Our three days in Paris was very restful and nice. We did get the laundry done, by washing the clothes at the apartment and going to the local Lavage in the next street over. It took us a while to figure out how to use the dryer but after we did our clothes were ready to go.
We searched for a place to get me a manicure, and after many attempts at different “salon du beauty” we found the name of a place on the Rue du Ponte called, of all things, The Nail Factory. So after a pretty long walk we found the place and I have an appointment for next Wednesday. And yes, Bobbi, they are Asian. While in that neighborhood we had a fun lunch at a bakery. Jerry had a Baguette de Provencal which was a half a small baguette with brie cheese, tomato slices, basil, and goat cheese on top, all warmed up. Yum!!! I had a chicken quiche which was also very good. Back to the apartment for naps. Then Donald took us out to eat at the Belgian restaurant that I think I have already written about.
On Saturday we went to find the train station that we would be taking off from on Sunday, and it wasn’t easy. We found the station alright but we couldn’t find where to pick up our tickets that we had bought on line the day before. Finally, after trying many machines, asking many people, and walking endlessly around the station we found a young woman who was a ticket agent and spoke great English. She explained that we couldn’t access the tickets with our credit card because American cards don’t have the extra security chip that is required by the European machines. Note to self: Check out newe cards when we get home.
After getting our tickets in our hot little hands we took the Metro to the Tulleries which is Louis XVI’s garden and park and is now public space. Beautiful sculpture, flowers, lots of people enjoying a nice cool Saturday. Our destination was Musse de Orangerie, which holds a large and impressive collection of Impressionist paintings; Monet, Renoir, Matise, Piccasso (early work) and Gaugain, plus a lot of others that I didn’t know. Amazing! We spent most of the rest of the afternoon there, just soaking in the art. Good for the soul. We walked down the Champs de Ellysse for several blocks. Stopped for a crepe (amazing little crepe stands that you can buy a 12” crepe with butter and sugar for E2, Yummy and hot) and then took the bus back to the apartment. Fun day. I took a nap and then Donald had a business associate that had us for dinner at their home in the 9th arroindsement. Phillipe and Marie Cristina – she is Brazilian and he is French. Lovely people and we had such fun. They had another guest who worked for Doctors without Borders as an administrator. It was fun hearing about all the places she has been, Haiti, Congo, Darfour, and Southern Soudan. So interesting. Took a cab back.
We are now on the TGV train to Amsterdam. It is a “fast” train and it is really fast. Like 200 mph or more. Smooth, quiet. Really very nice. Kristine Galiher will meet us at the central station and we will stay at her house until Tuesday when we will return to Paris. I can’t wait to see her!
Thanks for all the good wishes. It is fun to hear from you all! Ciao! (I don’t know the Dutch word for “see ya”, yet)
Post Script: At Kristine’s now. For some reason my net book doesn’t recognize her router for wireless, so I am typing on Word and will transfer to her computer and send it. Anyway, lovely to see Kristine. She looks fabulous!!! We went out to shop for groceries and then out for dinner to a Spanish Tapis restaurant for dinner. About 8:30 her friends Iris and Inge came over for wine and talk. We had a great time. Today is the Van Gogh museum but we are slow to start this morning.
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