So back to work again. In Paris, they call it "Rentree" (actually the second "e" has the little apostrophe above it). It is the time when all the vacationing Parisians return and kids go back to school). While they don't celebrate Labor Day, it is similar to after Labor Day in the US. Up until this point, many shops and restaurants have been closed all of August (this weekend also). I expect they will all re-open this coming week. In our area, I would say about half the restaurants have been closed at least part of the time, and most all of the stores. The only thing that has been available consistently are the bakeries (boulangeries) - they all seem to have stayed open. So, like the Parisians, I also am returning to work!
It was a busy week even though Debbie was gone. A colleague from England, Lorenzo, was here most of the week, and he likes company and dinning out. So I accompanied him 3 nights this week. As usual, dinner in Paris takes about 3 hours if you are with someone, so each night was a bit late. But it is nice to have companionship, I'm not complaining. Friday, I had lunch with a colleague from our IFS office in Courbevoie and visited with my friend Marwan at his restaurant after work. The weather took a turn for winter this week and dropped down to the 40's (F) overnight - it was chilly going to work! Fortunately, the winter scare was premature and temperatures have warmed back up a bit. Saturday was particularly nice, bright, sunny and warm in the afternoon - people sunbathing on the quay.
I enjoyed an expensive salad, cafe and carafe of rose in Place Dauphine (one of my favorite places on the island). It's a great place to relax and watch people...
Once fortified, I moved on to Notre Dame - I was surprised to find that it has been cleaned up quite a bit. It is quite a bit brighter than I remember it 3 years ago. As the afternoon got warmer, it got more crowded... I went through the little park next to the cathedral past Square Jean XXIII and took in the Memorial to the Martyrs de la Deportation a the tip of the island. Then I crossed over to Ile St Louis, which was pretty well jammed with people trying to get a scoop of Berthillon glace (ice cream which seems to be sold in every restaurant and cafe on Ile St Louis). I think it was actually busier than Notre Dame.After the islands, I crossed to the left bank and stayed on the river. There's a nice park along the Seine that ends at Jardin des Plantes (site of the Museum of Natural History). The Jardin is full of gardens and various flowers. I guess the cool summer (and recent hot week) must have been good for the plants because the flowers were pretty spectacular. I walked through the garden and decided I needed to head for home (after about 4 hours of walking). I caught the metro at Jussieu and headed back to Victor Hugo. Overall a lovely day.
But it wasn't over - Marwan had invited me to join him for dinner. I had a bit of a rest, and then off again on the #6 to Cambronne. I met Marwan and his girlfriend Andrea, and her friend Michelle, for a nice dinner at caffe Cambronne (which Marwan says he may go to 3 to 5 times a week). Had best confit de canard I've had this visit. We were an international group as Marwan is Lebanese, Andrea is English, and Michelle turned out to be from Luxembourg. As usual, the meal took hours and I got home around midnight.
I think too many late nights finally caught up with me - Sunday I didn't feel like doing anything even though it was the first Sunday of the month (some of the museums are free). I had had big plans for hitting the Louvre, but chose to go to church instead and then the nearby Guimet Museum of Asian Arts. I was glad for my choice. I don't think I could have handled the Louvre. As it was, the Guimet was just right - I could navigate the whole thing in 3 hours. It contained some nice items from various regions - Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Tibet, Korea, and of course China and Japan. I think I like the Nepal and Japanese sections best. 
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