Armistice Day, Wednesday, 11 November

Today is Armistice Day; a day the French take very seriously since it marks the end of the terrible conflagration which was World War I. All over the city flags are flying and even the buses carry flags on their fronts. We climbed aboard one of those buses to go down to the centre of Paris but the bus was detoured and we wound up on the other side of the Seine, on the left bank and about as far from where we had intended to go as it was possible to get and still be within walking distance.

We walked back toward the Musee d'Orsay along the Quai d'Orsay which is a beautiful boulevard paralleling the river with magnificent views of the Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. It took us straight past the Musee d'Orsay which we are planning to visit on Friday.

It was a day for long coats, scarves and hats with the temperature barely reaching three degrees above freezing. But what a day for walking. The trees are still sporting their autumnal colours and the Eiffel Tower was shrouded in mist which later burned off into brilliant sunshine.

Parking, at the best of times is always a problem in Paris. And no wonder, when you consider that most residents live in multi-story apartment blocks. Certainly the streets are always crowded and some of the parking can only be described as "innovative." So, on a public holiday when all the parks are full, why not just pull up on to the pavement and take your chances! After all, the police might be too busy today to notice. Alternatively, if you have a very small car you may be able to park with its nose to the curb between two slightly larger cars which are parked in the ordinary manner.

There has recently been a Festival of Music and we were delighted to learn that musicians of every calibre from the most basic amateur to the most highly trained professional were encouraged to perform in the streets either alone or in groups for the enjoyment of passers-by. Amazing when you consider that in Australia, to perform in public like that, often requires a special license and the payment of a fee. How much more civilized the Parisians are on that score.