Day 9 in Paris

Framboise and citron gelato, the perfect way to end the afternoon.

Welcome to day 9!

Just to set the record we have been eating some vegetables. We have also been sliding in some fresh fruit and yogurt at breakfast time. However, we didn’t come all this way to go low carb, high fibre or sugar-free. We have been eating plenty of things that are supposed to make you fat and yet both my Mom and I feel like we may have lost a pound or two since arriving last week.

French paradox? Maybe.

The thing is we are walking for hours each day and the portion sizes here, whether you are ordering a main dish in a restaurant or buying an ice cream cone on the street, are never too big. I don’t think the French even have a word for “super-size” and I don’t even see a lot of “lite/light” products. Just sensible amounts of real food.

Today after our tour of the Musée d’Orsay where we checked out the Manet exhibit and also saw a staggering array of Impressionist art by such masters as Renoir, Sisely, Cézanne, Monet, Degas, Bonnard et al, we made our way down to a nearby café in Saint Germain and had a late lunch. Mom had a Niçoise salad and I had a salade chèvre chaud (see, vegetables!).

We sat and listened to the thunder and watched the rain pour down for half an hour or so, just long enough to help dampen the sticky, humid heat.

By the time we were done our meal the weather had cleared and a warm wind blew the clouds away and it was sunny once again. Perfect sorbet weather! We strolled down the Seine and made our way to one of the many outposts of the Berthillon ice cream and sorbet chain. Mom bought a rhubarb sorbet to share and we sat on the wall overlooking the river and watched the world go by.

We gingerly walked a few blocks further (due to the blooming of blisters from the full day on our feet) and caught the métro home. Thankfully, tomorrow is supposed to be cooler and even though it is considered déclassé we may both be wearing our flip flops…Still so much exploring to do.