Finding Paris

You are The Best Thing

Three days had passed after our little trip around the 5th arrondissement of Paris. Out of those three days we had been going over every arrondissement and every hidden corner they had that did not involve too many tourists.

We had been to the Rue Montorgueil Neighborhood and bought quirky little réligieuse à l ‘ancienne which are cream puffs shaped like nuns at La Maison Stohrer. We had gone to La Perlerie and bought charm bracelets for each other. He gave me a very cliché Eiffel Tower charm and I gave him a dog since he was constantly talking about Lupo at the shop.

We stumbled our way to Centre Georges Pompidou with Cecile and Pierre and climbed in the huge building through their escalator which I must say was really the highlight of our trip. We bought cheese and fruits which Cecile made to be a very sumptuous fruit and cheese platter at the lovely indoor Marché couvert Saint Martin market.

We had lunch at L ‘Encrier and talked to the restaurant’s owners with the little French we know. They were probably amused at how we always used our hands to make ourselves understood. We quenched our thirsts at La Butte aux Cailles with their clear spring water and dove in their outdoor pool where we basked in the mellow sunlight.

We had picnics over at Jardin des Serres d 'Auteuil and Parc des Buttes-Chaumont with Cecile and Pierre and a few of their good friends. At the Jardin des Serres d ‘Auteuil, Victor and I took pictures of the different flowers and plants in the greenhouse. I told him I planned to paint them when I got home. Looking at his camera, I only saw pictures of myself taking pictures of the flowers. That earned him a punch from me.

“I thought we were gonna shoot the flowers,” he said and winked at me.

Our last two trips took us to see the Moulin Rouge at the 18th arrondissement. Though it was far from most of the places we’ve been which were pretty much tourist free, the Moulin Rouge did not fail to satisfy. Victor was practically bouncing off his seat as soon as the show began. Two days before we left Paris, Cecile and Pierre took us to the Père-Lachaise Cemetery where we visited Edith Piaf and Chopin.

A day before we left Paris was spent packing our things. Both of my bags were packed. I regretted not having brought my hitch-hiking backpack but as I was busy pushing all the things I bought from the trip which were mostly painting paraphernalia and quirky little souvenirs, Victor handed me a large paper bag.

“What’s this?”

“Why don’t you try to open it?”

I did and it was one big blue hitch-hiking bag. That was what I needed and the bag was hand-painted on the side with our names on it and a drawing of the Eiffel Tower.

“I bought that a few days ago with Pierre and hand-painted those things at the side.”

“I love it, although your painting leaves much to be desired.”

“I know you’d say that.” He laughed and threw a pillow at me. We continued packing and soon all our bags were full and we slumped at the bed, tired and hungry.

“Come on!” He said and pulled me up.

“Where to?” I asked while I looked at the small room we had for our stay in the city. I was sure to miss this and Cecile and Pierre too.

“We haven’t gone to Canal St. Martin and I heard we could see some wicked graffiti there!”

“Right, Pierre also told me that. But I’m hungry!”

“We’ll eat there then.”

So we went to Point Ephémère but with our packed lunches. Cecile said it’s better to just stroll around, look at the many different people passing by and eat with our own food as the food were pretty expensive at the place. Besides the many wall paintings in the area were a lot of flyers strewn everywhere of the events happening there.