The Last Few Days - Written from Home

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Even though I'm now back at home, I still felt the need to finish what I'd started in Paris. How could I not tell about the lapins? We found the best market in Paris...and it was right around the corner from our flat. Sunday and Thursday, the Bastille market is my new favorite market in all of the city. Mounds of fruit, vegetables, eggs, cheese, meats, chickens, bread, scarves, hats, trinkets, and crepes stretched out for nearly 3 blocks. Everything delicious and fresh and colorful. My gory favorites though were the fish heads on ice and the poor lapins (rabbits) waiting to be stew. Our old lady yellow cart was filled to the brim with dinner and snacks for the next few days.

We met Greg at Angelina's for one final decadent breakfast of croissants, fruit and of course, chocolate chaude. A much needed post breakfast stroll across the street through the Tuileries where we had to show our reluctant British friend how to take off his shoes and wiggle his toes in the fountain at the Louvre. Later that afternoon, Lee and I wandered down to the Pompidou center fountains to see the Nikki de St. Phalle art. The pompidou center houses a very extensive Modern Art collection and the building was quite a cause for concern when it first opened in 1977. It's garish and colorful and inside out - the pipes and ducts are all on the outside. The fountains are fun and kids were cooling off amongst the statues. I love the Nikki de St.Phalle because her colorfully sculpted women and animals seem so very happy. Some of her art is down in Balboa Park and I saw some in Israel, too, but not at the train station in Solana Beach...the puritan minded city fathers took her down because her breasts were showing. We wandered away from the color explosion to find a happy hour. We saw two 20 something guys having a very animated conversation with and old woman for about 10 minutes. They were laughing and talking and totally absorbed in what she had to say and it was very refreshing to see.

On one of our last nights, we walked over to have a final look at MY little house on the island. 3 floors, but quite tiny - it's being remodeled on the inside and I know it's either for sale or about to be on the market. River view and next door to Voltaire's old digs - it's the perfect Paris home and I think Darby would look lovely in the window. We passed the dancing oompah band playing Hava Nagilah on the bridge near the Notre Dame and hopped on an hour long river cruise to watch the sun set. We saw dozens of parties by the river and even got mooned/flashed by some guys in kilts as our boat floated by. We walked down by the river the next night to be part of the dancing fun - no flashing, though, and watched groups of salsa dancers, some tango dancers and some fun folk dancers who were accompanied by a live band featuring 2 hurdy gurdies...not seen too often in the US! To bad it rained the next night and we never got back there with our picnic dinners. We did peek into a number of bars to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremonies on their big screen TVs.

Unfortunately, we also got news that my mother was hospitalized and placed into hospice in her home. I tried to change my ticket home and then to Denver/Kansas, but the $4ooo price tag was just out of touch. Thanks US AIR. Skype provided a much needed line to my brother and sister (although the 9 hour time difference was difficult), and I'm faced with the prospect of a 14 hour trip to San Diego, 24 hour turn around, and a 2 hour flight to Denver with a 6 hour drive to Victoria Kansas. Epic jet lag awaits.

Happiness wandered through the door in the form of Will and Ry with fun tales to tell of all the beer Berlin had to offer. I took them back to the Bastille market to find some food. We wandered by the Kilo Store - a place I had discovered early on but had saved for them. EVERYTHING in the store is either vintage or resale and it's sold by the kilo. One kilo price for shoes, one for pants, etc. and they had a fine time for over an hour. We also showed them the Pompidou fountains and we wandered Les Halles neighborhood for a while and headed for one last time to the Monoprix for provisions to keep us happy until we leave. Back home to clean, do some laundry and preliminary packing and wieghing of stuffed suitcases. We are to be up early in the morning to head to Gare Lyon and the train back to Charles de Gaulle airport. Re-entry to the US is going to be difficult for me, as it always must be - I love the baguette lifestyle, the hustle and bustle of Paris, the beauty of the buildings, and the air itself. I'm always sad when I leave, and this time is no different. I never know if or when I'll be back and it feels like I leave a piece of my heart behind. No other place in the world has this effect on me - not New York, Israel, Italy...only Paris. So, for now, I'll wear my new French shoes and drink my cafe creme from a real cup and be content with my memories and photos.

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Photos

Lapins
Rabbits for the non French speakers

Pain Anglais
White bread for the English and American palate

Street Performers
Cool little music box where the one guy fed in the cardboard music and the other cranked the handle.

Comments

[Cuz]

Trip
Really enjoyed reading about your trip. What a fabulous experience. U should email it to dedra. She loves France too and continues to take French lessons.