A huge Paris day

This will have to be brief-ish as it’s almost 11pm and we are drooping! But must try and remember the details….this morning after eating clementines in the room, we bought pastries and then went out for coffee…walked down to the tower of St Jacques on the rue de Rivoli, via Bastille which was buzzing with a market…then up along the Seine to St Michel where we turned up to St Germaine to go to the Vieu Campeur shops to buy walking poles, our mission for the day. Successfully accomplished, then had croissants at the patisserie that won’t best croissant of the year (formidable competition) in 2018, then went back to the hotel to drop the sticks, and have a mini break.

Set out again for what turned out to be a big walk, despite getting the metro in the beginning to Louvre (turned out we walked a total of 23 kms according to my Apple Watch)…then wandered a bit, shops, parks, ending half way up the Champs d’Elysees, had a drink in our fave bar near the Opera (which is covered in scaffolding) which was very fortunate as during that time it suddenly had a short rain storm, then becoming sunny and clear by the time we set off again.

Ended up walking most of the way back to our dinner place - Amr can’t quite remember where he heard of it (? Hartley) but it is Le Petit Célestin, on the quai Célestin and was wonderful. Our booking was 8pm, quiet at that time, and when we left at about 9.30 it was chaotically buzzing. Delicious food - barrata on endive and grilled prawns for Amr, asparagus and kidneys for me. A delicious mash, quite unlike Paul’s even though we are in Paris - sort of lumpy and flavoured and delicious…very small place, probably only about 30 places, and close to your neighbours. Fun.

Walking to the restaurant we had noticed many police and flashing lights vehicles driving back and forth, but later when we left there were hundreds of them everywhere…and clumps of police standing round on street corners…we had to detour round Bastille to get back to the hotel…sort of scary in a way…I think they must have had a threatened attack and had police everywhere to make it difficult…anyway, safely back and no news of anything…can still hear sirens…so while I say Paris is normal, this wasn’t! Off to sleep…Read more