding the flight for Paris. Arrival in Paris couldn't have been easier. In fact, it took just about 65 minutes from the time I got of the plane until I arrived at the apartment (by taxi). The taxi ride was 50 euros after rounding up what was on the meter. Well worth it.
Anne, the owner of the apartment, met me there and showed me how to navigate all of the locks. There is a keypad to enter through the main door, then an electronic key tab to get through the next door. After going up to the 2nd floor (3rd Floor US) in the miniscule elevator (it can't be much more than 2 feet square), there are 3 keys to fit into the different locks on the door into the apartment. I was expecting the apartment to be small - it's 19 square meters, which is about 178 squre feet - but it is a lot smaller in person than it appears in the photos, though all other aspects are well represented by the photos. Anne showed me how to turn on all the lights, the TV, the Wi-Fi, etc. One of my concerns was about a closet as there is no sign of one in any of the pictures. Well, there is a jerry-rigged closet of sorts opposite the front door where I was able to hang all of my clothing, and a shoebag type thing with shelves where I stashed my underwear. Hooks on the back of the front and bathroom doors are also being well utilized.
The apartment has Pergo-like flooring, but I feel like I'm going up and down hills as I walk across the floor. This is a very old building - I think 17th or 18th century. The beams in the ceiling have been exposed. The hallways are very narrow and the stairs are very uneven - I did go down them once. There is a nice tall window in my apartment with an decorative iron railing and even some potted plants. When the window is open, a nice breeze comes through and it isn't buggy.
Tired as I was, I walked around the neighborhood to get the lay of the land. I got a small quiche at the bakery down on the corner for tonight's dinner, then went to the G20 supermarket a block or so away to stock up on breakfast items as well as a bottle of wine. Wine is so cheap here. I got some yogurt in these cunning little glass jars - we've always gotten these on our trips to France - and some jam to sweeten it up - it is soooo good. Nothing like Yoplait Light, I assure you. Also got some Nutella for my morning baguette, which I will get fresh tomorrow morning. Coffee and orange juice pretty much completed the purchases.
This is a very busy neighborhood. The Pompidou Center (Modern Art Museum) is just a block away and the streets around here are all but traffic-free, so lots of people walking around. I heard more french being spoken than anything else. As I write this I can hear the people in the bar across the street (the street is only about 20 feet wide). It is very popular and it is Saturday night. I don't expect the noise to keep me awake tonight, though, and I did bring some ear plugs.
I had planned to walk further afield after dropping the groceries off at the apartment, but I was just too tired, so I've been listening to French TV - mostly talking heads, but it's good to hear french being spoken. So far I haven't had to use much of my french except with the taxi driver. There are several english news stations, but I don't think any other english programming.
Tomorrow I will venture out to the market street to pick up some fresh fruit, cheese, etc. It's only open until 1pm, so I'll do that first before going any further. I haven't seen any landmarks yet. It's that first sighting of Notre Dame or the EiffelTower that hits you between the eyes with that "Wow, I'm in Paris" feeling.
Anne, the owner of the apartment, met me there and showed me how to navigate all of the locks. There is a keypad to enter through the main door, then an electronic key tab to get through the next door. After going up to the 2nd floor (3rd Floor US) in the miniscule elevator (it can't be much more than 2 feet square), there are 3 keys to fit into the different locks on the door into the apartment. I was expecting the apartment to be small - it's 19 square meters, which is about 178 squre feet - but it is a lot smaller in person than it appears in the photos, though all other aspects are well represented by the photos. Anne showed me how to turn on all the lights, the TV, the Wi-Fi, etc. One of my concerns was about a closet as there is no sign of one in any of the pictures. Well, there is a jerry-rigged closet of sorts opposite the front door where I was able to hang all of my clothing, and a shoebag type thing with shelves where I stashed my underwear. Hooks on the back of the front and bathroom doors are also being well utilized.
The apartment has Pergo-like flooring, but I feel like I'm going up and down hills as I walk across the floor. This is a very old building - I think 17th or 18th century. The beams in the ceiling have been exposed. The hallways are very narrow and the stairs are very uneven - I did go down them once. There is a nice tall window in my apartment with an decorative iron railing and even some potted plants. When the window is open, a nice breeze comes through and it isn't buggy.
Tired as I was, I walked around the neighborhood to get the lay of the land. I got a small quiche at the bakery down on the corner for tonight's dinner, then went to the G20 supermarket a block or so away to stock up on breakfast items as well as a bottle of wine. Wine is so cheap here. I got some yogurt in these cunning little glass jars - we've always gotten these on our trips to France - and some jam to sweeten it up - it is soooo good. Nothing like Yoplait Light, I assure you. Also got some Nutella for my morning baguette, which I will get fresh tomorrow morning. Coffee and orange juice pretty much completed the purchases.
This is a very busy neighborhood. The Pompidou Center (Modern Art Museum) is just a block away and the streets around here are all but traffic-free, so lots of people walking around. I heard more french being spoken than anything else. As I write this I can hear the people in the bar across the street (the street is only about 20 feet wide). It is very popular and it is Saturday night. I don't expect the noise to keep me awake tonight, though, and I did bring some ear plugs.
I had planned to walk further afield after dropping the groceries off at the apartment, but I was just too tired, so I've been listening to French TV - mostly talking heads, but it's good to hear french being spoken. So far I haven't had to use much of my french except with the taxi driver. There are several english news stations, but I don't think any other english programming.
Tomorrow I will venture out to the market street to pick up some fresh fruit, cheese, etc. It's only open until 1pm, so I'll do that first before going any further. I haven't seen any landmarks yet. It's that first sighting of Notre Dame or the EiffelTower that hits you between the eyes with that "Wow, I'm in Paris" feeling.
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