Just returned from 8 glorious days in Paris. We made ze rendezvous with old friends from college/post-college days back in Minnesota. Stuart and I hadn't been to Paris since our honeymoon 27 years ago, and we celebrated our anniversary there. Despite the fact that Stuart tripped on the steps and broke his foot 10 days before our departure (thereby corroborating the factoid that most accidents occur at home), we trotted around those cobblestone streets until we fell, exhausted, into one sidewalk cafe after another. He was a trooper with a huge moon-boot thing on his left foot, aided by a dashing carved wooden cane. We all teased him that a beret and a Galoise would have completed the look! Note the Man Purse which was procured for the express purpose of looking like less of an American Tourist. We've outgrown the backpack at last.
We rented a lovely apartment in the 7th arrondisement. It was directly across from the Basilica St. Clothilde, on the 5th floor with a weensy elevator barely large enough for both of us. There is a lovely restaurant on the ground level, Le Basilic, which we came to think of as our own dining room. This is our little terrace with the view onto the church. Amazing!
One da
y (it so happened it was the day of our anniversary) we finally decided to go into the church when we heard the organist warming up as we passed. When we stepped inside the doors, the organist burst into Pachelbel's "Canon in D," which had been our wedding march! Needless to say I burst into tears. Quel coincidence!
Paris disarmed me with its beauty. I recall it being much noisier, more polluted, dirtier in general. But then again that was before I lived in New York and in those days had a Minnesota baseline for commotion. I was struck with the general tranquility of the Left Bank (never mind about the Right Bank, that's pretty much as I remember it). A little dog doo to hop over is nothing compared to, say, last week in Park Slope where there was garbage piled up on the curbs as far as the eye could see, MacDonald's bags blowin' in the wind, and trucks double-parked everywhere with their exhaust fumes full throttle.
I have to accept the fact that I'm just not a consistant blogger. Seems like I used to be a lot more regular in my postings. Maybe the addiction is getting under control! Anyway, though I post less often lately I hope that my postings are more interesting!
Voilà un voyage qui t'a bien réjouie Sara ! heureuse que Paris laisse de bons souvenirs et des envies gourmandes. A quand le reste de la France ?
A bientôt, toujours au plaisir de lire tes posts.
Posted by: filscroises | September 18, 2006 at 05:09 PM