Travels around the world.

My favorite activity here is just walking the streets. :-) I overheard an American ask a guard for directions. The place he asked for was far enough away that the guard couldn't give him complete directions, just pointed in the general direction he should go. The man was pulling a suitcase, but the woman with him wasn't. I wondered where they were going with just one suitcase. No one travels that light these days. I asked him if he wanted to look at a map. I always have a map with me. But he responded "Oh we have a map. We're just too lazy to look at it." Then he added "It really doesn't matter. It's all good." I thought that was a good observation, but he was pulling a suitcase. If I were pulling a suitcase I would want to get rid of it and get out walking without it as soon as possible. But it's true that here in Paris It's all good. I haven't found an area yet that I didn't feel comfortable in. Sometimes I choose not to go dow...

We arrived home from our trip back to Philadelphia in the middle (literally) of this antiques fair. We had no idea this would be going on. We came up out of the metro and here we were. We took our luggage home and rested a bit then came back out to explore some more. There were many booths on both sides of the street for two blocks. This is right in the main street nearest us. Many vendors were selling antiques, and I think nice ones, though I'm no expert. There were also things like glass, books, Items from Africa, and the Orient, But mostly from Europe. Look at this huge crystal egg! Porcelaine, china, silver, linens and lots and lots of other materials. I wish I'd had more time and free shipping. By the way, I didn't shrink these pictures, so if you click on them you can see all the tiny little details.

I just want to let my loyal visitors know that I will be away for a few more days. We've had company here, which kept me busy for a few days and now we are heading back to Philadelphia for Jim's mother's funeral on Thursday. We will be back here on Saturday. So I haven't given up on this blog, just am taking a break from it. I'll get back when I can.

The very center of Paris is on an island in the Seine. If you've been to Paris, you no doubt have been on this island. Notre Dame is on the island as well as La Sainte Chapelle, two of Paris' most well-known and well-loved landmarks. My mother wanted to see la Sainte Chapelle again, so I waited until she got here to go there this time. You have to wait in line to go through security to get in. We rode the metro to the island and began our visit with the old prison called the Conciergerie . My pictures of this part of the island are here . After visiting the Conciergerie and La Sainte Chapellle , we walked the short distance to Notre Dame Cathedral . Notre Dame was completed 80 years earlier than La Sainte Chapelle in the mid-1200's. My mother is back home in Indiana now. It was great having her here and being able to show her a little bit of my life here in Paris this fall. I doubt that she misses all the steps she climbed in Paris.

And this time we were sucessful. We got seats right in front of the boat and enjoyed the trip. The rest of the pictures are here. Canauxrama boat trip on Canal St. Martin .