Such a beautiful April morning in Paris! Looking out, you have to be thrilled with a lineup of Parisian dormer windows against a blue sky!
We go down to breakfast. I'd say everyone is recovered from travel and sleep lags!
The plan for the day is for the young ones to go up to Montmartre -- because it is so much part of Parisian history and culture. But I stay back. Sure, I may regret it: doing stuff with the young family is always joyous. Nonetheless, I'm pacing myself. I have a couple of big days coming up, and I've been traveling a lot, and I think a down morning will be good for me.
So where to, in my solo wanderings? Oh, to the park of course. With an open mind and a smile.
On the way, I pause at my jewelry store du jour. I nearly always pause here and admire earrings and necklaces. They're locally made and not pricey. I pick one out. Madame asks me (they always ask me this here) -- where are you from? I tell her. It is true that, when asked, I never give a neutral response. There is always a note of disappointment in my voice. They always pick up on it. Here, the shop keeper was especially strong in her condemnation of what's in place right now across the ocean. Words such as fascist and king were used. I listen of course. They have a right to be angry at America right now. (But to the visitor -- me -- they are always kind. Pitying.)
And now the gardens. The Jardin Luxembourg isn't a monolith of sameness. On a weekday, each corner has its very unique visitors. For instance, in the northwest shady enclave, small groups meet up for different meditative exercises. Today I see several and I think -- were this my home, I would seek them out and try to join in.
This one seems to have retired men. Slowly raising their arms. So calm, so beautiful...
The pond is the hub where most visitors like to grab a chair. It's where families with kids gather for the sailboat races.
I sit here for a while, because in the morning, it's still rather empty. Pleasant for me. But soon I get up and walk over to what is really my favorite corner -- the south-west. On a weekday at lunch time (and it is lunchtime by now), local high school kids come here with their food...
But even with their vivaciousness and nonstop conversations, it is a quiet place, with plenty of empty chairs for those who want to just sit and read. Or look at the flowers.
Too, there are the birds: wrens, blackcaps, European robins. Great tits, blue tits and even a parakeet. So says my bird app. And this guy, who is rather silent.
From the park I go to a candy shop. That wasn't the goal. I'm actually in search of a cafe that isn't going to ask me to eat lunch (most cafes in France dont like beverage sippers between the hours of noon and 2:30). But here I am, next to this shop that carries my daughter's favorite caramels. I pick up a pack.
And now I go all the way back to the blocks that are so often my traipsing ground.
Here, I know there is a coffee shop that just sells coffee. And a few small cakes to accompany it. (Cafe d'Auteur) It's perfect.
I'm back at the hotel by 2:30 and within a few minutes the young family returns. I hear about their morning (it was, predictably, very very nice), Juniper goes down for a nap.
The plan for the late afternoon is for as many of us as are awake to go to the Musee d'Orsay. For the Impressionists. Three qualify (and a fourth would, but someone has to stay back with a sleeping babe).
Oh, this museum! Such a huge collection of beautiful stuff! There are bottlenecks of school groups, tour groups, and regular old us visitors, but honestly, you can weave your way away from the crowds and even pick your favorites and get photos by them...
And by the time we leave, it really has thinned out.
We leave when it's not quite the hour for dinner yet. It gives us time for a leisurely stroll through the Tuillerie Gardens across the river from the Orsay.
I used to regard these as second fiddle to my beloved Luxembourg Gardens, but I've learned not to compare. The Tuileries have their own special charm.
They will always have more people in them. Nevertheless, there's lots of peace to be found.
And they have lovely open air cafes for a predinner beverage. Cocktails, mocktails, pick your pleasure.
Juniper and her dad join us here.
And of course, the big pleasure for the kids is the merry-go-round.
We got them three rides each -- horses, spinning cups, motorcycles -- they rode them all!
And then the operator let them have one more ride for free. The girls were ecstatic.
But now it really is time for dinner. Tonight we try something new for me: Parisian food courts! We leave the park...
... and take the metro to the Montparnasse area and find our way to this very industrial looking dining hall. (The place is packed by the time we leave!)
It's all high tech stuff -- how you order, how you pay -- but it all works well. The adults all choose Vietnamese food, the two girls? Cheeseburgers!
Both Primrose and Juniper loved the place not only for the food, but for this:
And this:
It's a long walk home, but we do it! Spirits are high! Besides, it's downhill all the way. (Did you know that Paris is actually a little hilly?)
Each day in Paris offers something new. Even if you repeat a path, frequent a familiar store, it is guaranteed that you will experience something entirely extraordinary and different. And of course, add to it the persons you're with and you are in new and exciting territory! At the end of the day, I think -- so much was familiar ground for me and yet -- it was all so beautiful, new, extraordinary!
with love...
