Spring Comes to Paris (10 March, 2007)

In an unusally warm spring day, we left our apartment by bus and metro, to find an open market in the Gambetta area on the far side of town. It was more than we expected, with booth after booth of fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, meats, fish, clothing, household goods, furniture, chickens on the rotiserrie with the juices dripping to vegetables cooking below.... The aromas and activity were awesome, and as we pulled along our "cart", we filled it with clementines, tomatoes, strawberries, fresh eggs, and oranges. Then we bought some egg rolls and went to the nearby park to have our lunch, surrounded by flowers, children playing in a sandbox, parents walking their toddlers in strollers, people reading, and just enjoying the sunshine. Then we made our way home on the 69 and 63 busses, amazed at the layout of the streets, filled with activity, people eating outside at the cafes, lines at the Louve, etc. , tourist boats on the river. We spent a few minutes sitting on a bench alongside the Seine across the street from our church... John later walked to the Eiffel Tower, and the sunset picture was taken from our kitchen window!

We remembered how we didn't miss winter in Michigan!!