Le Marais (First Sunday in Paris)

Overcast in the morning but a beautiful sunny afternoon (low 70s) and evening.

Un petit catastrophe. Yesterday, when I was opening my backpack for inspection at the Hotel Carnavalet, I dropped my digital camera. Of course, this is the same digital camera that I had just figured out how to use that morning. It seemed to work OK afterwards, but this morning when I tried it, it's clear that il ne marche plus. Also, I realized that I don't have the necessary software installed on my computer to download the photos anyway. So now I need to decide whether I want to get another camera as well as the software while I'm here. If not, no photos on blog. :(

Le Marais. Off to explore more of The Marais quarter. Walk down to the Hotel de Ville and around behind it to the Square St Gervais. The Church of St Gervais has the oldest organ in Paris (originally built 1601 though later enlarged) where the position of organ-master was held by eight (!) generations of Couperins from 1656 to 1826!

Down the cobble-stoned rue des Barres with an old half-timbered house. Watched a father and his two children (an older boy in blue and younger girl in pink!) rollerblading. Clearly all beginners and, I'm happy to say, all wearing helmets. (In general, people on motorbikes wear helmets but those on regular bicycles do not.) Noticed an "enclosed" black BMW motorcycle parked on the side of the rue de l'Hotel de Ville, complete with a real windshield, roll-bars, and a leather seat with headrest. Very cool. Later, I see another one in red.

A nice but small tent was pitched next to the little park separating the rue de l'Hotel de Ville from the quai, a sleeping bag hanging on the park railing outside, and inside a man sleeping. Stamped on each side of the tent were the words "Medecins du Monde." I'd love to know that story.

Hotel du Sens and beautiful garden. Across the street, a children's playground with cement "ping-pong" tables. La Village St Paul (more on this later). Stopped into La Vaissellerie to pick up a bowl and a vide-poches for my desk. NB: qu'est-ce c'est la difference entre "ravier" et "vide-poches"??

Rue du Prevot. A tiny, tiny cobblestoned street. At the top of the street, a French guide with group of people. Then what appears to be a grandpa taking his granddaughter out for a spin on his motorcycle, going very slowly and both wearing helmets and very big smiles.

My feet are very tired and sore, and I'm beat. I think I may have been a little over-enthusiastic these first few days. I stop at the local Proxi market and pick up 2 apples, some Wasa crispbread, a tin of sardines in olive oil and some goat cheese to ward off starvation in case I'm too tired to go out again later! And then I go upstairs to have a nap!

Evening Outing. I leave the apt after 6 p.m. and walk to the Centre Pompidou and the Musee de l'Art Moderne. There's way to much to say about this and it's too late, so it will have to wait for another day but let's just say for now that the guards had to throw me out at 9:00 p.m. But the bookstore was open until 9:45!

Dinner at the Cafe Beaubourg on the square: Croque Madame, une petite salade verte, des haricots verts (formidable), un verre de vin rouge et un carafe d'eau. A short stroll around a couple of blocks and then home. Pedometer: 6,944 (oh, let's call it 7,000).