This is a summing up of our adventures in Paris: -housekeeping-The apartment we rented did not have a dish washer and I offered to wash dishes as my contribution..The first evening I washed the few wine glasses and dishes with the dish soap I found under the sink. I woke up next morning to hear the family laughing and commenting on my domestic skills.
Evidently the plastic liquid container I had used was not dish soap but plant food! There were many amusing comments on washing dishes and the many uses of plant food. You would think this episode would have had a shelf life of one day but no! Through the entire trip I had to endure their heavy humour on this subject. After all, I don't know what the fuss was about. Plant food is not poisonous and I always rinse well.
Side walk cafes-We learned very quickly if we wanted to have our evening meal at a sidewalk cafe, we had to be there before seven pm. People pour out of their houses at this time and spend the next two hours at least sitting cheek by jowl in tiny chairs at minute tables gossiping,talking on cell phones, people watching or just sitting looking Parisian. My task was to claim a table and chairs before the hordes.Consequently by seven ,armed with a book and sketch pad, I was settled happily with a glass of wine watching people go by. What more could I want in Paris !
My favourite waiter-Generally with the glass of wine a few nuts were placed on the table. One evening I wistfully asked if I could order Fois Gras as I hadn't yet seen it on a menu. The waiter gruffly said "non no fois gras. I felt embarrassed-had I committed a faux pas?? Two minutes later the waiter arrived with a saucer of thinly sliced sausage. He placed it in front of me,covered the plate with both hands ,looked severely at my companions and said "only for you madam." From then on I always had a plate of sausages when he was working.
On tipping--One of our constant conversations was about when to tip. According to the internet,it is not necessary to tip in France. According to my guide book there is no need to tip--unless one wants to,-none of this helped so one night we asked our favorite waiter."Ahhh " he said "I am asked this often by foreigners.It is a difficult question. It is not necessary to tip in France, it is included in the price." Then he added "only if you want to"-and shrugged "It is very complicate"
On speaking French-- On the last day my grandson who is the expert in French descended from the mezzanine where he had set up his computers,joined us in the dining area where we were playing our favourite card game "Cheat" and said "I have an announcement to make. Five years of concentrated French lessons in a Canadian high school does not enable one to communicate in French in Paris. I have not understood one word nor have I uttered one complete sentence. I have decided to improve my French and have downloaded a French novel. I have read one page and had to look up words in the dictionary twenty times." the novel? Harry Potter. my question-will he finish it before we fly home?.
The last supper-Our meal the last night was a great success. I had white fish carpaggio-a beautiful plate-the fish was arranged like petals and the carpaggio was bright green thinly sliced cucumber -it was ambrosial. my neighbour ,a friendly French man almost sitting on top of me,was pleased with my comments and reaching over told me this was his favourite restaurant and the best in Paris. The inevitable question was asked -where we came from."Ahh Canada I would love to live in Canada' When I asked did he not love living in Paris he said yes of course but it was difficult then he shrugged-"It is complicat
A sober departure--Our driver picked us up at 8am to go to the airport and we had a typically hair raising exciting ride through the busy morning traffic. until we reached a poor district. The driver slowed down and pointed to the sidewalks. These were covered with refugees just waking up, assembling their make shift bedding and bags,looking lost. There were streets and streets of these people. Evidently all facilities were full. This was a quick jolt for us from our dream vacation into the world of reality which we had erased from our minds. We were back in the world again and on our way to troubled Greece.
