We had a late start.
While the day started out nicely it clouded over and the temperature
probably did not get above zero.
Montmartre is only about a kilometre or so from Boulevard Haussmann
where many of the Grands Magasins (big department stores in the style of Kirkcaldies
for Wellingtonians). It was a nice walk
through the streets and the exercise kept us warm. I took Bev to Galleries Lafayette which has a
wonderful glass domed room. Bev
initially did not see it as she was gazing with an almost open mouth at the
array of very expensive parfums etc that are on the ground floor of that
building. I then took her to the
epicerie that is in another building and we wandered around looking at the
range of wonderful foodstuffs. It is
like Moore Wilsons and the gourmet food section in Kirkcaldies combined and on
steroids. We really don’t have anything
like it in New Zealand and I suspect Australia.
Bev then went exploring while I explored Le Cave where I
found bottles of Chateau Y’quem for
20,000€
and over 100 years old. There was a
superb range of wine and I was able to get a nice bottle to take back to
NZ. It was a second label of Gruard
Larose one of my favourite second growths.
We then went past l’Opera which they are doing some work on but it
does not detract from its grandeur or beauty.
The l’Opera was a stop on our way to meet Lisa who is a New Zealander
doing an English assistanceship in Brest and is one my friends with whom I have
been studying French for the past five years.
We had one stop before meeting her at Gare Montparnasse, and that was
La Bonne Marché which is a competitor to Galleries Lafayette. Time permitted
only a brief inspection.
We were due to meet Lisa at Montparnasse at 16:11 and she had said
Montparnasse 1 and 2. I thought this
meant the number of the platform or quai/voie.
We arrived at platforms 1 and 2 at 16:11 expecting to see a TGV
discharging its passengers or just arriving, but there was neither, just a TGV
at platform 1. After 10 minutes of
waiting I suggested that I go looking which I did and still no Lisa. I started getting worried as I only had her
NZ phone number which was not going to be much use. Even if she sent me an email I was not going
to pick it up as I was not roaming.
Fortunately while I was out searching Lisa had spotted Bev so there was
a happy reunion.
We went back to the apartment, picking up food for a meal of lentils
and also getting some cheese, as both Bev and Lisa wanted some. The pick of them was a goat’s cheese that
Lisa had picked.
We spent the evening eating and drinking a wonderful bottle of Chablis
that Lisa had bought for my birthday and bottle of St Jacques de Siran, the
Medoc wine of Chateau Siran which was wonderful.
It was so nice to see Lisa and see how well she has adapted to France
and to listen to her interacting in French with the various people. Her fluency has increased and she can even
now eavesdrop on conversations in French.
She looks well and is still the same enthusiastic bubbly person who does
not seem to be too homesick, but misses the people from home and of course her
twin sister.
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