Today it was grey and spitting with rain. Better that than pouring I suppose. Nevertheless, there is much one can do underground or inside. So I made my way to the Gare de Lyon to have the anticipated tussle with the automatic ticket machine in advance of my 8.04 departure tomorrow. Sure enough the machine rejected my Canadian credit card, and the ticket agent tried to as well, but luckily she persevered and managed to coax a ticket out for me.
Onward I steamed, this time to la Librairie Gourmande.. of all the bookshops in all the world.. I found a copy of some required reading (en anglais) — a (how could it be otherwise) heavy paperback called Paradox of Plenty: A Social History of Eating in Modern America, by Harvey Levenstein. That should keep me from floating away during tomorrow’s train journey.
I passed by Shakespeare & Company which didn’t open till noon, and so headed up to the Marais. En route I emerged at Metro St-Paul where we were treated to an all-singing Manifestation (Tous en Greve) by a large throng of cheerful protesters.
On I went to check out Chez Marianne, where I had a wonderful assiette – caviar d’aubergines avec cumin; salade turque (tomatoes, peppers, fennel, onion, I think); salade d’artichauts; and some excellent felafel on top.
Though I drooled at the windows of Florence Finkelsztajn I thought it more prudent to taste only with my eyes… Have you ever seen such strudel?
Travelling back I passed through the Metro station at Bastille where they seem to have above average buskers. Imagine 11 hearty Ukranian men in full voice and full orchestra singing their hearts out, and there you have Les Musiciens de Lviv. Fabulous.
Why oh why would anyone Wal-mart??
