Sunday's picture and a song - To Paris with Love


It hasn't been a great first week back in Paris. In addition to a creature* making unsettling scratching noises in the chimney of our bedroom, I've had some kind of throat/respiratory thing that has been keeping me awake at night. Thinking of how much I enjoyed being with our children in Boston, I've been in a post-vacation funk. And to top it all off, I couldn't even console myself with a buttery croissant, a crisp baguette, an assortment of cheese or a delectable macaron because I've sworn off all things fattening for the immediate future...or at least until my clothes start to fit again.

But as always, when I finally felt well enough to go for a stroll through the streets of Paris yesterday evening, she worked her magic on me.

Many thanks to Peter for telling me about Donna Summer's "To Paris with Love".


*Just in case you're wondering what was in our chimney, it was a pigeon. When Stephane pulled some old newspapers out of the flue, the bird fell down the shaft and was as shocked as we were to discover itself in our bedroom. We're still trying to figure out how it got stuck in the narrow chimney in the first place. Perhaps French pigeons have the ability to hover like a helicopter and lower themselves into tight spaces.

La Terrace, a great spot for tennis fans to watch the French Open in front of the Hotel de Ville.
It's open from 12-7 pm. We got off of the bus at 7:02 pm - a couple of minutes too late.
An entertaining street (or bridge?) performer on the Pont St. Louis. 
Picnicking on the banks of the Seine.

Comments

  1. I have photos of that same street performer from 2007. What a life that guy has. Feel better, May Kay.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Anne! Are the photos on your blog? Just wondering if he had the same elaborate set up in 2007 as he does now. I've never seen him before but it was all of his props, like the colored chairs for the children, that caught my attention. He doesn't travel light.

      Delete
    2. No, we saw him before I started blogging. As I recall it, it was very elaborate but in the end, not really that entertaining. I think Paris suffers from a lack of decent street entertainment!

      Delete
    3. You're right! I never really thought about it before but the street performers aren't usually that good. They should import some from Boston because I saw some really talented ones there, including an a capella group.

      Delete
  2. Hope you are feeling better soon. Looks like Paris has come out of her rainy season and is one again coming alive!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unless you count the heavy grey clouds this morning as part of rainy season! At least there haven't been any more torrential downpours like there were when you were here. Thank goodness! The weather is a real grab bag at the moment - ranging from hot to cold. Saturday evening was beautiful but I'll need a jacket when I go out today.

      Delete
  3. great photos catching the charm of your city--on my first visit to Paris a hundred years ago, I had a similar picnic along the river with a group of friends--it seems a requirement at that age. and I love me some Donna on a slow Sunday morning (while watching tennis).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Having a picnic next to the Seine is a requirement at any age, Joseph! It's even better than sitting in your favorite cafe on the Ile St-Louis, as long as you pack some champagne in your picnic basket.

      Delete
  4. "... a buttery croissant, a crisp baguette, an assortment of cheese or a delectable macaron..." Hmm, that string of words just made my mouth water.

    Feel better!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Writing that string of words had my stomach grumbling and almost crumbled my resolve. Croissants are my Sunday morning treat...but not yesterday.

      Delete
  5. Had no idea this song existed. And I'm from her disco era days.
    Great pictures, oh to be in Paris! Lucky you.
    While reading about the creature in your chimney I was thinking RAT! Thank God it was only a poor bird.
    Hope you feel better.
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm from Donna's disco era days as well and didn't know about this song until Peter called my attention to it. But it turns out that it was only released it in 2010. According to Wikipedia, it was Donna Summer's last single to reach number 1 on the US Billboard Dance Charts.

      A RAT is exactly what I was thinking, which is why it was almost impossible to sleep because I was worried that it would crawl into the room. It gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it!

      Delete
  6. Oh hope you feel better soon! I won't bring any fattening treats then??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Gwan. Is wine fattening?! ;) But seriously, don't bring anything except yourself. That's the best non-fattening treat!

      Delete
  7. Hope you feel better soon. And glad to hear you are having better weather than us across the Chanel.

    Great pictures of Paris. Glad you are her friend again. Thought you might be thinking of going to live in Boston!

    The street performer did his whole act with my friend two years ago. I have the video.

    Love Denise from Bolton

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a shame that the sun wasn't shining for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

      I'm always thinking about going to live in Boston. Being so far from my children the biggest challenge of being an expat. Maybe I could convince them to come live in Paris! ;)

      Watching the street performer's interactions with the "volunteer" from the audience was the funniest part of the show. That would be great to have a video with your friend in the starring role.

      Delete
  8. Coming back from vacation is always difficult (and I'm not looking forward to my upcoming transition time). Glad those streets & Donna are working their magic on you; can't beat the perfect combo of disco and Paris!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good luck for your upcoming transition. It usually takes me about a week to settle back into my life in France again. Next time, I'll just turn on some Donna Summers and I'll be good to go at day 2!

      Delete
  9. Mary Kay, I find that the best cure for post holiday blues is... to organise the next one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the excellent advice, which I intend to follow!

      Delete
  10. That's the problem with holidays, isn't it? Especially when you see your kids. The weather's not helping either ... Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, holidays with the kids are the best. Now I understand why my mother trekked half way around the world to visit us when we lived in Asia.

      Delete
  11. What is there about going away on vacation that causes weird stuff (e.g. pigeons entering chimneys) to happen while we're away?

    Let me join the above well-wishers in hoping that the charms of Paris once again envelop you, and that she once again warms your heart with her beauty and charming ways.

    One sunny afternoon on the grounds of the Eiffel Tower with a good friend and an inexpensive bottle of red should do the trick!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Weird stuff is right! Let's hope that these things don't come in 3s because we've had flooding, a pigeon and we're going away next week.

      Drinking a bottle of red wine next to the Eiffel Tower sounds like the perfect prescription for what ails me. Now, if the sun would come out for more than a few minutes I would be on the Champes de Mars in no time!

      Delete
  12. Mary Kay- I'm so sorry you have been in a funk. I hope you are all better soon. At least you can watch good tennis on TV while you sit at home and recover!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kate. I guess the realization that we won't have any kids at home this summer is hitting me harder than expected. But as you said - at least there's some exciting tennis on tv!

      Delete
  13. Sorry to hear you're missing the children. I could do with missing mine! No, I don't mean it, it's lovely having them around. If only they didn't eat so much and produce so much washing up which somehow they're never around to help with. Hmm. I know I'm going to be heartbroken when Caits heads off for Uni in September ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha! Not having to buy tons of groceries and spend my days washing clothes is what I console myself with whenever I start missing my kids too much.

      At least you'll have Rors to keep you company when Caits goes off to uni. There's definitely something to be said about having 3 children! ;)

      Delete

Post a Comment