Day 12--Paris

 Elise woke up feeling awful, so it was decided that Gracelyn and I would run errands and find an outdoor market while Donnie stayed home with her and did all our pre-departure laundry. The laundry situation at this flat was tough, because the washer’s spin cycle didn’t really work, so we had to squeeze each item of clothing by hand before placing it into the dryer. Again, my husband is a princely travel companion.

Gracelyn and I stepped out the door to discover there was a huge market taking place on our street. It was like an antique store and a flea market combined. We had a great time going through old jewelry, antique paper goods, and art work. We got mistaken for French speakers multiple times, which was embarrassing and flattering at once. I bought a beautiful old post card and some very inexpensive earrings. Gracelyn got a church memorial book from the 1800s and a pair of vintage looking earrings. I found Elise a bracelet that reminded me of her. After our spree, we had to do an Amazon return, which was a true misadventure and will be a story between Gracelyn and I forever. But we eventually got it done, and we journeyed forth to find an open bakery so we could find lunch and desserts for everyone at home. 

Following our Apple Maps app, we ended up going down quiet, small streets that seemed residential and eerily isolated. We saw parents with young children once in a while, but no one else. In one section, there was a man casually pacing back and forth. He approached Gracelyn and I as we walked by him, asking us for money. We didn’t respond and kept walking. Gracelyn was very shaken up, as she felt vulnerable for the first time since our trip began, especially without her dad. We came to a restaurant and decided to treat ourselves to a sit down lunch. The staff were so kind to us and the meal was perfect. We both felt much better afterwards. There was a bakery right next door, and we got delicious desserts for the whole family. We traipsed home down relatively quiet Sunday streets with no other incidents, and were so relieved to be home again. Donnie and I made dinner and finished packing up for the morning’s departure.


Pictures of the market. My lack of documentation really shows how much we are relying on Donnie to be the photographer! 







Gracelyn and I at the restaurant alone. It felt so strange to be without our two counterparts, but we got through it as a team. 

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