Flower day
Tuesday, 13 March 2018
We took the Metro underground and made a connection to an above-ground tram, which meant we had a view! We rode oh-so-quietly along the Seine downstream, picked a station to hop off, and headed toward the Bois de Boulogne—a huge park that once was a hunting preserve outside the city, much like Windsor was to London. In 1783, this was where the first Montgolfier hot-air balloon was flown untethered. In 1814, after Napoleon’s defeat, abdication, and exile to Alba, 40K British and American troops camped here, cutting down trees and otherwise intensively occupying the landscape, leaving it quite ravaged. The park was created in the 1850s. The builders installed an extensive irrigation system with pipes going everywhere. Crews planted lawns, meadows, and 420K trees (says Wikipee).
We encountered this sign above a restaurant not far from the trolley station. I thought that’s not the kind of place I want to eat…rather have the not-bones part of the fish….
We crossed the Seine safely on a vehicle-busy bridge, then continued downstream.
We passed this building undergoing rehab, slowly. Interesting architectural details.
Here, outside the paving stones and micro-mananged enviroment on the old city, I found wildflowers! Fleur jaune.
Tiny fleur bleu.
Fleur mauve.
We left the Bois and passed over this almost-moat and into a garden—jardin.
The main part was a large central conservatory (the palm house, natch), and six flanking arch-topped greenhouses in two trios.
Fleurs rouge.
Fleurs blancs.
Fleurs jaunes.
Then, we turned back toward the apartment. First, we passed through a poets’ corner…this is Jean Moréas (1856–1910), who was born to an Athens family and originally named Ioannis A. Papadiamantopoulos. He came to Paris to study law. I think of him as Mr. Moustache.
Back in our neighborhood, we made a quick store stop (milk for coffee!), and I found this carefully packed box of white button mushrooms (champignons de Paris), stunningly aesthetic and appealing.
Okay, food pick—tonight’s quiche foursome. Plus salad.