why I love Paris in the summertime

Things overheard/seen in Paris. Day one:

- a French girl wearing flip flops!
- An American tourist get knocked off his Velib after being mowed down by a Japanese tourist, also on a Velib.
- a French man totally kitted out in full Breton regalia: slightly, angled beret and everything.
- a riot that wasn't quite a riot at the Forum des Halles. Either this is a good measure of French racism or I completely missed something. There was a group of about 25 black men - it sort of looked like two rival groups winding each other up - but I didn't stop long enough to look. Walking past, there must have been about 20 police vans and the police easily outnumbered the men 3 to 1. I've never seen more police in one place in my life. I still don't know what was going on.
- The Pont des Arts turned into a giant picnic bench.
- the inside of the beautiful reading room at the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal
- An American tourist standing outside the Notre Dame approached by a scammer. When the scammer asked the tourist if he spoke any Enlish, his immediate reply was, 'a little.' How true!

Observations

Observations on a cloudy Tuesday morning:

Walking to work the bin man was sitting on the fence reading a book. I couldn't see what book he was reading, but it made me smile to see him. I wished I had my camera.

I'm wearing colour again today. Madras dress and pink patent shoes. Yesterday I wore head to toe black, something I rarely do. Everyone commented on the fact that I was wearing all black, which just goes to show that I'm not lying. I'm a colour girl.

My legs hurt from horse riding on Sunday. Sore thighs when walking. Maybe high heels not such a good idea.

Trees on Grey's Inn Road are now more leaves than branches.

Wearing high heels like wearing armour. Something men will never understand. Heels make you feel invincible. Maybe high heels a good idea after all.

Buying a bottle of water at the shop on my way to the Tube. It's £1.49. Why not £1.50? I told him to keep the change. Obviously.

Everyone still reading awful free papers on the Tube. Depressing.