Musings In And Around Paris

Sent late night Saturday.

I am still in Paris.  Leaving tomorrow.  The first day here after sleeping late I walked and found I made a circle.  I thought I was going straight.  I then bought a plan de Paris which I seemed to have lost already.  I walked a lot and I am now suffering from shin splint.  

I decided to go to the Musee d'Orsay after a long walk and a lunch on Rue de Harpe a Mecca of tourism.   Musee d'Orsay was wonderful.  It is a recycled train station.  The clocks are from a previous age.  (See A Friday Stroll Through Paris.)

I met some Americans from Kansas (originally from New York) who went to Monet's garden in Giverny in Normandy.  It was only a 44 minute trip to Vernon and then another twenty minutes to Giverny.  I could have saved some time since it is in an exhibit in the Bronx at the Botanical Gardens.  However I didn't go to the Bronx but I did come to France.  There were tons of tourists speaking many languages.  Was quite beautiful.  

When I returned last night I went to an international dinner party.  Actually it was only Franco American.  It was at the home of Catherine's sister Francoise  and women of interesting pursuits, in film, theater and the visual arts.  Francoise has a house in an alley.  It is a little alley with no traffic.  She has an outside area also.  It was a bit too cool to eat outside but in the summer it must be nice.  I even got a ride home from the other American who is staying in the same arrondissement as me with her sister in law.

I got home pretty late and slept pretty late.  

I went to a cafe in Bastille and had my first croissant.  My hotel's breakfasts are not too great after 9:30 and it was my first croissant,  I decided after living in France for almost a year and many visits it was time to bite the bullet and go to the Eiffel Tour.  I can only assume it is like going to the Empire State building.  Now I have done it and will never have to do it again.  It was quite a scene.

Paris has become much more expensive.  I remember it as a place you could find a nice inexpensive hotel and find good food that was reasonable and tasty.  That is no longer the case. The food may be tasty but it is also quite dear -- No cheap lunches anymore.  By the way a number of years ago when Robert and I were in Paris we were so excited because we found Le Bar des Huitres which was cheaper then other oyster restaurants on Montparnasse and full of only the French.  Now it is very expensive and is also full of tourists.  There is one in my Bastille neighborhood.  The menus are on Ipads and you can choose your language.   It is very cool and there are pictures as well as words.   I thought it was pretty neat but you pay for it. 

Tomorrow I go to a wonderful market and then to the airport for my short flight to Nice.  Nice should be nice.