It is not as cold at the moment although because it is very bleak and overcast, it feels as if it is. Today we decided to go out to lunch. On our way we wandered past Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cite and its great Christmas tree.
Very classy! I was surprised to see the line of people waiting to climb to the top of the church tower, having done so a few years ago and knowing how bitterly cold it would be up there. Besides, they only let a few people in at a time and the line was long. I would think those at the end would be waiting for up to two hours before gaining entry. We did notice, at the front of the church, among the various saints was St Denis who, you will remember, walked to Paris with his head "tucked underneath his arm."
We then walked over to the Ile St Louis. Although we passed the ice-cream shop where Tina Arena who lives in the neighbourhood is said to buy her treat, we did not see her. Still, it is nice to know that there is a little bit of Australia there.
Virginia and I then strolled to Place St Michel where we had discovered a network of narrow lanes with a wide range of interesting restaurants offering special bargains at lunchtime. This is not particularly surprising since it is the area around the university and the cheap meals are also, we suspect, a product of the lack of the hordes of tourists who descend during the warmer months.
Anyway, we found a very pleasant little restaurant where, for 9 euros each we had a three course lunch. I had pate to start, followed by chicken in a mushroom sauce and finished with a really wonderful apple tart. Virginia started with a salad of tomatoes followed by fillets of fish and fragrant rice and she too finished with the apple tart. Considering that the bill was the equivalent of under thirty Australian dollars we thought it was great value. The service was excellent, there was lots of bread, and unlike many French restaurants where they are loathe to provide ordinary tap water (hoping to sell you the bottled stuff) our waiter was a bit perturbed when we asked for plain water saying that it was "automatique."
Only two more shopping days until Christmas and despite the cold, the heat is on. It is on for young and old alike. And as soon as Christmas is over it is only a few days to the New Year and the great sales. Virginia keeps telling me that there is a particularly elegant pair of boots calling her name from a shop called Andre on the rue de Rivoli. Funny thing is that I can't hear it. And besides which we will be on our way back to the heat of the Antipodes where such luxury would be of little value in Adelaide in the summer.
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