Tuesday, April 9, 2013

A Big Steaming Mound of Haricots Verts


Well, here we are, in the wonderful City of Light, after a trip through the Chunnel on a train seemingly full of families bound for Euro-Disney. Lots of little kids. Not what I was expecting, but then, it is Spring Break.

We jumped right in when we got here, taking the metro to Montmartre to find our hotel, and then setting off on a long walk across town to the Champs-Elysees and, as you can see, the Eiffel Tower. We stopped for a glass of wine on the Champs-Elysees and did some people-watching in a cafe where cigarette smoke drifted into my face from both directions. Merveilleuse!


The last time I was in Paris, in 2000, I didn't go up in the Eiffel Tower because the lines were ridiculously long. This time Dave and I found dwindling lines in the late afternoon, and besides, we'd had a glass of wine, so we stuck it out. I'm glad we did. The views are amazing, and we didn't even get all the way to the top. (The top deck was closed, for some reason.) This photo shows the view looking north, through the Trocadero toward modern high-rise Paris.


There's lots of interesting street art in Montmartre, so much that I've already decided I have to limit my photography to what I really like. I could spend a lifetime on it, otherwise. Maybe I merely wasn't as tuned in to graffiti when I was here last, but it seems like there's a lot more now.


There are lots of interesting characters wandering around, too. I've been surprised at how readily people speak English. Maybe they just don't want to suffer through my impenetrable French, but the hotel clerk and both of our waiters switched immediately to English when we began speaking. I do not remember that happening before.

Last night Dave and I had dinner in a little cafe in Montmartre, and I was served the most ridiculous pile of green beans that I have ever seen. Huge. We both had to laugh. Hence the title of this post. (And for the record, I ate them all.)

10 comments:

Nancy said...

All so romantic. Love the dame in red!

Lynne said...

Magnifique!

Ms. Moon said...

We are both in foreign places. So different, but foreign to us, and beautiful.

37paddington said...

I love Paris. I dream of returning to Montmarte. Is it as romantic and bohemian as I remember?

ellen abbott said...

I've never been to Paris and if I ever cross the ocean I probably won't. It's too expected. I have no real desire to go to Rome either.

e said...

I wonder what that woman in red is thinking...

The Bug said...

Oh I should dye my hair that color!

We always eat lots of green beans because my dad grows & cans them - but they're SOUTHERN. Meaning, boiled to within an inch of their life. We do leave out the fatback though :)

Peter Bryenton said...

Sounds good. Take comfort knowing that Euro-Disney is not going to be what the little kids were expecting, nor their parents, if my experience there was typical.

Vesuvius At Home said...

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Paris in 2002. We stayed in Montmartre as well. Your pictures take me right back. I do remember everyone switching quickly to English--even people working checkout lines in grocery stores. Humbling.

I'm going to go work on my french.

Linda Sue said...

So exciting! Thrilling! loving everything but the beans ( green beans never a fave) Yippee- you are there!