Heart

Each time I visit Paris I find new places that, for one reason or another, become very close to my heart.  There are the obvious ones like Place de la Concorde and the Eiffel Tower that never fail to make me feel as though I am seeing them for the first time.  And then are ones like "our omelet place" on Place de la Madeleine that are specific to Chris and me and hold memories of cozy conversations, lingered over eggs and rich coffees.

This trip my place is Le Petit Cler.  This morning as I came towards the restaurant, the waitress caught my eye and smiled from a distance.  By the time I arrived, my chair was pulled out, she was asking about my weekend and gently teasing me about my sunburned face.  A welcoming start to my day. 

View from Printemps.

This is an example of what makes Paris so appealing.  That even though it's a massive city, it's not a soulless city and you can find your place.  The arrondissements are like little villages.  I see the same people every morning; the older woman permanently bent at her waist pulling her shopping trolley across the cobblestones , the fruit seller kissing the cheeks of the fish seller, and the impossibly chic woman who walks her Yorkshire Terrier in her red-soled Louboutin's. 

View from Printemps.

Rainy again.  I didn't believe the weather forecast and went out walking in ballerinas sans socks.  My feet look like pink prunes.  And I really had no choice but to buy boots especially after being splashed by a car and getting soaked from the knees down.   I now own a pair of black, short boots which are having quite "a moment" in Paris and being worn with everything.  Not totally sure if they are really me but I am sure my pink feet will appreciate them as rain is predicted the rest of the week.

Moment of unexpected Paris beauty...

There is a small spa on Avenue Bosquet, just around the corner from where I am staying.  When I walked past tonight there were hundreds of rose petals in pink, white and yellow strewn across the shop's front door and windows.

Perfect Paris moment today...

I stopped for a pain au chocolat at one of my favourite bakeries on rue de Bac.  My plan was to enjoy it sitting in the Tuileries Gardens while scribbling away in my notebook. However, the rain was coming down sideways so instead I hid beneath one of the gardens' lush tree-lined alleys and ate it standing up.  It was quiet, everything smelled fresh and the rain was making that charming pa-pa-pa sound as it hit the leaves. 

Paris surprise today...

I had lunch with some more Victoria friends today at Le Déli-Cieux in Printemps which has incredible views of Paris!  They saw Chris last week and he gave them the Travel Monkey which I accidentally left behind in Victoria.  It's silly but I am very glad to have him with me in Paris.

Chris and the Travel Monkey seeing the sights in 2011.