Paris when it sizzles

(an email to Tania, Paul and Tom who have been in Paris and moved on to Barcelona)

Hi Tania:

Hope you're all well and having a great time.

Paris is sizzling hot and won't cool down to 22 C from Wednesday, so we're having a classic visit the bits we already know few days.

Today we went by train from Cluny-Sorbonne to Madeleine to go to Cafe Pouchkine at Printemps, which certainly had some fabulous cakes, although we only had le petit dejuner. Then shopping in Printemps and at a big store next door (probably owned by Printemps) for a north Face back pack (lousy selection) for me as I left mine on bed at home, along with various other items I need to replace in the next few days.

Then over to Sennelier the art shop on the quay opposite the Louvre, during which I had the first of my taxi incidents of the day because I could 't give the street number; then to rue Cherche Midi where I had the same problem and the taxi driver either deliberately or by mistake (probably by mistake) took us to far end, as it turned out driving past the Robert Clegerie shoe shop and Polaine bakery where we wanted to go. I only realized what had happened after we had walked several crowded blocks past shops that didn't look right and saw the Bon marche buildings down the street. We then walked on to where we wanted to go.

The next taxi trip from outside the intersection of rue four and rue de Cherche midi, I asked for the street directory and showed where we wanted to go (marriages freres in rue DES grands augustins at rue savoie), explaining in terrible French.

After a reprise of many past lunches at marriages freres and with a big tea stock up downstairs we came back to hotel via the rue du buci and the (now carrefour) supermarket in the rue du seine, which is slightly improved although the seated check out chicks still fling groceries at one with alarming speed (I responded with a too large note which annoys them and gives me Change from euros from money change at Sydney Airport, a little piece of urban nastiness which Paris quickly forces on one).

We walked very slowly back with bench stops on Bvd St germain for rests and strawberries (from fruit shop opposite supermarket) up to hotel which is just down from the semi circular square in front of odeon theatre.

Fortunately hotel aircon functions well, so we retired for a rest at 5pm. I woke up at 10.15 pm by which time it was dark, 18 c outside and too late to do anything except eat plunder from rue du buci (not very good cakes from bakery and ok fruit and bio yoghurt - had to use a silver tea caddy spoon from mf because one of the things left at home was traveling cutlery sets bought many years ago from Susie).

Tomorrow will be breakfast on terrace at the fairly dreadful cafe marly then some retail therapy in the carousel de louvre then to biologique markets in Bvd raspail then to the Pompeii exhibition in museum near rue du bac metro (I have to sneak museums in) then into Luxembourg gardens if it's not too hot.

Love to you all from Harry


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