Paris: Day Three

Today was a bit rough.  Steve was sick and bedridden for the entire day and night.  I finally woke up and got out of bed at 1 pm Paris time.  The day was passing me by.  I finally got out of the apartment to meet David at Galerie 88 for a small lunch and, of course, tea.  

When I was here in 2002, my favorite memory was tasting tea for the first time and falling in love with it.  Such ceremony here and lovely tea service (as well as coffee service at the end of every meal, too).  I was introduced on that trip to the wonderful and oh so very fragrant shop of Mariage Freres.  It is an experience to walk into their storefront, peruse the finest in tea ware, admire the men in crisp white linen suits weighing out the loose teas and packaging everything up in such beautiful ceremony.  I even went so far as to look into carrying their teas at Gourmet au Bay, but the red tape was too much to cut through and we abandoned that idea.  Today I stocked up on tea and sucre and hoped to return for tea service here later in the week.

We strolled through the Marais and David pointed out landmarks and facts.  He is the consummate host and tour guide and I am forever indebted to him for his kindness and willingness to show us around and help us get from Point A to Point B with minimal fuss.

As David and I said our goodbyes for the afternoon, I started to make my way through the the square in front of the Hotel Deville.  All of a sudden the sky cracked opened, lightning and thunder shuddered through the city and I was completely and utterly soaked.  I ran as fast as I could towards the apartment and realized what a crazy woman I must have looked like.  Not one inch of me was dry when I finally arrived and trudged up three flights of stairs.  I had to laugh at myself.  Why didn't I duck into a cafe? or a store?

I spent the rest of the evening eating leftover cheese and wine from the night before and reading My Life in France by Julia Child.  Steve is sleeping the evening away.  Such a shame, but I hope the rest he's getting helps him get better for our adventure to Bordeaux tomorrow.  We shall see.