Another early morning, another 2:00am visit with Mr. Max. At least this time he was only up from 2:00-3:00 then slept the rest of the night. Maybe we're moving in the right direction?
A Little Rendez-Vous and a Few Words on the Stereotype of the Rude French Person
Our day started earlier today (as well it should have since we slept until 11am yesterday!) We started the day with another batch of yummy goodness from the bakery across the street. Oh how I love starting the morning picking out delicious things for my family and sitting around the table eating and laughing together. This is bliss!
We had made arragements with the owner of the apartment we're staying in for her to come this morning to collect the rest of the payment we owed her, having only done a deposit via international wire transfer from the US. She showed up about 9:30 bringing linens and towels for the next people who will have the apartement when we leave. While putting them away she chatted with us, then made sure we knew how to run the washing machine, microwave/convection oven and various heaters in the apartment. She also said "I didn't think of it before, but I should have left toys for your children to play with! I can come back next Saturday with anything you need, just send an email. I can bring games, movies, stuffed animals, whatever they would like!" And before leaving she asked us if we could use a 2nd key to the apartment. We said yes, that might come in handy she proceeded to take her key off her keyring and asked us to just be careful with it because it is her only other key, so now she doesn't have one at all. We said "Is that really ok? We can do without one..." but she insisted, saying, "No, no, it is fine, I trust you. I just trust people." She could not have been nicer in any way.
Which is just further proof of my statement that the stereotype of the rude French person, and especially the rude Parisian, is just bunk. This is my 3rd time here, and Scott's 2nd, and we have consistently been treated so nicely by everyone we have met (except one snooty clerk in a FNAC store 14 years ago whose derisive nose-in-the-air "Non" responses to my two questions are the exception that proves our rule)! While I realize the fact that I am fluent in French certainly helps matters, Scott says that even when we have been apart in the city and he has done something alone with his very broken French he has always been treated well. If you are kind, always say "Bonjour" when you enter somewhere, at least attempt to speak a little French instead of assuming they will just speak English to you and use "s'il vous plait" and "merci" liberally you will find yourself treated well.
Ok, off the soapbox. LOL!
L'Arc de Triomphe
Our big sightseeing goal today was L'Arc de Triomphe! The closest Metro station to the monument lets you off on Les Champs-Elysees, right in front of it. It is an amazing sight to be riding the escalator up from underground and suddenly have this massive monument loom up right before you. Most impressive!
It was SO cold and windy while we were there that the girls barely wanted to be outside on the top of the monument!
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| Les Champs-Elysees |
Luckily we brought them hats and gloves because we saw it was supposed to be pretty cold at night a few days during our trip, but this is earlier, colder and in the daytime. Brrr! Scott has gloves too, but I'm thinking Max and I need a trip to my favorite Tati store to get wintered up if this weather is going to continue!
Halloween, Expat-Style
The other big item on the agenda today was the Halloween Party at The American Library in Paris. When the girls realized we would be in Paris for Halloween, and that this would mean they wouldn't get to trick or treat in our neighborhood they were sad. Once they found out that Halloween isn't really something they do at all in France they were really, really sad! Expat community to the rescue!
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| Running through the leaves (a favorite activity) on the way to the party |
The girls got to dress up and we spent a couple hours at the party where they had crafts, candy, snacks, a costume contest and a showing of It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.
We even found what may be the only jack o' lantern on public display in the city of Paris and got to take a picture with it.
And so our strange and somewhat pointless American holiday of Halloween was saved. Whew. Max had a cute little costume and was to attend the party to, but his nap was late so we let him sleep instead and Daddy hung out at the apartment and had a nice nap. Max didn't seem to mind that he missed celebrating his cultural heritage, or whatever.
Dinner in an Actual Restaurant
Yes, you read that right. Those of you who are very astute and have poured over every word of our blog entries mulitple times (every does that, right?) have probably noticed that we only thusfar ventured into one actual French restaurant to eat, and then only at lunchtime. What a change from our last trip of hours spent lingering over lunch and dinner every day. Oh well, c'est la vie familiale!
After L'Arc de Triomphe and before the party we had had a fantastic lunch of fresh baguette and leftover delicious cheeses, meats, etc from last night, so we thought tonight was the nice to head out! We wandered a bit checking out the menus outside a few restaurants near out apartment (all French restaurants have their menus posted outside so you can always check it out before going in) and chose one called Cafe Flores.
Nicole, who seems to be branching out, food-wise, ordered Esalope du Saumon (a big piece of salmon baked with a lemony sauce) and at the whole thing by the time we were finished with our appetizers! Josie (who was falling asleep at the table before the food came) and Max split a Pesto Pasta dish, but Josie's favorite thing actually ended up being my dinner! Scott had Escargots, which were amazing, and Entrecote Frites (steak and fries). I had Crostillante de Chevre which was oustanding and Confit de Canard (Duck Confit). Can I just say again how fabulous French food is? Sigh...
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