On parle francais.
It's been a few days now. And as the french would say, je suis bien installee. That means that I'm settled, dug in actually, frankly even mourning the thought of leaving! Ok ,ok je me calme . It's just that the weather was so perfect this weekend and everything seemed to celebrate the coming of spring. The locals are amazed that just two weeks ago, everything was white with snow.
I forgot my camera on Sunday. What a mistake. Paris never looked prettier. I took the metro into the center of the city 'pour dire bonjour' to my old quarter. It's known as le Marais, le quatrieme. It's also the place where you find L'Hotel de Ville et la cathedrale Notre Dame. I lived in that area for a month in 2002 and its like my old home town. When I wandered into the Notre Dame I had forgotten that the Pope had just died the day before. There was a huge banner of his photo in the front. What amazes me is that the crowds weren't any bigger than usual. This is the wonderful thing about the Notre Dame, nothing seems to phase her. There are always huge crowds touring the perimeter of the interior. Yet in the interior of that, the faithful press on with their worship and praise! There is such a humble and unpretentious air about the congregation of the Notre Dame. And that Sunday, as the people raised their voices in song, it really was magnificent. Again, I felt like I had come home. Let the tourist gawk at the murals and monuments. I rather sit and absorb the essence of the 900 years of prayer which fills that place.
Content and saturated, I left the church and the many news reporters outside the church and the hustle and bustle of the ever present tours and their tour guides, and made my way across the Seine to my other favorite place.
Saint Michel. I will take pictures of this wonderful world of gastromic delight later..but on sunday I was just looking for really good fries with a 'donner' or gyro. Ahh the delights of being a female in Paris! As the guy was making my lunch..with a very greasy smile on his face, he showed me how special I was...he pulled a fresh batch of fries from the fryer for me. Now that is what I call a SMART MAN. lol I walked away munching with delight. I had spotted a place earlier next to the seine river. Blue skies over head, people were scattered everywhere to take in the gorgeous weather. I sat on one of the huge step edges about 50 feet above the river. EEEk..do not lean back! I kept telling myself. Not to worry, I was very aware of the distance and the beauty..ahhhh.
Grocery shopping ( faire les courses) is something that has to be planned. Imagine that whatever you buy must be then carried. And whatever is carried, must be carried UP the stairs. There is no such thing as hoping to get a parking space close to the door so you don't have to roll the cart too far!!! Okay so strategy is important. Liquids are heavy! Actually everything is heavy after awhile. And then there is the question of the distance between the store and your front door. Do you see what I mean? Happily (heureusement) Laurence has a cart. Its big and lavendar and the first time I went shopping it just didnt fit in with my little tiny purse image. Instead I used my backpack with wheels. That's the same one that likes to slide on its side. In no time I was toting the big purple bag with glee!!! Today I had that thing slung over my back trying to get it up the stairs. I had 4 litres of water, 5 lbs of apples and other assorted things. oooohhhh my gaaawd..I was so afraid of the one step forward two steps back type progression that would lead to an aaaaaaaaaaaaaalll the way back down. I went carefully, the stairs are very narrow, and finally got to my door. The second floor in france is the third floor in the usa, so I am thrilled my apt is not at the top floor, the 6th! Up there they must just eat a lot of crepes!
There is a flip side to my story. Laurence, the girl who's apt I have rented, is now in NYC. We are like aberrant twins. When we chat online, she writes in english and I write in french! I dunno why! And yet when we were together in paris we spoke just french. Now that she is in NYC, she is going through her paces...getting loss trying to find her apt, leaving her suitcases to run after the taxi, then realizing that her suitcase were behind the locked door of the lobby that she ran out of. And dont forget, she is not fluent in english! On the plane she was offered chicken or steak. She had no idea what 'chicken' meant because the american chicken dish in Paris is KFC!!! lol It's a long road for both of us!
Today I went to my first class. Just next to me, the students were from Libya and the Ukraine. Believe me, these people are appalled if you do not know where their country is, not to mention my difficulty in recognizing the NAME of their country in french. Par example, United States is Les Etats Unis..and believe me, even that is a mouthful! But as I looked around the room I could see that the United Nations was present. I knew that I am the only american even if I looked like the other asians who are from Korea, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, and other assorted asian countries. One thing we had in common was that blank frightened look students have when they don't understand what is going on and are trying to hide it but are doing a really poor job at it! I KNOW that look! I had that look! But my teacher is very animated and fun and I am looking forward to being challenged! grrrrrrrr! (This is a lie but its what I tell myself.)
Alors, profitez de la vie et faire les belle choses!
I forgot my camera on Sunday. What a mistake. Paris never looked prettier. I took the metro into the center of the city 'pour dire bonjour' to my old quarter. It's known as le Marais, le quatrieme. It's also the place where you find L'Hotel de Ville et la cathedrale Notre Dame. I lived in that area for a month in 2002 and its like my old home town. When I wandered into the Notre Dame I had forgotten that the Pope had just died the day before. There was a huge banner of his photo in the front. What amazes me is that the crowds weren't any bigger than usual. This is the wonderful thing about the Notre Dame, nothing seems to phase her. There are always huge crowds touring the perimeter of the interior. Yet in the interior of that, the faithful press on with their worship and praise! There is such a humble and unpretentious air about the congregation of the Notre Dame. And that Sunday, as the people raised their voices in song, it really was magnificent. Again, I felt like I had come home. Let the tourist gawk at the murals and monuments. I rather sit and absorb the essence of the 900 years of prayer which fills that place.
Content and saturated, I left the church and the many news reporters outside the church and the hustle and bustle of the ever present tours and their tour guides, and made my way across the Seine to my other favorite place.
Saint Michel. I will take pictures of this wonderful world of gastromic delight later..but on sunday I was just looking for really good fries with a 'donner' or gyro. Ahh the delights of being a female in Paris! As the guy was making my lunch..with a very greasy smile on his face, he showed me how special I was...he pulled a fresh batch of fries from the fryer for me. Now that is what I call a SMART MAN. lol I walked away munching with delight. I had spotted a place earlier next to the seine river. Blue skies over head, people were scattered everywhere to take in the gorgeous weather. I sat on one of the huge step edges about 50 feet above the river. EEEk..do not lean back! I kept telling myself. Not to worry, I was very aware of the distance and the beauty..ahhhh.
Grocery shopping ( faire les courses) is something that has to be planned. Imagine that whatever you buy must be then carried. And whatever is carried, must be carried UP the stairs. There is no such thing as hoping to get a parking space close to the door so you don't have to roll the cart too far!!! Okay so strategy is important. Liquids are heavy! Actually everything is heavy after awhile. And then there is the question of the distance between the store and your front door. Do you see what I mean? Happily (heureusement) Laurence has a cart. Its big and lavendar and the first time I went shopping it just didnt fit in with my little tiny purse image. Instead I used my backpack with wheels. That's the same one that likes to slide on its side. In no time I was toting the big purple bag with glee!!! Today I had that thing slung over my back trying to get it up the stairs. I had 4 litres of water, 5 lbs of apples and other assorted things. oooohhhh my gaaawd..I was so afraid of the one step forward two steps back type progression that would lead to an aaaaaaaaaaaaaalll the way back down. I went carefully, the stairs are very narrow, and finally got to my door. The second floor in france is the third floor in the usa, so I am thrilled my apt is not at the top floor, the 6th! Up there they must just eat a lot of crepes!
There is a flip side to my story. Laurence, the girl who's apt I have rented, is now in NYC. We are like aberrant twins. When we chat online, she writes in english and I write in french! I dunno why! And yet when we were together in paris we spoke just french. Now that she is in NYC, she is going through her paces...getting loss trying to find her apt, leaving her suitcases to run after the taxi, then realizing that her suitcase were behind the locked door of the lobby that she ran out of. And dont forget, she is not fluent in english! On the plane she was offered chicken or steak. She had no idea what 'chicken' meant because the american chicken dish in Paris is KFC!!! lol It's a long road for both of us!
Today I went to my first class. Just next to me, the students were from Libya and the Ukraine. Believe me, these people are appalled if you do not know where their country is, not to mention my difficulty in recognizing the NAME of their country in french. Par example, United States is Les Etats Unis..and believe me, even that is a mouthful! But as I looked around the room I could see that the United Nations was present. I knew that I am the only american even if I looked like the other asians who are from Korea, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, and other assorted asian countries. One thing we had in common was that blank frightened look students have when they don't understand what is going on and are trying to hide it but are doing a really poor job at it! I KNOW that look! I had that look! But my teacher is very animated and fun and I am looking forward to being challenged! grrrrrrrr! (This is a lie but its what I tell myself.)
Alors, profitez de la vie et faire les belle choses!
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