I was so enthusiastic about Everyday Stranger‘s idea of around the world in 80 blogs and I really wanted to join it but alas, on the fateful day, I did not have an internet connection. Hopefully it is still not too late to do a post. I will be talking about Paris as I’m currently working there but you will see pictures of Normandy where I love to spend my non working time.
I was strolling down the Champs Elysees after work as I really did not feel like squeezing with the tons of people on the trains today. Yes, the train drivers are still on strike and poor us commuters, all stuck like sardines, pushed up against one another. That’s the problem with every big city I guess. We are a sardined nation.
However, I have always and still love walking. Breathing in the freezing crisp air of the Parisian evening, cleared my head as I strolled along with the holiday makers that walked along in hordes on the pavements of the Champs Elysees. The Christmas market is finally up and this time I made sure that I got to drink my hot christmas wine! Yums! The white tents set up for the different stalls stretch from the metro station Champs Elysees Clemenceau to Concorde and the beautiful Ferris wheel at the end of the stretch makes it a lovely picture indeed. Here it is!
The Ferris Wheel
As I walked and walked and walked, I just can’t believe that I am in Paris, strolling on my own at a Xmas Fair. We are supposed to be surrounded by loved ones during the joyous season but I couldn’t help feeling quite alone. All my close friends are nowhere near and my family is a 13 hour flight away. Sigh, I guess I am really getting old. When I was younger, all I could think of was spreading my wings and fly. As I grew older, I realise nothing really comes close to family and it’s the family cheer that gets you through the day. I didn’t set out to be so melancholic but when I see a clique of wide eyed Japanese girls exclaiming at the giant woks of tartiflette, raclette and sausages and couples sharing pomme d’amours, families linking hands while putting churros in their mouth, children running around eating crêpes with nutella, I just felt a lump in my throat. But well, ’tis the season to be festive. I’d get over it. So voilà! The goodies!
Wide eyed Japanese girl staring at the gigantesque wok of sausages
And what’s Xmas without chestnuts?
Hot chestnuts anyone?
How about some life size soldiers?
Reminds me of tin soliders that wake up at night
For the Paris Xmas Magic….how can we forget this?
As I go round and round and round....
And then I saw a strange looking tree…
The little train going choo choo around the strange little tree
Behold all the candy shops lined along the boulevard…
The candy machine is working hard in the background
More.. More!
Candies even come in the shape of the Buddha nowadays...
Yay! Crêpes!
Hm.. the polar bears have come to Paris for Xmas?
A Christmas Fair without soft toys is not exactly a christmas fair…
Would you buy tartiflette from a french man with a hat?
The tartiflette is an oven baked dish with cheese, lardon (bacon) and potatoes
The beautiful Champs Elysees which my camera didn’t even do justice!
Have a merry little Christmas everyone! Joyeux noël and bonnes fêtes de fin d’année!
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Your photos are gorgeous, and the description was PERFECT!
Thank you! =) I’m finally getting into the xmas mood. If you are coming to Paris anytime soon, the christmas fair lasts till the 28 Dec. But I guess London and your village will have their very own xmas fairs with English goodies =D