Boules and other Paris, France Local Custom Tips

I think this is basically a French game but with obvious variations in other places. It is like a form of bowling except you can toss the ball a long way if you want. I think the guy on the right (in the main photo) is disappointed in this point. Looks like the guy on the right in the second photo is on his cell phone. Either that or he has an ear ache! This game was in the Place des Etats-Unis but they are everywhere these guys can find a bare patch in a park. Maybe next time I will ask if I can join. I did notice in this game there were women and people from non-European ethnic origins - another form of egalite and fraternity.

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When we travel, I usually awaken early and, while my wife does her morning preparations for the day, go and find coffee. I particulaly love doing this in Paris as I experience seeing the city awaken with people on their way to work stopping for a quick baguette and coffee. One morning, I was standing at the counter in a small bar with an expresso when the garbage collectors came by on their morning rounds. The 3 men collected the trash and then came in for coffee. The owner chatted with them and after a few minutes, they had to get back to work. The owner refused payment from them. Now this is no big deal, but Americans pride themselves on being so democratic and I was impressed with this French example. I don't know that they would have been received as cordially in the local Starbucks at home. Maybe we can learn from the French after all!! (I never doubted it)

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I should not have been surprised to see wine tasting offered in the street market, but I was. We went with GUYON to rue Mouffetard for a stroll through the Sunday market which is wonderful. I don't know why anyone in this quartier cooks - you can just get everything you would want here. We did see some people doing serious wine tastings with appropriate reactions - "yum" or "yuck." I missed getting an actual taste, but the man in the photo is ready when you are. This little street has so many delightful shops you could spend all day just looking and eating. Even the buildings are artistically appealing. At the lower end of the street is the Church of St. Medard and graveyard where, in the 18th Century, miracles were reported years ago involving the 'miraculous' healing associated with a leader buried there. Eventually a sign was erected forbidding God from performing miracles here by order of the king. It was probably not official but there is now an official sign denoting the history.

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