Today, a beautiful sunny Sunday, we went to le marché Richard Lenoir, one of Paris' largest markets and were captivated by the sounds, sights and smells...
Sounds; drummers drumming in the park, vendors beckoning people to their stalls, electoral candidates merits being shared as flyers were handed out, greetings being shared in many languages
Sights; vegetables and fruits shining in the sun,
tablecloths and scarves blowing in the breeze, children trying to drum for the first time, handshakes, smiles, people munching on delicious food they discovered
Smells; from the fishmongers selling fish that I have never seen before, from cheesemongers selling their fragrant cheeses,
of fresh mint sitting at a stall, of les crêpes au sarrasin being prepared fresh at a Breton stand,
of flowers waiting to be bought to be someone's table centerpiece
It was all a veritable feast for the senses, and a gift to be a part of the positive energy of the place!
With hearts full and tummies too(but of course we each indulged in a crêpe sarrasin!),
we wandered back through "our neighbourhood", smiles on our faces.
There have been so many moments of "heart smiles" this month...too many to mention, so perhaps just a few photos to say what words cannot...
"the grass is 'resting' "
the beauty of spring blossoms
the delicious decadence of French pastries
the delight of having a coffee at a sidewalk café
the architecture, history, art and artistic beauty that surrounds and surprises you daily
the sheer joy of street food aka a falafel sandwich from "Chez Hanna" in the Jewish Quarter
the beauty of reconnecting with friends in Beaune, Burgundy where I spent a year teaching 20 years ago
the insanity of French parking in the Place des Vosges even with super tiny Smart cars
It was all so wonderful.
And so we prepare to leave Paris...running free to explore some more of this wonderful world...
Merci, au revoir, et à bientôt!