Landing in London?

So, let's recap: arriving in London at 5 o'clock. It was raining and cold, the shops and toilets were closed. I drank wine and read Thomas Mann in the dark until 10 o'clock, respectively. 

Then, I bought a croissant filled with pudding (o! English!) and walked to central london. 

Waiting for my host, who was in the hospital, I walked from Starbucks to Starbucks - and there are more shops than in Seattle. 

And:

By sunset, I caught a train to John's Christmas party!

Not Dead Yet!

Realizing that I haven't updated in a long while, I write this to proclaim: I am not dead quite yet!

Here's another photo!

Sending Gifts is Expensive!!

Today, I packed up my backpack and left Rue Galilee for the Bastille. The monument itself did not meet my lofty expectations, a tiny remembrance of such large events- in the middle of a roundabout, no less! 

However, the streets surrounding the Bastille are delightful: full of punks, students and other interesting sorts of people. The food is also cheap and delicious. 

I ate another beurre sucree crepe today!

Then, I walked all the way down the Seine to Shakespeare Co. and a few other booksellers. 

Also, here is a picture of the metro I don't use often enough:

Along the Seine, near the Latin Quarter, I bought a few books on Sartre and Wilde. 

And another crepe! Because sugar doesn't really nourish, but for a euro-fifty-?!

Walking down to Saint-Germain, I encounter a board game shop:

Alas! No Summoner Wars!

And finally, I walked back to the center for the gamer-bar. 

Cats in the Catacombs

As my last full day in Paris, I visited the gorgeous catacombs!

Dates of stone extraction (quarries) are marked in the tunnel walls. 

And street names and epitaphs and poems and information of the history are likewise carved into the walls. 

Here are a few pictures of the tunnels and bones:

And the historic layering of rock:

A Night of Crepes

Searching for delicious crepes is very difficult - they are easy to find on any busy street. The traditional galettes are much more rare - but I found one called 'La Creperie du Josselin' in Montparnasse. 

The crepe itself is deeply fried and tastes of burnt cheese. It is filled with traditional ingredients and topped with another (prespun) crepe. 

And the menu picture:

Next, I walked all the way to another well known Creperie: 'Pot O'Lait'

Cute and family-oriented, it offered very friendly service. 

And yes, that is sorbet on top with cherries in a chaud sauce. The crepe itself was unsweetened and filled only with a layer of butter. This made it taste very similar to a breakfast pancake. 

Saturday Crowd-Dodging

Waking late on Saturday morning, as every good Parisian does (my host avers), I quickly prepared for a day of fighting tourists. I decided to visit the Tour Eiffel as is expected of everyone. 

And the crowd:

Alors, rather than wait in line for a view I enjoyed at Montmartre, I walked to the Dome!

Le Dome is a cafe oft mentioned and featured in both Sartre's and Beavoire's novels. 

It is a place where smoking, people-watching, and writing is very comfortable (like most brasseries and cafés).