Paris sans Plages

Hello, quickie Paris trip report. I had planned this trip largely to enjoy Paris Plages, when they turn the banks of the Seine into a sort of beach, um, area. This didn’t turn out so great unfortunately.

Friday it was really rather hot (some 32 degrees I think), but not really sunny, and thunderstorms had in fact been forecast. As a result, Paris Plages was closed as a precaution. Great. 😐 So instead I walked around quite a bit and sat in various parks (under trees, which was no less dangerous than Paris Plages but somehow not forbidden *lol*). I also visited my beloved Notre Dame, as I caught an opportune moment where there only about 30 people queuing as opposed to the usual 200. *lol* My churchlet is still much the same, tho I found out it will be celebrating 850 years next year and thus there will be various things going on. Exciting!
My “exhibition of the day” was about the deportation of Jewish children at the Hôtel de Ville. This had a lot of text, but I ended up reading almost all of it, and bought two books as well. After a rest and dinner at “home” I went back to Hôtel de Ville to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. This was very fun! (Both the thing itself, and watching it in that particular setting with cute Frenchies)

Saturday Paris Plages was open! Yay! I got bored surprisingly quickly tho. *lol* It wasn’t terribly warm anymore. So I went home to change into something slightly warmer, rested a bit, and then went (cycled) to see Histoires de Voir at the Fondation Cartier. This was kinda meh. It was about various “amateur artists” (without formal education) from around the world (it was very Brazil-heavy for some reason). Then I walked back to the Seine cuz I couldn’t find any bikes and sat on Paris Plages again. :))

Sunday I had a headache (well, it started Sat, really). So I went to rest at Paris Plages (!), where I faithfully sat in the shade at first waiting for the sun to turn… which it did… and then soon enough I needed to pee quite urgently. 😐 As soon as I put on my sandals some woman walking past went “are you leaving???” and off went my precious sun lounger. So I went and sat in the Luxembourg instead. =)) (I did have quite a captivating book!).
The rest of the day was basically cycling, resting, cycling again, then going home just before it started pissing it down. Cycling was good! Paris so pretty. 😡 My hip also hurt, so walking was actually quite uncomfortable (cycling was fine).

Monday I was feeling pretty meh. Paris Plages was closed again (tho it opened later, but by then I was over it). I felt kinda lost and undecided for ages. What did I do? Oh, I had breakfast at Hôtel de Ville again, watching a bit of Olympics. Then I think I got on a bike and cycled around, all the way down to Parc Monsouris, where I sat down and read some. Then it took me a while to find my way back, tho I did find a Casino (biiiig supermarket), but didn’t wanna abandon my bike. Eventually I went back home for rest and late lunch before leaving for the train, and that was it.

All in all this was an ok Paris trip, but not that great. Still, I miss it already. 🙁