After I left you yesterday, I walked around my neighborhood--I wonder how many miles I'm going to walk every week. I also stopped at the local cafe to have a cafe au lait and get my second wind. A surprise--the young waiter was very friendly--says he'll be mon ami. Then I came "home" to unpack and get organized, which took me no time at all. The apartment is very small--more about that later--but everything is brand new and there's lots of storage. I'm going to be very comfortable and happy here. I went out after dark and explored some more--saw the local holiday lights which I will comment on in another blog. Some young man even asked me for directions so I got to practice my French: Je ne parle pas francais. He was very gracious and moved along. As I was beginning to acknowledge my hunger pains, those glowing golden arches popped up--like magic--before my very eyes; and in honor of my sister (just kidding), I popped into McDonald's for a hamburger. Some of you gasp but it is fast, recognizable, and it doesn't cost me an arm and a euro! And it's tradition!
I slept well last night--woke up at 2:30 AM--did stuff--Exedrin PM put me back to sleep around 5:30 until 9:30! (I think jet lag is over.) I took my little market basket on wheels and pretended to be French--went to get groceries at a local market. I think it was very expensive, however, and I will be price checking at some other super markets later this week. Then I set out on my only missions today--to keep exploring my neighborhood; take a new route to the Concorde Metro station to get my monthly Carte Orange metro pass (the guy was lazy--he didn't trim my passport photo and tape it to the pass like the guy did for my sister last year); say a prayer at Notre Dame (thank you for my safe and uneventful trip, as usual. He does take care of me); and pick up the free FUSAC (France-USA Contacts) advertising paper at Shakespeare and Company (a delightful English-language book store with interesting history--you must see it sometime if you haven't already).
Today the weather was off and on cloudy and rainy but there were also moments of sun. It hovered between the 40s and 50s in temperature. My new fancy rain hat is too big and threatens to fly off in the wind. (Hmmm, I bought it before I cut my hair....) But I have another one that fits just fine so I'm OK. By late afternoon and before the Champs-Elysees was lit up, I wore out and got cold so I headed for the Metro. But the twinkling holiday ferris wheel was spinning its lights above the Place de la Concorde (until Janvier 7th) and I must ride that some night this week...maybe the same evening that I check out the ice skaters on the first level of la Tour Eiffel (through Fevrier 1st). A demain ("See" you tomorrow)!
I slept well last night--woke up at 2:30 AM--did stuff--Exedrin PM put me back to sleep around 5:30 until 9:30! (I think jet lag is over.) I took my little market basket on wheels and pretended to be French--went to get groceries at a local market. I think it was very expensive, however, and I will be price checking at some other super markets later this week. Then I set out on my only missions today--to keep exploring my neighborhood; take a new route to the Concorde Metro station to get my monthly Carte Orange metro pass (the guy was lazy--he didn't trim my passport photo and tape it to the pass like the guy did for my sister last year); say a prayer at Notre Dame (thank you for my safe and uneventful trip, as usual. He does take care of me); and pick up the free FUSAC (France-USA Contacts) advertising paper at Shakespeare and Company (a delightful English-language book store with interesting history--you must see it sometime if you haven't already).
Today the weather was off and on cloudy and rainy but there were also moments of sun. It hovered between the 40s and 50s in temperature. My new fancy rain hat is too big and threatens to fly off in the wind. (Hmmm, I bought it before I cut my hair....) But I have another one that fits just fine so I'm OK. By late afternoon and before the Champs-Elysees was lit up, I wore out and got cold so I headed for the Metro. But the twinkling holiday ferris wheel was spinning its lights above the Place de la Concorde (until Janvier 7th) and I must ride that some night this week...maybe the same evening that I check out the ice skaters on the first level of la Tour Eiffel (through Fevrier 1st). A demain ("See" you tomorrow)!
