Rain

We awoke this morning to the soft patter of rain (well, actually we awoke at dawn when the restaurant downstairs rolled large, heavy objects around the cobblestone courtyard, just like every other morning).  Before Vanessa got up, I rearranged all my belongings, as they had been accumulating messiness over the days.  We spent most of the day in a huge department store (7 stories) where we both made a few choice purchases.  Lunch wasn't too bad in their cafeteria, either.  We walked home (in the rain) where we split a millefouille.  In Minnesota, when I buy one of those things, it's called a Napoleon.  In line at the cafe, I had to ask for it three times before the woman became impatient with me and called the man over.  He didn't know what I was talking about, either.  So, Vanessa and I stood before the display case poking our finger on the glass as he said, in French, this one?  this one?  this one?  Once selected correctly, they taught us that it was called a millefouille and in order to take it home with us we need to say...well, I can't remember the word right now....But, words can hardly describe the pastries here, and the one we had was indescribable.  I'm limiting myself to no more than one per day....so far.

Last night as I sat waiting (in MacDonald's, remember ?) for my computer to upload photos onto the blog I had written, a girl sat down on the stool next to me, turned to me and said sweetly, bonjour.  She was blowing huge plastic bubbles the size of a lopsided basketball through a short, narrow straw and trying to sell them to people in MacD's for half a euro.  When her mother went to use the restroom, she asked me to keep an eye on her daughter.  I tried to talk to her in French but she obviously didn't understand.  It turns out that they are from Israel, this woman and her ten year old daughter, and will be in Paris for 8 days.  The woman is an artist and used to be the photographer for the Israeli Philharmonic.  She asked me if I was related to a cellist there because I look so much like him.  They had had a miserable first day in Paris...wrong buses, phone cards that didn't work, bickering with each other....We may visit Montmartre together.  I want to go there as well as Rue de Rome which is where all the violin shops are.  I know I'll be sorry I didn't bring a WHOLE lot more money with me when I go there.

A guy from California just asked me about the wireless hook-up here at MacDonald's and I have a sneaky suspicion that wasn't the only kind of hook-up he was interested in.  Across the street in the cafe, a young couple are making out under the awning, out of the rain.  Everywhere I go I see lovers of all varieties, holding hands, embracing, sharing this beautiful city, where every street is a story and every view is a miracle.