At the End of the Day

After saying goodbye to Octavio we headed back up the street to walk through Luxembourg park on the way to the bus stop.  Rosalia had told us she thought this park one of the most romantic spots in the city.  But as we trudged up the hill we had more of an attitude of checking off another site from our mental list than anything.  We were tired.  But as soon as we entered the tree-lined alle entrance into the park, the tension and fatigue seemed to roll off and melt into the wide earth lane.  It was beautiful!  It was like another world maybe because it invited one to sit, rest, take in the surroundings.  Like all the parks we visited in the city this one had the requisite light green quaint metal chairs that people could move around to sit where they liked.  As we descended into the lower garden with its reflecting pool there were people reading, couples talking, groups of people laughing and telling stories.  We found two chairs near the pool and sat with our backs to the sun and people watched.   A coptic priest in his long black robes and hat walked round the park discussing something with a younger man.  He pulled out his Blackberry and began noting something on it.  There were many people taking photos of themselves sitting by the side of the reflecting pool, some lovers, some friends being silly taking Facebook type photos of each other. We sat for a long time and watched the dark clouds rising up and along the horizon over the green lawn and the tree alleys. It was wonderful to just sit quietly together watching it all and we were refreshed as we walked to look for the bus stop that would take us back to Vaugirard and our quiet apartment with the roll-down shades and the hot buttered croissants.

Luxembourg Gardens