Might be about time for an update--there may actually be folks hanging on our every word! (maybe not...).
Sunday we went to a local ward of our church. A good chance to meet some authentic locals. The ward was quite diverse--the Bishop an African. We met members from Peru, Bolivia, Pakistan, the Congo--and maybe even a few frenchies as well.
Later in the day we packed up and left the 19eme Arrondisment (you should hear me pronounce that now!). We moved to the much trendier Le Marais neighborhood--much closer to everything. Our hotel in the 19eme was ok--quite clean. And it was great to be able to compare a neighborhood much farther out. But it was going to take me an hour to get where I needed to be for my presentation--only 1/2 hr from LeMarais.
We found a great little hotel--Hotel Sully--only 55E, right on Rue St. Antoine--the Marais main drag. That is pretty cheap for this neighborhood! It is not super fancy by any means, but it is clean and does the job. Oh--and did I mention the free exercise room? (well, ok--its 5 flights of stairs--but think of what we are getting for free!). Our room is toward the back, so we are not bothered by the street noise at all.
The Hotel Sully, while a little dive of sorts, is right next to a 16th century structure called the HOtel Sully, which is adjacent to Place de Voges, a very wonderful square--which also has the house of Victor Hugo. We hung around there Sunday PM, enjoying all kinds of live street music--from Texas Swing to Chamber. We capped off the night with a fance dinner at Ma Borgogne--a burgundian restaurant. Some good hearty frech fare.
Monday morning turned WAY colder. I had to buy a hat and a scarf (see photo below). My presentation was at the International Energy Agency (but the meeting was run by the OECD, the people who contracted me). It was a UN kind of meeting, with delegates from the participating countries sitting around a very large oval table, with their hangers on behind them. I was one of about 4 presenters. I problably should have been a little more staid in my presentation, but you know me! Mostly this was people reading bullets, or the delegates making very long very boring statements. I really had to stay alert to see if they were asking my a question (and I did get a few).
Tuesday we wandered around several neighborhoods (see photos below). Tuesday night we hooked up with my niece Amy, who lives here, and her brother Tim, who just happened to be in town visiting. We had a great meal at a small Le Marais restaurant--8-12! Paris restaruants just make you want to talk, I guess!
Today was still pretty doggone cold! So we spent the day in the Lourve. I am definitely not a big museum hound--if its 2 dimensional, I might rather see it in a book! We actually did just over 5 hours there. Quite a bit for me. The sculptures are something else--you can't see that in a book. We saw very little of the whole museum--that would take days!
Looks like tomorrow we might start to get a break in the weather. I keep thinking I am just about ready to head south, but Paris beckons. It is great to be under no pressure, and just be able to walk around and soak things up. I am really starting to get a feel for the city.
Everyone walks of course. Not very many obese people in evidence here. I can assure you that these folks eat enough to get obese! They burn it all off. I wish we had brought a pedometer--I am sure we are well over 10k steps a day--maybe even 20. I am not worried about gaining any weight on this trip.
Amy told me that she spends only 55E a month for an unlimited pass on the Metro (and that includes the busses)! Wow! Could you imagine only spending that much a month on transporation! I know we spend over 1k/month in Houston. If we didn't have to spend that--we could afford a lot more house.
LeMarais is very much a tourist district--you see tourists everywhere. But you see everybody else as well. Schoolkinds, workaday folks etc. This is a very very dense neighborhood. I would wager not many places in the US come close--maybe some areas in Manhattan. One thing about density is that it doesn't seem to matter where you go--its all interesting (properly designed of course). The 18eme is not a tourist area --but very interesting anyway: a commercial district at just about every corner, with lots of quaint restaraurants.
This is Rue de Cler, a pretty upscale area not far from the Eiffle Tower. Great restaurants and stores everywhere. There are folks living in the floors above the ground floor.
This is Rue St. Antoine--our neighborhood! Le Marais was once a marsh--and thats what Marais means. It is a very old neighborhood with lots of very small and fascinating streets. Our place is just a block from here.
Sunday we went to a local ward of our church. A good chance to meet some authentic locals. The ward was quite diverse--the Bishop an African. We met members from Peru, Bolivia, Pakistan, the Congo--and maybe even a few frenchies as well.
Later in the day we packed up and left the 19eme Arrondisment (you should hear me pronounce that now!). We moved to the much trendier Le Marais neighborhood--much closer to everything. Our hotel in the 19eme was ok--quite clean. And it was great to be able to compare a neighborhood much farther out. But it was going to take me an hour to get where I needed to be for my presentation--only 1/2 hr from LeMarais.
We found a great little hotel--Hotel Sully--only 55E, right on Rue St. Antoine--the Marais main drag. That is pretty cheap for this neighborhood! It is not super fancy by any means, but it is clean and does the job. Oh--and did I mention the free exercise room? (well, ok--its 5 flights of stairs--but think of what we are getting for free!). Our room is toward the back, so we are not bothered by the street noise at all.
The Hotel Sully, while a little dive of sorts, is right next to a 16th century structure called the HOtel Sully, which is adjacent to Place de Voges, a very wonderful square--which also has the house of Victor Hugo. We hung around there Sunday PM, enjoying all kinds of live street music--from Texas Swing to Chamber. We capped off the night with a fance dinner at Ma Borgogne--a burgundian restaurant. Some good hearty frech fare.
Monday morning turned WAY colder. I had to buy a hat and a scarf (see photo below). My presentation was at the International Energy Agency (but the meeting was run by the OECD, the people who contracted me). It was a UN kind of meeting, with delegates from the participating countries sitting around a very large oval table, with their hangers on behind them. I was one of about 4 presenters. I problably should have been a little more staid in my presentation, but you know me! Mostly this was people reading bullets, or the delegates making very long very boring statements. I really had to stay alert to see if they were asking my a question (and I did get a few).
Tuesday we wandered around several neighborhoods (see photos below). Tuesday night we hooked up with my niece Amy, who lives here, and her brother Tim, who just happened to be in town visiting. We had a great meal at a small Le Marais restaurant--8-12! Paris restaruants just make you want to talk, I guess!
Today was still pretty doggone cold! So we spent the day in the Lourve. I am definitely not a big museum hound--if its 2 dimensional, I might rather see it in a book! We actually did just over 5 hours there. Quite a bit for me. The sculptures are something else--you can't see that in a book. We saw very little of the whole museum--that would take days!
Looks like tomorrow we might start to get a break in the weather. I keep thinking I am just about ready to head south, but Paris beckons. It is great to be under no pressure, and just be able to walk around and soak things up. I am really starting to get a feel for the city.
Everyone walks of course. Not very many obese people in evidence here. I can assure you that these folks eat enough to get obese! They burn it all off. I wish we had brought a pedometer--I am sure we are well over 10k steps a day--maybe even 20. I am not worried about gaining any weight on this trip.
Amy told me that she spends only 55E a month for an unlimited pass on the Metro (and that includes the busses)! Wow! Could you imagine only spending that much a month on transporation! I know we spend over 1k/month in Houston. If we didn't have to spend that--we could afford a lot more house.
LeMarais is very much a tourist district--you see tourists everywhere. But you see everybody else as well. Schoolkinds, workaday folks etc. This is a very very dense neighborhood. I would wager not many places in the US come close--maybe some areas in Manhattan. One thing about density is that it doesn't seem to matter where you go--its all interesting (properly designed of course). The 18eme is not a tourist area --but very interesting anyway: a commercial district at just about every corner, with lots of quaint restaraurants.
This is Rue de Cler, a pretty upscale area not far from the Eiffle Tower. Great restaurants and stores everywhere. There are folks living in the floors above the ground floor.
This is Rue St. Antoine--our neighborhood! Le Marais was once a marsh--and thats what Marais means. It is a very old neighborhood with lots of very small and fascinating streets. Our place is just a block from here.
Yeah--its cold! Last night at Chez Janou. Check my hat out. This morning a fellow walked up and started asking me directions in French--guess I look like a local with my hat and scarf!
Here is Leticia with Amy and Tim. A great time at a great restaurant! And how wild is that running into family in Paris?
Here is Leticia with Amy and Tim. A great time at a great restaurant! And how wild is that running into family in Paris?
We appreciate all the comments--keep em coming!
4 comments:
that's cool you got to see tim and amy! yeah, mom looks like she is freezing--tell her she needs to wear her scarf the way the french do--it'll keep her a lot warmer!
i can imagine how much walking you are doing--we don't do much here in houston--its a shame! that's why we are the most obese city in the US of A!!!!! keep eating all that good food! we love y'all!
I love the hats--is Leticia wearing a beret?? You both look adroable! AND freezing! Sounds as if your experiences are fueling you inside and out, however. How wonderful! I was on the Rue de Cler in October, right before Halloween, and the school kids were all dressed up in costumes (something else borrowed from America!) and going from shop to shop 'trick or treating'. It was fun to see. I'm sure they got better chocolate than American kids get, though. I loved all the open air markets--and sampled my way down the street. I so wish we had that here.
I guess we should be singing "How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've seen 'Paree'??"
Great newsy post, John, thanks! It was great to read all your insights.
Enjoy!
Chris
Great blog. In your honor I went to a French bakery yesterday--don't know how authentic, but the tarts were nice. Amazing that you could meet up with Tim and Amy. Look forward to more posts on real urban living.
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