I started my day in a relaxed manner, according to my new resolution to Live Like A Parisian, by waking up before my alarm, puttering a bit, and writing. Then I adjourned to Starbucks for breakfast and American coffee. My morning activity was the Musee des Arts and Metiers, which was much much better than I expected it to be - really, it was incredible. They have an amazing collection of everything from scientific apparati to printing presses to ball bearings. I had to rush the end of my visit a bit in order to meet some family friends... we sat at a cafe and had a cold drink (an experience I'd not yet had... a bit anticlimactic) and then I followed them around the Marais as we windowshopped and they commented on their previous experiences in Paris, and they insisted that I absolutely had to try a felafel (good, but very different than Israeli or American felafel). They also showed me their apartment, which is freshly renovated and much fancier than mine (hardly a stretch). After this, I had an unfortunate period of wandering - I went to the Pere LaChaise cemetary, which was further away than I thought, in a very sketchy neighborhood, and not terribly interesting, and then to Canal St. Martin, which was almost as sketchy and also not interesting (Fodor's claims it is a great spot for hanging out... way off the mark, Fodor.), and then I had some trouble finding my way to a Metro station because I didn't want to stop to rummage in my guidebook. Fortunately, after a while I found my way to Gare de l'Est, and after a quick and equally ill-fated detour to St. Germain-de-Pres, I came home.
Now, my feet are swollen and sore. I may have to alter tomorrow's schedule to coddle them.
(okay, I realize this post sounds mostly complainy, but it was actually a really good day...)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment