A Walk in Montmartre, Sunday, 13 December

Today the temperature never got above zero. Even so, it is always easier to stay warm than to get cool and we both agree that this is preferable to the 40+ temperatures that have been afflicting Adelaide. Despite the cold, we took a long walk through some of the areas of Monmartre we have not visited this time.

Montmartre was once well known for its windmills. It is from this that the Moulin Rouge, the red mill, takes its name. There are however two of the old mills still in existence and we went to look at these. One is now a very classy restaurant and we toyed with the idea of going there for Christmas lunch but finally rejected it because of the size of the meal. It is about seven courses and both of us agreed that it would not do our systems any favour!

There is also, that wonderful sculpture of the man walking through the wall which is based on a French story.



We've been quite interested in the impact that la crise economique has had in France. Certainly unemployment is up and prices are way down. In fact, just within the last few days we have noticed that it is possible to have a three course meal - and they are quite substantial courses - with choices at each level for as little as 8 euro, 50 centiemes which translates, in Australian to less than fifteen dollars! Ah well, perhaps Santa really has come early this year (as seen in Rue Lepic).