I wish I had a longer name

because then I could have called my Paris posts something like 'Emily in Paris' but with my name instead of Emily's. I hasten to add I have never actually seen Emily in Paris but the title is stuck in my mind. A one syllable name like Anne somehow just doesn't cut it. But there you go. My parents lumbered me with Anne, and I've just had to put up with it all my life.

It was a l-o-n-g time since I had travelled any distance on my own, due partly to Covid and partly to my vision problems, so I was a bit trepidatious about this. I booked with a budget airline and because if I had wanted to put a suitcase in the hold, I would have paid more for my clothes to go to Paris than I would have paid for me, I opted for hand baggage only, and even bought a new cabin bag for the purpose. I am still undecided as to whether this was a good move or not. It meant that it wasn't heavy, which was a boon, but it also meant a lot of uncomfortable shuffling with a handbag inside another tote to go under the seat and constant fretting about what was where. 

I should also say at this point that despite what I thought was minimal packing I took too much stuff, but this was partly down to the weather which was warm and sunny and meant I really didn't need the new lime green jumper I had treated myself to in M & S. Live and learn. 

I have been revising my French thanks to the little green owl of Duolingo, although I'm not sure that, despite my 159 day streak I have actually got past anything I learned in school, but at least it gave me the confidence to try and I'm happy to report that I generally did speak French with ticket sellers, waiters etc and even more pleased tor report that they understood what I said. I occasionally didn't catch what they said back, which was usually numbers because I was buying things, and naturally enough they are a lot quicker at rattling off French numbers than I am. but you know, generally it was heartening. 

My first challenge was getting a train ticket to get me from Charles de Gaulle into central Paris and I managed that no bother. The friend I was staying with met me at the Gare du Nord and we went back to her flat where I dumped my bag, had a very much needed cold drink and we talked a lot, before setting off for the Sorbonne where we were attending a concert. On which topic I don't ever want to go to a solo clarinet concert specialising in modern music ever again. 

Part of the Sorbonne

After that I was taken to what seemed to me a very Parisian bar/bistro thing where we ate. We ordered frites, since my friend told me they served some of the best in Paris, but somehow they never arrived. Good omelette though. 

And then we walked back to the flat, which was in Montmartre, and that was the end of Day 1.