today, i was all on my own and managed to buy veggies, cheese, and a crepe at an open air market on Blvd. Quintet something or other, sorry i don't have my map with me right now...i walked for a good 6 hours today, and have a huge (make that two huge) blisters on the same toe on my foot. so i stayed in for dinner becuz i could not bear putting shoes on. i made a goat cheese custard for dinner tomorrow, it will be accompanied by strawberries in a red wine syrup! i am cooking dinner tomorrow night for everyone. we are having fresh shrimp sauteed in garlic and butter for appetizer, filet of salmon with hericot verts (green beans) and roasted fingerling potatoes with shallots and fresh heirloom tomatoes.
so i saw a few street performers today that were quite entertaining--a single violinists and a jazz quartet with a singer. it is nice to just sit down on the street and listen. photos of all will follow when i am home and on my own computer. i sat on a quai in the middle of the River Seine and enjoyed a lollipop (cotton candy flavored, my favorite). and i finally found a chocolatier open!!! Patrick Roger Chocolates. most of the others are still closed for their holiday, but will be open next week, so Tuesday is a full day of chocolate shopping! I sat by a pond in the Luxemborg Gardens and enjoyed just one piece of chocolate--it had a praline center that was amazing! i could have ate all 10 pieces i had bought but i am saving them for dinner tomorrow.
oh! i also bought some wine in a shop run by an american woman. it was one on my list but i was not necessarily looking for it, i just happened upon it. the streets here are all over the place and you can get turned around a bit. even me, who is extremely good at directions, got turned around. but i just remember where my north is and where the river is and i am good. i saw Notre Dame and the Louvre but did not enter becuz lines were really long and i am not much on museums and such. i did go into the church of St. Germain des pres (the neighborhood we are staying in), that was really old and right across the street from Les Deux Magots.
i am not the best with taking photos, totally forgot to take some of the market i shopped at. and i usually don't get myself in any of the ones i do take, so i managed to get my feet in some when i sat down to rest. this city is definitely for couples, everywhere you turn there is a couple holding hands or walking embracing down the street. maybe i'll capture a few to show you...i wish i had my beau to hold hands with right now.
tomorrow is a visit to Versaille to picnic in the gardens watching the fountains and listening to music. and monday is a trip to Reims for champagne!
