The gang at Notre Dame where we joined up with Elizabeth. Evelyn and Sam were off exploring the oldest organ in Paris. |
En route to Paris, despite our best efforts to replace the memories of our first harried adventure on the TGV with a pleasantly uneventful saunter to our seats, we only managed to solidify the notion that the TGV platform is where you go to be separated from your children by merciless hydraulic doors (we're all accounted for). Different twists produced similar experiences on both legs of our Anger-Paris-Angers rail travels. But I'm sure we are professional TGV passengers now. Next time will be perfect.
Hillary. Is that vous? |
Our Saturday afternoon walks around the Ile de Cité, Louvre, and Jardin des Tuileries, were punctuated by long convoys of dark blue Gendarme vans, two-tone sirens blaring, pretending to drive quickly through Parisian gridlock--presumably shuttling dignitaries who were in town for Sarcozy's Libya kickoff meeting.
On the same street but a different planet, our group was headed to a meeting with pitchers of ludicrously rich hot chocolate (chocolat chaud) at Angelina (a very popular restaurant which specializes in sugar, chocolate, cream/butter, and enough flour to hold things together). Sam (who along with Evelyn was making an encore appearance at Angelina) accurately characterized the activity as "drinking a brownie."
If it was cold, it'd be on a plate. |
In Paris: so many knockers, so little chime. |
Needed a segue here... (You can't put on orange wigs and boas and act all, like, annoyed when some random guy takes your picture) |
In soccer news, Paris is coming to Angers! I know this is big news but, in case you missed it, Angers SCO qualified for the first round of the the Coupe de France and will host Paris Saint Germaine right here at our modest Stade Jean Bouin. We are trying to get a couple of tickets to the April 20 match but schedules and rules for distribution are being made up and changed daily since, according to the SCO office (via Google Translate), "this is an event without precedent." If we don't end up being able to see the game, we will be even sadder that we missed our chance to view the cup itself.
Le bus de la Coupe de France. L'occasion pour chaque supporter d'approcher le trophée de la compétition. |
The actual Coupe de France is being driven about the country in a Pope-mobile which stops for several hours at a time in participating supermarket parking lots. It was in Angers on March 8 after 5pm at the Carrefour Saint Serge and we just let it happen.
You might think that the apparent connection between soccer and food-staples is nothing. But the evidence keeps mounting. Nothing is unconnected from soccer. (For those keeping score with predicate logic, don't think too hard about that last sentence). This coming Saturday is Jack's soccer team fundraiser -- a sausage sale (Saucissons: natures, sangliers, noisettes, chèvre, and chorizo pur porc -- all priced at 3,50€ /200g). An old-world umbilical transfer of resources from the village to the next generation of heros. No cupcakes here. Soccer is what's for dinner.
Train station bike station. |
Oh I can go here for free? Excuse me scooter boy. Hi mom. Hey, yoga-mat girl. Namaste. |
5 comments:
THE KNOCKERS OF FRANCE
The parents have crashed on their daughter in France.
They've traveled around by the seat of their pants.
They slipped on their tennies and touristy Dockers
And trailed after Hugh as he photographed knockers.
As you can imagine French knockers are stunning.
To view them completely requires skill and cunning.
You pull on the knockers and then let them fall.
The sound that results is the best thing of all.
Now knockers are formed into various shapes,
And this is no doubt the cause of my gapes.
The knockers of Paris and Angers abound,
And I have observed they're mostly quite round.
Now if you are given to linguistic fun
You're right to conclude that "knockers" a pun.
Non, mais non, Angers qualified for the semi-finals against PSG! It's such a big deal that cafés are actually closing that day because the owners are afraid of the scary Parisians. As always, I loved it.
Sue
I forgot all about Young Frankenstein, great line about knockers. Now I have to see it again
Hugh,
I was thrilled to see Leclerc promoting its wares via orange-clad Segway riders....you really must start shopping there because once you do, you'll never go back to Monoprix.
-Bill
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