Marching With Pride

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Saturday, June 24 2017

I couldn't believe that our vacation was nearly at an end. Even though the high temperatures had prevented us from doing some of the things we had planned, we had still had a fantastic time. We met with many wonderful people - friends of Desmond's who have become our friends. My only regret was that we had not been able to see Arno, who was away for the duration of our visit. 

I'm never quite ready to leave, but as I packed my suitcase I was anticipating a few more days of vacation. Showing Janey a bit of Paris was something to look forward to. I was also looking forward to spending more time with Desmond. He and I would be traveling to Florida for a short time, and then on to our home for the greater part of the summer. 

We boarded the train for Paris just before noon. When we arrived, we quickly found a taxi and soon had all of our luggage stuffed into the back. Our driver had some difficulty getting us to our rented apartment because many streets had been closed due to the Pride parade and another event. Traffic was heavy, but we eventually made it. The four of us pulled our luggage into a charming art deco apartment near the Passy Plaza shopping center. 

A welcome to Paris.

Wall decor in the lobby of our apartment building in Paris.

After resting for a few minutes, we all headed out to join the Pride parade. But first, we needed a quick lunch. We stopped at a nearby bakery where we purchased sandwiches and drinks to go, planning to eat them on the train. We were dismayed to learn that the little terminal was closed. After a brisk walk to the metro, we hopped on, only to discover that several stops near the area of the parade were closed due to security reasons. Nevertheless, we were determined to join the parade. After a lengthy walk along the beautiful Rue de Rivoli, we were able to watch a portion of the colorful parade before joining in. Desmond had brought some flags, which we carried or wore as scarves as we marched with the milling throng.  It was an exuberant crowd of thousands with a definite camaraderie and we all chanted as we passed the lovely, historic buildings along our route. Onlookers waved, cheered, and blew kisses. Many of them showered us with confetti as we passed beneath their windows. 

Thousands attend the annual Pride parade.

Proud marchers in Paris, France.

After about an hour, Janey was worn out. The temperature had risen and we were all very warm. We stepped out of the parade and stood on the sidewalk for a while, watching the bright floats pass by and waving our flags at the crowd of colorfully dressed marchers. After a while, we turned and began to make our way up a side street away from the press of people. We were thrilled to see, right in front of us, the diner which we had visited on a previous occasion! Soon, the four of us were slurping thick, creamy milkshakes. What a welcome treat on a hot day.

The Metro was very crowded as we made our back to our lodgings. We relaxed for a bit and then explored a little. We discovered that we were literally steps away from Passy Plaza, where there are numerous shops and a supermarket. We bought coffee, milk, and a few other items. 

That evening, we walked a couple of blocks to a Framboise creperie, where we enjoyed a wonderful meal. The savory gallettes were delicious and for dessert we chose several different crepes. They were all so good that we passed them around so each of us could sample them all. My favorite was the salted caramel, and we also had one made with apples, caramel, hazelnuts, and ice cream, and another crepe which was made with bananas, chocolate, and whipped cream. We lingered at our table on the shady sidewalk where a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower was visible through the trees.

We returned to our AirBnB and began to unpack. The apartment would be quite suitable for a long stay. It had a well equipped kitchen, a living room with a sofa sleeper, a spacious bathroom that had lots of storage, and a huge shower. There was a water closet opposite, and a bedroom at the end of the little hallway which had many storage cupboards and a desk in addition to a comfortable bed. It was a great apartment in a perfect location and we settled in happily for the night.

The comfy bedroom at our lodgings in Paris.

Another Last Day

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Friday, June 23 2017

We had a wonderful day. At last the heat had broken! It was beautifully cool with a lovely breeze. I enjoyed one of Desmond's protein smoothies for breakfast. As much as I love pastries, I found that I had much more energy and stamina when I drank one of those shakes. I could always have a French pastry with my afternoon coffee. 

We wandered around town and popped into a few shops. It was so nice to be outside without being bombarded by oppressive heat. We visited the cathedral, and Janey was quite impressed with the awe-inspiring beauty and history of the huge edifice.  

Craig, Des, and Janey approach
 the cathedral of Sainte-Croix

The cathedral is a marvel.

We chose the Korean restaurant, Kogi, for lunch. Craig had never tried their delicious food and he was in for a treat! We all chose the bibimbap, a dish I had eaten there before. It was as good as I remembered. Our appetizer arrived as we waited for the main course. It was a divided tray containing tiny fishes and peanuts, pickled radish, and marinated bits of something I didn't recognize. Janey and I couldn't quite manage the little fishes, but Craig and Des seemed to enjoy them. We enjoyed our meal outside in the sunshine, with a refreshing breeze to cool us.

An interesting appetizer at Kogi.

A sizzling bowl of bibimbap
 at Kogi in Orleans, France.

After lunch we took our leftovers home and then picked up the baby clothes we had purchased for Chris and Mathilde's newborn, Robin. Baby showers are apparently not a thing in France, so we had chosen lots of adorable little items in several different sizes for the new baby. Robin was asleep when we arrived, but we got to see him. We all chatted quietly for a while but didn't stay too long, as we could tell the new mom was very tired.

That afternoon, we met Chris's parents, Marilyn and Rodney, at Autour de la Terre. They are lovely people and fun to be around. They live in New Zealand and had timed their visit to France to coincide with the birth of their new grandson. They are avid bicyclists and tour all over France on their bikes. 

In the courtyard of Autour de la Terre.

We had eaten such a big lunch that we weren't really very hungry for dinner. We ended up just snacking. But it was our last evening in Orleans for this trip, and we were having a wonderful time. We met another of Desmond's friends at a bar on the Rue de Borgogne. Kozmin is from Romania and was in the process of obtaining his PHD in engineering at the University of Orleans. He was also a student in Desmond's conversational English class. He had a fantastic grasp of the language and loved to kid around. We enjoyed his stories of life in Romania.

Lovely half-timbered buildings
 along Rue de Borgogne.

After saying goodbye to Kozmin, we went to another bar that is one of Desmond's favorites. Rue de Borgogne by this time was very crowded. The bars and restaurants along the street were all bustling and lively with conversation. We managed to find a table at the edge of the street. There was hardly room for a single car to pass. Suddenly, people around us were scraping their chairs back and pushing tables away. I looked up to see a huge fire truck coming slowly toward us. It barely managed to squeeze through on the crowded street. It was literally inches away from my chair!

Janey liked her "tipsy" glass!

At 11:00 we walked the short distance to the cathedral, where we were in for an incredible treat. There was a light show projected onto the outside walls of the huge structure. The theme was historical figures and we watched in awe as bright swirling colors and images appeared before us in a magical display. The effect was enhanced by stirring music that fit the theme perfectly. We were completely transported. It was a dramatic spectacle and one we will never forget!

The light show was an amazing experience.

The images and colors changed
 swiftly along with the music.