Since everyday can't be a highlight, even though everyday is like Tuesday when you're retired we decided to spend part of the day in our own park in our own arrondissement. So we walked over to the Parc Buttes Chaumont, it is the park created in the 1860's by Napoleon III when this part of town was being developed (around the same time as Denver, with very different results). Anyway the park was build in an old quarry and the butte itself is entirely man-made. Just across the street from the park is a brasserie, Le Napoleon III, where we had lunch. It was less expensive and frankly better than the lunch we had yesterday at La Grande Epicerie. As Deb commented even the water tasted better. They have an outstanding Tarte aux Pommes (apple tart).
After lunch we walked over to the park and found a bench in the shade where we could sit and read for a couple hours. These parks are so great because all the people who live in apartments come here to sit out, and picnic or just sunbathe, with their children and dogs. It is an unending source of visual amusement and pleasure to watch little children playing in the park, no cares, no worries, pure joy. We heard one little boy explaining to his littler sister that those little black balls there in the grass were "poop". Today we found out another interesting fact about our park and that is; the suspension bridge that connects one side of the island butte to the park was designed and built by Gustave Eiffel.
After our interlude we walked down to our shopping area and bought provisions since we're running low at the apartment. Our wine merchant is now on the August closing so we won't see him again until late this month. Our cheese vendor closes on the 15th for almost 2 weeks. I mentioned that our baker will be closed until the 31st. Luckily for us, our butcher will be open the entire time, so we won't have to resort to supermarket meat. The dog days of summer in Paris are here.
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