Even though I thought I'd seen and done pretty much everything I wanted to here in Paris, things just seem to keep popping-up unexpectedly. Got up this morning and thought I'd just take it easy today -- headed-out to a nearby boulangerie for a croissant, a cup of coffee, sitting in the sun and doing some people watching.
No matter where you sit and watch, you see a wide variety of people pass by -- a llittle old lady in a black coat, hunched over from age, with a cane in one hand and a bag of groceries in the other slowly making her way down the middle of the narrow street, a young woman in spandex jogging while listening to her i-Pod, a well-dressed middle-aged woman holding her head high and walking her small dog on a leash, an elderly man wearing a beret and sportscoat gingerly making his way down the sidewalk, businessmen in suits hurrying off to some "important" meeting, young men with cigarettes in their hands talking loudly and wildly gesturing about something as they make their way past -- slices of life.
Am trying to get out every day and walk three to four miles (or sometimes longer) -- both for execise and to see what Paris wants to show me. So after lazing in the sun, it was off in a direction I hadn't been in yet. Wandered randomly down the streets just taking it all in when I came to an overpass and there at the end of the street was Eglise Saint-Augustine, the mystery church from yesterday (and the last few weeks)-- the other day we'd taken two Metro lines to find it and here it was today and I just happened by chance to turn the corner and have it right there -- what a surprise!
Continued on, and a half dozen blocks later, passed a huge black and gold ornamental gate with a beautiful tree-lined boulevard and gorgeous houses behind it -- it was open so went in and, and fifty yards later, found myself entering Parc Monceau -- a wonderful oasis in the heart of Paris -- not in any tour books. Surrounded by old buildings, partially blocked by tall trees -- calm, peaceful -- even though it was bordered by traffic and congestion on all sides, in the park all you could hear were birds singing, the sounds of children playing and the wind blowing -- amazing. You get a feel for the place from the photos better than I could ever describe. Spent probably and hour and a half, walking the paths, sitting on a bench relaxing and people watching and taking photos -- if I hadn't had a large coffee earlier, would probably have stayed much longer!
Spent the afternoon on a quest -- leave Paris in a few days and some of the places I'll be staying at don't provide sheets or towels -- but they'll be happy to provide them for an extra thirty-five to forty euros a stay -- things are different here, some minor, some major. Calculated that if I stayed a half dozen times at places that didn't provide linens that would add-up fast -- figured I should be able to buy some here in Paris for less - especially at a street market. So off it was to Marche Eglise St Eustache -- hadn't been to this one -- this provided a good excuse! Turns out it was a small market -- moslty produce/fruits and crafts/jewelry -- but it was pleasant to wander.
Nearby was an H&M department store -- should be a "no-brainer" that they would have sheets -- remember what I wrote earlier about things being different here -- you guessed it -- no sheets, or at least no flat sheets (non-fitted) -- apparently, in at least Paris, it's not a common practice to use flat sheets on beds -- they use a fitted sheet and a douvet cover (two sheets sewn together with padding in the middle, like a sandwich) -- no top sheets. In addition, everything is sold "a la carte" -- if you want two sheets, you buy two packages, douvet cover is a separate package, ditto for pillow cases -- no sets like in the States.
Figured my "great plan" was shot until I ducked into a small "hole-in-the-wall" shop (think one-third the size of a cargo container) with linens in stacks to the ceiling covering all the horizontal walls except for a small front doorway -- he had some -- each individually wrapped in plastic with a sticker reading "Drap" (sheet), the size in centimeters and the word "Cotton" -- describing the linens -- felt like I was buying pirated DVD's or drugs! Nice guy though -- swore everything he had in there was "top of the line -- premium quality" -- figured, hey, they're just sheets!
I leave Paris on Monday and head south through the flooded areas of France -- Christine went that way yesterday and made it to her destination so hopefully will have no problems. Will be spending a few days touring some chateaus and then three days biking, hiking and visiting wineries -- looking forward to leaving Paris -- feel I've learned/experienced everything I was meant to in Paris and it's time for a change. Anticipating not having wi-fi access in some areas but will do my best to keep the journal's photos and stories up to date.
