So I mentioned awhile back that Gadget Girl was awarded the Grand Prize in the Paris Book Festival. Part of the prize was a plane ticket to Paris to attend the awards ceremony and dinner on May 30, which was my twins’ birthday. I agonized a bit over whether or not to go. After all, I’d just been to Paris with my daughter! And I didn’t want to miss my kids’ birthday! But everyone (except my husband) urged me to go. And, well, it is pretty hard to turn down a free ticket to one of my favorite cities in the world.
This time, I decided to go the budget route. I found the cheapest hotel that I could, which was in Montmartre. My room was on the fourth floor. There was no elevator. But I had free Wifi!
I did some of the things that I didn’t get around to on my previous visit, in March. For example, I finally had a chance to check out the legendary English-language bookstore Shakespeare & Company. Of course the location has changed, but it’s still a huge tourist attraction, still full of interesting books and history. Of course I bought some books. I also left a copy of Gadget Girl with one of the clerks, in the hopes that someone there will read it, like it, and stock it!
On a rainy day, I went to see “Gatsby,” which I loved, and bought some chocolates and chocorons (chocolate-covered macarons) at Sadaharu Aoki’s renowned patissiere. I had a little chat in Japanese with the young woman at the counter, who was from Saitama Prefecture, but who’d danced in the summer Awa Odori Festival here in Tokushima. Small world, huh?
It was my first time to be in Paris in May. I figured it would be warmer, but it was pretty cold. Nevertheless, irises were in bloom in the Luxembourg Gardens.
