Paris, France -day 3

So needless to say this morning was a write off. We were not up before 10 after our big day of activity. We headed down to the local café for a quick cappuccino (as quick as possible, you are still required to sit or stand and drink…no “to go” coffee in France).  

We went to the market and picked up some meat, cheese, fruit, and falafel and some wine and cider at the grocery store. We stopped at the pharmacy for toothpaste and contact solution and headed back to eat at our flat. Felt like we were actually ‘living’ in Paris.

We were moving very slowly.

We wanted to go to Sacre Coeur and Montmartre today, then head to Centre Pompideau. We wasted about 40 minutes going from bike station to bike station looking for a bike that worked. Eventually we had to choose one destination and went with Centre Pompideau. We finally found as station that could connect to a server and got two bikes that were a little worse for wear. After changing up the bikes for better ones, we were hot, tired and agitated and in need of a beverage. We found a place, and had a beer and a Gin Fizzzzz. 

It was much needed. We walked down the road to Centre Pompideau, where towering multicoloured pipes cover a bright blue factory style building.

Tickets were 13.50 € pp. We went to the Roy Lichtenstein exhibit first. It was very cool to see half tone evolve over time.

Next to his exhibit was Simon Hintai, another very cool artist with more of dark side.

We explored another floor, and were very tired again. Time to eat!

Shay had found a few restaurants on Yelp with good reviews. One made us come back at 7:45. So we went for another drink and came back. His restaiarant looked like a little stone and wood hut inside. He had a fixed menu with very few choices. It was mostly game meats and fish, so I wasn’t super keen. We decided to go to the second place, which was supposed to be a good thai restaurant.  It is down a little alley that is bustling with people drinking and smoking on the street outside of one café or another. This place was called Villa Papillon, and had a flamboyantly homosexual staff. It seemed to be a young eccentric neighbourhood, so it was nice to sit and eat there. Our table was right outside, like most patio style tables, they are on the street. Very few cars come down this street, and if they do they come slowly, trying to dodge the drinkers and smokers who have stumbled on to it.

Our appetizer was an assortment plate. For 17 Euros it was quite disappointing. There were three different things to try. They were nothing special. We ordered a chicken stir fry and green curry. Both were 14-15 euros and did not include rice, which they charged another 4 euros each for. The portions were very small. The food was ok. It was slightly over cooked and severely over salted. We finished up and wanted to head home, as we were quite tired. Luckily our bill ended up being smaller then we expected because they forgot to charge us for our drinks. Had the meal not felt like robbery, I would have spoken up. 

We headed home and walked through the Republique. They were setting up a big festival in the circle. It was going to be a celebration between two of the art schools. There was a big stage going up and lots of stands. Looked like fun.

We made it home and got ready for bed. We would not be sleeping tonight. Our very lively neighbourhood is especially lively on Friday nights. The pervious nights we were home late, or at least only heard a lot of noise up until 1. Tonight the noise continued well past three. Oh well. I wouldn’t have changed the place. It was a great neighbourhood! Nice to know we could go out all night and walk across the street to get home if we wanted to.