Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Je suis désolée

I am sorry... especially to you, Pat, because you waited up for me to blog last night. I didn't deliver.

If you can believe it, I really had nothing to blog about... and here's why.

Yesterday was laundry day. I already explained laundry day in a previous post, so I'm sure you wouldn't be interested in revisiting that. We fully planned to spend the afternoon at the Museum of Jewish History and Art. But...but...

We came home for lunch and then I fell asleep. And I slept and slept and woke up around 4 pm, which was too late to go to the museum (it closes at 6 pm). I was not feeling well at all and hadn't slept the night before because I coughed and coughed all night. Miserable.

Anyway, yesterday did not merit a blog post, unless you wanted to hear me whine. Or I guess I could have blogged about Wine and showed you a picture of all the corks I have collected from our bottle-of-wine-a-day. I will be transporting these corks home to Canada and will be taking suggestions for their use and display.

But here I am this evening, back blogging and while I don't have a whole lot to share, I will tell you about our trip to the museum.


So, here we are - at the Musée d'art et d'histoire du Judaisme. The museum is housed in a mansion built in the 1600s. During its life it was a fine Parisian home, a political headquarters, a commercial building, a refuge for Jews, and finally it became the museum in 1986.

This is the only picture I got because no photos were allowed inside. What a disappointment.

There were other disappointments here, too. First of all, the staff was so rude, particularly one little man who tried to make me feel stupid for asking a question. I can handle rude - I blame it on the poor upbringing of the person - but I cannot abide someone treating me as if I am stupid. Stupid I am most definitely not. It left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.

Then... the no photo rule. I don't know what they're concerned about. Do they think we will sell our little pictures? Plus, the libraire (book/gift shop) was closed so I couldn't even browse there.

Also, I was expecting to find information on the Holocaust and there was next to none. Apparently a Holocaust museum is opening in Paris "soon". The artifacts and information they had at this museum were very interesting, but the set-up was a bit confusing (hence the question I asked at the beginning of my visit).

So, not a very fulfilling visit - no photos to share, no sense that I really gained knowledge from the experience, and that disgust I felt from being treated poorly by someone who works in tourism and should be an ambassador for his country.

Sandi and I have slowed down our pace quite a bit since the first frenzied days of our vacation. We now choose one main activity a day and then work around that. The auxiliary activity today was a continuation of the search for the Purple Purse. I found one that is a possibility but I think I may have to lug around a shoe to make sure it matches before I purchase.

We have also not experienced the best weather. It's so unpredictable. Just look at this sky!


Doesn't that yell, "Run for cover. It's gonna pour!"? But it didn't. Nonetheless, I carted around an umbrella all day, unwilling to take the chance of being soaked in a deluge again.

While Sandi made supper tonight (her third night in a row - I guess I'd better stop slacking off or she'll go on strike), I did some spying on people. These are photos taken from our window waaaayyyy up in the sky.


People enjoying a meal in an Italian restaurant below.


And folks walking around the neighbourhood. I really don't understand why our little area is always so busy, but it is packed with people from about noon until 2 am every day. All that's here are restaurants and bars, and a few souvenir shops. The throngs of people annoy the heck out of me. I want to yell, "Get out of my way!" when I'm carrying two bags of groceries and they're meandering in my path. "Can't you see I'm trying to get to my home!"

They wouldn't listen anyway. Parisians are rude, but the tourists are much ruder!

Gee, I almost sound like I'm ready to go home. For the first time in my life I understand why Canadians have a reputation for being polite. It's all relative, you know...

Oh... one more thing before I take off for the night. My lovely friend Dogwood is celebrating her first year of blogging with a giveaway. She'd love to have you visit and enter in the fun, so head over to Pink Dogwood Blossom and say Hello!

9 comments:

Pat said...

Well...HECK.....you need to act rude right back to those people!!! I think you might have had enough by the end of your stay...which will make leaving easier, I suppose! Sorry that museum today was such a disappointment in more ways than one. :( You do a GREAT job of people-watching and taking pictures of them, though!

Unknown said...

I love to people watch, I could sit in that apartment all day long and just people watch. Crazy, I know...

Quilting Lab said...

Glad to hear you indulged in a long nap! I've heard about those polite Canadians! Hard to be with the rude!

Patty said...

Sounds like your loosing sleep and maybe a bit homesick. Crowds get on my nerves too.

Barb said...

Well.....you ought to join the FBI....or some spy operation.....

Thimbleanna said...

Awww, I hope you're having a better day today and that your sleep patterns have been a little better. Won't be long now before you're winging your way home. I think you should do what I do in times like these -- go find some sweets. Paris must be full of them LOL!

PunkiePie (Jen) said...

Feeling better? Sounds like you are ready to come home but having a wonderful time too. People watching is the best outdoor activity. I love doing that!

QuilterPattiO said...

Hope you're feeling better. There was more than one person waiting to read your adventures. I may not post each day but I've so enjoyed your blog. I've even bought a pair of those eiffel towere scissors so I too can be transported to Paris. Too bad the rude French must be there to spoil your day. I think I would have said something in English, like you're a rude ninny and then just start laughing and let him wonder about it all.

Vesuviusmama said...

Sounds like the honeymoon is over...but try to enjoy every last moment you have over there. Many of us may never have the chance to be treated rudely at a Parisian museum, so keep throwing it back at us so we know exactly what we are missing.