A Walk in the Tuilleries, 16 November

Here we are, beginning a new week. As usual, much is closed so the morning shopping got done at Monoprix and after lunch Ginnie headed off to her class. As we have said the students are, on the whole, much younger than Ginnie and are very considerate of her. She, on the other hand, remains uncertain as to whether to be complimented or dismayed. Anyway, she had a bit of a cold today and tells me that the youngsters were concerned for her health and that she was OK. They kept fetching water - for which she was grateful as the nearest water is three stories below the classroom. They also brought her lollies for her throat. All in all it was just what she needed to survive the three hour intensive teaching session with a single break limited to ten minutes!

While Ginnie was at school I hopped aboard the Metro and went down to the station at Concorde where we had seen a kiosk with all sorts of useful information. In fact we have seen several of these and they all share one common attribute; they are closed. This one was no exception!

Since the Concorde station is right at one of the entrances to the Tuilleries I decided to take a stroll through those lovely formal gardens. Everywhere you look there is statuary ranging from the most formal classical to the most modern. The weather left something to be desired, but I persevered, getting as far as the Louvre. It was too late to go in as Ginnie gets home around 5.30, so I hopped back on the Metro, changed at Concorde and within fifteen minutes was back at our station Jules Joffrin from where I popped on to an 80 bus which took me within 100 metres of home. There is no question that the public transport system in this city is "fantastique".

And speaking of public transport, I know we have mentioned the little electric Montmartre Bus which runs from Jules Joffrin to the Place du Tertre. Well, here is a picture of it getting recharged. The process takes about fifteen minutes and it needs to be "filled up" every several trips.