Above: View from Belle Ville Park shows the Paris skyline including the Eiffel Tower.
I thought revisit Sacre Coeur today but Marie took me for another “real Paris” outing. We took the bus to Belle Ville park in the northeast and walked back down. The walk back down was a mix of African, Asian and Middle Eastern areas. I was told Roma-looking (or gypsy) people have now entered the mix; many of their women are selling second or third-hand goods. They had set up shop in the middle of the boulevard, set aside for morning markets.
The cops came and kicked the goods around gently. Without saying a word, one copy picked up a box of the goods and put it in the patrol car and drove off. I think it was the only box of goods that looked new in plastic wrap. I suppose it was their way of saying “you’re not allowed to sell here”. I thought in most developed countries you’d have to give some kind of receipt for confiscated goods? Don’t get me wrong … I love the place. But the yesterday and today have given me a real-world view of Paris.
Over dinner Marie and I talked about the possibility of future travels together in France or maybe even me stay put for a while … in the same way we’ve done in Yemen and in the same way she’ll be doing in Auckland soon. Kul shai mumkin! (Arabic for “Everything is possible”.)
PS. These photos are from my phone-camera and aren’t very good … my real camera went to London with Kim.
From here, the best of France and the USA come together in one picture. You can see the Eiffel Tower through the haze at the end of the street and McDonald’s golden arches at this end.