Back to Paris

Up early again - what is going on with this - as we need to leave by 8:00am for Paris to meet our airbnb host at 12:15. All goes well between the GPS and the maps, until we hit the Peripherique and traffic backs up. We miss the 12:15 meeting, I text her, and she is nearby so we can be a bit late.This is the hairy part, as we need to find a parking space nearby so we can unload, which amazingly, we did. All bags upstairs, short briefing on the place which is lovely, and we're ready to go. We go to the place that makes Parisian street signs, only to find they have moved (why did I not call ahead?), and then very hungry, try several paces where the mangez is no longer possible. At last, we try the Crepe place I heard so much about, but once again - third time - it is closed. We give up, and go to the same place I went to last time the crepe place was closed, near the old market, We have large salads and a drink, and feel much better.

We walk over toward Notre-Dame and spend a little time inside, listening to the organist warm up, absorbing all the incredible beauty in this one building. I think a lot of the tourists may be here juts to cool off, but with so many people here it is not as cool as some other churches. We then walk across the bridge on the Left Bank, and over to rue Mouffetard to do some food shopping. However, we find that rue Mouufetard is mostly clothing shops and restaurants now, with only a few food specialty shops at the end o the street, and those closed because it is Monday. We navigate some items at Franprix and get a few peaches at the one place that is open, and head back to the apartment to unload.

This evening, we are seeing Alexandra and her sons Antoine, Louise, and Benoit for dinner. It is wonderful to see them again. Alexandra looks quite chic with her new short haircut. Antoine has a beard now and is 19, studying business. Louis is 6, interested in medieval literature, and Benoit is 12 and trying to keep up with all the English. hey are really wonderful boys, very well-behaved and interesting to talk to. I tell Alexandra she has done a great job with them, which is true. After an interesting amuse-bouche (pea purée in a hard-cooked eggshell), I get a terrine which I split with Barney, and then about the best piece of salmon I have had anywhere in France, delicious and succulent. Dessert is the Baba au rhum for which the restaurant is famous (Au Bain Coin). Everyone enjoys this, and finally we say farewell, in Kong the younger baby's to come to California sometime for summer intensives.

Walking back to the apartment, finally it cools off a little, it is so nice to be relaxed and without a schedule. Time to catch up on the blog.