One of the things Harold likes about our visits to Paris is that we never stay in the same neighborhood twice. In the past we have been in the artsy St. Germaine, the hilly area behind Jardin de Plantes, and a very central area off the Rue de l’hotel Colbert. This time we opted to get out a bit, and have an apartment on the Rue San Sebastien, in the neighborhood called the Marais.

This area of the city began as a swamp, but is currently  a ritzy collection of fabulous old mansions , great shops, cafes, the Jewish neighborhood, the gay neighborhood, and, currently, a very real, family based neighborhood. From his perch on our luncheon table, Harold watched the people go by…little old ladies in long wool coats carrying their shopping bags, families with little kids, all bundled up and enjoying the day, and couples all wrapped up in each other. The people watching here is wonderful. Bridgett has quite a collection of sketches going. Photos of these, and other interesting things, will be added once Harold gets the hang of the camera!