beautiful Paris morning

8:19 Thursday morning-Paris
It's beautiful here this morning.  The sun has just peaked over the corner of the apartment building

and pigeons coo in the background.  I can hardly type for wiping fresh fig and cherry juice from my fingertips---or spreading yesterday's purchase from our stroll along rue Mouffetard near the Pantheon of Androuet Gratte paille double-cream cheese on my golden brown, paper thin layer croissant.

A gentle breeze blows the white sheer curtains to the left of the antique desk-computer workstation.

Yesterday, after an 8AM flight arrival at Paris CDG airport, a somewhat slow taxi ride along the grafitti branded, congested highway, I arrived at the flat in the Marais. Martha and Jerry greeted me with open arms, flowers, gifts, fruit, cheese and pain au chocolat.

Eager to explore, we soon ventured out across the Seine (Welcome Back to Paris, Gale!) and into the Latin Quarter. Shakespeare and Company sits within view of Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris.

As we walk upon the worn ceramic tile floor and through the very narrow corridors of the English bookstore, Shakespeare and Company, we admire the wooden beams above and stacks upon stacks of crisp new and dusty old books all around, and imagine Hemmingway walking the same steps.

The Latin Quarter is a maze of narrow curving streets lined on both sides with outdoor cafes.  Small window openings offer freshly made crepes smeared with Nutella.  Centuries old churches walled with beautiful stained glass windows stand guard over the narrow streets and all those who walk thereon.

We lunched at Terroir Parisien around 3PM-- goat cheese selections, french onion soup, asparagus salad and pork/fried egg/salad

We dined at the Clown Bar a couple of doors away from the Circus around 9PM-house made pate, bone marrow, young male chicken leg, potatoes, and pork tenderloin
We walked home from the Metro along the narrow streets bathed in the last fleeting light of the day at 10:15PM, while the sidewalk cafes were alive with patrons.

A faint glow of light at 11PM shown through the bedroom window as I finally laid my head and weary body to rest after a first glorious day in Paris.

I saw first light this morning around 6AM, thought how beautiful that would be through the lens of the camera...turned over and slept a little longer.