Monday memories...getting around Paris

Keeping my time filled these days without feeling sad is a challenge when

I'm here at home alone. Of course Griff took up a lot of the space and an allotted amount

 of specific time for walks, meals, ear rubs, conversations on world politics and art, etc...

So today I'm escaping this grey Monday and going back to Paris,
 (where apparently it's a grey Monday there today as well)

 where life was sunny and everyday was a new adventure.

My daughter works from her home office in Paris, so I would get up early

and have a bite to eat and a cup of tea while planning my day away from the flat...

 I loved how the yogurt you buy in the shops comes either in little glass jars 

or these pretty little terra cotta ones...

 I brought about a dozen of them home! Empty of course...that yogurt is super rich and creamy...

...the French take their dairy products very serious!

Then it was off to the Metro, guide book, map, cell phone, camera and water bottle in hand.

Paris is super easy to get around in with the miles and miles of tracks of the Metro.

It's a bargain too. I would buy a day pass for about $7CDN and go wherever I wanted.

Sometimes I would just get off at a random stop and head up the stairs to see what was above...

One stop is in Montmarte...the famous art nouveau Metro stations designed by Hector Guimard and is one of only two original glass covered entrances left in Paris.

 The structure was actually located at the Hotel d'Ville and moved in 1974 to this location...

 Love the red glass in the light standards...which is kind of funny because just

around the corner are some kinda...ahem...sketchy,

 adult themed neighborhoods, if you know what I mean...

This was a neighbourhood I visited several times, full of funky shops, cafes and art galleries.

It was the area where the movie 'Amalie' was filmed... 

 The famous cabaret La Moulin Rouge is just up the street a ways.

 Picasso, Dali, Van Gogh, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Josephine Baker all called this place home as well as many more famous and infamous souls...

 Oh, and if you run out of water, just refill it from one of these lovely drinking

water fountains located all over Paris...

The other unique Metro Station is Palais Royal located near The Louvre Museum...

 Like a jewelled midway ride!

 All glass and metal soldered together to form the most striking display, especially on a sunny day!

Of course you can always get around on a bike.

Travelling and don't have one? No problem!

Just sign up for the Velib' bike rental program and for next to nothing you can

take a bike and leave it at the next lock up station...

 I love this system and had a few really good rides around Paris. 

I mean, what can feel more Parisian than riding a bike down past the book sellers?!!

 Along the Seine... or anywhere for that matter!

Personally I would NOT want to drive around Paris...it's winding, crazy streets made me dizzy at times and don't even get me started on the massive roundabouts or my troubles with google maps!

...But just say for a moment you could...

How fun would it be to have one of these?...

 ...or this...

 ...got some baguettes to deliver?...

...furniture to move?...

...shopping with this sweet little number could be fun...

 ...fixer upper...cheap at the Les Puces (flea market)

Whatever method you choose, don't forget to stop for a treat on the way!

a bientôt!