Now that I have more time to reflect on my travels, I’d like to share with you little fragments and asides that didn’t make it into my original ‘Le Marais’ post.
In point form:
a) “I felt like I was a cat chasing a light beam, as I strolled the touristy but elegant backstreets.”
I was lucky enough to spot a black-and-white cat scratching itself in the middle of a traffic-free street, before returning to its owners in their shop and disappearing from sight.
Before I really got into the flâneur spirit of things, I had some hesitation: was the neighbourhood too touristy to make for good sight-seeing? Would pick-pocketing be an issue? This led to tension in my body that first morning, but it would dissolve upon becoming familiar with the area and feeling safe and comfortable.
b) “The passing Parisians were few in the morning, making for some nice sensory experiences.”
Apart from scattered pedestrians that were probably on their way to work, I did notice quite a few deliverypeople active in the area, unloading the premium products that people with greater means would eventually consume. Their well-worn and faded fabrics conveyed their working class status. I thought about how they were Essential Workers, who ensured the city was running smoothly, yet didn’t get the appreciation they deserved. Later, I would come across a painting of historical deliverypeople in front of a boulangerie in the Petit Palais, and thought about their valuable service to society.
c) “I enjoyed a café latte there”
It was €6.
d) “a small restaurant for Tunisian street food,”
A part of me wanted to mention the Senegalese restaurant ‘Le Petit Dakar’ too, but I thought it was best to keep the references simple and uncluttered. I could also have mentioned the Brazilian boutique clothing store, or the sushi restaurant, the Japanese bubble tea shop, the Museum of Magic, the wine shop and restaurant from the region of the Pyrenees which was staffed by a Moldovan person, the Central Russian Yiddish restaurant, Krispy Kreme, Desigual, ‘Kosher Pizza’, the Vietnamese café, the little library with a large map of Paris on its back wall, the statue of a child (or was it an angel) above a body of water, and other discoveries.
e) “a micro-park dedicated to a gay man, the Carnavalet Museum (a pleasure to photograph from outside, and also brimming with beauty on the inside)”
The micro-park was just opposite the Carnavalet Museum, which is about the history of Paris. There was a temporary exhibition on Agnes Varda, one of whose films I have seen and enjoyed, but there were so many people queueing to see it that I decided to give it a miss. I would later recognise the name of one of the prominent personalities of Paris represented in the Carnavalet Museum bestowed upon the street I was having lunch on: Madame Sevigné was an upper class person known for their letters during their life-long residence in Le Marais.
f) “a highly regarded crêpe restaurant where I had a salad with sliced gallette rolls on my first visit and a gallette with foie gras on my last”
At La Ciderie du Marais, I ordered a ‘Nordic Salad’ which was so good that I had the same dish the next day: the gallette rolls were filled with smoked salmon, cream cheese and lettuce.
On the third day I remembered a recommendation from my hotel receptionist to try foie gras, and I enjoyed it very much. It had a light beige colour, a smooth and delicate texture, and a subtle flavour. (Unfortunately, I have since learnt that it’s produced in an unethical way, and now I will think twice about having it again.)
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Please note that I will be adding photos to this post in about a week or two! I can’t do this on my smartphone due to some technical complications, but I will be returning to Sydney soon… so remember to come back! :)
