Settled in and over jet lag

We’re to the point now that everything is unpacked and we understand how the appliances work.  We had to Google English language owners’ manuals. We needed those earlier than we’d thought because it’s been so warm (T shirts and shorts weather) that we’ve run through our “summer” clothes quickly.  It’s one of the challenges of this trip -- arriving in Paris at the end of summer and and leaving in winter. Packing enough so that it feels familiar but not so much that you’re trying to lug around an insane amount of luggage.

We’ve now provisioned the apartment.  What does that mean? In addition to shopping at Monoprix (kind of an intown Target) for coffee, paper products, yogurt, etc., we went to the local cheese store and bakery and ended up having a cheese, pate and bread dinner.  We tried sheep's milk camembert (didn't know there was such a thing), a Roquefort, and a goat cheese with orange. The camembert didn't have much flavor, the Roquefort was, well, Roquefort and the goat cheese was fantastic with nice bright orange flavors. We'll buy this one again. We’re planning to try another bakery next time to find the very best bread and croissants and Tom has scoped out the bigger, better cheese shop for next time. Such challenges…

Emmy still seems to be a bit jet lagged.  She often goes back to bed after her morning walk.  But she’s eating more quickly and fully than usual -- possibly emotional comfort at being away? Either that or she’s having even more jet lag than we’ve had.

Yesterday we did a Segway tour.  Yes, we do know it’s an incredibly touristic thing to do, but it was a lot of fun!

Last night I (Tom) went out for beers at a nearby craft beer place. http://www.lafinemousse.fr/la-robe-et-la-mousse.  I had: Page 24 Reserve Hildegarde Blond Beer de Garde/Brasserie Saint Germain, a Russian Imperial Stout - Chocolate Vanille/Brasserie Popihn, and Bigorre Cascadian Dark IPA/***********.  The first was great, the second OK and the third eh… I also wanted to mention that we’ve seen Lagunitas at the local grocery store. Their Brown Sugga was the beer that got me interested in craft beer in the first place.  I guess you get international distribution when Heineken buys you.

This morning (Wednesday), I (Tom) did a walk through the neighborhood.  Had to stop at the ATM, which gives directions in both English and French. Then over the le Bac a Glaces, an ice cream store that I’d visited on our last trip. Back then I remember eating ice cream on a street corner when it was so cold outside that I longed for my gloves.  Today, different weather. But ice cream just as good! Two scoops. One of strawberry and mint. The flavor was so cleanly of mint I thought I was eating mint leaves. The second scoop was plain chocolate, but one of the best chocolate ice creams I’ve ever had. This place is only 10 minutes from our apartment so I expect I’ll be back.

Maxine’s activities were pretty much the opposite of Tom’s.  She went to temple for Yom Kippur at a synagogue where services were conducted in Hebrew, English and French.  The rabbi grew up in Portland and went to rabbinical school in Los Angeles. It really is a small world!

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