Morning train

After coming back from Cocklemouth, I literally, emptied my case and repacked it for a trip to Paris. Now, travelling for pleasure is great fun. You can get up when you want, wear whatever's comfortable and go visit whatever you want, when you want to. Travelling for work if different. You have an obligation to look *smart*, spend time with colleagues, clients and vendors and most of all, it's not a time to slip off and go yarn shopping or seeing friends... well, you can slip away, discreetly for a night. Now, I'm going to admit that most of the Paris pictures weren't taken by me. Aside from the dead-give-away-ness of leafless trees in July, it was hot and I was too lazy to whip out my camera every few minutes. I just like having photos to illustrate what I'm yakking about.

Upon arriving in Gare du Nord, I sweated like a pig. It was hot and humid. The blanket of humidity was enough to make me not want to get out of the train! Paris in heat and humidity is dreadful.

Eurostar really takes the hassle out of going to Paris

Of course, I also forgot, July is the start of the annual summer holidays in Paris. So travelling was a bit of a challenge, as the Parisiennes debunked enmass to somewhere cooler and altogether more pleasant. Imagine traffic queues starting about 15 miles outside Lyons.

Tink, Kate and tadpole ... ok, so you can't really see tadpole, but if you didn't know Kate was expecting, you certainly can't tell it from her figure. As for Tink, she's got the most lovely hazel eyes, and I'm really sorry that my camera flash made her look a bit possessed.

I did managed to make time to visit with Tink and Kate, who taught me the pleasure of yakinikudon. We visted an Anny Blatt shop called Boutique Pelote in the Marais. Funny, I knew this shop when I was in Paris, the hubby (in pre-hubby days) and I used to stroll down rue des Francs-Bourgeois on Sundays, because lots of shops were open and there were lots of really nice restaurants in the area.

Tink also reminded me the pleasures of sitting outside on summer evenings sipping kirs (white wine with cassis liquer). Very civilised, I might add. The best bit of course, was I got to go back to my old stomping grounds.... Mouffetard. It was like a stroll down memory lanes.. the days when I did my shopping at La Mouffe before going to work.

La Mouffe

Rue Mouffetard is one of the city's oldest streets - a remnant of an old Roman road to Rome via Lyon. During the day, there's various mongers lining the long windy streets, selling vegetables, flowers, fresh fruits, meats, fish, poultry, and and lots of odds and ends. At night, it's all gone and the restaurants and bars open up. There are lots of old buildings, higgley-piggley squeezed together. I used to live towards the end with the Eglise St Médard, much more markety than touristy. It only took me a month to realised how lucky I was to find a flat in that area.

Eglise St Médard

Thanks girls, for a fabulous time. Finally, did you see what Tink made me? Aren't they gorgeous? Reminds me of a conversation with Mary that sometimes knitters spend so much time knitting for other people that we don't have very many handknitted things to enjoy ourselves.. so when Tink made me these, I was really touched. I don't have many hand-made socks, so these are especially appreciated.

They fit and in one of my favourite colours...

Happy Independence day!!!!

Posted by atu at July 4, 2005 11:14 PM