Laundry Day
Today was laundry day. Britt brought sheets to wash and laundry detergent and instructed me how to use the French laundramat. That’s Britt in the photo. You can also see from the photo that a wash costs 3,60 Euros, about $4.50. Six minutes of drying time costs .50 Euros, about 63 cents. We ate breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien, which is right near the laundramat. While our clothes were washing, the Russian came––that is, a group of somewhat disreputable young Russian men who seemed to chain smoke in the laundramat. There was also a young Japanese man who couldn’t make out the instructions in French. A very nice French woman helped him get his laundry done.
Laundry Day
The Marais
After finishing our laundry, we took the Metro to a section of Paris called the Marais. We were going to take the Metro a number of time today so Britt went to buy all–day Metro tickets from a Metro ticket seller. She asked him in French if he spoke English and he said no, so she carried on her part of the conversation in French. After purchasing the tickets, the seller asked her if she was an American. She said yes and he told her that she was very nice for being an American! The Marais is the Jewish center of Paris as well as being the center of Parisian gay life. It is a very trendy area today, but had to be rescued in the 1960s as it had become quite rundown from its time as an area of royal residences in the 17th century. The photo shows a street in the Marais––many of its streets are narrow and winding.
The Marais
The Marais
The Hotel de Sens, one of the few medieval buildings left in Paris. It houses a fine arts library.
The Marais
The Marais
Another street in the Marais.
The Marais
The Marais
Another street scene in the Marias.
The Marais
The Marais
Another street scene.
The Marais
The Marais
Another street scene.
The Marais
The Marais
Britt and Chris have stayed at this hotel here in the Marais and liked both the hotel and this area very much. The hotel rates here are much lower than they are in the Tulieries area where I was staying.
The Marais
The Marais
This area has very interesting eating places. This one is of the Hollywood Bagel store.
The Marais
The Marais
The Kosher Pizza place.
The Marais
The Marais
Yiddish sandwiches for sale.
The Marais
The Marais
The Fallafel store. This is the most popular eating place here and this is where Britt and I picked up some fallafel sandwiches which we took to a nearby park to eat.
The Marais
The Marais
A boulangerie/patisserie.
The Marais
The Marais
A window in the same store as in the last photo.
The Marais
The Marais
We next took the Metro to the Hotel de Ville. Even though this is still in the Marais section, Britt thought (rightly) it was too much of a walk for me. The Hotel de Ville is the home of the Paris city council––the town hall. It is the official residence of the Mayor of Paris. This building was constructed in the 19th century.
The Marais
The Marais
The Hotel de Ville from a different angle.
The Marais
The Marais
Close up of the Hotel de Ville.
The Marais
The Seine
The Hotel de Ville is on the Right Bank of the Seine. From here, we walked over the Pont D’Arcole to Ile de la Cite, the island that Notre Dame is on. There is much more to see in the Marais, including some excellent museums including the Musee Picasso, but one would need much more time in Paris to fully see any area in the city.
The Seine
Notre Dame
The first stone of Notre Dame was laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163. It took 170 years to build. Notre Dame is considered to be a Gothic masterpiece. This photo shows the front of the church.
Notre Dame
Zero Point
The zero point of Paris (marking the center of Paris) is in front of Notre Dame.
Zero Point
Notre Dame
Notre Dame from another angle.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
The south facade of Notre Dame.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Another view of Notre Dame.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Notre Dame on the Seine.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Inside Notre Dame. The pews in all the churches that we saw in France are made up of wooden chairs.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
One of the rose windows.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Close up of the rose window in the above photo.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Inside Notre Dame. Wall sculpture.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Inside Notre Dame.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Stained glass window inside Notre Dame.
Notre Dame
Street Entertainers
Street entertainers near Notre Dame.
Street Entertainers
Vendors
Some of the vendors along the Seine. These were selling mainly used books.
Vendors
Street Scene
We took the Metro back the area we were staying at and followed the sign to Jardin de Tulieries. After a good nap, Britt and I took the Metro again to one of her favorite restaurants. I wrote down what I had for dinner here: cheese, apple, and walnut salad, salmon with bernaise sauce, pears in wine with vanilla ice cream plus wine and coffee.
Street Scene
Notre Dame
One of the tombs inside Notre Dame.
