Squeezebox

Awoke at 8 and got ready to find a nearer internet cafe. The only one we knew of was Com@Com down the street- and it was a dingy, smoky place filled with people playing computer games. At 9 in the morning its metal gate was shut and there was no info on when it opened. Wandered back up the street to Cafe des Pharses for a coffee. Wandered back down after the coffee and it was still closed. The guy in the newstand next door didn't know when it opened but thought there was one near. He pointed in its general direction and mentioned a street which could have had Charles or Lenoir or Lyon in the name. Wandered around some more and couldn't find it (due to differing opinions on which way we should go. R wanted to go all the way in the opposite direction of where the newstand fellow had pointed!). Gave up and went back to the hotel to ask. The pointed us back to where I had wanted to head in the first place!. Great internet spot: http://www.cybercube.fr-- checked mail quickly (after a very difficult negotiation with the Parisian computer geek regarding configuring my laptop. He could barely disguise his disgust. I managed to disguise mine) and went back to Pharses to meet Judy for the market.

The market is on Blvd Richard Lenoir and appears every Thursday and Sunday: it's an expansive combination of the Pike Place Market (complete with boucheres and fish mongers) and the Fremont Sunday Market. Everybody drags wheeled carts behind them (the kind that Martin and George won't let me have!) and they buy their vegetables, meat, poultry and cheeses from the vendors. The produce looked fabulous. There are also vendors selling clothing and shoes and utensils. It's very crowded and fun-- especially when the little old Parisian ladies get mad and yell and curse at people who bump into them.

We went back to the hotel briefly and then went to J+B's for a quick glass of champagne before our Sunday Lunch at Le Train Bleu in the Gare de Lyon. Took the Metro to the Gare de Lyon and learned that the little tiny magnet on my bag is strong enough to demagnetize ALL of our metro tickets. Bill had to give us some of his. The train station is spectacular: a hugh 6 track station where the TGV (Trains a Grande Vitesse) arrive and depart. Le Train Bleu is a landmark restaurant in the station with Belle Epoque decor. We had a wonderful lunch. I had the Menu (prix fixe): sausage lyonnais, Salmon with red wine on pureed split peas, and pears with pistachio zabayon. R had a walnut oil dressed salad and a dish of scallops and vegetables with turmeric which was baked under a puff pastry cover, with an Armagnac and coffee afterwards. Judy had a salad and giant escargot followed by a Bomba Rhum, similar to what I had the night before, though at Le Train Bleu they bring a bottle of rum to the table to pour on the cake. Bill had lamb with a potato gratin. Three hours later we walked back to the Bastille.

J+R took off and said they'd meet us at Cafe des Phares; Bill and I wandered around the block to check out the internet cafe again. Went to Cafe des Phares and J+R weren't there, so Bill and I had a cafe and watched all the rollerbladers zip by. I saw at least 20 rollerbladers and only 1 helmet. In fact, I've seen only one helmet on only one bicyclist. The amazing thing is that I've seen 3 accidents/near accidents since I've been here: 1) a car vs. a scooter 2) A non stop-signalling bicyclist who had 3 cyclists behind here almost run her over (their rear tires lifted off the ground they braked so hard) & 3) a gray haired fellow in a squarish small sedan absolutely destroy a beautiful vintage Volvo sports car/convertible. This guy, on a narrow street managed to plow into the side of this car at a near 45 degree angle, and instead of backing up to remove the front of his car from the side of the volvo cranked wheel and continued driving straight ahead, lifting the Volvo up until he could clear it. He left a 4' long scrape along the passengers side. And then he drove off without doing anything. Vive la France.

We stayed in on Sunday night reading and watching Jackie Brown en francais on the TV.

En Francais!