“Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul.” - Oscar Wilde
What a joy the Saturday markets were! Walking up to the Organic outdoor markets with the rain drizzling down the sweet smell of waffles and crepes greeted us. Each store was rich in an abundance of colour and succulent looking produce. If only I was more confident speaking French I would of bought something from every store, with the help of Aunty C and Uncle G I bought some olives….the girl behind the store offering samples and successfully up-selling her wares. We lined up for some roast chickens…not exactly like, “Red Rooster”, the chickens twirled on the rotisserie as the chicken fat dribbled down over the roasting vegetables below, the delicious smells were divine. People were everywhere buying their weekly shopping, vegetables, fish, meat, bread, oysters, cakes….so much to take in. Kids whizzing past on scooters, old ladies tottering about with their good hats on and families pulling behind huge trolley bags full of their purchases. When we got home we sat in the kitchen, round the wooden table and tasted the sweet tomatoes, all different colours and shapes and more delicious then chocolate – almost- the pop of juice as I bit into one, my whole mouth filled with the pure taste of joy.
That’s the thing about Paris, so much to see, do, taste, the senses are on overdrive, making your brain alive too. The more you see, the more you want to know. Each time you learn something new, it opens up more doors, introduces new flavours, textures, styles, words, thoughts. To live so voraciously, with such an appetite and to have such a rich world full of new experiences constantly moving past – each moment, every time one turns around another morsel of joy, another intricate picture full of nuances and splendour.
Visited the Marais in the afternoon. Tres trendy and cool neighbourhood full of clothing stores, bought myself a pretty cute frock, a Paris original, you know. The buildings were old and beautiful, each one with such an immense history, some held stories of Kings, Queens, mistresses, magic, gossips, scandals….you got to love a good scandal. 
In the evening the Aunt, Uncle and Cousin A went out for dinner, so I hit the streets alone, checking out the Place de Clichy. The Moulin’s blades spun around as toursits stood in front of the famous red building for their perfect shots. The “Live Sex Show” neon lights from adjacent buildings flashed and the street which seems perfectly normal in daylight took on a seedier nature, not that I am adverse to the seedy side of life but wasn’t really feeling the vibe. I turned up and down streets trying to find the perfect bistro for my evening meal. The end choice was decided on my need for the loo. ‘Le table de cliche’ was ‘traditional creole franco’ restaurant. Felt it was going to be special when the waiter/owner asked me if I spoke French and after hearing “Non,” proceeded to let me know what he’d be serving me for my dinner. Hard to explain, just trust me it was yum. The real highlight of the evening was the chocolate mousse! Every decedent mouthful was a spiritual experience, so smooth and chocolatey, even now trying to describe is making my mouth water. How could I describe tasting tomatoes with chocolate…was I on drugs!
Top it off Angus and Julia Stone – “And the Boys”, “It’s just safer to keep you n this heart of mine” ….AND half of it was in French. Very cool.
