Jardin du Luxembourg

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So it turns out my program headquarters (where I'll be taking 2 classes each semester) is only a couple blocks from the Luxembourg garden! Of course, there are gardens all over the place, but I still think this is especially nice. On warm days (which are becoming more and more rare) I've been going into the garden to have my lunch and have derived much joy from the experience.
One day, I went and sat by the petanque courts and watched a game. That was of course fascinating. The oldest man on the court appeared to be both respected patriarch as well as the butt of some joking. He had a magnet on a string to pick up his petanque balls so that he wouldn't have to bend over to get them (who knows what that could've done to his back). And he wore a large pair of rather striking suspenders which seemed to be a trademark of his.
I loved watching all the silent communications and unspoken rules of courtesy and etiquette. In comparison, the youngest man on the court stood out not only due to his appearance but due to his behavior; he talked much more than any of the other men, he commented on shots more loudly than the others (who spoke mostly in murmurs, mumbles and grumbles) and he answered his cell phone during the game. for shame. Strange to see cell phones in this image of such an ancient game which is still played in my mind exclusively by silent, smoking old men in parks or in the countryside. So I was actually surprised and very impressed to see two women playing in the neighboring game. Perhaps this is still a rare phenomenon, but I was still impressed.
Another day I went to sit by the big fountain in the center of the park in front of the Luxembourg Palace. There I had the pleasure of watching several children wandering and running about the fountain with sticks (the running was much to their nannies and parents chagrin). Fortunately, I quickly discovered that the sticks were to guide the children's sailboats which drifted about the fountain pool among the ducks. It was quite charming and very cute. Oh and I just learned a new word for cute, derived from the full french word "mignon"; you can apparently just say that something is "mimi," which I will probably start doing a lot now since I so love the word.

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