Pictures from our neighbourhood

27 April 2007

Today was another one of those beautiful days with which we have been blessed since arriving in Paris. A quick look at the weather in the local paper suggests that it is going to continue until we leave. It is well above the expected average, the papers saying 7-10 degrees warmer than usual. Ah, c'est la vie."

This afternoon we went for a walk on the left bank in the area around the Sorbonne. Originally we set out to find the Australian bookstore but it had apparently closed down so we wandered around the area until we found a second-hand, English language bookstore call "San Francisco Books." Unlike "Tea and Tattered Pages," which we visited last week, this tended to have more interesting books including an extensive collection of non-fiction.

From there we simply strolled around soaking up the ambience in the university precinct. There is a lovely area where students gather called Place de la Sorbonne. The last time we were in Paris it was the centre of a demonstration. This time it was busy but quieter.

I've taken a few pictures of our very interesting neighbourhood. Just around the corner from us is a bookbinding shop where the woman who works there does the most beautiful work.

There is also a "natural" boulangerie not far from us. It has a very old-fashioned frontage. But then, one of the things about Paris, is the incredible architecture and shop fronts. Across the street there is a charcuterie and reflected in the window is the sign of the pharmacy.

It seems to be increasingly rare to find horsemeat butchers. Virginia and I both remember one with a horsehead over the shop advertising its meats, but that seems to have gone. We do have a butcherie not far from us which has an electric sign which is the image of a horse. Technology triumphs again!

Virginia and I are well aware that we are coming to the end of our time here. It leaves us with a strange sense of melancholy because we both love the city and know that at our age we cannot be certain that we will have the opportunity to return. Not that that thought is keeping us from planning a return visit in 2008!

Now that Virginia has finished her school, we will do a bit more exploring. Tomorrow we intend to learn how to use the RER which is the train system which extends further into the suburbs around Paris. It is integrated with the Metro at several points. We'll report back tomorrow.

Until then...