Rue de Nevers (Paris, France) Friday Evening

copyright 2011 Lisa B. Falour, B.S., M.B.A. all rights reserved LISA, INC. (EURL) cutecatfaith.com

It was a bit crazy what we did, to drive into Paris on a Friday evening just before "La Rentrée" (back to school, back to work) at the end of August. Traffic was jammed at points but we went through a big, grungy part of Paris, shown on other clips, full of prostitutes and sweatshops. Human misery. Prostitutes are often found in black hair salons, appearing to wait for appointments, but in fact, there to be picked up. The whole "Sébastapol" area, or whatever it is called these days, is full of dirty passages, the buildings are full of decorative motifs but sooty, and it's not at all "chic." This is not far from Les Halles.

We always seem to find free, legal parking right by the River Seine and here, we walk down Rue de Nevers, starting through a grand arch. Across the Seine, you can see many fine buildings with beautiful terraces full of plants and flowers.

We enjoy going to see old movies, and have a subscription to a series of revival houses. Attendance is usually good, and the subscription price is quite low. You get a loyalty card and a free pass every ten visits, but the window of opportunity is relatively short -- two months, I think.

Rélais Christine is a four-star hotel across from the movie house, which has two screening rooms, and it's quite fascinating to watch the well-heeled traffic come and go. This evening, fancy, discreet cars dropped off groups of Asiatics (they looked Japanese to me) to dine at "Le Christine." Someone from the restaurant was expecting the car and greeted and escorted the guests inside. Fancy taxis blocked the narrow street while they dropped off travelers to the Rélais, or waited for new fares to appear (it is forbidden to hail cabs in most of France -- you must phone or go to a hack stand). It didn't seem to bother anyone -- most of the streets are narrow and one-way, it is forbidden to honk your horn in France, and when people see the way is blocked they tend to back off, perhaps to wait and try later.

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[SadCarnage1224]

Very Claustrophobic nice country

[CuteCatFaith]

@SadCarnage1224 Yes, I've never cared for living right in inner cities, though that is what the wealthy do here (and they have a country place). Manhattan drove me nuts & I was happier in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, NY. I prefer to live in Paris Saint-Denis, which has a border contiguous with that of Paris. More sky around me, space, just suits me better. I like near-inner-city best. I encourage people to get to the outskirts of Paris to get a little air!

[amy2x]

I noticed English on the sign outside "The Highlander". Is that legal?

[CuteCatFaith]

@amy2x Good question. For their pub sign, no problem, but when they post public ads in English, they have to add an asterix and put the translation in French below. I guess that as a password to get into this place, they could ask CAN YOU PRONOUNCE IT? No French speaker could ever pronounce "the highlander," ha ha!  When there is a "happy ending" they say "le 'appy end" and I tell them this means a beautiful death! Ha ha ha!

[valhala56]

Looks like an Alley, a nice alley that I would be happy to call home. Hey the weather must have cooled off, your spouse is sporting a leather coat.

[CuteCatFaith]

@valhala56 I hope you noticed, it is pretty darn peaceful here. The big streets are noisy, there are a lot of scooters. Europeans often live in densely populated areas because they wish to keep the lands forested and for farming, so everyone has to make an effort to be considerate. Switzerland fascinates me, I consider it extreme actually but I have learned a lot from visits there. Talk about discretion and privacy and cleanliness, oy! xo

[slobomotion]

@JoeCavy4 He's always just gone walking ahead on his own. In the days when he'd walk next to me, he'd grab my boobs in public and do stuff like that. I couldn't help it, I always broke out laughing! He's been on another planet since he quit drinking and smoking about a decade ago. Dry drunk. Also, VERY Parisian. Total mental case. Ever meet a guy with both anorexia and bulimia? Here 'tis! xo

[JoeCavy4]

Oh, that is your husband. I'm thinking, why is she walking down an ally? What if that guy is a creep? lol I would love to get a motorcycle or scooter for my commute to work. Here in the metro Detroit area that would be a certain death sentence though. Every drives like they're Batman.

[babaloo42]

maybe your spouse secretly LIKES being filmed. i hate to be filmed so i dont walk in front of the camera ever. im always trailing behind and making sure im not on film. :O )

--- he may hope your always looking up with the camera

---wow those are some gorgeous buildings.

--- the high traffic area wasn't so bad either but like you say most are on their holiday

[CuteCatFaith]

@valhala56 It was really cool. I had on a hat and a shawl and there was a windbreaker coat in The Dinkmobile for me, just in case. It is normal for the heat to break in Paris on August 15. My first Summer here, I was chilled a lot, even in late August, and found that weird cuz I am not a "chilly" person. People wear scarves and carry "a wrap" for good cause here. My first visit to Rome, I caught a fever just like Daisy Miller! Had no wrap after the afternoon sun and heat.