Darcy's Paris Blog

Day 3- end of vacation!

Today is day 3, mostly a free day and the end of my vacation feeling in Paris. Tomorrow the work begins! This morning I had to clean the kitchen floor and cabinets -- not that they were filthy, but I couldn't let them go. A little more organization around the house, and I was out the door. First I went to check on the car, partly because of yesterday's good-morning parking ticket surprise, and partly to make sure I knew how to get there before I have to do it in the morning before work. After hiking back up towards the apartment, I stopped at the boulangerie for a baguette the length of my arm. Couldn't help it. Fresh fruit at the fruit stand, check; return to apartment to put away, then back out again. My plan for today was really just to bum around and read, and maybe pick up a few extra things if possible. Today being Sunday, most places are closed, though, so I decided I'd be fine with just the reading accomplished. I walked towards the Abbesses station to scope out what the walk'll be like once my station closes. A little far for everyday, but very charming, both the walk and the entrance to the station itself. (Downstairs the station is a pit, but who cares.) I headed towards the English-speaking bookstore, WH Smith, to get a Paris driving map and a copy of The Da Vinci Code. (I want to reread it before the movie comes out, just to compare.) That place is great, and it's big -- if you're ever looking for English books here, head to Place de la Concorde and check it out. I walked back through the Jardin des Tuileries (near the Louvre) and headed for the little park on the Ile de la Cite to read my book (Merde Actually -- funny, and about an English guy who moved to Paris. Seemed appropriate.) The author mentions that the park was where some former prince or king or something used to come to seduce his lovers -- either that guy was a little kinky or the park was a looooot less busy then. You never know -- although I will say that except for the tourist boat that loads from one end of the park, it's not overly crowded. I sat and read for a bit, which was exactly what I wanted to do today. After a while, I headed towards Notre Dame just to check it out. I'm wondering if the huge crowds of tourists are due to spring break or if it's always like that. It seemed busier than during off-peak trips I've taken in the past, but could be that my memory's off.

Bought fresh cut tulips at the flower market on the island -- I blurted out a couple of phrases in French at the guy working the stall, which he seemed to not understand until he responded in English. Sorry, buddy, I'm working on it, but you'll have to work with me for now. The island's flower market is spectacular when all the stalls are open -- I'm definitely returning, even just to take pictures.

Just walking around Paris is an experience. Everything is so beautiful it almost spoils you, and you start getting used to it. I'm excited to be here, but in a subtle way -- I don't know if it's not more overt because I've been here several times before or that it hasn't sunk in yet. Not sure yet, but so far, it's been awesome.

Came home again by metro and got asked again for directions in French. That's not the first time so far. I'll take that as a good sign, but I really wish I had more to say back to them. Hopefully I'll get started with French class this week, if all goes well... I saw in the metro, too, that Rousseau, Cezanne, and Pissarro all have temporary exhibitions in the next few months. Maybe that's the yin to the station closing yang or something.

Cooked dinner at home for the first time here. Uneventful except for the fact that I don't have an oven, which makes certain dishes rather difficult. I do have a microwave, with some kind of metal rack inside, and I've heard that there are some microwaves that can also roast as well as microwave. Not sure. I really hope this isn't what the apartment listing meant by "American-style kitchen." Do I need to tell my landlord & lady that we actually do have ovens in America?

Oh, and a minor but warm-and-fuzzy triumph of the evening: my DVD player plays my DVDs! Which is unexpected, since they're usually coded for a geographic region only, but is a wonderful surprise. It doesn't matter in the long run, but it's nice to be able to put on a familiar show like "Sex and the City" when there's nothing else familiar, you know?

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posted by Darcy @ 6:53 PM