PARIS, FEBRUARY 10TH TO 24TH, 2011

VISITING HEATHER IN THE MARAIS AND GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER EVEN BETTER

10.02.2011 - 24.02.2011 10 °C

What kind of travel blog is this with three trips to France in a row. Well forgive a man who is in love. Anyone who visits Paris without using the Velib bike system is really missing something. If you keep your trips to 30 minutes each it's even free after paying 5 euros per week. The idea is to pick up a bike at any stand and leave it at another. Of course you need to use a credit card in case you decide to steal the bike, but that's it. And what fun it is. Heather and I rode up the Champs Elysee and around the Arc de Triomphe although I wouldn't recommend the latter. But there are all kinds of safe rides. We ate out, didn't have a mediocre meal and forgetting my usual reticence to make recommendations I would encourage anyone to go to Le Petit Colbert in the 3rd Arrondisement for an outstanding, memorable meal.

Staying in the Marais makes walking to the main sites easy and although the Picasso Museum is closed for renovations the Pompidou Centre has a great art gallery with many of his paintings along with a lot of other major artists.

Shopping is a must so we went to the Galleries Lafayette where Heather bought me a great sweater and scarf for my up-coming 81st birthday. Then we dropped in to a number of small shops where I spent too much for a shirt and sweater I didn't need. But what fun and I love them. Having someone to help me makes buying and receiving something for myself so much better.

A highlight of this trip was visiting the Sunday market on "rue Mouffetard". On the square near the church accordionist Christian sets up his equipment, song sheets are handed out and a succession of female singers entertains the crowd with mostly old songs. Everyone joins in and lots of us danced as well. Then we had lunch with the performers and there was more singing around the table. The second week France Dupuy invited us to her home for crepes and cider along with her sister Mireille and friends Guy and Isabelle. What lovely people and what a marvellous time.

The whole trip was superb and I can't wait to return.

Paris, 2011