Canal Saint Martin in Paris
Bonjour,
Yesterday was wash day again. Our washing machine is quite good, and I’m beginning to figure out how to use the dryer part so as to avoid the lavomatic down the street. To get clothes completely dry like at home takes 2 hours per load! It really becomes a commitment around which to build your day.
Amid the washing, I tried to get on-line tickets to everything we’re going to do with Sharon and Johnny Tyson who arrive bright and early tomorrow. In the easy days of the past, you just walked up to whatever you wanted to see or do and bought your ticket on site. That’s not possible any longer. Everything since COVID requires an advance ticket with a specific date and time. No problem, you say! Well, the French web sites are not the easiest to navigate. It took us over an hour to get 4 tickets to Giverny! The web site would not accept our mobile number, no matter how we configured it. Finally, Bernie got lucky, got into the system and was able to purchase the tix. Of course, you then have to find them all on your phone since we have no printing capability. The world is definitely for the young and technically adept!!
After a quick sandwich in the apartment, we walked to Canal Saint Martin just past the Place de la Republique. It’s a totally new area for us. My observation was “where are the churches?” None that we have seen anywhere around us. Bernie had perfect directions and we ironically entered the canal by God street, rue Dieu.
We’ve been to the Canal several times but never on this section. Bernie was amazed how few people were around. We believe that “vacance” or vacation time has kicked in for the city. That’s fine with us as there will be fewer mobs; also fewer Americans as schools begin to start in the States. We walked about a mile and then turned around. Enjoy our stroll.
The air quality in Paris right now is horrible. Their word for it is “deteriorated” on the weather app on my phone. There has been such a little bit of rain; the dust and soot from car exhaust keep a black film on everything. I said to Bernie last night that no one else in our large apartment complex keeps their windows open like we do. I doubt those flats have A/C. They simply want to keep the black dust out! God bless our world as we seem to be drying up and on fire. I saw on the news where Los Vegas is dangerously close to having no safe drinking water. Yikes!
Sharon has alerted me from NYC that her phone is not working so almost immediately we’ll be off to the Apple store to get her operational. Ain’t travelin’ fun!
L & B
July 30, 2022 @ 10:50 am
There’s always something magical about water. The stroll was much fun and felt cooler to us than it probably did to you. Have fun with friends and technology!
July 30, 2022 @ 3:08 pm
It was 85 yesterday so probably would have been smarter to do our stroll about 7:30.
July 30, 2022 @ 11:22 am
Love the Place de la Republic photo. I was there on my last day and of course took a pic but did not know the name. Now I do!
So many more places I want to see on my next visit!
July 30, 2022 @ 3:07 pm
But you guys did amazingly well in a short time.
July 30, 2022 @ 12:31 pm
Enjoyed your strolling photos. Looking forward to your adventures with Sharon and John.
July 30, 2022 @ 1:52 pm
Oh the complexities of overseas travel, but you seem to manage it as well as possible. C’est la vie!!! We’re finally getting a little relief today, high 85. But back up next week. I agree- our earth is burning up. Some friends insist no global warming, only cyclical. It’ll change eventually. Yea, right.
July 30, 2022 @ 3:05 pm
It was 87 here today. Just need some rain to cleanse the air!
July 30, 2022 @ 3:22 pm
I love the urinal au femme! High time we are accommodated! Did you get to see any boats traversing the locks on the Canal? That is always fun. We love strolling the canal Saint-Martin from one end to the other and watching the low bridges open up for boats as well as the locks. Fun people watching!
July 30, 2022 @ 4:21 pm
No, we didn’t get to see any boats go through the locks. We were at the “lower” end near us and want to go back around where they do the beach. Maybe we can do that together!
July 30, 2022 @ 3:43 pm
Love all the canal photos. Laundry! Oh my!
July 30, 2022 @ 4:08 pm
Same here. No measurable rain in the cove in over a month.
July 30, 2022 @ 4:12 pm
Enjoyed the pics today! Have. Fun with your guests!
July 30, 2022 @ 4:20 pm
How’s everything with your gang? I know Andrew is getting excited! Give him our love.
July 30, 2022 @ 4:14 pm
We were in Paris in March visiting our granddaughter who was in a study abroad program. We purchased tickets on line to ride down the canal and got there early but at the wrong pier. We waved as our boat took off without us. There are always travel mishaps!
It was our anniversary, so we went out for dinner instead.
July 30, 2022 @ 4:19 pm
Oh, my that’s too bad! But I hope the dinner was a pleasant substitute. Hope you’re enjoying the dogs in the cafés!
July 31, 2022 @ 1:42 am
We are good…just juggling. Andrew is excited…we are excited, but a little sad at the same time. We will miss him.
August 1, 2022 @ 1:33 am
I again adore the pink flowers- I assume those were fake too? And the Madame PeePee… please tell me you gave it a whirl?! Note that it says no poo 💩 HAHA!!!
August 1, 2022 @ 1:34 am
Oh…can you explain the canal? I’m not familiar. More info please 🙂
August 1, 2022 @ 4:51 am
Google it! It’s just a waterway with all kinds of locks which leads to the Seine which eventually leads to the ocean.