Paris Je t'aime! Day Two Highlights

* We wake up and realize it's Sunday, which means most of Paris will be closed for the day. This is a tad problematic as said closures include supermarkets and several restaurants. So I flip through some of suggestions shared by Parisian-based blogger Jordan of Oh Happy Day! and we opt to hit up the open market.

*Mere and I metro over to the Eiffle Tower to find the market. We find instead several break dance performances (I find out that Mere was a breaker in a past life. Who knew?), the remanents of the something called the Paris-Versailles Le Grande Classique, and something else called the Famillathon.

*We even come across the pools in front of the l'Ecole Militaire, which appears to be quite popular with the locals.

*What we don't find is the market (which, I figure out later, was at least one stop before the Tower. Sorry, Mere!) This doesn't change the fact that we're both starving, so we sit down at a local cafe for brunch. Mere has an AMAZING dish that consists of artichokes and chanterelle mushrooms lovingly bathed in butter and chives, while I did into a salad and a roasted avocado.

*We walk back towards the tower. On the way, we come across a photography exhibit outside along the Seine. We take our time looking at each country's contribution.*Home again! Of course, it's a bit unnerving when we pass some 4 or so vans full of armed police en route. They're just standing around for the moment, chatting. There doesn't appear to be any crisis. For now...

*Since cooking at home is out, Mere and I take a look online for some dinner ideas. We find a place suggested by another blog, HiP Paris. The restaurant is actually open on Sundays. Hooray!

*What the hell is that noise? Mere and I look outside. So that's why the police were out and about: There's a street protest taking place! 

*Apparently, there's a fellow named GBagbo who may have been unjustly detained (and taken into custody by French military) in the Cote de Ivoire. The protest is over and out of ear shot within 20minutes.

*Time for wine!

*We make our way to our dinner selection for the evening: Tien Hang. It's hole-in-the-wall joint that serves some 60 vegetarian items, all of which can be prepared as vegan entrees upon request.

*Holy crap this place is AMAZING! I have a black pepper "steak" clay pot that brings a tear to my eye it tastes so good. I also have an order of steamed dumplings and split a spicy papaya salad with Mere. Coconut juice with large shreds of coconut meat to drink. Sticky rice on the side. It's way, way too much food for one person but I persevere.

*We roll out of the restaurant and walk a bit just to aid the digestion process. Also pitching in: a glass of cognac ordered at a bar near the Bastille (Mere opts for champagne). Time to metro home before I fall over again. There's an accordion player at the metro stop. Nice.

THINGS I HAVE NOT SEEN IN PARIS:

1. Mimes
2. Unshaven Ladies
3. Berets

THINGS I HAVE SEEN IN PARIS:

1. Smoking. SO. MUCH. SMOKING.
2. Fashion shows (more on that later)
3. Public Protests
4. Crazies in the Metro/on the Metro
5. Little Dogs
6. Couples mid-Makeout Session
7. Naked Rugby Players on TV (more on that later, too)