à Paris

Yesterday we traveled from Glasgow to Paris!  We're staying in an apartment that I (due to my ignorance of Paris geography) thought was in the Marais, but it's actually a little further north near the Stalingrad metro stop.  However, we really like the location, since it feels truly French; we spent the afternoon walking around the neighborhood and didn't see a single tourist.

We're right next to the end of the Canal Saint Martin where it joins the Bassin de la Villette.

We walked along a street (Avenue Secretan) that had outdoor vendors selling (and giving samples of) wine, cheese, fruit, etc.

And ended up at a sweet little park (Parc de Buttes Chaumont) where Liam and I people watched, while the boys played hide and seek.

Then to a cafe for some refreshment -- very Paris!

So we felt like we saw some real Paris life on our first half day!  Today, we're off for the tourist stuff, which I suspect will entail lots of waiting in line.