Day 4 in Paris, A Long Walk!

     Gray and cold all day, two drops of rain. I left my apartment this morning about 9:30AM. I had looked up coffee shops "around me" and headed for one on the other side of the hill.  I want to remind you that Montmartre, Paris is a H.I.L.L. And I live on the north side of it.  To get to the coffee shop I had to walk around the hill (following Google maps advice) to get to the south side. The coffee shop was a good find.  Thick rich "café creme" drunk at the counter. 

     I learned a couple things before I came here.  1.  You don't order a latte or you get a bowl of milk with coffee, and 2.  You drink at the counter if you don't want to pay sit-down prices. Gulp, I'm off.  A stop-off across the street for an A-Mazing croissant.  With a banana, breakfast.  If you know the ins and outs and eat we're the Parisians eat, it isn't so much more expensive as the US. But eating at the hot-spots, like on the Champs Élysées, will burn the pocket book.    

      Anyway, it was brisk out and I was full of energy. I had a destination in the 2nd arrondissement I was heading for so I thought I'd walk as far as I could. Paris is laid out by arrondissements in a spiral manner with the first being where the Louvre (by the River Seine ) is and the 18th where I am residing.    I happened upon the Moulin Rouge (click, picture taken) in the lower 18th and spotted a Starbucks across the street.  This time a latte was appropriate.  French coffees are small, so another stop was not excessive. Right?  Besides I have to support my people.

      My walking tour continued down into the 9th arrondissement with a stop for pictures at Gare St. Lazarre to see if it indeed still looked like Monet's painting, (yep, kind of, sort of) and then past the Opera Garnier built a few centuries ago, and under some renovation currently, judging from the scaffolding.    I was looking for a recommended fabric store in the 2nd arrondissement which was off the beaten path. I found it, but it was closed. Which brings

me to pondering the French folks' way of being closed at random 
times of the day or week.  No rhyme or reason as far as I can see.
 Yesterday was a national holiday, Ascension Day, so some must just make it a 4 day weekend.  Oh, well.

      I stopped for lunch at what must be a fast food crepe place. I had a vegetarian crepe that was just OK.  Another stop was a fabulous little mini mall tucked away in a building where I shopped at H&M.  I was looking for a scarf (it was freezing out! ) but ended up with that and a sweater and a top.  Cute stuff.  Wonder if it is the same as we have in Seattle?  If, so I must shop there more often.

     Nearly dead on my feet by now, I forged on to the 1st arrondissement putting me at the Louvre.  I was quite tired of walking but it was only about 1:30 PM so I hopped a subway east to the 4th, just a couple stops down the way.  I then walked to the Seine. 



My route took me across  a bridge over the Seine to Notre Dame.  I have seen pictures but was STUNNED by the size of it. I need to research the history of that building. So amazing. Wonderful. Awesome. Fortunately I kept going and got to visit the delightful Shakespeare and Company bookstore. I purchased a French copy of The Little Prince by Saint-Exupery. I'm going to try to read it and if I can't it will become collage material. 

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 Making my way back to yet another bridge I came across a massive flower shop/nursery that covered 2 sides of the street. (Pictures will follow. )

     Several blocks later, the subway, thank goodness, (Whaaaa?  The turnstiles were open,  it was FREE all the way home including a transfer.) Mind you, the subway leaves me at the bottom of my hill,  a long climb home and then those 120 stairs up to my flat.  So good to be here. Tomorrow I'm taking a cooking class!  Tune back in for that!