Home from a long afternoon of hiking – faire de la randonné!

J’ai visite le Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, and it’s an uphill hike on cobblestones, cement steps, etc. Our guide was wonderful. He was as interested in the flora/fauna and the many wild animals that have made the cemetery their home over the centuries. He’s an avid photographer and raconteur.

Les renards, beaucoup d’oiseaux (les chouettes, les corneilles), les chats, etc.

There were so many crows! I was in heaven! They are Corneille in Paris, not Corbeau, according to our guide. They are delightful and playful, and they like to imitate sounds. So, periodically, walking around, you’d hear them mimicking the stereotypical French Ambulance siren, or a cell phone sound. It was adorable, and they fit in so well with the surroundings.

I am so used to the métro now, so I’m beyond feeling proud of myself, yet there are still memorable moments. For example, today, as I looked up at the “map” showing which stations we would pass through, I thought for a moment I had boarded the wrong train. I hopped off at the next stop, got my bearings and realized, nope… that was the right train. Lol! So I stood there and got on the next train, 3 minutes later. One of the guides from Alliance Française said this makes it official – I’m a Parisian.

As we rode home together, I told her I have to count how many arrondissements I’ve visited in Paris. Il y a vingt arrondissements à Paris, et j’en ai visité plus de la moitié.

Tomorrow night, I have the ballet performance. Il y a 1,979 places dans l’Opera de Paris, and I was lucky to get one ticket weeks in advance. Even with that, I couldn’t get a true center seat. Bravo!

À bientôt!