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If you don't rubber neck at the site of a car smash, a building on fire or a ship sinking, then you might want to pass on this blog and wait for the next one.
On Wednesday, Ches, Alison and I walked up to the Parthenon and St Etienne du Mont. The church is a wonderful small church packed with interesting features and we are so glad Sharon called us out on not visiting earlier in the week.
From there we walked down through back streets of the Latin Quarter to the Sein and along the banks photographing the Notre Dame. Back up to our apartment for lunch and Alison to collect her bag.
Alison was flying back to Edinburgh and we had a panicked walk back to the Metro/RER for her train to the airport. No, it wasn't Odeon but somewhere on the banks of the Sein … hidden in a side lane no wider than 3m. If you didn't know where it was, it required the eyes of an eagle to see the only small sign.
With Alison on her way, we returned home and with poor weather, spent the afternoon in the apartment.
Thursday … this is where you might want to depart. This was a "Magenta letter day".
Alison had wanted to take us to her favourite Paris restaurant, Les Infants Perdus near the Canal Saint Martin, Drew had insisted that we buy bread from Du Pain et des Idees a couple of streets away from the restaurant and we had discovered that there was a good walk to be had along the canal where the locks emerge from the underground canal and the nearby Marche covered market. Four good reasons to venture into this district that doesn't appear on too many tourist agendas.
We took the metro to Gare de L'Est. Emerged into pouring rain with one umbrella and a leaking Irish spray jacket. Mistook the side of the station to the front, went down the wrong street. Returned to front (or side). Set off in new direction and up (or down) Boulevard de Magenta. Map indicated that way however off line downloaded map on my phone indicated otherwise. Returned to intersection.
There was a café that offered shelter and I had had enough. We sat with a hot chocolate for half an hour or so and I photographed everyone who passed in the rain (on my phone). Left the café and went up the street again. No street names matched our map, then one did … we were going the wrong direction. Turn around and back down past our café and onward down (or up) Boulevard de Magenta. We were destined to spend more time in this boulevard than anywhere else.
In despair, tried to buy an umbrella. Credit card rejected for the second time (the Cafe also). Paid cash, crossed the street and the rain stopped. We decided that it was now so late (1.45) that we would go to the restaurant for lunch. Restaurant closed … so on to L'a Atmosphere just down the street. Highlight of the day. Fantastic Duck confit and an apple pie to die for and masses of it. Thin pastry, apple and almond cream filling with filo pastry on top and a good dollop of cream. (Ches had Lamb cutlets and declared Aussi lamb better.)
3.15 left the restaurant to walk down the canal (pretty now that there was occasional glimpses of blue sky) and go buy the bread. Bread shop closed for summer. Let's go to the covered markets. Closed however a movie being shot in the street Rue du Chateau d'Eau. OK, let's get out of here, we are batting 3 for zero. Heading up the same street toward the metro and we come along a block around 200m long that is lined with hairdressers and cosmetic and wig shops. Almost a mall, and the street is filled with north African men and the hairdressers with women. They were really bare shops with dozens of women in each one sitting on boxes having their hair plaited, beaded, bewigged etc. We don't know it this is a regular thing or there was an event coming up.
We found the metro, returned home and decided that as the same weather was/is forecast for Friday we will give Giverny a miss. Like L'orangerie where it took us 12 years and four visits before we finally got to see the Monets, we have now tried for Giverny five times and missed every time. We'll have to return to Paris at least one more time.
Enthusiasm waning, we will revisit Sainte-Chapelle and the museum of the middle Ages which we last visited 15 years ago. Also hoping for lunch at a restaurant rated 52nd out of 14,500 in Paris. Won't put the "mocka" on it by naming it just yet.
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