ROBBLOG # 265

I just can’t get Paris out of my mind.

I wasn’t in France long enough to see anything more of the country than Paris- the City of Lights, however I fell in love.
Paris in the Springtime. It has always been my dream to be there in the spring when things are bursting out over.
So indulge me.

The Top 10 Things I loved about Paris…in the Spring.

1. The Outdoor Cafes. They are everywhere, spreading out along the wide sidewalks that are dotted with trees and leafy greenery. Waiters are bustling about. You’ll giggle at the laugher of the restaurant patrons, while taking in the aroma of Parisienne Cusine and hearing the tinkling of tall wine glasses.

2. Hearing the French language. Lightly rhythmic. Romantic. Wonderful. Mais Oui!

3. The cheery morning hello-

-Bonjour! Hello!

-Un café avec lait s’il vous plait.

-Petit ou grand, Monsieur.

-Grand, s’il vous plait.

-Oui, bon.

4. What I took to be young, male college students celebrating their last day of school at a magnificent cluster of old buildings near the L’arc de Triomphe, stripped to the waist in the warm Paris sunshine, turned out to be 101 shirtless male models on the loose on the Champs-Élysées to celebrate the opening of its Paris flagship store. Awww. Just for me. They called to those of us on the sidewalk below from second and third storey balconies. They shouted down to those of us below with happy voices, all the while waving their muscular arms, flexing toned pecs and flashing brilliant smiles. We waved back and smiled too!
Big Smiles! Only in Paris. The video is at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qjZkkJTRbDA

5. The people of Paris sunning themselves from comfortable, green lawn chairs dotted around huge, circular pools of water that were found in the spectacular gardens leading up to the Louvre just past the Place de la Concorde.

6. The traffic on the roads. Busy. Crazy. Driving every which way but loose. Actually the drivers are all “loose”! They wouldn’t be able to drive on the roads if they were tense. I know I couldn’t drive on Paris streets even if I was loose- as a goose!

7. The coffee. Café au Lait. Wonderful. Not strong like German coffee but just right with that frothy swirl of milk or creme. Yum!

8. The River Seine winding through the City. Past the Eiffel Tour, the National Assembly, The Louvre and Notre Dame. Huge barges- some permanent homes for locals others that are jam-packed with tourists taking the river tour while enjoying a wonderful dinner.

9. Crisp, white linen. The fabric of the tablecloths on café tables. White napkins folded with perfection, next to china plates that are encircled with gold. Smart-looking, white linen jackets on waiters at posh outdoor cafes- even at high noon- Paris time.

10. The architecture. Most building in Paris are no more than 4 or 5 stories tall. Many are hundreds of years old. Looking up at the buildings one sees that most apartments have small balconies encircled with wrought iron railings. The entrances to the flats are hidden behind huge, narrow doors painted in a variety of colours- each with their own distinctive doorknobs or knockers. Opening a door, it undoubtedly leads into open, airy, plant-filled courtyards that are nestled behind the shops and restaurants that face out to the street.

There might just be one more blog about Paris. Maybe I should tell you what to see in Paris in just a day. However long you have, see as much as you can. Maybe I should tell you a little more about the Louvre or the gardens or the Champs Elysees or the bicycles and motorbikes.

Maybe…