Normal Days in Paris
Morning work, cafe cremes, afternoon naps, drinks by the canal — Corey and I are beginning to feel our new normal as perennial travelers. At first I thought we weren’t adjusting to the time change at all — and then I realized it was simply that we’ve adjusted to a new type of time.
In Paris the sun doesn’t begin to set until 10 p.m. We can’t fall asleep until after midnight. We wake up early and nap by mid afternoon.
I’m starting to love the piecemeal feelings of the day. We’ve discovered plenty of spots for our morning work — but today we’re back at The Hood. The place I mentioned where the wifi password is “smellycat.” The barista here is a Brit, so there’s good music on. Did I mentioned the French have a taste for obscure 60’s and 70’s music?
Speaking of 60’s music, Corey and I went to a show the other night. We mentioned meeting the owner of “Le Tiki Lounge” — Cedric. He invited us to come see a basement gig. With my new superpower of being able to stay up past midnight, we told him we’d be there. It turns out the venue was one block away at a place called “La Cava.”
The crowd was both young and old, with a segment of older men passing out CD’s to their friends, wearing memorabilia such as a Beach Boy’s tote bag. Cedric was wearing another Hawaiian shirt. When I tried to greet him with a handshake, he stopped me and said, “You are French now” and then kissed me on either side of my cheek.
Needless to say, we had an amazing night.
Most other nights this week we’ve ended the day by the canal, which seems to be a popular pastime. Our go-to spots are Canal St. Martin and Bassin de Villette — with the latter being our favorite. Groups of young friends hug the edges of the canal and share a bottle of wine or the popular choice, a case of Heineken. Last night, Corey and I found a spot next to a few friends mixing music on their iPad — more of the seventies, but it fit the mood perfectly.
After a few drinks and deep drunken conversations we decided to go see the Eiffel Tower light up. Okay, so not everyday is normal.
We got off at Bir-Hakeim and found ourselves in a quiet, uncrowded park. We laid back on the grass and suddenly realized we were nearly at the foot of the tower. I’m not sure I could ever find this place again, but that would be okay. At 11 p.m. on the dot the Eiffel Tower lit up in a spectacle of shimmering gold light.
It’s the mix of the ordinary and the extraordinary that defines Paris. For now, I’m back drinking a cafe creme, answering emails, writing another blog, and ready to see what happens next.
(Hint: It’s probably a nap.)
