Lost in Paris

 Three days walking around in Paris, meeting some great people and getting lost.

Headless man depicted in Notre Dame.

And I buy yet another beret, in the city of berets. Which I naturally lost in the airport coming home.

Pretty city.

Pilgrimage to Shakespeare & Co.

James at Shakespeare & Co, in spirit if not in person. The place made me miss him even more. And Gotham Book Mart and Tompkins Square Books.

Canal St. Martin by night. I think this was my favorite Paris neighborhood.

Got lost looking for the Canal on Day 2, ended up in Villette, where I found this market.

Sausages.

Paris collage.

Okay, it's pretty. But I'm not enough of a tourist to go and climb the darn thing.

Seems to be a required pic, Eiffel tower in the background.

Houseboats on the Seine.

What is up with the locks in Paris? Anyone know? Saw a bridge that was full of them too.

Golden asses. 

The Musee d'Orsay. Got there at 4:15 to get the reduced fare ticket, which left me only an hour to hike through the place. Gawked at some Van Goghs and was impressed by some impressionists.

Got lost in the Invalides looking for Rue de Vernueil and found the Taiwan consulate.

Cafe L'Empire on Rue de Vernueil. Well worth getting a little rained on and walking in circles to find this street and this great inexpensive restaurant.

Paris still life with duck confit.

Dinner at Jim Hayne's atelier for his birthday.

The birthday boy and blondes.

Jim Haynes and me.

Jim surrounded by women.

Cathy and her husband Yves. Way back in 1978, she was staying at Jim's and liked to cook, so they began having dinner parties on Sunday nights. They are still having parties every Sunday only now it's like 60-80 people.

Glad to have a chance to get to know everyone in a more intimate gathering.

Happy birthday, Jim.

Jim invited me to stay over his place and the next day, after I moved into that lofted area with the beams, I helped him prepare for the Sunday night dinner. About sixty people did show up. 

Jim's philosophy of life.

Last day in Paris. Wandered Montmartre and had lunch at the cemetary.

I'm not enough of a celebrity gawker to really hunt for famous people alive or dead. Took a little look for the Goncourt Brothers and for Francois Truffaut but couldn't find them. Alexandre Dumas (fils) was an easy find but damn is his tomb ever tacky. Well, maybe that suits the writer of La Dame aux Camelias. I much prefer his dad. First novel that made me realize what writing could be was The Count of Monte Cristo.

Lost Unicorn posters are also in Paris!

Went up the hill to get this shot of a Montmarte windmill and got lost. Again. Only this time I had a train to catch to Amsterdam.