Yohji Yamamoto J'adore!

The guy in the store yelled at me for sneaking a few pictures.  Damn, disgusting tourists.  But I couldn't help it!  The store, like the clothes, so beautiful.

La fontaine Médicis

The Medicis Fountain was built in about 1630 by Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV of France and mother of King Louis XIII of France.  Originally it had no statues, and was mounted against a wall.  The fountain went through many owners after Marie's death, and in mid 1800s was finally moved to it's present location in the Jardin du Luxembourg.  Jean Chalgrin, the architect of the Arc de Triomphe, redesigned it with a statue representing Venus at the instruction of Napoleon, but that was eventually taken out and replaced by it's current group of statues representing the giant Polyphemus, in bronze, discovering the lovers Acis and Galatea, in white marble, constructed by Auguste Ottin.  It's amazing and very peaceful in an absolutely beautiful surroundings.

Everyone has to go, every time.

Even if you've been there before, each time you go back it is still pretty breathtaking.

Pepper Sprayed at the Tower!

These f***ers on their high horse (literally), go around the Eiffel Tower, chasing out the street sellers shoving their little toy towers and key chains in your face.  They carry with them industrial sized spray cans of pepper spray, and use them quite liberally!  We were minding our business walking along when one of these horsemen sprayed towards some guys and we caught some incidental pepper spray in our face!!  Our eyes burned for hours!  That was not fun.  I think once these guys get on a horse they feel the urge to start some shit, living out their own French Revolution fantasy.  Vive la Revolution, dicks.

Le marche aux puces de Saint-Ouen

The Fleas of Saint-Ouen (flea market) Amazing!

Inaugurated in 1885, it extends over 60,000 square meters in Saint-Ouen, a city just on the northern outskirts of Paris.  It's open every sat. sun. mon. and welcomes up to 80,000 people each week.  
Only a metro ride away for us, we luckily showed up early enough to beat the climax of the crowds and got lost looking through the amazing pieces this pickers heaven had to offer.  
Unlike flea markets in the states, whose antiques and vintage pieces date back to the 50s or so, we came across things here as far back as the 1700s!  It was pretty amazing.

Flea Market Highlights

If you ever wondered where all the amazing "stuff" in the world goes, look no further.  Far too much to show at once, here are some highlights:

                                        

Our Newly Adopted Neighborhood

Our local pastry shops, fruit palace, butchers and other local storefronts.  We have everything at our fingertips.