Le Marais

May 18: Today was a slow day. We rose late, exhausted by our 6.5 mile trek yesterday. Spent quite awhile trying to figure out the washing machine (it’s supposed to wash and dry the clothes in the same machine), showering, cleaning, determining a shopping list because of the pressing need for coffee and toilet paper, two under-rated necessities of modern life. It was almost 2 by the time we left, deciding to walk down Blvd. St. Jacques to a working man’s restaurant near Place d’Italie, but we arrived too late (3 pm)and they had stopped serving. So we picked up the Metro and went to Le Marais, got off at St. Paul. Headed up Rue Parvee to Rue des Rosier. This is the heart of the Jewish quarter of Paris and we saw many men in dark overcoats with facial hair and skull caps. By the time we got to Rue des Rosiers and wandered toward the restaurant we’d selected, we weren’t surprised by the sight of a dozen young rabbinical students in dark coats and brimmed hats. One asked if we were Jewish because there was a Jewish holiday the next day and they were inviting Jewish tourists to the various temples in Paris. We said we weren’t Jewish, but one had a boyfriend who was and did that count? A group of 4 of them were goofing around in high spirits like young men almost anywhere and we asked them to sing for us. So they did. It was quite enchanting and I thought Katie got it on video but she did not, so I guess it will have to be a memory accessed by words. The street was narrow and cobblestone and seemed inaccessible by cars, tho I won’t swear to that. It was at a street corner and there were 2 restaurants across the street from each other and a deli/grocer that specialized in eastern european Jewish foods--latkes, etc. The restaurants were the ones we had selected to find so we chose one (Mi Va Mi) and had the best stuffed pita sandwiches, chased by an Israeli beer called Macabee. Katie’s pita was a Chawarma--turkey, beggies, sauce--and mine was a Kefta--little spiced beef burgers, veggies, and sauce. Mucho deliciosos. Wandered around the quarter. Found a shop that sold purses and fountain pens--what a combination. Bought a fountain pen (apologies to my daughter who would have bought a purse) that is beautiful and elegant and what is writing these words this moment. Wandered over to St. Paul’s church and looked inside. Then we went to Rue Charlemagne to see where Jenn & Larry would stay. Took the metro home, went to MonoPrix (supermarket) for the necessary coffee and t.p. and wine, then through the market street with a stop at the fruit vendor for some clementines and strawberries, and finally to the Greek deli, where we purchased dinner: a salad of feta cheese chunks, cukes, tomato, olives, onion; tabouli, hummous, kefta and pita bread. We walked a little faster to get home in anticipation of such a meal. Really good. We’re still trying to figure out how to get the washing machine to dry our clothes, hoping we don’t have to drape underwear around the apartment. I’ll think about that tomorrow, said Scarlet.