Paris Snow 07-08 Janvier 2010

07 Janvier (Juedi) - Saw one of these on the street the other day. They're about the same size as a Smart and almost as cute.

So here it is...our last day in frozen Paris. It's time to partir, just as we were starting to get used to the cold. Almost everyone has said that it hasn't been this cold in a long, long time. It must be that damned global warming.

Madame Perez called to say she would be about an hour early for the final inspection and the returning of the deposit.

We walked down to Saint Paul and got a taxi to Place d'Italie and Italie2. Of course, as we are wont to do, we struck up a conversation with our driver. We mentioned that we were going home tomorrow, and he gave us his number and said if we called him, he would be happy to take us to the airport. We're glad that happened because otherwise, Robb would have to walk up to Saint Paul, engage a taxi and bring him back to the apartment to pick up me and our baggage. This arrangement is much better. Beside, the driver was a very cute Chinese guy born and raised in Paris.

In Italie2, we covered almost the entire place. I thought I might buy a pair of shoes, but couldn't find any I really liked, including the ones made by a company with my name. I bought a nice scarf at Jules for half off because of the soldes. Robb bought another stocking hat. It's really nice. I saw a fantastic leather jacket that I would have bought in a heartbeat if I had seen it first. It was three times as much as the one I bought, but it was so much better. Ah well, I've already got three leather jackets, well two jackets and a coat, I don't need another one.

We returned to the apartment, just in time to greet Madame Perez. She is Irish and very nice. She didn't even bother to check the place, just gave back the security check and, after a brief chat, left.

Our last dinner was, of course, at Fontaine Sully. I had a great veal stew, and ate every last morsel. Robb had steak and fries. For the first time in a long time, I finished my entire meal. We said our farewells to the staff, took a last look around and returned to the apartment to finish packing.

Because of the latest "terrorist attack", Air France emailed us and suggested we get to the airport several hours early. We will leave the apartment around 07h00. That should get us there in plenty of time.

Of course, as a final slap-in-the-face, the internet was down when I tried to get on one last time.

08 Janvier (Vendredi) - Up at 06h00. Did all the morning stuff and made one final sweep to be sure we had everything. Just started taking the bags out, when Win (the taxi driver) pulled up. With all the baggage loaded in the back, we climbed in and took off for Charles de Gaulle.

We got to the airport in what must have been record time, easily found a luggage cart, and set out to find the Air France check-in counter. Naturally, it was at the other end of the building. Because we were so early, check-in was quick and easy and we headed for the departure gate. If you've been to CDG on the way to the US, you know you have to take a train to the terminal. It was fairly crowded. Once in the terminal, we passed a lot of stores, but only one place that sold food; it wasn't even a bistrot. We passed on that. Checked out a place where the geeks among us could rent time on a computer. All the stations were empty at that early hour. I didn't look closely, but I think the prices weren't too out of line for an airport. One hour was €2, I think.

We got to the gate where we sat freezing with over an hour to go before boarding.

Boarding began several minutes late. They started, but then stopped, but didn't tell anyone why they had done that. Once on the plane, it was freezing again because they had the heat off while they were refueling. Now, the plane had been sitting there for several hours, why wasn't that already done? We left over an hour late, so a lot of people with connecting flights, didn't make them. I wonder, do they compensate those people?

We were in the middle section of the 747-400. Seated next to me was an English girl who was going to Miami to work on a cruise ship. She was cute and very nice. She invited us to come over and tour the ship before it leaves port in Fort Lauderdale, but I can't remember her name, so I guess that's not going to happen.

It was quite cool in Miami and even cooler in Fort Lauderdale. It was about 19C in our apartment. The heat was turned on immediately.

À la prochaine, mes amis

Paris 2008 - 7-8 Juillet

7 Juillet (Lundi) - We went to L'Oisive Thé for an afternoon snack, after which we walked up to Italie2. We started by going to Darty, an electronics and appliance store. We had thought that the prices of LCD/plasma TVs had risen and wanted to check. They have risen a bit, but no where near as much as we thought. Then, Robb, in his quest for the perfect pink shirt, stopped at a few stores, but found nothing to his liking for less than €75 ($118).

We walked out to get the bus, but there were a bazillion people waiting. I suggested walking down to the next bus stop, where I felt we could get a seat before the hoards charged on. One bus came past, but it was full.

Then, I got the idea to walk across the street and get the bus in the opposite direction and ride it back, as we've done before with some success.

The bus arrived and was nearly empty. The ride was a lot longer than I had anticipated, but we got to see a whole new section of Paris and a bit of a suburb called, Arcueil. It wasn't particularly attractive, but it wasn't a terrible place.

Once there, we had to leave our bus and board another for the return trip. There were actually three buses lined up. It seems as though the drivers drive their route and then take a break. I estimated the breaks to be around fifteen minutes from the time we had ridden the 69 to the end of the line and had to wait while the driver took his break. We decided to ride all the way to Nation. We had barely been there for a minute, when it started raining lightly. We had anticipated rain and had our umbrellas with us. While there, I managed to get a shot of a rainbow.

After waiting about fifteen minutes, our bus showed up and we rode to Place Léon Blum.

It was almost 20h00 and Robb announced that he had to get milk, so we stopped into the ATAC SuperMarché. Evidently, everybody else in the area had the same idea. The place was packed. We took our time finding the items we wanted and had only a short wait in the check-out line.

8 Juillet (Mardi) - They've been working on the main entrance to Square de la Roquette since we've been here. The work is finally completed and people can once again use the main entrance to access the park. Until it was nearly finished, I had no idea that a beautiful fountain was hidden from sight just behind the work area.

While we were wandering around, I saw a couple of cute Fiats. I haven't seen a Fiat in the US for several years. I think I prefer the little yellow one, to the the sporty red one.

Plus à venir, mes amis.

Paris 2008 - 2-4 Juillet

2 Juillet (Mercredi) - Did nothing. Went nowhere. We watched as they put up this scaffolding on the building across the way. it has been now been there for a week and we have yet to see anyone on it.

3 Juillet (Jeudi) - Our day started with a concert by an organ grinder. Then, we bussed over to Italie2 to pick up Robb's repaired jacket. They either did a good job, or just replaced it, we're not sure which scenario is the real one.

After, we walked down to Café Canon so I could get a picture of it with it's new name. I figured as long as we were in the area, we might as well go down to the computer place we always went to before, to get a print-out of our eticket from Newark to Fort Lauderdale. I was surprised to find the place was gone. It seems a lot of things we've liked for several years, are no longer here. Quel dommage. We left there and walked further down the avenue then we've gone before.

We caught the 47 bus to Pont de Notre Dame and walked over to l'Hôtel de Ville (stopping to get a photo of the Conciergerie and Chatelet) where there was a ceremony for Ingrid Betancourt. We didn't really see anything except a lot of reporters and TV cameramen. We walked across the street to a bistro. While sitting there, we could hear Mayor Delanoe giving his speech.

Bussed home. Went to Beyrouth for dinner.

4 Juillet (Vendredi) - Walked down to the corner of rue de Charonne and Boulevard Voltaire for dinner at l'Ingenu. Again, I opted to use my video function for a couple of short videos. One for the exterior area. I think you can almost tell from the video that we were only a couple inches from being on the café terrase. And one for a short tour of the interior.

Plus à venir, mes amis.

Paris 2008 - 29 Mai

Jeudi - We didn't really do much today, but we did get out of the apartment for a couple of hours. We took the bus to Place d'Italie. We walked down to the little store that had the orange suitcase to see if they had gotten any more in the size I want. If they did, I didn't see it, nor did I ask.

We walked back up the street and entered Italie2.

Went down to Tati where I bought a pair of jeans and another shirt. The shirt does not have a regular collar, and though I know there is a name for that particular style, I have no idea what it might be. But I like that style and now have about a half dozen shirts in my little collection.

After leaving Tati and checking a few more stores on that level, I asked Robb what he wanted to do because I just wanted to return to the apartment. Once again, it was wearing me out to wander around. This time I think the reason is l'enfoiré who lives upstairs. I think there may be more than one person living there because that's the only way it makes sense that "he" could be up all night and all day. Whatever, his night prowling and my headache kept me up for most of the night. I took an aspirin and he finally quieted down somewhere around 04h30. I'm not certain at what hour I finally dozed off, but I awoke a little after noon.

So, anyway, after the usual lack of direction from Robb, I suggested that we could go up to Armand Thierry because I knew he wanted to get another pair of jeans. They were way too long and he consulted with the salesclerk to have them altered. While he was waiting at the checkout counter to get his receipt, I decided to buy a nice sweater-shirt that caught my eye. And besides, we both are starting to feel a little conspicuous when carrying a Tati bag, since it is not known for quality. Having stated that, I have to say that I have bought several shirts there and I really like all of them. It can't be beaten for price and the quality isn't that far below the more (much more) expensive stores. It's like anything else, if you shop around, you can find good stuff without emptying your bank account. But in spite of that, we felt much better carrying the Armand Thierry bags into which we had put the Tati bags.

We finally left Italie2 and waited the arrival of the 57 bus to Gare d'Austerlitz. Something I didn't know before today; there is actually a space reserved on the buses for baby carriages. Now, while I think that's admirable, I also think it's a royal pain in the ass, because although the carriage almost fits in the space, the woman/man pushing it, does not. So it's a bit inconvenient for all the other passengers who have to get past her/him/them to get off the bus, since the space is just opposite the exit door. I have witnessed a few occasions when a passenger just barely got to the door in time. While I'm ranting, what in hell are they doing riding the bus during the rush hour?

I like getting the bus at Gare d'Austerlitz because it's the first stop and you're almost guaranteed a seat. That's something you might not get after a couple of stops, and especially during the rush hour. I don't don't why, but we always seem to time our excursions so that we end up having to ride the bus or métro during the rush hour. We need to put an end to that. There are enough people going home from work and they don't need us taking up space. I feel about that as I feel about people in our building in Fort Lauderdale doing their wash on the weekend when the working people need that time.

We were going to go out to eat, but neither of us much felt like it.

Plus à venir, mes ami

Paris 2008 - 16 Mai

16 Mai - I slept pretty good, though Robb woke me about midway through "my night". I didn't get to bed until nearly 03h00 (or 3 AM to you guys). I know, I couldn't believe it either when I looked at the clock, and now it's about 01h00, so it could be another late night.

Robb wanted to go to l'Oisive Thé today, so we bundled up and took off. The weather has taken a slight downturn, although it's still a lot better than when we arrived. But we've learned to take some simple precautions....just in case. We took the bus to the Gare d'Austerlitz stop, which is really just in front of the Jardin des Plantes. Normally, we walk around it to the next bus stop, but today I decided to walk through because I saw a sculpture of a dinosaur,and I have a thing for them. Just a few feet from the dinosaur was a sculpture of a mammoth. Also at the Jardin des Plantes, is the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle. I've been wanting to go there for many years, so I think this might be the year. And soon, if I have my druthers.

We had another lovely afternoon at Aimee's teahouse. Then we walked up to Italie2 where we went to Tati again and bought a bunch of stuff. We then caught the bus(es) back to the apartment area. But I wanted to check out the local sundry store. I bought a clamp-on lamp because we really need another light in the living room. Robb bought some very nice champagne flutes. The lamp definitely adds much needed illumination.

Back at the apartment, Robb prepared some stinky cheese which we accompanied with some very expensive champagne (hey, it cost almost €6). Okay, it's not really champagne, but it is a very nice sparkling wine. Considering the price, it was a great bargain and I would recommend it if you ever come to Paris and want to drink well but at the same time save a couple of euros.

It was then decided that we would finally go back to the area of Avenue de Choisy for dinner. We discovered that riding the bus well after rush hour has many advantages, not the least of which is the diminished number of people riding at that late hour. We got off at Place d'Italie and walked down to rue de Tolbiac. The wind picked up a bit and it was rather cold. Robb had worn a light jacket and he was about to freeze. Luckily, we didn't have much further to go. We turned onto rue de Tolbiac and walked down to Avenue de Choisy. Right on the corner, is a great restaurant to which we have gone many times, Le Mandarin de Choisy. I tried to get a shot from our table, I don't think it came out too well.

Because of the chill in the air, we started with a wonderful asparagus soup. Our main course was scallops deep-fried in a fantastic batter and dipped in a lovely duck sauce. Words cannot convey the splendorific taste! We shared a bottle of Sancerre. We opted for desert and each had a wonderful ice cream concoction. Mine was called something Saison and Robb's was Menthe (mint). And, of course, café to end it. The wait staff must be noted because they were so friendly and attentive and helpful. I called one of them over and asked if I could keep my chop sticks. He left and returned with two pair for each of us. WOW! At one point, we thought we were going to be the last ones in the resto, but shortly before midnight, a huge number of local people started showing up and the place became quite lively.

We were going to take the bus back, but Robb decided he couldn't cope with that and had the waiter call a taxi.

Plus à venir, mes amis.

Paris 2008 - V

7 Mai - Another day spent pampering myself and doing nothing constructive. So here's a couple of pictures.

These two pictures are of the post office just down the street. In France, La Poste is also a full service bank. For us, it's a convenient ATM from which to replenish our euros.

This is the Mairie du 13e (City Hall of the 13th arrondissement). There are twenty arrondissements in Paris and each has it's own city hall complete with all the bureaucracy for which France is so famous. I've asked about the trees with the purple flowers but no one seems to know what they are.

8 Mai - Today we took the métro to Place d'Italie. We went to Italie2, our favorite centre commercial (shopping center) in Paris. We didn't do much shopping today, we only went to Tati where I bought some pants hangers and what I thought were T-shirts but turned out to be some kind of "muscle" shirts for which I'm a bit long in the tooth (not to mention that I simply don't have the body for them). Then, still in Tati, we found a photo machine where I had some pics made so that I could put one on my current métro pass and a couple for the next two. Then we walked down rue Bobilot looking for L'Oisive Thé, a teahouse just opened by a fellow blogger. We walked the entire length of the street but did not find it. So we walked back to Place d'Italie.

We had planned to have lunch at the tea room, but since that didn't work out, we decided to have lunch at the Café de France. I had a tomate-mozzarella salad and a glass of wine. Robb had a huge seafood salad and wine.

We went out around nine-ish for dinner at l'Artiste Café (the place to the left is the café), again. I had Penne au trois fromage and Robb had the Magret du Canard. Notice, in the forefround, the double-wheeled scooter. I never saw them before on any of our trips to Paris, but there seems to be a lot of them now. For guys who need training wheels perhaps?

9 Mai - I remembered, after we returned to the apartment yesterday afternoon, that Thursday was not the day to go to the tea house, because that's the only day of the week that Aimee takes off, so we would have missed seeing her. I checked the address on her website again and we set out confident of finding it today.

And we did find L'Oisive Thé. Aimee was happy to see us since Katia had called and told her we were coming. What a nice experience we had. The ambience was so welcoming and comfortable. The tea was excellent and the food was Parisian good. This was the view from our table. It's a must do when you come to Paris.

After a charming couple of hours at L'Oisive Thé, we walked up to Place d'Italie and Italie2. We went back to Tati so Robb could get some pics for his métro pass. Then we stopped into FNAC where Robb completed his Raphäel cd collection. We left there and went to a perfume store looking for perfume for his cousin. We didn't find it, and I think the reason is because it's something that's not made any more. His cousin (who was married to a Frenchman) keeps asking for all these things that she bought in Paris many, many years ago and when we try to find them, of course, they're no longer available.

Then Robb discovered that his sunglasses were missing. We thought maybe he had left them in Tati and went back, but couldn't find them, so we stopped at Printemps where he bought another pair. After, we caught the métro back to the apartment.

We were going to have dinner at A La Rennaisance, but it was closed, so we walked back to la Bistro Expo. Did I forget to mention the music when we were there the other day? What an interesting repertoire; jazz, typical Moroccan music and you haven't heard reggae until you've hear Moroccan reggae.

After dinner, since it was so nice, we walked around the area for a while.

I managed to crash my computer a few days ago and lost all my files. That's why there is no music with these entries. Coming soon.....maybe.

Plus à venir, mes amis.

PARIS 2001

Septembre 2001 - We started by getting our neighbor (Geoff) to drive us to the Tri-Rail station downtown (Tri-Rail is a train that runs between Miami and Palm Beach). We took the train to Miami where we got a shuttle to the airport. We got to the airport around 5:30 even though the plane didn't leave till 11PM (because of all the new security measures...although it didn't seem any more secure than the last time we flew). We had no problem checking in and spent several hours wandering around the airport. We met a couple of guys from Scotland when we went for coffee and had a nice chat with them. They had to fly to Paris to catch a plane for Scotland. They were supposed to have left a week earlier but couldn't get a flight because of the 911 stuff.

For some reason, about which I still have no clue, I got sick on the plane to Paris and spent most of the night going to the toilet. By the time we got to Paris, I felt fine. We collected our bags and found an ATM machine where we each got 1400 francs (that's about $198US). We decided to take a taxi because we were tired and didn't feel like schlepping our bags on and off of trains and métros. We got ripped off on the taxi but we were too tired to argue about it. We got our key and Robb took a shower. Then I took a shower and while I was doing that, Robb decided he would go out and buy some stuff (shampoo, soap, etc). I didn't realize that he had gone out and thought he must be waiting in the lobby. Of course, when I got there, he was nowhere to be seen. I asked the guy on the desk and he told me that Robb had gone out. Well, I knew immediately that he was lost because the poor guy has absolutely no sense of direction. The deskman told me he had gone to the left, so I walked several blocks and went back. I waited a few more minutes and then tried looking in other directions just in case, but to no avail.

By now I was certain that I would not see him again until and unless, he made his way to the airport but I wasn't even sure if he knew when our flight was scheduled to leave (he always leaves all that up to me). Somehow, through pure blind luck, he had managed to find a taxi and even though he remembered the name of the apt-hotel incorrectly and had no idea where it was located, the driver knew where the place was and he showed up five hours after he had originally left to buy a few things.

The last time we were in Paris, we had met a very nice woman, whose name was Fatima (imagine Elizabeth Taylor when she was young and beautiful), who was a waitress at our favorite restaurant (Chez Adi), so we thought it would be nice on our first night to go there and have dinner and renew our friendship. But Fatima was no longer there and the current waiter had no idea who she was or where she might now be.

As it turned out, we had gotten a place in an apartment-hotel in the Chinatown section of Paris. I had known there was a oriental section, but until now, we had never been there. It was really nice and the area around us was very convenient. We were walking one day and saw what we thought was a branch of Au Printemps (a famous Paris department store) but when we entered the main door, it turned out to be a huge three-story mall (Italie2) with a branch of Au Printemps as well as many other shops and restaurants. Robb spent a ton of money there (not all in one day of course) and I bought a couple of things too. There were great oriental restaurants all around the hotel and that area. I say oriental because they were Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese. I even learned how to eat with chopsticks...something I would not have expected to do in Paris. We had fish almost every night.

The exceptions were one night when it was after 11PM we stopped at a place (Restaurant Fregate) on the Seine and had the only bad meal we had EVER gotten in Paris (in fact, until then I would have said it's impossible to get a bad meal in Paris) and that was beef.

Another night, again after 11PM, we had gotten a taxi because it was late and we wanted to get back to our neighborhood to eat. At any rate, we were a few blocks from our place when I told the driver to let us out at a place I spotted. But because it was late, the only thing they had was steak and frites (large french fries). Earlier we had been walking along the Seine when I saw smoke coming from one of the boats and while I was catching it on video, flames shot up over the trees on the bank. It was a serious fire and I caught the whole thing on tape, including the police showing up with sirens wailing and the fireboat that came and put out the fire (though I'm sure the boat was a total loss). So I showed this tape to one of the waiters (whose name was Abdul and yes, he was cute). He asked to show it to some other people and the next thing I knew, Robb and I were being treated like long lost friends. We drank a lot of wine and had the most fun we've ever had in Paris. It was so cool to actually feel like we were amongst old friends. We were speaking French and a smattering of English. My French is not that good. I can say almost anything I need to say in French, but when they reply, I don't have a clue what they're saying...usually. Mostly I hear a word or two that I recognize and try to guess what they mean from that. It seems to work most of the time. But the French are cool, if they see that you are trying to speak their language instead of demanding that they speak yours, they warm up to you very quickly and use whatever English they know to help you out.

Another time, actually our last night in Paris, we went to a place called Leon de Bruxelles where we had mussels for the very first time ever. Wow...were they good!! We also met these two very nice girls from Africa. They couldn't wait to get back to their home because, although they loved Paris, they couldn't take the 'cold' weather. While we were there, the weather was in the low seventies (sometimes high sixties) during the day and low fifties in the evenings.

There were some indications of terrorism in Paris. For instance, there had been a foiled plot to bomb the Eiffel Tower. And when we went to the Opéra Garnier, they weren't letting people into the building except for the opera performances, because of the 911 thing. I thought that was kind of silly...I mean, after all the 911 terrorists had bought tickets on the planes they commandeered, why wouldn't they buy tickets to the opera if they really wanted to blow it up? Everywhere we went, I had to open my camera bag and show the contents.

We did go to the top of the Eiffel Tower this trip and it was pretty cool. Not to mention windy! We also had dinner at the Eiffel Tower. There are two restaurants there. One is very famous (the Jules Verne) and you need to make a reservation almost a year in advance in order to get in. But the other one (Altitude 95) is very nice and the view is just as dynamic. We got there just as the sun was setting and since we were on the west side of the tower, it was simply spectacular. Something you must experience if you ever go to Paris. I avoided it before, but I'm glad I had the good luck to go this time. We went to the Tower both during the day and night, because I wanted to get pics and videos of that and a few other places at night when they're all lit up. We went to several places that we missed on our last trip...like the Panthéon, the Luxembourg Gardens, the Moulin Rouge, Pere Lachaise cemetary, the Funiculaire in Montmartre and the Georges Pompidou Centre. We went to a show at the Pompidou but the artist was not very good. His name was Jean DuBuffet but I have seen art by kindergarten children that was better than his, but the other people at the show seemed to like it so I guess it's one of those things about which you say 'different strokes for different folks'. The show wasn't good, but the Fromage Blanc we had in the dining room was excellent and the dining room is on the top floor so you can look out over almost all of Paris while you enjoy the food.

There are several big department stores in Paris and when I say big, I mean BIG! All of them are at least two entire buildings of six or seven stories and one of them, les Galeries Lafayette is three buildings (two are seven stories high, while the main store is ten stories), I bought a cashmere scarf there which I never used. The main department stores are Les Galeries Lafayette, La Samaritaine, Au Printemps and BHV, and the most expensive of all of them, Le Bon Marché. And of course, there is Chanel, Van Cleef and Arpels, Gucci, Cartier, Hugo Boss, Valencia and St. Laurent if you want to drop a bundle.

There is a church in Paris (surprise!) called La Madeleine. We went to a concert there and it was just magnificent. You would not believe the way you hear sound there. Now I understand why some classical pieces are written with parts that you can barely hear on a stereo. In the environment for which they were written, you can hear every note, no matter how softly it is played. And to make it even more wonderful, they played all my favorite pieces. I managed to video a part of the Four Seasons but, although it's pretty good on the video, it's nothing like it was in person. Robb managed to lose his program and we went back the next day to try to get another. We first approached a woman who worked the souvenir store but she was no help at all. Then, as we were about to leave, I saw a woman talking to some people and I told him to ask her if she could do anything. She did at least try to help. She even went so far as to look in the trash can in case someone might have tossed one but there were no programs to be had. Then when she found out that Robb was an American, she blessed him! I was rolling on the floor...but discreetly, of course.

We strolled along the Champs-Elysées and stopped at a café for coffee. The Champs-Elysées starts at the edge of the Tuilleries Garden (next to the Louvre) and ends at the Arch of Triumph. Well, actually, it starts at Place de la Concorde which is a large square at the edge of the Jardin des Tuilleries. Place de la Concorde is the square in which the guillotine was located. Yes, the same guillotine they used to chop off the head of Marie Antoinette. While we were strolling along, I picked up a chestnut for a souvenir. Paris is full of chestnut trees and you can find the nuts laying all over the ground almost everywhere you go. Also, a lot of guys make some money by setting up little stands where they roast them and sell them. Basically, they're just steel drums turned on end in which they build a fire and roast the chestnuts on top. I don't particularly care for chestnuts, but they do smell good when they're roasting in the open like that.

One day, just to be like real Parisians, we went to the Café de la Paix and sat on the sidewalk (at a table of course) and had cappucino and watched the people and traffic going by. Actually, real Parisians wouldn't be caught dead at the Café de la Paix, it's much too touristy!

We went to Sacré Coeur one evening and since we both needed money we went looking for an ATM machine. After we had found one we were walking back to take the Funiculaire to the top of the hill when we saw a pizza place, so we decided to stop and have a pizza and some wine. Pizza in Paris is a whole different experience. First, it's in Paris! Then, it's not the usual stuff you get at Pizza Hut and add to that, that it costs a hell of a lot less then a pizza here. It turned out that the guy who owns the place was Egyptian. We always think of the US as being a melting pot, but I'm telling you, there are more people from more countries living in Paris than anyplace else in the world.

I took a LOT of pictures and shot a lot of video. It was easier to use the video cam than the Sony Mavica. In the daytime, I couldn't see the LCD because it was too bright and in the evening, I couldn't see anything because it was too dark. So most of the time I was just pointing and clicking. I got lucky and most of the things I was trying to get on disk came out pretty good. Not great but not too bad and I think they would have been better if I had known more about how to use the thing. I took a shot of myself sitting on the couch in the apt, but before I remembered to push the timer button, I got a ton of pictures of my ass as I walked away from the camera. I also got a lot of video footage of my feet (the pun was definitely intended) because I would think the thing was off when it was still on. Oh well! Oh yeah, that reminds me...when we were walking to the Pompidou Centre, I saw a couple of cops who had stopped a couple of guys and were asking for their id's (they can do that in France, so you must have your id with you at all times, else you will become very familiar with the French jail system). So I taped them but one of the cops saw me and called me over. He told me to erase the part of them and the two guys. I did, of course, and they let us go on our way.

Okay...one more Robb story. Robb was running short of cash so we stopped at a post office ATM. But instead of putting his card into the card slot, he somehow managed to push it into the machine just above that slot. Well, of course, his card was gone and he went into panic mode. I suggested that since La Poste was open he could go inside and ask for help in retrieving his card. So he did and they did try to help but there was no way for them to get the machine open to get his card. So while we were sitting inside trying to figure out what to do about his ATM card, a guy came in and said he was trying to get money from the machine and out popped this card and does anyone know to whom it belongs. Yep, it was Robb's ATM card! I mean is this guy lucky or what?

And with that story, I'll end this novel about Paris for now. We had a wonderful time and can't wait to get back. We're already talking about going to Italy and Paris maybe next year. We'll see.