LE 13eme

The 13th arrondissement is most commonly associated with the larger of Paris's two China towns, but for my Paris Readings class, our professor asked us to walk around a lesser known neighborhood, the Butte aux Cailles.  Due to poor navigation skills and a fear of whipping out my map, and thus making myself a target for purse-snatching, I ended up wandering around Chinatown for a half hour or so before asking a nice french lady for directions.  Walking back to where I was supposed to be took about another half hour, though it had only been one metro stop before the place I got off.  Nonetheless, I made it to the Butte aux Cailles, and it was like no neighborhood I've seen in Paris so far.  It had single family houses, and tree-lined streets.  Cars slowed down for people who got caught in the street when the light changed to don't-walk, and the air smelled like chestnuts.

Chez Nathalie, i.e. at Natalie's!!

I love these chestnuts that have started falling around Paris.  They have this wonderful smell that reminds me of Germany and the lanes lined by chestnut trees in Icking.  I've been filling my pockets as I walk around the city, and I have a stash at the bottom of my bag that's making it unnecessarily heavier.

 

The spiky chestnut shells

The photo didn't quite turn out, but this man in the back of a boulangerie is standing behind a huge tray of baguette dough that's all rolled out, and about to go in the oven.

This has to be a reference to Central Perk..

Goodnight, and happy almost-end of September from Mousse, Claudine's cat.