dads first french train ride

25/3/2008

Today we did rue cler, but more in depth because everything was open. we browsed the cheeses, meats, seafood, pastries... after another coffee and croissant breakfast - this time in various flavors - we visited a few more shops. one a fine food store with teas, chocolates, spices, mustards, oils, vinegars, etc. we looked for the owner pascal, but only saw a cute woman who dad thinks is his wife. i've noticed he really likes to make things up. it makes me wonder if he has lacking friends as a child and if as a result he had to use his imagination a lot! after that it was on to the chocolate store where we had her make an assortment of about 10 different pieces.

check out at the hotel then internet cafe before boarding the train, where we had a fabulous picnic with a salmon and an eggplant panini, various cheeses and crackers, clementines, gingerbread from strasbourg, creme brulee eggs, and wine. dad loves seeing the little towns but was disappointed the tgv didn't run at full speed.

upon arrival at the hotel we saw that it was closed for another 30 minutes so we walked down the street for wine, a very good white for less than half of what we were paying in paris. the hotel was still locked when we got back so we waited about 15 minutes and up pulls this little old grandma... she gets out and starts apologizing that she was at the supermarket and there were lots of people, etc. dad said she'll live to be 100, but wait she's already 98 so she'll live much longer! i agree that she's older than dirt, but she is one of my favorite people on this trip!

she gave us two recommendations for dinner but the first we visited the cathedral - wait for it wait for it - notre-dame! yes, another one. mary is sure a popular lady! after that we stopped for another drink at pickwicks, my new favorite pub.

we chose a restaurant called le comptoir des tontons and picked a 5 course ''walk of burgundy.'' the food was outstanding. some biscuit that would put mr pillsbury to shame, escargot in a creamy basil sauce, the best beef bourguignon in the entire world no joke, a toast with warm cheese, and some sort of sorbet that definitely had pear flavor to it. all the food was organic and i'm starting to wonder if that was the reason for all the great flavors or if it was just the chef. i think both. in all seriousness i have never felt so much emotion with one dish... scared to taste it because it smelled so good, extremely pleased after the first bite, angry after a while when i realized i would never have the same dish again, sad almost to the point of crying when it was done and many others.

dad and i made it back to the hotel in time for curfew (11:30) and tomorrow we have a lot planned... and by a lot i mean mustard and wine. tune in again to find out what happens next!