Today I wanted to take it easy and spend some time strolling around the Latin Quarter, where I am staying, and visiting the Luxembourg Gardens. One of the interesting things about Paris is that as you are walking around you never know what you might find. As I was walking down to my favorite boulangerie for a croissant and an orange juice I ran across this amazing market.
After I inhaled my warm flaky croissant and ate a box of strawberries I bought from the market I continued my exploration of the Latin Quarter.
As I was walking up the hill towards the Pantheon I turned a corner and ran across this church.
I know I have been loading up the blog with pictures of churches but I am amazed at the number of beautiful old churches in Paris. I can’t walk by one and not stop for a visit. And if I am going to stop for a visit I am going to drag you along with me.
The stained glass windows were especially luminous with the morning sun streaming through them.
This church has a Mass tonight at 6:45. I think I will join the congregation at this Mass.
After my detour to the Church of Saint Etienne it was on to the Luxembourg Gardens.
Each sailboat comes with a long stick to push your sailboat away from the edge of the pond. Or you can use the stick to whack your siblings. I saw the sticks being used both ways.
After walking around Luxembourg Gardens for a couple of hours it was time for lunch. I was in the mood for some real authentic French food so I stopped at a little bistro and sat outside at one of those little round bistro tables and ordered a French beer while I perused the menu.
After much thought and a detailed review of the menu this is what I ordered.
As I was walking back to my hotel for a little afternoon siesta I ran across Johnny Depp again.
The first time I ran across Johnny Depp he was hanging out on the balcony of my hotel room in Vigo when I was walking the Portuguese Camino this Spring.
After my siesta I walked up to the Church of Saint Etienne on the Mount and attended evening Mass. The church bells rang for a good fifteen minutes before the Mass was scheduled to start. About five minutes before the Mass was scheduled to start Father Pierre was out in the church shaking hands and working the crowd. When he came to me he shook my hand and said something in French. I told him I didn’t speak a whole lot of French. He then told me, in English, that he needed a reader. I told him I could do the readings in English and he said we had better stick with French.
That’s it for today from Paris. I hope you are having a great day wherever you are.
Tomorrow I take the train to Bayeux. The guy who operates the Airbnb where I am staying offered to pick me up at the train station. Wasn’t that nice. I told him I would walk as it isn’t that far and I didn’t want to inconvenience him.
Good night.
AbeAndMarkontheCamino 