12/06/23 08:50
My last fountain pen started playing silly games on me. The cartridge wasn’t giving the ink to the nib. I’m not sure if it’s a blockage or a case of incorrect size. And sitting here in Gentilly, I’m not in a place to investigate further. So I’ll use another entry as an excuse to swap pens.
I’m heading home today. Nev and I completed the 10k yesterday so she has both London and Paris medals and I have my double trilogy. I’m impressed with her efforts. An incoming chest infection, a lack of sleep and a workout regime built more towards strength and stamina than actual running. But she did it. I was happy taking photos of her whilst having to alter my pace. It was a different type of run for me. Equally as challenging and equally as enjoyable. The crowd support was just as good for this race as it has been for both the half and the full marathons. It’s a highly recommended run, from me. Great landmarks and well organised. Virtually flat and it takes on both sides of the river, too.
We came back after the exhausting heat and took a well-deserved nap before packing and heading out for a dinner that resulted in us getting a little wet, again.
I’ve just glanced up from the book and took a quick look as the Australian mum stood up from the table with her two daughters, leaving the dad by himself. He’s happy enough having his espresso. The funny thing is, the telly on the wall is showing the local news. From Portugal. Bom Da. And nothing is feeling out of place here. This isn’t one of those Instagram places, nor is it one of those historic cafés from the 20’s. Here is one of those quiet, out-of-the-way places that deserve recognition, will never get it and will benefit from its own quiet anonymity. Thankfully.
Yesterday’s dinner was in a place that looks like it should be on Instagram in the way it is decorated. It’s almost as if they are trying to be one of the popular places in the 14th. It’s outside is reminiscent of Café de la Place, Madame Pampa and Café Odessa in the Montparnasse region of the 14th where the market occurs at the intersection of rues Delambre, d’Odessa and du Montparnasse at Edgar Quniet metro station. L’Ephemérè is a quaint pizzeria with the lightest of pizza bases and a very good location. They even had diabolo on the menu!
We walked from the hotel to the bottom of the road, turned left and carried on. At the (very) end of the street, we turned right – now around Porte d’Orleans – and made our way to the pharmacie that was still open. We were now looking at replenishing Nev’s carb reserves and remembered this place from our walk the day before as we returned from Notre Dame du Travail on foot. The restaurant was, as I said, quaint. The two waiting staff were as attentive as expected in French restaurants and constantly polite and friendly. The chef making the pizzas was behind a customer-facing counter and didn’t stop working. Aside from once to check his phone for 15 minutes. And this was around 15 minutes before the smell in the air changed. It went from a humid smell to that smell that lingers in the nostrils. The smell of a thunderstorm. The static electricity in the air. The smell that demands respect and a click on the G7 app for a taxi. Or maybe a bus, instead? Okay, a walk to the tram? Nope. After a 20-minute wait for the request of l’addition, we stood outside, waited for the non-arriving bus then walked back, taking the route we took to get here. And looking inside windows at the size of the appartments. My complaint about L’Ephemérè? They play the music on a loop. I think it was either 2 or 3 tracks.
An Englishman in Paris 