Thursday, March 24, 2011

DAY TWENTY



The street all quiet this morning - the metro with a saxophone player and when I got out of the metro...the old opera house....


I am off to the shops this morning....Galleries Lafayette and Printemps - they have a bit of a discount.... but I am also going for the experience the shops are so beautiful.

I would also like to see where my friend who is coming in April should get off from the bus....so I hope I will see all of that....and then come home and pack my things for Germany.

It was much easier to find the metro than I remember - obviously when I got off the time when I came I was too tired to think..... 11 RUE SCRIBE in 9th arondisemont .... There is a bus stop.... I hope my friend will write this down.... and she will be able to see the old operahouse in front of her on which they are doing huge reperations.... so if she waits for me there, or I wait for her, there will be no problem.



The Roissy Bus stop is next to 11 Rue Scribe

I went to Galleries Lafayette but forgot how huge it is.... I was lost.... eventually got something for one of my daughters - and then decided job well done I am going back home.... too much for me....

Just an afterthought.... if you had too much money and too much time you could stay busy in that shop for hours/days/weeks..... there is so much to select from....all the great designers and the not so great, the perfumerie all the ones you could think of, and jewellery even De Beers has a shop there.... luckily that is not my sort of thing.... I could walk away with indifference.

The rest of the huge shops, Printemps, Bon Marche etc will just have to wait.... I am not here to shop. - Although, the Sennellier shop is waiting for me when I come back.... I understand that the colours is amazing.... I will spend some time there.

Tomorrow morning I will be taking the Metro before half past 5 so I will not blog tomorrow... maybe if I am able to after that, but will keep my photo's of Germany organised so that when I am back I can put up the days there....



The view from the roof of Gallery Lafayette.... and from the inside....beautiful

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

DAY NINETEEN

A restless night.... the people upstairs made a lot of noise.... but nevertheless the sunny day outside seems magnificent. I will have breakfast and off to see how much time it takes to Gare du Nord....don't want to miss my train on Friday.

Made myself coffee (italian blend i brought with) and will have a piece of baquette with cheese and myrtle jam - and then set off on the Metro.... also, i want to go and see the Petit Palais today.... it is not something I think my friend who is coming in April to visit will see..... and then somewhere today I want to sit in a park and read my book: Paris to the Moon.... I have only read a few pages since buying it here in Paris.......

So I went off - firstly to see how long it would take for me to get to Gare du Nord from Pont Marie.

I timed myself - with wrong turns, etc.... 30 minutes by METRO. I have to be at the station earlier.... so found that out as well..... I think I am ok....




The Grand Palais left.... the Petit Palais in the middle and right.....


So after that went to Petit Palais and the building was beautiful and there were all kinds of small objects shown which was used by people in the past.... a wonderful experience in all.



The small articles, the beautiful staircase and a small park next to place Clemencau

Came back for lunch - the Boulangerie assistant and I had a misunderstanding and I did not get the quiche I ordered but a bun with some salami melted onto it.... but I was hungry and I had it - next time I will explain better..... at least I got something edible.....something to be thankful for.

On my way to Place des Vosges - another musician...today I saw saxophone player on the train, violinist on station and another one on the train and then this one under the overhang of one of the houses which leads to the plain...... some of the small things which makes this way of life special....



The above on my way to Place des Vosges

After a stop at the studio I decided to go to Place des Vosges.... and there I sat and read my book..... the French does not believe to waste good weather....every body was out there in the sun.... the police came to get the people off the finely cut grass and behind me the man who was sitting when I asked if I could sit there - he was on his back fast asleep.....



The French was out to get the sun .... my neighbour on his back on the bench...and the flowers that just come up.... they are not planted there they just appear....

My Finnish friend and I had coffee and she brought us a beautiful piece of tart with Mirabelle and another berry it was very nice and the company was good - so nice to speak to somebody who share the values that I treasure........

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

DAY EIGHTEEN



The above in my very near vacinity.... the first working fountain I have seen, a cafe in rue de barre and a lady doing martial arts on the bank of the river before I cross over to Ile St Louis

The reality strikes when I type in the words at the heading... 18 days has passed since I arrived here, tired, homesick and very very disorientated.



By now, I rarely walk with or think about a map. I will not say I know the area - or Paris - that is something I don't think anybody can really say.... they are ever changing and working on buildings so it is evolving all of the time and just as you think you have it under the belt - the shop might have changed name or purpose.....



By good authority I was told to take it slowly....to relax and not walk myself into a stupor all of the time....so today I firstly, got up late 09h00 .... - but not late for Paris...here nobody seems to be around till 10 and then I will go and look for a shopping bag at FNAC - it is nice and large and I will be able to take some of my heavier warm things to Germany with me.



Everybody and anybody tried to get some sun in the park across from the Notre Dame on the Left bank....crossing the bridge I (and many others) was surprised to see the police with other men putting orange paste into the river and it turned the river into a lime/neon green.... wonder if it was to sanitise the river?
The small cafe I have passed before but now there were customers.... I could not resist a photo.

Within a moment it seemed I reached the St Germain Boulevard.... it was easy to find FNAC where the bag was bought and then I took Rue de la Harpe and that connected with rue Severin I think which came out next to the St Severin church.... it was funny how full of small restaurants this street was.... and in between somebody was trying to do some renovations.... (just proving my point - about the evolving changes in this city).... here today, gone tomorrow.

I then went looking for a gift for my brother in law in the large department store near Hotel d' Ville in Rue de Rivoli..... one of the largest streets which runs on the other side of the Louvre....the complimenting side is etched by the Seine.

I also tried to find the Sonnelier art shop which I did but they were closed...will go again....




The Concierge on the left where Marie Antoinette waited to be executed, the Tour St Jacques in the middle and the Pont des Arts on the right



The Seine with its greener water and lovely foliage on the trees and the Bookinists who sells books from the large wooden boxes fastened to the walls at the riverside........

It is so wonderful to realise that I am indeed learning and finding my way around here.... I love it!

Found a small toyshop which I saw on the Internet today, and also a very nice "silver shop" where a very nice and kind man spoke with me (in English) - what a surprise it was....




The special toyshop and the new leaves

Then towards St Paul I had to find milk, the essentials and demi-baquette - a whole one is too much for me. I only buy half a baquette when I buy - much nicer to have fresh bread when you like it and there is no shortage of boulangeries in this district.... I think there are 4 very near....

I haven't tasted a macaroon which they all seem to have, it seems something like a "national cookie" if there can be something like that..... perhaps I should buy some to take to Germany - ? I hope they are nice...they are handmade I presume.......

Monday, March 21, 2011

DAY SEVENTEEN



The Les Halles shopping centre with the "Fontaine des Innocents on the left...the last Renaissance fountain left in Paris and then Les Halles shopping centre ...quite a modern structure between the old buildings of the 3rd.

I eventually decided to go to find the Marche at Rue de Montergueil - I set off with the Metro as I wanted to see if I could find Metro tickets.... - I got the office open and bought two carnet - before I have to panick about train tickets again.... at least I could buy it with my bank card... if you use the automated card machines you have to use coins... Hallo?



The Pompediou and the Place Igor Stravinsky.... the fountain had no water - but I had to see it

Then I really lost myself and got lost....walked for hours and did not find the market but saw amazing little shops, places where you can stay for an hour or so and just see what interesting things they have... but I was on a mission... not accomplished.



A "DOG SHOP" - exclusive and cute... and a huge wooden door with so much behind it...it was standing open and as I am fascinated by these worlds behind the big doors, I entered and found some bikes in a small quartyard....

However, I will go another day - at least I got out into the sun and saw a different part - the 3rd arrondissemont - Even it is by error I am learning my way around this beautiful and confusing city.



Above - back in the Marais... a Starbucks - they are strewn around the city - one side of Rue de Rivoli, the other towards "Tour st Jacques"


I came home did some things that needed to be done (like having lunch) and started searching on the Net - and found interesting places such as Sommellier's art shop - I think I have past it one day on my way to the Orsay and also a toy shop which sounds interesting very near in the Marais.

So - adventure waits..... and still no drawings.... about that I am quiet.... the pastell pencils are out on the table....




The Marais where I stay is full of really "old buildings" - and surprises around the corner.... like the little alley where there is a beautiful little shop with clothes and bags and a pub on a corner almost next to the very very old buildings from 1600 something.....