We then wander along Rue de Reaumur, another long boulevard in the Right Bank of Paris, typical of the Haussmann Parisian model. We end up at the Place de la Opera, a large junction with the grand old opera house at its centre. We head to the nearby museum of perfume. Its part of the perfume house Fragonard. It's great because it's free, although I have a sneaky suspicion they're relying on you buying something at the end. We join the guided tour that takes you through the museum. I'm the only guy amongst the group of 8 ladies and young girls. Should be fun! It's actually a really interesting museum as it goes into great depth the history of perfume, how it was made and all the different bottles through the years and how it has come to be the industry it is today. One thing I learnt is that perfume or parfume in French, means 'through the smoke', and goes back to Egyptian times when flowers were burned and the fragrant smoke was sent as a signal to the gods.
[French Fact]!!!
We then get a chance to smell and sample the perfumes, a chance to act as the 'noise' like a perfumer. It's quite difficult to smell the different notes and what they are. I'm actually quite fascinated by it.
We then inevitably get the sales pitch, but to our surprise it's quite reasonable and actually quite cheap as we are buying it at factory prices.
Sim loads up and we make our way up to galleries Lafayette. Not feeling like eating at the food hall, we catch the metro across town to Chemin Vert and walk back into the Marais area for another falafel sandwich, this time at L'as Du Falafel. We join the lengthy but not as lengthy as Sunday line. A man with a fat stack of cash and what appear to be raffle tickets asks me what I want. I'm confused as were at the back of the line. With great reluctance I hand over €14 for 2 falafel sandwiches and a Coke, hoping this guy is legit. He is. Sim laughs. I seem to have lost my trust and faith in people. Damn you Naples. The falafel is good, but boy is it filling!
Still we manage to find space for dessert. I saw this amazing lemon meringue on a food blog which is only down the road at the end of rue de Rosier, had to try it. Sim gets annoyed as I do my typical thing, ordering something else as well, a rhubarb and apple pie, as you gotta try that too right? So Yum. After spending €24 on cake, coffee and an iced tea (this place is nuts) we are well and truly full and head back to the hotel to grab our bags before catching the metro across town and over the river to St Sulpice in St Germain des Pres.
We arrive at our hotel just after 4. It's not as nice as our previous place which is a bit of a downer but the funny part is the tiny lift. It's ridiculously small. Can really only fit 2 people standing and those two people would want to be related, married or very good friends as its tight. Sim goes up first with the luggage. After 5 minutes she returns down, still with the luggage, as she cannot physical move out of the tiny opening. She's wedged! The door wouldn't open with her and both our luggage in the lift. It's very funny. I take one bag and wait while she heads up. Very comical. It's so tight.
After a short freshen up and a rest we head out for the evening. We head up the street to the Jardin d'luxembourg, a grand public park we visited last time in winter and were interested in seeing again in the summer time. We head past St Sulpice church and up to the park. This particular entry gate is shut. We walk along the fence line and past the palais du Luxembourg. It's heavily guarded and a little further up the road are about 30 riot squad police vans with officers suited up looking like ice hockey goalies. Bizarre. Needless to say the park is closed for the day due to a private event.
Our plans of relaxing in the gardens in the evening and writing some journals spilt, we head down Blvd Saint Michel, along the streets and past the hotel we stayed at over 2 years ago. It's nice to reminisce about old travels, even if not that long ago. We then head up boulevard Saint Germain which is bustling with people finishing work, having drinks and heading out for the evening. We detour down into Rue de Buci, a little eat street towards the river and take a seat at one of the bistros for a drink. It's nice just sitting and watching the city pass you by. I love how all the wicker chairs are lined up and arranged to face the street. It's such a simple gesture but it creates a relationship and sense of interaction between people sitting in the bars and bistros and those walking along.
After a good 45minutes we move along but not very far. Next stop is gelato at the Turin based gelato shop, Grom. Sim gets a granita while I get a scoop of pistachio and salted caramel. It's nice. Very creamy, I still think I prefer Berthillon. We head back up on the Blvd Saint Germain and stop for another drink at bistro Mondrian. It's happy hour and the drinks are more reasonably priced. Enjoying the little plates of olives that come with a drink too. Gotta get all ya euros worth!
It's now nearing 9 and we're both again not that hungry. Big lunches seem to do us in everyday. Also the late setting sun just has not sat well with our stomachs. Feels strange eating dinner in vivid daylight.
We head back to the hotel and do some journals before hopefully getting a good nights rest. Fingers crossed, the beds tiny and the pillows are non existent.
Au revoir
mat + sim
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