First Night in Paris!!!

Organ Grinder in Paris

Organ Grinder

Street Musician on the Pont Neuf

The Moulin Rouge

On arriving at our hotel in Paris, we went immediately in search of a bistro to sample the French food. We found a quaint little restaurant called La Basillica just around the corner from our hotel but were told we would have to wait for about twenty minutes for an outside table. It was suggested we take a drink at the bar across the street while we wait and our server would come and get us.

Bars and cafes in Paris charge different prices for drinks if you stand or if you sit. Having traveled 12 hours, most of which was sitting on planes or in taxis, we chose to stand, aperitifs in hand. A mountain of a man was trying to get my attention and finally we figured out that he was telling us the television was playing our national anthem - “God Save the Queen” - the Brits having just won an Olympic medal in the three-legged race or the egg toss. When I pointed out in my flawless French that we were not British and “God Save the Queen” was not our national anthem, I was literally clutched to his quite impressive bosom and treated to a full-throated rendition of “Les Marseilles”, the French national anthem. It is quite long. It is longer when your nose is in a large man's armpit.

Seeing our table across the street was now available and waiting for us, we finished our drinks and politely said good-bye, adding our thanks for the serenade. Mistake. This was interpreted as a request for an encore....

Making our way across to La Basillica, we dined on foie gras, escargots, Lyonnaise Saucisson, and of course, wonderful French wine!

Later that night in search of live music, we wandered down to the Moulin Rouge. Turning the corner and strolling the surrounding streets, we realized we were in the red light area, with prostitutes, live sex shows and porno shops. I do not recommend this as a bonding experience with one's daughter.

We returned, quite tired to our little hotel, which had no air conditioning, so we all slept with the windows open, and were treated to the music that is the street life of Gay Paree – all night....

Tomorrow - the sights of Paris!!