Bon jour, mes amies,
The title of the post was meant to be Opera Garnier, but this has been that kind of trip. It was closed today. I got a good look at the outside and took a photo, but I'll have to go back another day. As it happens I have never been inside.
I am sorting myself out before the stage begins. They will be back on the mainland of Italy.
I chose the Opera because it's on this side of the river, and while longish, the walk to it was flat and simple--just go down Rue Saint Honore and turn onto Avenue de la Opera, and one cannot miss the target. It's that huge, ornate building at the end of the street.
But I started out the day with a trip to the Bourse where I could find my bank's French partner. I like that particular place because I can go inside to use the ATM. As it happens there was another branch on Avenue de la Opera, but I did not know that.
Avenue de la Opera is also lined with high end chocolate shops. These stores are beautiful as are the wares, and correspondingly expensive. I just licked the windows, but it would be rude to come to France and not eat their chocolate, and you know I am nothing but polite.
So after walking nearly all around that gigantic building, I found the ticket office closed. Well, bummer. But wait! All is not lost. Raising my eyes I saw that I was a block away from Galeries La Fayette. I made my way there. Now I actually did not go into the main department store. Instead I attended the food hall. Oh My Goodness. The Galeries have really stepped up their game. It's gorgeous and comprehensive and could rival Harrods. There's a grocery store downstairs where the fruit, veg, wine, cheese, etc. are. The ground floor is specialty counters, and yes, I did buy something. But pretty much anything your heart desired including caviar is on offer. Legendary chef Alain Ducasse has his own brand of chocolate now. The displays of everything are highly tempting and also pricey, but the quality is of the highest.
When I woke up this morning I realized I was Out Of Cheese--a horrid state of affairs that could not be allowed to continue. I was willing to cheat on Rue Montorgueil with Galeries La Fayette, but they did not have the cheese I wanted, so I came home via my favorite cheese shop on the Rue. I really like Rocamador, but I could not find it when I first got here. I wonder if it's a seasonal product. It's a young goat cheese that comes in delicate disks. I even eat the rind. I also got some Valencay because I love it so much.
I noticed in my wanderings an unusual police presence on the streets and coming home there were armed guards (with very serious looking weapons) who were patrolling the park around the Les Halles shopping center. I'm guessing there was some kind of terrorist threat, but no one seemed to be concerned and we all carried on.
I am having a far more luxurious apero than usual. I have olives with herbes de Provence, a disk of Rocamador, some foie gras, and a dolmas--I picked a few up at the Galeries. There was a counter of Mediterranean Delights that simply screamed mezze or apero or whatever version takes your fancy.
Now for some bike racing.
A demain
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