Summer Weather, Artists and La Crise, Tuesday, 29 December

Spring has arrived, if you can imagine spring in the Northern hemisphere in the middle of winter. All the cafe terraces are pumping with people sitting outside enjoying a temperature of a mild 12 degrees. Up on the Place Du Tertre all the "artists" were out spruiking for business and being well rewarded for their efforts during this spring weather. The bad news is that snow is forecast for the end of the week and the day before we depart.



The winter sales do not start until the 6th of January (twelfth night) and at the moment the papers are all asking why the delay in light of the financial crisis (La Crise). The papers are also reporting that the French are very pessimistic about the future in light of La Crise; a view which has been expressed by a number of economists including some friends of ours who believe we are now only at the start of a serious financial fall rather than at the end of it.

Ignoring the financial bad news and taking advantage of the good weather, we walked down to the area around Abesses to do some vegetable shopping. Even in the small shops food is beautifully displayed. We bought beans from Kenya, blueberries from Argentina and raspberries from Spain. The quality and variety of fruit and vegetables here is quite incredible. Even a small shop such as the one we went to today will have at least five different varieties of mushrooms. While it might be possible to get such variety in Hobart, it would require going to a specialist shop whereas here, just about every greengrocer will have such a selection.

Christmas Lights and the Eiffel Tower, Monday, 28 December

Time is now drawing in on us and we have only a few more days before we leave Paris. As you will have gathered, dining out is something we quite enjoy; so today we headed down to the area near the University so we could get a couple of books at Shakespeare and Co., to read on the flight back and to have a meal at Chez Clement. You may remember we mentioned this restaurant chain before; having eaten there with different friends on two separate occasions. This time we were on our own and went to a different one of the chain. Very posh, indeed. Very Bel Epoque inside and the food was every bit as good as we remembered it at the other two restaurants in the chain.

In the evening we decided since the weather was a bit milder, to go out to see the Christmas lights. We got to the Champs Elysees and strolled about half the length up to the etoile. All of the trees were decorated with blue lights and the store fronts ranged from sensational to magnificent. Hopping aboard a bus we went down to Concord, where the great ferris wheel is located and then came back on the same bus to the Rond Point des Champs-Elysees.



From there, we wandered down toward the Seine, to the Place d'Alma along the rue Montaigne where the trees were all red lights. Everything there is very classy and very understated.



From there we had a terrific view of the hourly light display of the Eiffel Tower. While not as sensational as the New Year's Eve display on the Harbor Bridge, it was pretty spectacular and not even New Year's Eve.

Chateau de Vincennes, Sunday, 27 December

Chateau de Vincennes

I think we spoke too soon, again. While the temperature is warmer, today we had cold winds which seemed to rip through us. We decided, in the expectation of quite nice weather, to visit Chateau de Vincennes. This is amazingly easy to get to being the last stop on the Metro Ligne 1. The Chateau is in the southeast corner of Paris and is in what is a most elegant neighbourhood just outside the peripherique or ring road which surrounds the older part of the city. Here one finds a park of almost 1,000 hectares with lakes, paths and, of course, the great chateau.



The Chateau de Vincennes is is a royal chateu with fortifications and a moat surrounding it. There is a dungeon there that dates from 1369 and a magnificent Chapelle Royale. Unfortunately, due to the biting cold and limitations of time, we didn't have the opportunity to explore it in any great depth, but it is definitely on our "must do" list for the next time we are here.

On the way back we stopped at the Hotel de Ville where the outdoor ice-skating rink is set up and watched for a while before hopping a bus to a Metro station and then home.

Boxing Day, Saturday, 26 December

There is no public holiday on "Boxing Day" in France. Normal Saturday services, including postal deliveries, resumed. We spent the morning doing routine chores and taking care of some matters on the computer and then went for a long walk around Montmartre. Paris is always full of surprises. We turned down one street only to find ourselves in what must be the fabric district. Shop after shop with cloth of all different sizes, shapes, quality, colour and variety. We turned another corner and found ourselves on the street where Tati is located. Until now we had been getting there by bus or Metro and suddenly we found it was only ten or fifteen minute walk from our flat.

In the afternoon we went to M. Vaucanson for a glass of champagne to celebrate Virginia's birthday. Well, M. Vaucanson does these little goute (tasting or afternoon tea) with considerable elegance. Apple tarts, those elegant French Macaroons which are flavoured little meringues sandwiched with delicious paste, super chocolates ( and, by the way, France has just been named as having the best chocolates in the world) were followed with some lovely champagne.

Progress has also been made on the use of prenoms. Mme Rosen is now Virginie, M. Rosen is now Bruce and M. Vaucanson has been gradually becoming Rene. And all that after only four years!

Everything, as they say, is relative. Now that temperatures have climbed up to a hardy 2 or 3 degrees above zero, we feel as if summer had practically reached us. Fortunately we have not yet decided to throw off our clothes and try swimming, but it does seem quite pleasant after the very cold weather to which we were subjected for the previous few weeks.

Christmas Day, Friday, 25 December

Ho, Ho, Ho, and a merry Christmas to one and all!

Life here goes on even on Christmas day. Most of the shops were open including the bakery, the cafes and the general grocery store. Newspapers were being published and public transport was running.

After a rather slow morning admiring what Pere Noel had brought for each of us, we went for a late lunch at Cafe Francoeur just across the road. Since it was Virginia's birthday they made something special of it - much to our surprise - by bringing out a lovely little cake with a huge sparkler attached. Everybody applauded and several people seeing the cake decided that they too would order them (but without the sparkler).

Although we had some plans for the afternoon, being somewhat sated after a very nice meal, we napped, read and decided that we didn't need any dinner. Thus ended a delightful Christmas day.

Christmas Eve, Thursday, 24 December

It seems that a large number of places close on Christmas Eve during the day. For example on the door of our local pharmacy it says "fermature exceptionelle le 24. Ouvert a 16.00 - 20.00. Why the chemist should be closed all day and then open for four hours in the evening, we have no idea. If you know, please share the knowledge with us.

Today is called Le Reveillon de Noel (Christmas Eve). The weather has turned better and as everywhere in the Christian world it was on for young and old alike. Shopping, food, etc. but for our Muslim friends in the smaller shops of the area it was just another day and their shops will be open tomorrow. Oddly enough, however, their shops are often the most heavily decorated with Christmas motifs; Santas, sleighs, christmas trees, etc.

Parisians seem very keen on environmental issues. Recently when Virginia and I went to the pharmacy, we made our purchases and since they were small, when we were offered a plastic bag, we said it was not required and just pocketed our purchases. You would have thought we had saved the world. The pharmacist launched into a "thank you for thinking ecologically" speech that would have done justice to the most fervent environmentalist. Oddly enough, at the same time, when you go to the grocery store there are no "green" bags for sale and the plastic bags are handed out with what virtually amounts to wild abandon! This seems to be one of the few blind spots since when we take our garbage down to put it into the big bins they are clearly labelled and there are three distinct categories in which your garbage is to be placed.

The weather has turned milder and we went for a long walk this afternoon with the temperature seeming warm at one degree above zero. It's amazing how quickly you become accustomed to the colder weather. Now, anything above zero seems warm to us. Our walk took us to the Place du Tertre where we had lunch in a small shop. The shop's cat was sound asleep on the table next to us and we both thought how this would have been frowned upon in Australia.



Later we did a bit of shopping and had some seafood and a very small Christmas log for Christmas eve dinner.



We send season's greetings to all who are reading this blog and best wishes for the New Year.

Plumbing and Cigarettes, Wednesday, 23 December

Another frustrating day waiting for the plumber who, surprise, surprise, did not arrive again. This is growing old. No need to say any more except that it is especially frustrating during Christmas week when we have shopping to do. Once again we did the separate bit which is not nearly as much fun as going out together. Virginia went out early and found that it was a madhouse on the streets with everyone trying to get their last minute shopping done.

She came back looking somewhat frazelled around 1.00 and I then went out. My experience just confirmed hers. Buses and the Metro were jammed full although most people seemed to take it all in their stride and were quite cheerful about it. You may remember some time back I mentioned the "illegal" cigarettes. Well, down around TATI, there were dozens of street sellers who, in addition to selling knockoffs of well known perfume brands and belt buckles hawked these cigarettes.

Lunch, Tuesday, 22 December

Happy Birthday Susan!

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.

Plumbing, Monday, 21 December

Hardly worth an entry today. There has been a bit of a plumbing problem in the flat so we spent the day going out separately so that one of us would be here when the plumber arrived. Like plumbers the world over, his schedule was on track with ours and it now looks as if the day after tomorrow may be a repeat of today.

Since this week will include both Christmas and Virginia's birthday, our separate excursions were probably connected with "secret birthday" and "secret Christmas" business!

Shopping, Sunday, 20 December

It is now the Sunday before Christmas and it is snowing again. Despite this, as all the shops were open (and warm) we decided to go to Bon Marche which is the very elegant department store on the Left Bank and about which we have already written. It was quite elegant the last time we were there but even more elegant, if possible, this time. As you wander around, there is lovely classical music being played and there are places to sit. We sat and watched "the beautiful people" doing their Christmas shopping. Well, if not beautiful, at least well off as this is not a bargain hunter's paradise. Virginia kept pointing out lovely things that she would like to have for Christmas; an Hermes scarf, a Luis Vuiton bag, etc. I suggested possibly a new husband who could afford such gifts.



It was particularly good fun when we contrasted it with the hustle and bustle of that "cheap" paradise, Tati about which we have also written. No hawker or spruikers out side Bon Marche trying to sell you knock-off Chanel perfume; only security guards. Of course, no trip to Le Bon Marche would be complete without a visit to La Grande Epicerie, the food hall. And while that is quite good, we still find that they do not have Vegemite. For that, it is back to W. H. Smith, the booksellers in the rue de Rivoli.

One thing that is of interest here is that there appears to be no pattern of night stocking. Carts of goods to be placed on shelves are constantly pushing through the crowds which, at Christmas time, is not merely frustrating but a hazard to one's ankles and knees. But that, like the pattern at the checkouts where customers always pack their bags of purchases before digging through their purses to produce their credit cards which seem to take ages to process, is the French way. And while it seems, in the latter instance, to require long waits, when we actually timed it, it seemed to be only a few minutes longer than we would have stood in line in Australia.

As we had been invited to a "gourter" or "tasting" which is the equivalent of afternoon tea, we returned to the flat just after mid-day. M. Vaucanson is the "Chef du Syndicat" or the chairman of the Strata Title Management. He is a lovely gentleman of the old school who speaks no English but has been very kind to us over a number of years now. He is a former actor and as a result has beautiful diction which makes it a pleasure to speak with him. He had invited us and another couple and this was a test of our language skills. Virginia passed with flying colours while I sank never to be heard from again! We had been invited by M. Vaucanson in the past and knew this would be a fairly formal occasion which, indeed it was, but very enjoyable.