We are now in Paris. Vera is giving a paper at a narrativity conference, and I am wandering the streets. The last time we were here, I felt the oddness of being a tourist in Paris, after having lived here as a resident for a longer stretch in the past. I wanted to just go about my daily life in Paris, rather that rush off to see how many museums I could cram into one day. This time, it is also very different coming to Paris from New York, rather than the bucolic splendor of Vancouver. I have been enjoying the historic aspect of New York, enjoying old buildings built in the early 20th century. Today I stopped in the church of Saint-Étienne-du Mont, which marks the spot where St. Genevieve was buried in the 5th century. So Paris is really old! So walking around Paris, you see not only the predominant 19th century Haussmanian style, but here and there many older buildings and remnants. I also saw a bit of a 12th century wall which I have have never seen before. It is a pleasure to wander. I walked from our hotel near the Jardins du Luxembourg all the way to the Marais, and onwards.
Last night after we arrived, we had dinner with our friends Pam and Maya at a fantastic restaurant in the 11th Ar. called Au Passage. Nondescript from the outside, it was adventurous but unpretentious French food at its finest. (I had to trust them on the relatively uncooked pork...)
I have always found it hard to take pictures in Paris, which is perhaps the world's most photographed city. Does anyone really need to take a picture of Notre Dame? Of clochards on the banks of the Seine? But I took some anyway this time....
I have always been amused by the French tradition of sculpting trees in geometrical shapes:
Reading in the ivy...(the temperature in Paris is about 40 degrees F.)
This elegantly dressed guy was selling paintings:
And I always love colorful construction stuff:
Speaking of color, I have no idea why this church door is purple...
You wanted Notre Dame?
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