Poor Paris

Sometimes I forget that not all of Paris is as wealthy and beautiful as the 16th where I live. I spend most of my time in the 16th or in central Paris such as around the Bon Marche, Le Marais or around the Opera, where you'll find the most amazing architecture, wide boulevards, and beautiful parks.

Yesterday I headed to the markets at Porte de Clignancourt to pick up a cheap pair of Converse to replace my battered old pair. I've been to the markets before but not for quite some time. The area is pretty filthy, even by Parisian standards, and the suburb of Saint Ouen is full of your typical ghetto type apartment blocks. Not so nice.

After getting lost in Saint Ouen we walked towards Montmartre and le Sacre Coeur and then on to the Grands Boulevards where I had a run in with a nasty waiter who refused to give me directions to the nearest bank.

I also crossed paths there with the guy from the gym who is the sosie of Said Taghmaoui. He gave ma a dirty look then headed off with his friend only to then start following and chatting up a beautiful girl he passed in the street, who was way out of his league, even though he knew F and I were watching him.

As if we hadn't walked enough we then continued on to see the Opera house, Palais Royal, le Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, and then finally took the metro home. Exhausted.

It was incredible to see the neighbourhoods change as we moved from the periphery towards the centre of Paris. It was like two different worlds.

It's been ages since F and I have spent an afternoon walking around Paris and even though my feet were killing me after the 5 hour trek it was well worth it.