Finally Paris ... and More Stairs

This is downtown Paris. A lot of it looks like this. I couldn't stop looking or photographing.

Cops rousting kids downtown. 

We cruised into Paris about 2:30 p.m. (14:30 Parisians will tell you) and it was immediately mesmerizing.

We didn't have a lot of time to get out before dark after we finally found our place and climbed the obligatory two flights of very steep, winding stairs with 4,000 tons of luggage. I hate luggage.

But we did take a run out to a grocery store in the 'hood that was recommended and picked up some goodies for dinner. The neighborhood is African principally and Muslim secondarily. We walked probably seven to 10 blocks and found all kinds of ethnic twists and turns and one thing they all had in common was the presence of cops rousting teenagers. I must have seen four or five sets of three cops with a kid looking embarrassed.

The grocery run was a bit more difficult, since we don't speak French and only one young woman in there did. But we got it all done, cooked ratatouille (I love it), pasta and salad with a wonderful French olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Good first din-din in Par-ee.

Here are a few pix from today.

View from the front apartment gate.

This is Brussels. In a hurry Brussels (as the train sped past).

More downtown Paris.

The buildings are ornate. Nearly all of them.

The streets were full of people at dusk.

I love he look of the woman on the right. One more view below.