Jardin du Luxembourg, NFL in Paris

I thought the Jardin du Tuileries was enchanting, and then I visited the Jardin du Luxembourg. Unbelievable. Luxembourg has a smaller, more intimate feel than Tuileries. The plant life also offers more by way of aesthetics -- brighter colors, proportionately more grassy areas. Since I have only visited each place a handful of times, I’ll try to avoid declarative sentences, but I will say this much: The main difference between the two that strikes me is this-- Tuileries offers a glimpse into a historical time foreign to us today, and gives us the opportunity to picture the people of that past time promenading through a pristinely manicured garden, carriages rolling by on the wide dusty roads, and other elements associated with royalty generally speaking. Luxembourg, on the other hand, sits as an oasis in the middle of the city with rich and vibrant plants, trees, and flowers, dotted with small coffee and candy stands here and there, children playing with their sail boats in the fountain, and plenty of chairs to allow one to people watch, read, or bask in the sun, providing an escape from the cacophony of busy streets just outside the gates. Pictures soon to follow… once I take them...

In other news, I found a group of people who rendez-vous every Sunday evening to watch football! And so there is no misunderstanding, when I say “football”, I am referring to *real* football, not soccer. Anyway, the group is small and I imagine varies slightly from week to week, and they meet at an ex-pat pub that broadcasts the NFL games of the day. Simple formula, really-- but what a treat! The group was a mix of mostly Americans who live and work in Paris and a few who are visiting for a few months. I was struck by the instant camaraderie I felt with the other Americans in attendance. Love of country and love of football are galvanizing forces evidently. Not only did I enjoy myself, but I was able to pick up a few tips for my time in France, the most important of which is if one wants to practice French, but the French people start talking in English, continue talking in your broken French anyway. Eventually, most decent people will switch back to speaking in French. Since last Sunday I have tried this, and for the most part it has worked. So, I might improve my French after all! (Sadly, the Patriots game was not playing in the pub last Sunday, but from all accounts I guess I didn’t miss much).