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Paris, France

It was one of those days for best laid plans to take a holiday. We had intended a day of hardcore tourism but instead slept until our eyes opened and then took our shopping bags down the end of the street to the local fruit and vegetable market. We wandered along without any particular plans or recipes in mind and just bought a bit of this and that as it appealed to us. Some of our more novel purchases were flat peaches, cactus fruit, still-dirty carrots with their cartoonesque tops on (though they cut them off for us), french onions (also decapitated for ease of baggage) and a very weird tomato.

Satisfied with our farm-dirty and dirt cheap purchases, we stopped for a coffee and watched the world go by. On the way back to our apartment, we popped into our local boulangerie for a baguette and a couple of croissants. By the time we got back, we were having our breakfast at lunch time.

We knew at this stage that it was too late in the day to get all gung-ho about too many sites so settled on just one – Notre Dame. We caught the Metro to La Cite emerging onto the island through the beautiful art deco arch of the Cite Metro, meandered through the permanent flower market then up and around the corner where the wonder of the worlds most famous church came into view.

As luck would have it, a free English language tour was just about to start as we entered through the doors. We joined and were shown around by a very sweet and difficult to understand volunteer who granted us access to all the areas behind ropes and locked gates though not once did she mention the hunchback… Mind you, she did give us a tip off about a secret entrance to the Louvre to avoid the queues (not officially church business).

A very late lunch of french onion soup and chestnut crepe seemed to us to be a fine way to end the city portion of the day so we turned tail and headed for home to just relax our aching bones and perhaps our aching hearts – I don’t think I need to tell you which belongs to who.

Mum whipped us up a couple of delicious salads for dinner from our mornings bounty which we enjoyed with wine and a soundtrack of Camille. Could we be any more French?

(At the time of writing, I feel the need to tell you that I’ve just heard the sound of doves coo-ing through the wall. We heard it all yesterday too. At first we thought it must me some kind of alarm going off packed away in a box somewhere but when we got home today, the adjoing neighbour was out the front tending to a cage full of birds which made us realise, its no alarm – its birds presumably living in their bedroom! Weird!)

Mum’s Message:
It was so nice to go to the fresh fruit markets to see such beaut produce which had only been harvested that morning as the dirt was still fresh on the carrots and potatoes. Most of the produce is the same as at home but with a few extra varieties. Nomi was amazing with her skills of purchasing what we required.

We went to the Metro station following ‘Nomi’s route’ meaning the long way round making sure we have our daily exercise. We visited Notre Dame and had a guided tour in English. It was very interesting hearing that some of the stained glass was medieval and can be removed in small pieces which was done during both world wars.

What made smile today: Just being with Naomi. Love to all.

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