It feels kind of surreal to think it was only five days ago that I left Sydney - so much has happened, Israel, Dead Sea, Barmitzvah, Paris.
Next morning (Thursday) I wake up and it takes me around three hours to get going. By the end of today i will have done maybe 20 metro sectors and between my knowledge of Paris and a great free app haven't had to catch any cans other than the initial one to the apartment.
I head back to Opera - reminds me I will never ever go to Lazzare station apart from the impossibly poor signposting and long distances it is almost impossible to find your platform. And when I asked L'Opera in a quizzical way the attendant started to teach me manners by saying Bonjour pointedly - the day I take lessons in manners from a French, Parisien railway attendant is the day I will be six foot under - Puhlease!!!
Its a good time to be in Paris as all the stores have 30% to 50% off sales - only problem is I truly don't need anything and mercifully I understand that so didn't buy anything at all despite four hours of looking. I get back to the apartment around 18:00 and get a message from Regis "Manger?" as we had tentatively agreed to have dinner. As he had two job interviews with Total for a job in the Congo I was keen to find out how it went.
I head back to Concorde to a restaurant Linda and I had been to twenty years ago (sigh) called Le Souffle near the Louvre. Pictures would have been boring as I had Goats Cheese Souffle with walnuts and honey, Chicken and Mushroom Souffle for main and Nutella and Banana Souffle for dessert. Fortunately Regis helped me out as it was VERY filling - rate it highly if you are visiting Paris.
Oh, while waiting for Regis as I was 30 minutes early, I popped into a bar and ordered a Citron Presse - half a glass of lemon juice and a small bottle or Perrier (plus sugar whichI don't add). Ok guess how much. I went to pay and pulled out a 5 Euro note thinking it would be just above or just below that - WTF 20 euros ($A28). Generally I find Paris and Europe quite reasonable when compared to Sydney especially as tips are all included in the price but this one absolutely floored me - then again how can I say "excuse me how much is your citron presse?"
Got home around 01:00 and took another hour to get to sleep. Next morning some FaceTime with grandkids and RG
before a late start for the city. Linda lucky FaceTiming as I thought for some unknown reason that Kol Nidre was Sunday night - no its tonight. So yesterday I phoned the Shul recommended by Ervin Otvosi to see if I could get a seat - "yes of course monsieur it will cost either 420 or 300 euros or 120 for the cheap seats. Hmm solitude in my apartment and three Michelin Meals or a hard seat in Shul to cleanse my soul - you decide? I did also email three Chabbads none of whom got back to me.
Again this morning the weather looks great. Plan to just keep relaxing walking the streets maybe in my neighbourhood to see what's around. I am staying in the 16th (to the left) which is lovely and only 20 minutes by metro to the Centre Ville.
Planning to lay low for Yom Kippur and make Sunday museum and gallery day with Louvre, D'Orsay which I haven't been to for many years and the Picasso Museum which was probably the worst laid out gallery of all time but which has recently undergone renovation.
Walked around the 16th and found that there is quite lively action a few streets away shops, boutiques, supermarkets etc..
I get home and set my fasting time from 17:30 till 18:32 rather than 19:08 till 20:10 which frees up some time on Saturday night to go out to dinner.
Fast goes well luckily I have Netflix up and running on the TV here so watch and sleep my way through the fast. I have a quick nibble and head out to have dinner at Petite Pontoise, a restaurant I have been to a few times in Paris but not since 2008 I think.
A funny story - the first time I went there maybe 10 years ago i asked for butter with my bread and the waiter refused to give it to me until I explained that I was the customer and that he should really do as I ask in this regard. Well lo and behold I ask for du beurre (butter) with my bread this time to be told "ah Mr Australia you are back how are you". Yep same waiter.
This is all the funnier - two weeks before I left I went to La Pelican in Bourke Street Sydney and again I asked for butter with my bread whereupon the waiter said "Ah Mr Stern how are you". He had worked at La Brasserie and obviously my asking for "du beurre" twigged his memory. Pretty fun pair of circumstances.
A nice meal but probably not as good as it used to be - Foi Gras with Figs, Grilled Prawns and TiraMisu.
Home for a good night's sleep and the next morning - what the hell - its been mid twenties the whole time I have been here and now and for the rest of my trip it will be mid teens - freezing - glad I posted my cardigan home thinking I wouldnt need it.
Today is Museum day and good fortune smiles on me as I discover that the first Sunday or the month in non-summer months the Museums are all free. Bad news is that there are massive queues at all of them. Good news is that I manage to avoid the queues but can't say how.
The D'Orsay is still one of my favourite Museums in the world. The physical building and the collection of Impressionist art is amazing.
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Interestingly they don't allow photography in the D;Orsay but they do at the Louvre. I bought a book about the art at D'Orsay and plan to read it on the plane.
I also stop in at the Museum of Legion D'Honour whic tells the different medals and awards made by the French and its colonies over the years - very interesting actually.
The Louvre, another lengthy queue, is somewhat overpowering for me. It's huge and it's labyrinth layout makes it quite hard to navigate despite the detailed map they provide.
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After five hours I was Museum'ed out despite wanting to do the Picasso Museum which was one of the worst laid out museums I have ever been to but which has been fully remodeled and L'Orangerie which i have never been to.
Will try and fit in Pompidou Centre if I have time but have to do washing and cleaning of the apartment and having seen a toothbrush in the kitchen cleaning utensils container I am nervous of my capabilities.
Quiet dinner at the apartment as I reflect on how much I am enjoying an unrushed time absorbing Paris. No need to rush around just do a little each day.
Anyway two more days and off to Hong Kong but staying at airport hotel for one night before heading to Sanya. Not sure if I will get the metro into Kowloon or not given what's happening there.
Best to all
à bientôt
XD
Next morning (Thursday) I wake up and it takes me around three hours to get going. By the end of today i will have done maybe 20 metro sectors and between my knowledge of Paris and a great free app haven't had to catch any cans other than the initial one to the apartment.
I head back to Opera - reminds me I will never ever go to Lazzare station apart from the impossibly poor signposting and long distances it is almost impossible to find your platform. And when I asked L'Opera in a quizzical way the attendant started to teach me manners by saying Bonjour pointedly - the day I take lessons in manners from a French, Parisien railway attendant is the day I will be six foot under - Puhlease!!!
Its a good time to be in Paris as all the stores have 30% to 50% off sales - only problem is I truly don't need anything and mercifully I understand that so didn't buy anything at all despite four hours of looking. I get back to the apartment around 18:00 and get a message from Regis "Manger?" as we had tentatively agreed to have dinner. As he had two job interviews with Total for a job in the Congo I was keen to find out how it went.
I head back to Concorde to a restaurant Linda and I had been to twenty years ago (sigh) called Le Souffle near the Louvre. Pictures would have been boring as I had Goats Cheese Souffle with walnuts and honey, Chicken and Mushroom Souffle for main and Nutella and Banana Souffle for dessert. Fortunately Regis helped me out as it was VERY filling - rate it highly if you are visiting Paris.
Oh, while waiting for Regis as I was 30 minutes early, I popped into a bar and ordered a Citron Presse - half a glass of lemon juice and a small bottle or Perrier (plus sugar whichI don't add). Ok guess how much. I went to pay and pulled out a 5 Euro note thinking it would be just above or just below that - WTF 20 euros ($A28). Generally I find Paris and Europe quite reasonable when compared to Sydney especially as tips are all included in the price but this one absolutely floored me - then again how can I say "excuse me how much is your citron presse?"
Got home around 01:00 and took another hour to get to sleep. Next morning some FaceTime with grandkids and RG
before a late start for the city. Linda lucky FaceTiming as I thought for some unknown reason that Kol Nidre was Sunday night - no its tonight. So yesterday I phoned the Shul recommended by Ervin Otvosi to see if I could get a seat - "yes of course monsieur it will cost either 420 or 300 euros or 120 for the cheap seats. Hmm solitude in my apartment and three Michelin Meals or a hard seat in Shul to cleanse my soul - you decide? I did also email three Chabbads none of whom got back to me.
Again this morning the weather looks great. Plan to just keep relaxing walking the streets maybe in my neighbourhood to see what's around. I am staying in the 16th (to the left) which is lovely and only 20 minutes by metro to the Centre Ville.
Walked around the 16th and found that there is quite lively action a few streets away shops, boutiques, supermarkets etc..
I get home and set my fasting time from 17:30 till 18:32 rather than 19:08 till 20:10 which frees up some time on Saturday night to go out to dinner.
Fast goes well luckily I have Netflix up and running on the TV here so watch and sleep my way through the fast. I have a quick nibble and head out to have dinner at Petite Pontoise, a restaurant I have been to a few times in Paris but not since 2008 I think.
A funny story - the first time I went there maybe 10 years ago i asked for butter with my bread and the waiter refused to give it to me until I explained that I was the customer and that he should really do as I ask in this regard. Well lo and behold I ask for du beurre (butter) with my bread this time to be told "ah Mr Australia you are back how are you". Yep same waiter.
This is all the funnier - two weeks before I left I went to La Pelican in Bourke Street Sydney and again I asked for butter with my bread whereupon the waiter said "Ah Mr Stern how are you". He had worked at La Brasserie and obviously my asking for "du beurre" twigged his memory. Pretty fun pair of circumstances.
A nice meal but probably not as good as it used to be - Foi Gras with Figs, Grilled Prawns and TiraMisu.
Home for a good night's sleep and the next morning - what the hell - its been mid twenties the whole time I have been here and now and for the rest of my trip it will be mid teens - freezing - glad I posted my cardigan home thinking I wouldnt need it.
Today is Museum day and good fortune smiles on me as I discover that the first Sunday or the month in non-summer months the Museums are all free. Bad news is that there are massive queues at all of them. Good news is that I manage to avoid the queues but can't say how.
The D'Orsay is still one of my favourite Museums in the world. The physical building and the collection of Impressionist art is amazing.
I also stop in at the Museum of Legion D'Honour whic tells the different medals and awards made by the French and its colonies over the years - very interesting actually.
The Louvre, another lengthy queue, is somewhat overpowering for me. It's huge and it's labyrinth layout makes it quite hard to navigate despite the detailed map they provide.
The French do the pastries and cakes sooooo well. No I didnt have them all just the second one mango and banana,
Will try and fit in Pompidou Centre if I have time but have to do washing and cleaning of the apartment and having seen a toothbrush in the kitchen cleaning utensils container I am nervous of my capabilities.
Quiet dinner at the apartment as I reflect on how much I am enjoying an unrushed time absorbing Paris. No need to rush around just do a little each day.
Anyway two more days and off to Hong Kong but staying at airport hotel for one night before heading to Sanya. Not sure if I will get the metro into Kowloon or not given what's happening there.
Best to all
à bientôt
XD
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