I hope you're not waiting for the post with me and the Eiffel Tower in the background. Or me waving from the top of the Arc de Triomphe, or scaling the gold statue Génie de la Liberté atop the Bastile, hanging from a gargoyle's neck at Notre Dame, sliding down the Louvre pyramid. Um. You aren't are you?
Whew. I'm relieved.
I have some "villages" to explore this time around. Right in the middle of Paris. 3 metro lines and about 20 staircases later I landed HERE:
In the 13th arrondissment. More walking. Looking. When I stop and close my eyes I got wafts of fragrant air. Things were blooming! And there were birds! I could hear them in the trees!
and of course very few people which i loved most of all.
I am in my true deep element when i am out tramping alone through foreign streets. My wanderings have quirks. I stop. Start. Turn around. Go back 3 paces. Look up. Lots of looking up coupled with moments of intense scrutiny of the ground. What is that? Where did that come from? Where is that sound coming from?
Camera in one hand – video in the other. I am a stranger from a strange land who has come to record every detail of the empty space. the time in between other times. the part of the day when almost everyone has gone home and left me to worship the streets alone. So happy!
THIS is why I'm here. THIS is what I came to see. I am happiest in these outer reaches, besides I've seen the highlights on other trips. Now I am out to conquer the double digit arrondissements. I have a dozen outings like this planned. Plus some more traditional places I just HAVE to visit on the regular Paris circuit. Those will come eventually. For now, street art:
Today you tapped me on the arm and asked if I was ready to stop acting strange and enjoy a treat. You don't have to ask me twice. We went into a patisserie and I picked out the prettiest confection with the longest name I couldn't begin to pronounce. The nice lady wrapped it in crinkly bakery paper and handed it to me. We walked to a tiny park with a tiny bench and I took this picture. Then I put this in my mouth, closed my eyes, opened my eyes wide, started making this-is-good noises, licked my fingers. Maybe if it had a big crunchy snail on top it would have been something other than extremely delicious.
I don't know what you had, but it was twice as big and twice as messy. I didn't look at you when you ate it.
There were pretty yellow trees blooming nearby. We felt giddy. The park bench was high and we swung our feet while eating.
We took the 67 bus back home. I wrote in my travel journal and uploaded photos for this post. You snuck into the kitchen and swiped your finger through the sea salt butter.
Several hours later it was time for dinner. I love that. The way you get hungry and are forced to eat something really good again. We went to the place that nice Mim recommended in the blog comments yesterday. Turns out it's only a few blocks from l'appartement. And it was full of French people! We knew it was going to be good.
The house wine was red and smoky. Perfection.
I ordered duck in prune sauce. You didn't bat an eye when I cut my napkin in 2 and tucked it into my white shirt. Thanks for that.
On the way home through the dark streets I looked up and saw this window. Maybe inside there is a child on a feather bed reading a storybook. Dreaming about a trip she will take when she grows up.
~
Corky my cat nanny, wrote a post over HERE. She sends me funny emails and tells me what the cats are doing.
While you’re touring the outer suburbs, be sure to visit the Pere Lachaise Cemetery – loads of famous tombs from Chopin to Oscar Wilde to Edith Piaf, and don’t miss out Nureyev’s tomb, it’s the glitziest one there!
Tres charmant! I love your photo version of spring and dining in those out of the way Paris neighborhoods. Those pastries! Yum!
So, why was I surprised to see forsythia in Paris? It’s just as beautiful there as it is here, too. I love that you’re wandering the back streets!
You’ve got to stop talking about that butter!!!! WOW>> I want to taste it too!! hehe Lovely trip!!
Oh my, how you make me long to visit Paris again. Enjoying your posts and photos so much, thank you for taking us with you!! Also enjoying Corky’s tales of cat wrangling at Moss Cottage.
What a blissful day! The pastry looks delicious, and the blooms are beautiful! Very fun to see another side of Paris!
Mary Ann, You make my days! I want to be walking around with you with my journal and camera! But, alas…here I sit at my desk at work just dreaming and pretending….What art supplies did you decide to take with you on this trip? LOVE your journal!! Susan
I really like your style of travel…. immerse yourself in the culture!!! I’m planning to do that on my trip to Italy later this year!
Emie
kelley – oh but i LOVE the eiffel tower and always say it is so UNDERrated. i will indeed go. i will ride to the top.
that video is beautiful. thanks for sharing. so touching. all of paris is magnificent. yesterday i went to the very spot you mention in your comment. youll see next post!
everyone – your comments warm the cockles of my heart xoxo
Bonjour! Thanks for your fantastic posts. It’s been so lovely to check in and see what you’re up to. Sounds like you’re having a wonderful time. You sound like a true flaneur! Have you read Edmund White’s The Flâneur: A Stroll through the Paradoxes of Paris? I think you’d like it.
loving these photos and the one of the stairs – I would easily frame that and hang in my living room – LOVE IT!!!
Oh oh oh oh oh. How I wish I was there, too.
Discretely following behind as to not disturb
your reverie. Thanks for packing us in your pocket.
I’m just catching up! Out of breath! I’m loving it all!!!!
I hope you’ve forgiven me for staring at those lamps and those barricades and those buildings….and that teal colored window and for constantly slowing us down. I just can’t get over the art in every corner of our walk, and I am just so happy I have your extra pair of freeze framed goggles on. Well, it helps to see things through rose colored wine glasses too. In case I forget to tell you, I’m having a great time! Almost as good a time as the cat nanny.
I’m jealous.
Oh you are staying right near where I planned to live when xh and I would have moved to Paris. Pfft…he and 2nd wife went off to the burbs. I’m glad you are going to the arondissments less traveled. That is where the adventurer goes. C’est toi!
Moss Cottage, Thank you so for not taking me for the slide down something another. The walk around the streets were wonderful love all the windows ect. My break of pastery might of been messy but it was sure good!!!!
Where to now?
Always
Linda
ack. i made a faux pas in assuming you would be visiting the eiffel tower. maybe not for a stroll up, but for a casual “hey, how have you been?”…
a nice walk is the area around parc montsouris and the cite universite and square montsouris and rue georges braque (the architecture and feeling is wonderful)
also the area around the Fondation Corbusier on square du doctor blanche.
I am sure you have heard of both areas, but i visited them the first time i ever visited paris and the areas have stuck with me for 20 years.
waiting patiently to see where you end up next. have fun.
Looks so beautiful! I was wondering what the weather is like? Is it quite cold? Do you need to wear a jacket all the time over your other layers? I cannot wait for my trip and seeing your beautiful photographs every day makes me so much more excited! 7 days to go for me!!!
Thank you for taking me to Paris, I am glad you didn’t frown when I ate my twice as big, twice as messy chocolatey bakery treat. The red wine was wonderful, thank you for ordering it. I love walking through empty streets and smelling the flowers and hearing the birds sing. You are good for my soul Mary Ann!
oh mary ann, i want to travel with you, for real. i have never done any international travel but would love to, and seeing things from your eyes will have to do. i love the out of the way places, the small local sights, and to poke and dig around and take my time also. i think we must be “bosom buddies” as anne with an “e” would say. i’m so glad you are sharing with us “real time”.
as for that pastry, ummm, i’ll take something with chocolate and coconut please.
It’s so nice that you keep on blogging while you’re on a holiday, so we don’t have to miss you.
And you’re in the same timezone now, only a train trip away. Any plans for visiting Holland? 😉
I am waiting for the picture of you at Angelina’s with your chocolat africain and a Mont Blanc. Have a wonderful time. I can’t wait to see your journal.
I love that you are taking the road less traveled in Paris!!
Your posts are such a treat.
I am a parisian and I love to see how people from abroad see my city, with eyes wide open, ready to to be surprised.
Here in Paris, most of us don’t even notice the Eiffel Tower anymore, we’re so used to it. We love our city anyway :o)
Thank you.
Peggy
oh, what a tiny world! mim is my friend (locally), and here she shows up on your blog!
your wanderings are inspiring – love that overcast sky. keep on having adventures!
What a wonderful trip! Lovely pictures. See the sights!!!
Now we know who we must bump off….
Mwwwaaaahaaaaa Mwaaaaaaaahaaaaaahaaaaa……..
I wouldn’t eat that if I were you Ms. Temporary Kat Watcher Lady for Mary Ann…