Velo Libre and Le Canal St Martin

Saturday, September 15. This morning I do two loads of laundry (these are very tiny loads). I have completely mastered the machine a laver/secher and its instruction manual (with a little help from my French/French dictionary). It has no secrets from me anymore!

Techno Parade. From my window I notice that r. du Renard is blocked off at r. de la Verrerie. When I asked the policeman what's going on, he says "Techno Parade." So I go down to r. du Rivoli to have a look. It's complete madness. Apparently, this is an annual event with lots of singers, DJs, sound systems blasting. It attracts quite an unusual crowd.

Velib! I decide that today is the day I'm going to conquer the system Velo Libre (hey, I've cracked the washing machine, why not this too?). And I do, with the help of a very nice young French man who walks me through the entire process! So I take off, VERY carefully, on my bike. It's a little hard to get used to as it is fairly heavy. Also, it's much harder to balance when one is going VERY slowly.

Square du Temple. I make it over to r. des Archives and head up to the Square du Temple, a lovely park with a pond, huge hollyhocks (at least 6 feet tall), a gazebo, a playground, and a fabulous sandbox - a large circle, maybe 15' in diameter surrounded by its own little wrought iron fence about 2' high. I see the market, Carre du Temple, but that will have to wait for a day that I am not with bicycle.

Place de la Republique and Belleville. I walk my bike most of the way around the square as it is daunting to think of riding across it. I go out the other side on r. du Faubourg du Temple, looking out for the Canal St Martin, which I think will be visible from the street. WRONG. So I continue on the Faubourg du Temple, all the way up a very long hill (and I'm pushing the bike because it's a one-way street the wrong way) to the Belleville metro stop. I'm trying to figure out why the canal would be at the top of a hill but in the meantime, I'm experiencing a very different part of Paris. This would be a good place to come back and look for flip-flops that don't cost 20 euros! I see a great Monoprix and lots of shoe stores. Very ethnic and definitely not the 16th. I finally realize my mistake and turn around and now I get to ride the bike all the way down hill!

Le Canal St Martin begins at the intersection of the Boulevard Jules Ferry which is actually where the canal goes underground, reappears at Place de la Bastille, becomes the Porte de Plaisance (a pleasure boat marina) and connects with the Seine. I find a station de Velib and stash the bike (it's free for the first 30 minutes and 1 euro for the second 30 min) so I can walk along the canal. (Note to self: next time you do this, (1) plot out your route so you can avoid the one-way streets and (2) locate the drop-off point for the bike.)

Noted on walk:
-trompe l'oeil painting on buildings (try to take photos but camera acting up)
-Salle de Vente aux Encheres (This means "auction house;" encheres is "bid."
-L'Hopital Saint Louis
-great renovated warehouses (entrepots) Clairefontaine
-Hotel du Nord (1938 film of Marcel Carne: "atmosphere . . .")
-Jardin Villemin (more on this - apparently the neighborhood opposed a developer who had plans for this site and won!)
-canal locks
-big fire station (sapeurs-pompiers)

During the course of my walk, there are two boats going through the locks. One (the Nemo from Rouen) is a fairly standard pleasure boat. But the other (Kitikae from Cannes) is very impressive: at least 45 feet long, probably more; deck and trim made of wood (teak?); the rear deck has a canvas roof and under the roof is an older couple having lunch, sitting on teak chairs at a teak table set with fresh flowers and a crystal decanter. Very elegant (but not much privacy with everyone hanging out to watch the boats go through the locks - lots of families with children). The windows of what must be the sleeping quarters below deck have lace curtains. Flag: black/yellow/red. I try to take some photos but don't know how well they'll turn out. Because the boat has to go through the locks, I have a chance to see it close up twice. It looks like they have a crew of at least three: the pilot, first mate (?) and a cook (I saw her clearing the table).

I take a break at Le Sporting to have some water and an Orangina. I finally reach the end of the Canal at Place du Stalingrad where I cross over to see the Rotunde de la Villette and the Bassin de la Villette (photos). Drum band marching around the vast park at the bottom of the Bassin. Quai de la Loire et Quai de la Seine. Cinema MK2. Everyone sitting outside, enjoying the sun. I catch the Metro at Stalingrad and ride back to Chatelet. (pedometer 9168 to this point.) Rest before dinner.

Spontaneity Pays! As I'm walking to the Grizzli Cafe at about 10 min past 8 this evening, I notice that the door to l'eglise St Merri is open, people are going in, and someone is handing out what appear to be programs. Naturally, I investigate. It turns out to be a (free) piano concert by a young French pianist, Johann Vacher. He is in the middle of a sonata by Scriabine when I sit down, then follows with a Beethoven sonata (Les Adieux). After the break, Charpentier and Ravel. Fantastique! He looks to be about 15 years old. Later I "google" him (whatever did we do before Google) to find out he was born in 1989 so he is in fact a mere child of 18 as well as a very accomplished pianist. He was one of the three winners at the 2007 Convention de Deauville: Concours europeen de musique (whatever that is, but it sounds good). This is without a doubt one of my favorite things about Paris. There are marvelous things going on all the time and a lot of them are absolutely free.

Church of St Merri. more on this later

Grizzli Cafe. Dinner at this lovely cafe around the corner from my apt. They serve a wonderful tapenade with the bread. It's like eating pure olives, only better. Crottin de chavignol (goat cheese) with a green salad, then poulet fermier roti au thym and puree de pommes de terre, expresso. A walk around the Centre Pompidou, then home. Pedometer 11, 619 for the day.