Paris

Bonjour! What's this, I hear you mutter, 2 updates in the space of one week, she really is pushing it. Ok... well, maybe not - seeing as Julia appears to be the only person reading this - Hello Julia!!

Anyway, yes, I am now in Paris which is lovely and, well, Paris. But I've got to say, before I say anything else, that the air quality here is SHIT. Total crap. Even London's was better and isn't London the one with the reputation? Today I was sitting on second-to-top level of the Pompidou Centre, having my picnic lunch of brie and baguette and it took me 10 minutes to realise that I was actually facing the Eiffel Tower! Not that you could see much of it - only the base really and the faintest outline of the some of the tower itself. So that is disappointing. Is it like this always or just autumn? It was never like this when I dreamt I was in Paris - in fact, in my dreams, the distinguishing features were a.) the wide streets (check) and b.) the blinding sunlight (ahh...) Oh well. It's still Paris, isn't it? Yes.

So I went to the Pompidou Centre today (museum of modern art) which was utterly wonderful. Matisse, Picasso, Basquait, Pollock... etc etc. Loved it. The picnic was good too (despite the lack of views!).

I felt quite naked here yesterday, not wearing a scarf. All the French women wear scarves. All. of. them. So I had to wear my scarf today, but I think they could still tell I was an imposter. The French are funny in their rudeness. Most people I have said 'Parlez-vous anglais?' to have either been nice and spoken English to me, or said a flat 'non' and then understood everything I have said in my combination of English and very broken French, and then replied in English! ... Though I find the French men really, ah, forward. I have had at least half a dozen (and a baker's dozen at that!) men just start talking to me on the street, in parks, on the metro, wherever; continue the conversation in Frenglish after my now standard 'parlez-vous anglais' and invite me to sit, join him, walk somewhere, drink something. Eek! Is it just because I am a sheila, alone, in a big city and I look like I need a protective hairy French arm around me? And they are all OLD-ish men. None of the young hotties I have seen around. Like the chap on the metro today who was wearing trying to be a French woman by wearing a scarf, and then he took out his knitting! (another scraf I think!)

Ok, well, should push off. Got to find a crepe that somewhere has my name on it. Have had no vegies since... pizza in London? No, the spinach in the Camden crepe in London on Sun night. Who needs vegies anyway? Not I! I can live on a diet of dairy (brie mainly) and crepes alone! Oh, I should also pain au chocolat it up before I leave tomorrow. Leaving tomorrow! So sad. I will be back though... in November maybe.

Au revoir.
xxx