Truly amazing photo of Paris

http://www.paris-26-gigapixels.com/

This photograph is truly incredible. You can practically zoom right in through apartment windows! Unfortunately our building is not in it as the photograph was taken from the top of the tower at St Sulpice.

The children spent ages zooming in and out and finding flower pots and cracks on the walls all over Paris.

First day of Spring!

Today is 20th March and officially the first day of Spring. Unfortunately no one told the weather as it is currently raining and Spring is all about bright blue skies.

I was completely surprised to discover in my twenties that the first day of Spring in Europe was 20th March and not 1st March. As an Australian, I had always understood that the seasons changed with the first day of each quarter.

I took this photo of a chestnut tree in the Jardin du Luxembourg last week, desperately searching for signs of green shoots.

Boats in the Luxembourg

Paris is rather short on outdoor activities for children but lazily pushing a wooden boat around the octagonal Grand Bassin in the Jardin du Luxembourg is a wonderful way to pass half an hour or so. The princely sum for this entertainment is 2 euros for 30 mins or 3 euros for an hour. There are 14 boats for rent.  Each child is given a long stick to push their boat from the side of the pond. Unfortunately the only way to lauch the boat is for an adult to get down on their knees and lean over the edge. Mama was not happy that her clean dark jeans were scuffed with Luxembourg gravel.

We were there on a Wednesday morning and while all boats were sailing it was still quiet. Saturday and Sunday afternoons are to be avoided.  There are too many people crowded around the edge to watch the boats and it is very easy to lose sight of your child as they are racing around the perimeter of the lake/pond/pool. The only danger with this sport are the small children weilding long sticks while watching their boats. 

Note the man painting the sculpture in the middle. I wondered how he got to the middle and looked around for a little boat.  He was wearing waders.

This is what I really want.

It is 4.06am. Manon and I have been awake for two hours with jetlag. We got back from Sydney on Saturday night.  I want this coffee from Harry's Espresso Bar at Bondi. I want to walk over the road to the beach.

But how can I complain when I live in Paris?