Lots to see in Paris and Pascal's is hoppin'

Well it's overcast a bit chilly here in lovely downtown Paris this week. (Or is it just the 11th us here in the 11th?)

Susie has been crazy busy at Pascal's this, her last week. In fact he even asked her to come in extra early yesterday morning (Thursday), which she did, since he was so short-handed. Miss Chocolate is out indefinitely due to health reasons, the new girl Yumi is just starting to get an idea of what's going on, Miss Bread is of course still on hand, but Misato left for Japan yesterday. Originally she was going home for good but apparently she is coming back in two weeks, back to Pascal's. Whew. (photo: Misato with a new pastry shop fashion look and Susie.)

Anyway, the joint has been jumpin' and Susie has had her hands full -- which if why she came here naturalmente! She has been walking to work lately -- it's about 40 minutes or so -- and then taking the no. 61 bus back home or the Metro. This morning she left bright and early at a quarter after five. She loves baking so much. . . (Click here for more photos from Pascal's.)

We had a busy couple of days this past weekend, trying to make the most out of our remaining time here in Paris. The weather was very pleasant, temps starting to fall now pretty regularly every morning, but the sun was out for the weekend, which made for nice strolling to be sure.

After lingering over coffee Saturday morning we showered, dressed and left the apartment heading for the Metro. We took the no. 9 to the no. 4 to Porte Clignancourt, at the northern edge of the city. This is where the "famous" flea market is held every week, Saturday through Monday. We had been duly warned about the street hawkers and vendors near the Metro exit but we were wholly unprepared for how many there were. We were expecting a few dozen guys from Third (or Fourth or Fifth) World hellholes selling trinkets on the streets, rather like we used to see in Florence.

Well we were wrong.

It was more like the San Lorenzo market in Florence, with row upon row of stalls of these people who, like us are clearly from out of town to be sure, but unlike us are in town selling jeans, watches, and everything imaginable in leather at knock-off prices. We waded through them until we crossed under the overpass (which is the peripherique I think) and then found the actual flea market itself, a series of meandering passages (allees) that seem to go off in every direction but straight.

Here you can find all kinds of "stuff", some of it junk of course, but plenty of very cool stuff, lots of furniture and plenty of odds and ends with which to fill your apartment, flat or whatever.

After strolling through the various passages, or allees, we headed back to the Metro. From the northern edge of Paris we made our way to the southeastern part of the city. Specifically, we wanted to go to Bercy neighborhood in the 12th arrondissement. The Metro dropped us at the tiny "village," a small collection of shops located at the edge of Parc Bercy smack in the middle of a massive apartment buildings in a largely residential area wedged between the tracks o the Gare de Lyon on one side and the Seine on the other.

There is little to recommend a trip to the village itself, which is mostly a collection of a few upscale shops, although we did find candles that's true.

Aside from the half-dozen or so resauarants lining the street, there are two things to consider however: first is the Cinematique Francaise, a stunning Frank Gehry building that reportedly houses the largest archives of cinema-related items in the world.

Another reason to spend a little time in this part of Paris is the truly wonderful Parc Bercy. Here you can stroll amid grapevines, past arbors of stone built over reflecting pools, past little corners of green space designed just for you to relax, gather your wits about you before you head back out into the fray. And steal a kiss or two along the way. An ideal place for the harried tourist I should think.
It was then back to the Metro and home.

Oh, and click here for additional photos!

Wish you had been there,

Steve