A Less Structured Day

This photo -- Cassie & me at the Eiffel Tower. On Saturdays we need to leave the apartment for a few hours. We've found a dog-friendly park near the American Library and Eiffel Tower!

Maxine & I feel incredibly lucky to be able to spend time in Paris in this way. We don't have to rush from sight to sight and can instead soak up the city in a different way.

This afternoon was a study in contrasts for me. I had lunch at McDonalds. Then I listened for 2 hours to a 25 piece steel drum band from Trinidad -- the singing was in English. The concert was in the Luxembourg gardens (200? years old) and introduced in French. Just a very relaxed way to spend some time. One of our goals for this trip is to have felt like we'd moved to Paris for a short time. I guess this is it?

We've also repeatedly been pleased to discover how many friends are also passing through Paris during our 2 months. We've been attending various ex-pat and other orientation events and have met a half-dozen or more people that we're in touch with/planning to get together with. But, it is certainly pleasant to see old friends:
* J, who Tom went to grammar through high school with - in from a business trip to Geneva.
* D, who Maxine went to high school with -- coming next month for the cooking class in Provence.
* R & K -- friends from Long Beach on their way back from Florence -- we may see them at the airport during their layover.
* J & L -- Tom's ex-boss from years ago -- on their way to ?Provence.
* D -- worked for Tom 5 years ago

Some Random Notes:
1. Throughout Paris the hard side garbage pails have been replaced with metal frames holding plastic bags. Sad...
2. The police outside the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre are carrying very serious looking rifles. Also sad....
3. I saw a police man stop an 8 year old boy for riding his bicycle too fast through the park and cutting off an older lady. That I like!
4. The weather has started to turn a bit cooler. We're switching from t-shirts (all we had for this unexpectedly warm weather) to long sleeve shirts. Others are wearing jackets, scarves, and down vests -- we don't understand this at all, and we're the Californians!