DAY ONE

Above Pont Marie - metro just in front of the Cite Building.... the Cite main building photo next to it......

I have been booked a flat in the Annex, which I like because it is much quieter there....The inside of the flat.... - bedding is supplied.... the rest is my effort to make it my own



I am preparing to go and buy my baquette and croissant at the nearest bakery - "petit Versailles" - madame at the boulangerie told me they are open since 7 this morning but I slept till I could no more this morning. It was at 8 that I could no longer fool myself and got up - too excited to sleep. Dead tired yesterday, but today I feel this was the right thing to do.

I am excited.....cautiously, but still.

I got a map of Paris in the flat, a bit tattered but it would do....then I set off to experience the city and found a huge department store BHV which has the best of appliances, Alessi, all those names we only see in beautiful glossy magazines.

I decided that the Marais shopping wasn't good for me and set off for St Germain des Pres - where my husband and I previously stayed to find Monoprix, something similiar to supermarkets in my own country..... and there found some butter, cheese and "jambon" (gypsey ham) to enjoy for lunch. And something warm to heat in the microwave for supper.....chicken tagine and prunes.....ha ha with a recipe from Africa what can go wrong? During my shopping experience I had one of those "I can't speak english" experiences but decided not to let it spoil my day.... and then the cashier - a japanese lady was so nice that I knew this was going to be a good day..... and going to get even better......

I got a message from a fellow South African Artist..... we would meet sometime during the day..... I keep my cellphone under a lock in the backpack so every now and again I see if there is a message.

I turned around going to the Metro where the tickets I bought yesterday didn't want to work so I had to go back a bit in the metro to the ticket office and there got a brand new my very own map of Paris - for FREE - and I was going to buy one..... The Parisians or should I say the French is a special group of people.... free of charge.....anyway I appreciated it now I won't get lost again.

And then I see my friend would like to meet - I met her near the Cite..... her husband brought her with the car..... a different view on Paris with a car.... parking is unbelieveably small and scarce.

Her husband, she and obviously me enjoyed our own language and enjoyed the late Paris afternoon at a coffeeshop. My very first coffee in Paris - I had to have 2. Amazing what it does for your sense of wellbeing if you know that there are fellow countrymen not too far. I never knew it would be such a comfort.

Thanks you two - not mentioning your names.... thought it would be better.



Now I will be putting up the copies I made of my pictures - and then I see there is a wonderful Marietha van der Vyver book on the small bookcase in the flat.... I think I will start reading that and maybe plan my route tomorrow.....

I think I am going to do some museum hopping..... it is the first Sunday of the month when the Musee in Paris are free ..... supposedly - the African in me says nothing can be free but will let you know what I found....

Day one almost over and I am loving every bit of it...... even the chill in the air!



The above the view from my flat.... to left the street towards the boulangerie.... and in middle the view to opposite of street and more flats and right the Seine.... it is fortunate for me that I am not on the Main Road next to the Seine.... the noise is quite a factor....this small street is quiet most of the time and peaceful. I am almost used to the general noises like streetcleaning machine, garbage collectors, etc.... the traffic day and night is something else and this small street doesn't have that.