Paris Day 1

Allright, back to the program! So here we are strolling thru the streets of the 5th. Stopping to kiss occasionally cause that's what everyone does! Boulevard St Michel is busy with locals and tourists - lots of people with rolling suitcases, couples - young, old and in-between, working singles moving at a good pace, families. We make sure to keep up with the flow or pull ourselves over to the side when we want to look at something or check our map (discreetly, bien sur) keeping in mind that is is a big, busy city and to stroll mindlessly in front of working people with places to go is not going to make you any friends. I think one of the issues that tourists have with Parisians is that sometimes the tourist doesn't keep this in mind and the French will cluck at you for behaving so rudely and being such a rube. I was so glad that I brought my trench coat - it's a uniform here! Mine has gold lame sleeves (see my profile pic) but most often I saw the typical khaki colored trench and often without the belt being worn, the coat just worn open. I had a reservation for 2 pm at the O'Kari Hammam, a treat I had arranged via email to decompress and kick off the trip. Owned by a lovely woman named Karima - who communicated with me only in french and kindly corrected my email mistakes - the hammam (french for steam bath) is located at 22 Rue Dussoubs in the 2nd Arr. Jake and I took the bus and had a bit of trouble finding the street and then finding number 22. I inquired of an elderly concierge and he so kindly took his big ring of keys, locked his big wooden doors and walked, in the fine rain that was falling, up and down with us till we spotted number 22. We buzzed the entry and were admitted to the private courtyard. O'Kari is located in the lower level - Karima warmly welcomed me, gave me a robe and a paper thong (!!) and showed me the steam room - gorgeous, tiled and very hot - and the serene blue pool outside the steam room to cool off between taking time in the steam. After I was properly steamed up I had a scrubbing - all over - whilst laying on a marble slab like some sacrificial lamb - and had to will my ever relaxing self not to slide off! The attendant showers you off (the floor has drains) and sends you to the massage room. There I did fall asleep - but I never fell off the table! Afterwards Karima gives you some mint tea and the choice of a pastry. She insists on 3 hours of your time saying that is necessary for one to feel the full effects and to fully relax. I had a nice conversation (conducted in broken English and broken French) in the steam room and again in the tea room with a french woman who actually called her daughter so that the daughter could talk with me and impress me with her good English :) Back in the fine rain I walked back to the hotel, again with a little help from some kind strangers. Seriously - if you ask, in your best French, they will stop and pull out a map from their pocket (happened more than once) and practically walk you there. Jake had done some exploring and cafe sitting while I was gone and now we went around the corner to a small resto for some dinner. My appetite was very dull and I had the onion soup which was just ok; Jake felt the same way about the mussels he ordered but we didn't care we were in Paris! Back to Hotel De Suez - very comfortable, clean and with the best reception staff - so friendly and helpful. Also terrific bathrooms - the shower was divine and the commodes have 2 buttons - 1 for #1 and 2 for #2 - very eco and not what you hear normally hear about European bathroom facilities. As a matter of fact all our hotels/apartments while there had excellent bathroom facilities. If you have any questions or want more details on anything just ask. xo, La