Paris: July 24-27, 2006

The overnight train had us arrive somewhat sleepy and stunned in Paris at 7 a.m. We hit a famed café for a croissant breakfast and sought out a nice park to nap the afternoon away. The Jardin de Luxembourg was a pristine garden/park dotted with artworks, but the well-maintained lawn was apparently for looking and not napping. Park police had to kick us and other exhausted tourists off.

It was so great to be back in Paris. It was Craig’s first time ever and Zoe’s first time in 13 years since a one-month high school exchange. Paris, though a bit sweaty and sultry in July, is a mecca of a metropolis, and it’s wonderful just to walk the streets and take everything in.

We stayed in a cool little apartment in Belleville with Zoe’s long-time friend Morgan and her Parisian boyfriend Rachid. It was great to catch up with them and Rachid was an excellent guide. We also had dinner with one of our neighbours from Urawa, Japan, Nobuko.

We went to art museums, walked a lot, ate some amazing food and felt enchanted by Paris. The highlights (apart from food) included: a visit to a hamam or Turkish bath, an amazing jam session in a great jazz club which is actually a subterranean cave and a picnic under the Eiffel tower as a humungous storm brewed and struck us. The big storm drenched us (see photo below)and delighted us with a show of lightening and fierce gales that howled through the tower so loudly that the tourists who had climbed up (and Craig) screamed like they were on a roller coaster. It was exhilarating.