Meeting Paris

For our first day in Paris, we decided to walk a loop through our neighborbood, Marais in the 3rd arrondissement, and loop back around via the Seine river. The Marais neighborhood had been described as the Greenwich Village of Paris, and that being a place we've loved to visit, it seemed fitting we would choose a similar stomping ground here.

Hungry for our first Parisian crepe, we decided to get lunch in a spot we heard about in the Jewish Quarter.  La Droguerie greets pedestrians with it's bright blue storefront at the mouth of a miniature strip named Rue des Rosiers.  In addition to the creperie, we visited a tea shop where we sampled a wonderful iced tea blend.  There were also some clothing boutiques, a patisserie/boulangerie, and a handful of falafel joints, all which looked like great options for a return trip.

Our crepes were excellent.  Especially considering the shop owner prepared them in a matter of minutes as we watched from the street, and they only cost 5,50 each.  Although the sweet crepes looked good too, it was our first meal of the day and we share a preference for savory breakfasts; we want to go back and try a Nutella crepe for 3,00.
 

Walking through Marais, we stumbled upon Place des Vosges, a green square with four fountains, and a relaxing place to rest and observe the city.  It was a nice place for people watching.  A couple of teenagers even jumped into one of the fountains.  Paris has many squares like this one for some respite from the city.

As we continued our walk through Marais, we came to the Bastille: a towering monument which represents the tide turning event of the French Revolution, and France's enduring struggle to establish and maintain democracy.  At the top of the monument stood winged Mercury carrying a torch representing freedom.  Like many of the historical places we have visited on our travels, I was reminded what freedom means in my heart, and I left feeling humbled and grateful for those who have come before us, and fought for human rights.  

After the Bastille, we headed toward the path along the Seine river, and were mesmerized when we stumbled upon a wash of cool mist!  It was wonderful, and lovely to experience something so refreshing, created to help people cool off and tolerate hot summer days (see Ariel below).
Another bonus: it was free!  Another example of Parisian humanism.

Here I was reminded of my favorite Parisian-at-heart: Mark Leuning.  This next shot was taken for you-

We didn't go in the Norte-Dame yesterday, but we did rest in the courtyard after the somber experience of visiting the Deportaion Memorial, an underground monument built for the people taken from their homes during World War II, most of whom did not return.  Being in Italy and France we have seen so many reminders of that terrible time in our world's history, and I know it will never cease to affect me so deeply.

As we sat in the courtyard of the Nortre-Dame a dance troup began dancing in a style that seemed to integrate both modern and ancient styles of dance.  It was a beautiful surprise, and an unexpected entertainment for us as we rested our weary feet.