Bonjour!
When we got up today, we went over to LaFavorite (which really has become our favorite breakfast place since we've been here in the Marais area of Paris. We especially enjoyed it today, knowing it would be our last breakfast there, since we would be getting up early tomorrow to start our journey back home. We decided while we were there, that we wouldn't talk about our last day in Paris, but would still enjoy ourselves and take in whatever sights we could today.
After breakfast, on our way to Marche Aux Fleurs, we saw a nun on a scooter, the non-motorized type. It was classic - she wore a pale blue habit and a white head veil, which flapped in the wind as she scootered on by. It's the kind of thing you might see on a Hallmark card or something.
We passed by a small grocery store called "Izrael Produits Exotiques" which advertised "Espices, Olives and Vins", and went in. It was such an interesting store filled with spices, sauces, olives, beans, herbs, huge varieties of dried fruit, and more. Although it was small, every inch of space was utilized, and I could have spent a morning in there looking at all the products!
After walking through the Marche Aux Fleurs once again and purchasing a few things, we left to continue looking at the sights and take pictures. Then we left the area around Notre Dame Cathedral and went back to a beautiful little cafe in the Marais area called 'Du TresOr' for a Salade Parisienne and an Salade Oceane. There were lush green trees right outside the cafe, and the temperature was perfect.
While seated, we noticed three people making their way to the cafe. Two of them were very elderly (one was in the 90 year old range), and a lady who was presumably his wife assisting him to inch his walker up the two steps into the cafe. They were the only ones seated inside. Finally they reached the table. They sat, and within a few minutes must have thought they had already waited too long for service, because the old guy in the group suddenly yelled out, "Helllllooooooo!" Of course, this behavior is guaranteed to be ignored by the French. Soon, and visibly agitated, this trio got up and slowly maneuvered their way through the cafe, back down the steps with walker in hand, and out onto the street. Not one person said anything to them as they left.
When we left, we walked by another cafe down the street called' Philisophe' and could see the same little trio now seated in the middle of the cafe, along with the university crowd. Hopefully this time, they would have service within their designated time frame!
On our way down Rue Des Rosiers we paid attention to the most fabulous Jewish shops and bakeries. We bought one piece of luscious cheesecake and one piece of poppy seed square at a Boulangerie-Patisserie called Murciano-Benguigui. We took everything back to the apartment, and it was already after 2:00 pm.
After a brief packing and organizing episode, we went out again - this time to another old and famous Parisienne institution called Berthillon Glacier at 29,31 Rue Saint-Louis en I'Ie, for a scoop of famous luxury ice cream. The store has been in operation since 1928. Just around the corner, a man stood playing the violin.
We kept walking and found a cafe called "l'Ombre De Notre-Dame" on 20, Rue Du Cloitre Notre Dame. We sat with our cafe au lait watching a line-up of at least 200 people wait to climb to the top to the bell tower. There was an organ grinder (no monkey, though) playing music and singing to the people in the line-up.
We left and stopped at yet another very old Parisienne institution called "The Bouquinistes of Paris". They are booksellers of used and antiquarian books who ply their trade along large sections of the banks of the Seine: on the right bank from the Pont Marie to the Quai du Louvre, and on the left bank from the Quai de la Tournelle to Quai Voltaire. Because of this, the Seine is thus described as 'the only river in the world that runs between 2 bookshelves.
The tradition of the second-hand booksellers began around the 16th century with little market peddlers. Under pressure from booksellers, a settlement of 1649 prohibited stalls and the display of books on the Pont Neuf, so they moved to the sides of the Seine.
Apparently, there are around 240 bouquinistes who make use of 900 “green boxes” to house old books, journals, pictures, posters, stamps and trading cards. As we walked along these green boxes, we saw that many of them were closed and locked up, so it looks like maybe this very old tradition could be changing.
In the evening, we decided we didn't want to miss the Musee d'Orsay on 5 Quai Anatole. We knew the museum was open until 9:45 pm on Thursday evenings, so we took the train over. We had a nice walk through the Tuileries. Even though we arrived at the museum at around 7:30pm, there were still quite a few people taking advantage of the evening hours.
Of all the galleries, that I have been fortunate enough to visit, the Musee d'Orsay is still my favorite, and I never get tired of looking at "Starry Night", by Vincent VanGogh, "Bal Du Moulin De la Galette", by Auguste Renoir, the beautiful works by Claude Monet, Degas, Manet, Lautrec and others.
When 9:30 pm rolled around, everyone was ushered out of the Museum. We walked back to the train through the Tuileries. We turned to look over our shoulder frequently, just to take everything in once more!
We arrived back at the Marais area and stopped at LaFavorite which was buzzing with activity. We found a little table under a heat lamp, ordered our beautiful rosé wine, and talked about how wonderful our holiday has been and how thankful we are, and how we are looking forward to seeing our family and friends!
Thank you to everyone who has shared in our holiday by following this blog. I hope it has given you ideas about how to follow your dreams and passion when you travel.
Merci de votre visite et a bientot...
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