25. I'm a City Polygamist!

Because you can marry a city, right? Man, a household full of Paris, Toronto and Edinburgh is going to be hectic!

Paris is delightful!

It's been one day and I can see very clearly and immediately why people love it here. I can also see why tourists may not, but I'm choosing to look past that. It's just, this is Paris, it's not going to change for you, so accept it and enjoy! The same thing goes for everywhere else in the world, I know, but Parisians know it, and that's the charm, if you choose to see it that way. I know I'm one day in and things could change, but I'm sticking with that for now.

Today started with me getting up early (for me, especially on vacation), and having a little breakfast with the couple I'm staying with. We had croissants, granola, Frosted Flakes (the less French of the offerings), and tea. Then they prepped for the art show I mentioned in yesterday's post, and I relaxed as the rain slammed against the window. I figured no point in going out and getting soaked before people were visiting, and then getting cleaned up again and going out. I watched some YouTube, specifically interviews with Timothy Olyphant. Do you guys know this guy? He looks just like Josh Duhammel (sp?), but appears to be worlds funnier, and not at all an unpleasantry to the eyes. He's on Conan a lot, and that's essentially what I watched. Check it out, the one where he's in casual clothes and flipflops. Quite funny. He's also the star of Justified, which I've never seen but is apparently very popular. Then I watched some Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, always a treat.

After the correct amount of time went by, I went upstairs and met the people for the show, as they came in one by one. The artist does "nighttime photography", where he shoots a person with a long exposure while he or they run around with a flashlight making shape/spelling something. It's quite interesting, and he doesn't use Photoshop at all. These are some shots from the show, though I'm not sure with all the people that I got any actual shots of the work! Maybe one, I hope.

The lady on the left of is next picture is from Ireland and her us and and her live here now, he runs a hotel and she decorates, etc. hotels and stores. The woman in the middle is going to Le Cordon Bleu for pastry, as was one of her friends that isn't in this shot. The guy on the right in an artists, but not the one that we were there to hear talk. 

The woman on the left is one half of the couple I'm staying with. The guy beside her is the same dude from above. The guy sitting is the other half of the couple I'm staying with. The guy on the right in the photographer. 

Almost no one here has met, they all used a site called MeetUp. Apparently it's very popular here. Next Sunday, as I'm still here, I will be attending (€15) the same event but with a different artist who... brace yourselves... makes sculptures out of bread... that she had chewed and then sculpts with..............................

You guys, I obviously HAVE to be there! I mean, that shit isn't going down in Toronto. Trust me, you will have a full report on that one.

Here are some shots of the upper floor of the condo I'm staying in, as well as the view (during the rain, will get sunny ones tomorrow).

The view. Wonderful!

Their Eiffel Tower is "right there" in the centre. Way back, behind the cranes. It looks far every, but it's a good walk and then you're there!

From there I went and planned the day, which ended up being a day for wandering aimlessly, which is sometimes, I'm finding, the best way to spend the first full day on in another country. Sure, I'll be going to all of the staples, but why not wander the neighbourhood you're staying in? Today it turned out to be a brilliant idea.

Throughout the day I've watched a hip-hop group dance in a square (the area, not the shape), an African band play in an open art show church, kids play soccer in a random square with their parents and friends, a strange woman dancing while I guy sat and looked at her as part of an art show, a most gorgeous building partially converted into the local post office, and a dog and cats shop that resembles a kids clothing and toy store far too well.

This is a fun water feature/fountain with a bunch of painted and uniquely positions sculptures, right on from of the Pompidou Centre.

The parents and their kids with friends playing soccer right next to the fountain, where there was also a woman painting a picture of the fountain. Remember the church in the background in a few shots.

Yes!!!

Yes + 10!!!

Then I heard some angelic sounds, not like usual church music, coming from this building (the building behind the kids playing soccer), so I went in. It was an art show, pieces hanging throughout the church, as well as some live action weirdness, at least to me.

Beautiful!

These were the three guys playing, and it was music that I had never heard before. Ever. It was so stunningly beautiful, I didn't grasp the importance or meaning I'm sure. At one point the middle guy pulled out a handmade instrument that looked like a 2" thick branch, made into a bow, tied together with a piece of cord or string, and he hit the string with another stick while his teeth grasped the other end, changing the tone when the stick hit it. It was very, very cool. You can kind of see it in the picture directly below.

This guy stayed in the same positions for as long as I was there, and the woman, arguably nuts, did this in front of him, for a long time, in about 20sq. feet of space. Clearly there was an explanation, but I didn't know what it was because she wouldn't speak.

I walked down the street a bit and this stunning building caught my eye. Look at it!

There was a (on man, I'm eating a white chocolate Twix right now and it's blowing my mind) demonstration to save the earth, of some description, and these next two pictures are of people I don't know at all but who seemed interesting.

What I then learned is that the section of the building that I was taking pictures of had been converted into the post office. The effing post office, guys!

This is the hardcore dog and cat store. Edgar, I saw it and immediately thought of you. You would have a panic attack of excitement in there. I went in to see if they had anything Paris-specific that I could get for Pasha, but not that I could see or understand.

I saw the opening to a church open again, and went in. It was another art show. SUCH a good idea, to use churches for showing art when they're not busy/in use. 

As I write this first part of the post, I'm sitting in a cafe/restaurant watching the angry waiters yell at each other. It's quite entertaining, when you expect it and know that their attitude isn't solely for you. One waiter dropped two coasters on the ground, and I watched him shove them away with his foot, under the counter. Only only problem is, there is no "under", so they're just laying there on the floor and he's walked by them fifteen times. So has the other guy working. Amazing. 

The good news is that the food was delicious. 

Grilled calamari with grilled red peppers.

Caesar salad with chicken, a poached egg, tomatoes and cucumber. They for sure used anchovies in the dressing, and it was delicious. Very rich.

And of course, I walked by this store and saw a very colourful bag and required it immediately. I also found this pile of old postcards in a language that I can't read, but that been hand-painted over with a stunningly beautiful painting from an artist in India. The bag, which is much more fluorescent than what you see in this picture, was hand painted in Thailand. And I get it, I'm in Paris, why not buy stuff from Paris, but these two things were just too beautiful to pass up!

Finally, I walked back to the condo, am relaxing, doing laundry and eating watermelon (and that Twix, which is long gone, was so good). I've officially booked my Passport ticket to Versailles for Wednesday, which allows me to see the Musical Gardens, the Palace, the Trianon Palaces and the residence of Marie-Antoinette. It just one "simple" 60-90 minute train ride. No big deal, right? Fingers crossed.

As for tomorrow, I believe the Lourve and Notre Dame. Early morning for me, so headed to sleepy sleep. Until tomorrow!