Paris, 1 Novembre

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Today was a day for sleeping in. And we did. Even Erik! The skies were grey and the street noise must have been muffled by the fog because we kept drifting in and out of dreams all morning. At 11 we met Charlotte by the metro with a plan to rent bicycles and ride around, n’import ou. That mean’s “it doesn’t matter where.” However, the streets were a bit mouille (damp) and the weather was chilly, so we decided simply to walk. We landed first at Les Jardins de Luxembourg. As today is a holiday, children were everywhere. Notice the artistic composition in this photo called “Kids in a Cart.” The eye travels down the height of the children’s heads, matching the stair railing behind them. This movement symbolizes the descending level of intelligence in children, as their age decreases. The smallest child has not even the wit to look around at her surroundings, but is otherwise occupied with, most likely, a dead bug.
Further on, both in art and in the gardens, boys wield weapons of mass instruction - big sticks - which they use to direct innocent sail boats back to the choppy seas of the pond. Ironically, boats moved with great grace when pushed by the invisible hand of God, represented terrestrially in wind, yet floundered as they approached man, represented by the young boys with big sticks.
Most magnificent of all encounters today is the quiet plenitude of yellow trees gracing the walkways. Without light from above, they seem to emit a warm joy all their own. Oddly enough, what I remember most about the jardin from thirty years ago are the old men playing baci ball or pelenque - spelling inconnu (unknown because Charlotte said it too fast for me to understand.) Also missing were the old women, dressed all in black, who would sit in the parc thinking thoughts. Just as is true all over the world, the men and women of WWII are leaving us. Today, they were missed.
After such poignant thoughts, we left the jardin and went to lunch where Charlotte proceeded to tell us that her copain Alain had said, “They’re so American,” about us after meeting us for dinner lundi soir. He meant it kindly of course - who wouldn’t have kind thoughts about us - but it raised an interesting discussion nonetheless. What makes us stand out? Even before we speak, people seem to know we’re American - or certainly not French. It has something to do, according to Charlotte, with the “space” we take up. We are “large” - even when small. She didn’t mean loud, just large. I’m glad she didn’t think we were loud because Erik and I have taken great pains not to point at others and guffaw in their faces. No, rather, it’s a presence we have about us. A confidence. We took turns guessing the nationality of the other diners - but the only one we could all be sure of was a fat, whiskered, and scruffy dude wearing a baseball hat. He looked just like Michael Moore. Ugh. He MUST be from Long Island. And that hardly counts as American - it’s not even connected.
After lunch, Charlotte left and I tried to do some souvenir shopping for some of you, oh gentle readers, but all I saw was stuff made in India. Will try again tomorrow, but the sad truth is that we can get anything anywhere these days, but today it is cheaper at home.
Erik and I have just returned from an invigorating walk along the Seine. We tried to rent bicycles ourselves without Charlotte knowing but we couldn’t figure it out. So, now we are awaiting the dinner hour. And waiting…and waiting…

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Comments

[Lisa]

Haha I think all that French wine has gone to your head...these blogs are hilarious!

[Margie]

Mom, you are just TOO silly. The photos of kids are great, but maybe a little less analysis...? (Besides, the kids in the cart remind me more of Cingular ads.) Autumn looks wonderful there! Be sure to step on some crunchy French leaves for me.

[Mado]

Hi Guys, Having fun reading your blog. Too bad about the weather. Petanque, by the way... Did you try the Moules yet? what about oysters? Probably not a good idea to go for a blood test upon your return, although if you imbibe enough red wine, it should help the cholesterol level... How much longer will you be there? Have you been to the Pere Lachaise cemetery, it is supposed to be very interesting, should have done that yesterday on Halloween! Have a wonderful time. It sounds like you are, even without the sun's cooperation. Love Mado

[Mado]

Me again. Found my notebook where I kept the names of restaurants we went to and liked. One for seafood was La Coupole, assuming it is still around, huge platters of seafood, 102 Bd. du Montparnasse, 14e, Metro Vavin, and the other one for oysters, is Huitrerie Regis, 3, rue Montfaucon, in the 6e, just off Bd. St. Germain, that place was reviewed by Mark Bittman, in the NYTimes so you might see your friend from Long Island!!! Can you tell I am obsessing about oysters.

[Jean pierre stench]

That was Micheal Moore. I just read his blog and he complained about two americans from Denver looking at him and wondering if he was from the Bronx.