So my niece called this morning at 5:30 am woke me up and said, (yes it's the same niece that said "my blog was just a bunch of cakes" and that "I shoot everything in rows").
There was a SEPTA transportation strike on in Philadelphia. Why not ride bicycles to work?
Which reminded me of the greve (strike) in Paris when everyone was velos (bikes).
Parisians get their training early. They learn how to tie a scarf Parisian style by 2 years old.
Les enfants learn their numbers counting bikes.
They learn about romance first on a bike!
Foreign exotic places? They get it early plus bikes.
They learn too that someday, when they are a grand mere they will still be riding those bikes.
A Parisian dog gets into the act.
OUAF! OUAF!
They get the bike training early with good reason - Paris circulation (traffic) is the pits. It used to be until the Velibs took over.
There are Velib stations everywhere.
Including in front of Pierre Herme rue Cambon
Is that why Pierre Herme designed these macaron boxes to look like bicycle wheels?
Does anything look nicer than a Pierre Herme sac in a Velib basket?
OUI! A pack of luscious Pierre Herme macarons. You have to be grateful to a niece who gives you good blog post ideas early in the morning when you haven't a clue what to post?
BONJOUR ANABEL!
(that's my niece...Anabel not the squirrel)
Since you featured velos this morning, here is an article from the NYTimes you might want to read, if you haven't already, of course.
ReplyDeleteI saw it Chas.
ReplyDeleteTriste! but the NYTimes always paints a blacker picture of things in Paris..they have to!
ugh
The French make even a rodent look good!
ReplyDeleteJC www.gardening-wars.blogspot.com
J.C. remember Ratatouille was a rodent!
ReplyDeleteDo not slander French mice!
Great selection, Carol.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if we rode more bikes here - but I don't know if it will ever happen.
You get up at 4:30? Ahem......
Oh that was fun! Loved the books too!
ReplyDeletethat is so funny, I never noticed stuff in "lines", but there ya go, you have proof! So observant! Say, what does one of those macarons taste like anyway? They are pretty...but darest I say it...they look dry? I have never seen or tasted one of those. The macaroons in America are coconutty things.
ReplyDeleteI love all the bicycles. When I was in Portland recently I saw bicycles everywhere.
ReplyDeleteLove love love the silly biking squirrel!
ReplyDeleteAdorably silly
I'm sure there could be a whole thesis (or two) on the relationship between the French and their bikes. I only wish I lived in an area that was conducive to bike travel.
ReplyDeleteAhhh.... so many strikes so many bikes! I wish I'd had one when I lived there! xo
ReplyDeleteBikes, macarons, strikes... we have it all! :-)
ReplyDeleteThe only thing more beautiful than PH Macarons in a bicycle basket would be a LOT MORE macs in a bicycle basket!
ReplyDeleteps your niece is a keeper!
Lucky I am not in Paris...me and the velo are not friends, xv.
ReplyDeleteAnabel!!? What a sweet name. I love it. She sounds like a cutie. In fact, she reminds me of you in her conversation. (She reminds me a bit of Eric, too!)
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should ask her to call every day! ;)
Oh what a niece -
ReplyDeletegreat work!
Yours too! :-)
I agree about the New York Times painting bleak pictures of Paris - they do it with Vienna too. Remember my post about the European Soccer Championship regarding the Ny Times' correspondent's article? :-(