Paris

Here I am in Paris again. Arriving here on Sunday was, in many ways, like coming home. I love living in Canada and being Canadian (or is that Canadienne???) but a part of me will always belong in France (despite the crazy keyboards - apologies in advance for any typos!!);

My plane left Toronto a little late - the crew had recently arrived from another flight and needed to get in their required rest time before they could fly again - but we arrived in Paris on time.

From Toronto to Montreal, I had the row to myself. In Montreal, a couple and their 16 month old daughter boarded. I was apprehensive to say the least, but she was an entertaining cutey and she slept most of the way.

The sky was overcast and drizzly when I arrived. With the help of a kind French couple, I figured out the bus thing and took the bus directly to my hotel (well, less than a block away). After a nap and some downtime to combat jetlag, I took the Métro and set off to explore.

I got off the Métro at Cité - the Métro stop closest to Notre Dame but also the Métro stop with a lot of stairs (although not as many as the Métro near Sacré Coeur) - not so fun when you've just flown for way too many hours!!

It was a great feeling when I was able to direct some American tourists to where they needed to go - I know this city better than I thought I did!!

After wandering through the flower and pet market (ferrets or squirrels, anyone?), I walked over to Notre-Dame and sat and people-watched for a while. At one point I looked at a tourist who was taking a picture and thought that she looked familiar but thought, "Nah, couldn't be." - famous last words!! She looked over and recognized me, too (after an understandable double-take). It was a teacher who teaches high school French in the same school board as I!!!!! And, a teacher that I had roomed with at a conference. Small, small world!!!

She invited me to wander around with her and her group (her husband, sister-in-law, and a friend). We wandered around the Island for a bit and then went for dinner in the Latin Quarter. We ate at the "Taverne de la Huchette" - the same restaurant where my mom, my aunt, my friend and I ate in 1999 and where I ate on my last night in France before moving home from Bayeux (2002). As always, the food was great and the service was a blast. I really had to laugh when the waiter brought my crème brûlée - or, rather, my crème!!! He had forgotten the "burnt sugar" crispy topping!!!!

Yesterday (Tuesday), I slept in and then took the Métro up to Charles de Gaulle / Etoile, where the Arc de Triomphe is and then wandered all the way down the Champs Elysées (stopping for an iced coffee and free wifi internet at McDonalds - who knew!! - and to browse through the Disney store) to the Jardin des Tuileries.

The last few times I've been here, I've been unable to visit the Orangerie museum because it has been closed for security reasons and for renovations. Thankfully, I was able to visit yesterday. This is the museum where Monet's Waterlillies hang - what amazing creations!! I knew they were beautiful but had no idea of the scope or magnitude of them - or how many there were!!

The museum also has other Impressionist paintings (my fav), including some by Renoir (my fav). Had to laugh though - one of Renoir's landscapes was out on loan - to the National Gallery in Ottawa!!!

I met up with Patty (the teacher) and her friends again last night for dinner near the Eiffel Tower - what a blessing to run into someone I know!!

Today, I've been wandering around the Les Halles district. I don't think I'd ever seen the Eglise Saint-Eustache before - breathtaking!! I'm heading over to the Pompidou Centre next to take a few snapshots and the back to the Forum des Halles for some shopping. Later, maybe a visit to Saint-Denis basilica (where the Kings of France are buried) and then a boat ride down the Seine.

If you've read this far, I congratulate you!! Sorry for the lack of pics - not sure I want to hook my camera up to an unknown computer and I don't have a card reader - maybe next time. I'll definitely get some put up when I get home.

Until next time, happy trails!!

Canada Day

For many, the official start of summer is Victoria Day - the first long weekend of the summer. For me, and I imagine most teachers, Canada Day is the signal that summer has finally arrived. A day to kick back and relax, knowing that the marking is done for another school year.

Last night, Fergus held their annual fireworks - take a look: