Left you last in Paris on the morning of my second day. I was about to head out to the flea markets. Closed the entry and headed for the Metro.
Needed to change trains at a particular stop and found out that the line I needed to take had stopped running at the transfer station. Neat. No additional instructions - just an “X” across the metro line sign and a locked chain around the exit doors! And I wasn’t sure where I was. I asked a couple if they spoke English, but they did not. The only other person on my side of the tracks was this bum-looking dude who REEKED of alcohol.
I didn’t want to talk to him, but he heard me speaking English and was clearly DYING to talk to me, so I acquiesced simply so that he’d figure out he didn’t know what he was talking about.
Sure enough, he DID know what he was talking about. In fact, the only way to get back on track was to walk to a different station and he insisted on walking me there. I told him no, but he persisted. I was feeling uncomfortable and feeling kind of like a jerk at the same time, but what if this guy was taking me somewhere crazy???
As we walked the blocks, he spoke his very broken English while I spoke my extremely broken French and somehow we communicated just fine. As we turned down side streets and passed several shops, he said hello to many of the shopkeepers and said that they knew him. This was clearly HIS hood! It was actually very sweet and he was so kind to go out of his way to show me exactly where I needed to go.
In fact, he walked me all the way into the metro station. It’s a good thing, too, because the metro ticket I had for this trip didn’t work because I was trying to enter a different station. He slid HIS metro card through the machine so I could get back on the train without having to buy another ticket!!
I have never been so grateful for a short drunk French man with no teeth in my life! I kinda wanted to hug him, but I opted not to. I wish I’d had some Euro to give him to thank him, but I never got any cash for this trip. So far I haven’t had the need for any cash whatsoever on this trip.
It just kinda goes to show that I should have more faith in humanity. I suppose with so much bad news and so many bummy people who live around me in my downtown place that I’ve really gotten cynical about strangers lately. I need to change that. Of course, I need to be smart about it, but I do believe that I should have a little more kindness towards strangers. Sometimes it takes a trip like this to see that.
The drunk Frenchman and I bid each other aideu and I got on the next train.
Finally made it to the fleas…and OH what fleas they are. The market(s) is/are huge and span many, many, many blocks.
I walked for hours through the stalls just drinking in the old stuff, most of it so artistically and cleverly displayed that I was super inspired. It’s funny, though I’d been to the flea markets several years ago on a work trip, I didn’t really recognize most of the market(s). So I just wandered and wandered and listened to people discuss the day, the weather, the prices. I really wasn’t looking for anything - just window shopping - and the weather was AMAZING!!
I walked until I could walk no longer…plus I was hungry!
Stopped at this super cool restaurant near the markets and next to the metro station. It was called La Recyclerie and the concept is wonderful. It’s a restaurant, a bar, a coffee shop, and a farm all in one. They serve food that they grow and raise. Any food you might have left over is sorted and given to the livestock or composted. You can even have your meal in the garden…it goes on and on and on on along a train track in the middle of Paris. They have everything on display…the vegetables that they raise, the worms for composting, the ducks and the chickens.
After my brunch (which consisted of some odd vegetable combinations, lot of cream sauce (yuck) and a weird piece of salmon, I bussed my table and put my leftovers (which was a lot because my plate was HEAPING and I couldn’t eat the cream-covered stuff) into the different bins - veggies and grains for the chickens, meats and other stuff for the worms. And then I went out into the garden to have a look.
At one point I stopped at the chicken coop to say hi to the chickens. Took a video for posterity and while I did, a RAT ran right through the chicken coop and between the chickens! I suppose that this should be considered normal, but how crazy to think that all of the food comes from this farm and it’s infested with rats!
I haven’t gotten sick yet…
Then I did this thing that I do when I get claustrophobic. I went down into the metro station, and because some of the other stations were closed (I think), this particular station was extremely crowded - as in, squish bodies together crowded…as in, can’t breathe crowded…as in, someone will have to stand outside the train and push us on before the doors can close crowded. I don’t do that kind of crowded.
So I walked back out. I walked back up from the underground and started hoofing it back towards the hotel. My map situation took me the most direct route. That means walking up Montmartre and back down towards my hotel.
Now. The weather was great and it was a wonderful walk, but OMG…I’d logged in 28K steps by the time I got back to my hotel!
And I wasn’t done yet!
Pascal had suggested I go to the Crazy Horse show to see the beautiful dancers and the super sexy show. I think it was because we were talking about sexy stuff at our dinner, but I loved the idea so I got myself a ticket.
I got dressed in my dressiest dress that I’d packed and headed to the theater.
Had plenty of time to walk the boutiques around the Champs Elysees, close to the theater, and over by the super chic hotels and even over by the Eiffel Tower. I was spritzed with exclusive Chanel perfumes and window shopped and took photos.
There was even time for a champagne before the show to loosen up. Heh. Happy hour.
Got to the theater already lubed up for the show, so when I got to the front of the line I asked if there was a seat up close for me. Sure enough, I was seated in the front row! I was sitting between some Japanese and Scandinavian business men on my right and an adorable American couple on my left. It was kind of a party!!
So I ordered myself a half-bottle of Moet et Chandon and leaned back to watch.
It was super impressive and sexy and all that. I quickly realized that the dancers wore Christian Louboutin shoes exclusively (hot!!) and pretty much nothing else! I was sitting at an angle where I could see nearly EV-RY-THING. Side note: it is a nude show (not just topless) and the only thing between my eyeballs and their actual vajayjays was a kind of tape sort of shaped like a triangle to give you that illusion…
And yes, I did enjoy the actual SHOW - it was gorgeous and funny and funky and super impressive. The use of lighting was amazing. Pascal was right! I’m really glad I went.
After the show I walked around the corner to the fabulous Plaza Athenee and had yet another glass of champagne and a caesar salad (I was starving!!) and THEN I saw that the lights were twinkling on the Eiffel Tower! I could see from where I was sitting. So I knew that the lights twinkled every hour on the hour so I waited a bit until it was time for the next twinkle!
When the time got close I walked across the street to get a better view of the lights…very touristy, but I don’t care! It’s always a sight to see!! I got some photos and some videos and I was ready to call it a night!
I mean…5 glasses of champagne and 30K steps and I was D.O.N.E. for that day. I also haven’t been sleeping well on this trip. I keep waking up in the middle of the night (after forgetting to take my melatonin) I’m averaging 4-5 hours of sleep. I’m just so damn excited.
Okay, look. I’m at the part of my train ride from London to Edinburgh where the scenery is getting really amazing, so I’m going to sign off for now so I can take photos! I’ll eventually post in the Gingerdelicious IG account, but for now…see ya later!
xox,
GS
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