So after writing the last blog at 4 am this morning, I took a long hot shower, read my book for awhile, and decided to head out for coffee, eventhough it was still dark. What a shock! The bussling streets that looked so trendy yesterday afternoon, were a shambles!! The first thing I saw was an old drunk pissing on the wall of the hotel, then some vomit on the sidewalk, then a small group of people across the street sharing the contents of a brown paper bag. It was dark, and I suddenly felt extremely vulnerable. Paris looks different in the dark! There was garbage everywhere and although it was 6:30 am the streets were deserted, except for the drunks, and to my dismay, even the Starbucks was closed...so I hurried back to my hotel and went back to bed. A few hours later, I reemmerged to deserted, but cleaned streets. The drunks had gone to bed.
It was about a 2.5 km walk to where my food tour was to begin, and I enjoyed the buildings and sights along the way. I was surprised by the number of homeless people I saw camped out in the doorways. Being Sunday, all the shops and restaurants were closed, and it was 10 am before I could find a cup of coffee. But, it was worth the wait! What a great latte it was. It was 4 Euros, so I skipped breakfast and drank two.
The foodie tour took us through the Jewish district, because things there are open on Sundays. We went to some award winning bakeries, charcuteries, and cheese shops. I learned about the difference between "ordinary" French bread and croissants, and "traditional" ones. You could really taste the difference! We ate 8 different cheeses and several pates(my gall bladder is going to hate me), and washed them down with 3 different wines...from...get this...boxes!!! YES it is true...a new trend here is good wine in a box. The store that started the concept is called Bibo and the boxes are all pink, with the cellars' labels on the boxes. The guy got a bunch of good well known wineries to agree to this new environmentally friendly wine storage concept, and he sells from a small storefront near the market. "Natural" wine is also big here: wines made with natural yeast...much like sourdough bread is made.
Then we went to an award winning chocolatier and OMG it was amazing. I bought some to give as gifts at Christmas...they are sooooo good!!
Afterwards, I walked back slowly, enjoying a new route (to avoid the homeless dudes who I figured would all be awake), one that led me past high end shops that were all closed, providing an interesting backdrop to the hookers that lined the street. At that point I realized that I obviosly am just staying in a rather rough part of Paris. How was I to know? The hotel ads don't exactly say, "stay here, we feature drunks and prostitutes for your evening pleasure". Oh well...it is a cool old building with an elevator so small, if Nick were still with me, he would have had to take the stairs!
By the time I got back to the hotel it was quite dark out, eventhough it was barely 4pm, and I was so full of bread and cheese that the thought of going out for supper is too much. I had hoped to take in a nice meal at some famous place, but frankly, all my clothes are dirty, my hair is a mess, and I look like an Oakie from Maskokie compared to all these Parisians! Today, eventhough it was cold out, I did not see one ski jacket like what I was wearing. People wore warm coats and scarves, but they were all very fashionable. When they looked at me I got the impression they thought I just fell off a turnip truck returning from the ski hill! Sigh.
So, instead of heading out on the town, this frump girl is going to bed at 7 pm to watch bad French sitcoms, hoping to not wake up to pee in the night because my room does not have a toilet...it's down the hall. I guess that should have been the first clue that this was not the best part of Paris, eh?
All in all, it was a good trip, but I am so happy to be coming home tomorrow! All my boys have now had an extended trip with me, I have seen over 40 countries, experienced many different and wonderful cultures, seen some of the best scenery in the world, including many world heritage sights and some of the natural wonders, but, in the end, one of the biggest lessons I have learned from all this travel is, there is no place like home.
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