Winding down

What a great place to work on textbooks!  Yesterday, we went to the library to return books and to get our deposit back.  A trip to the library is a mundane errand, but when it involves walking across the Champ de Mars, by the iconic Eiffel Tower, and along quintessentially Parisian avenues, boulevards, and streets, it isn't quite so mundane.

A kilim and a Beluch bag face on display on the Avenue de Suffren.

This year, we needed the American Library in Paris and its resources.  We learned that it has a superb American literature collection, as its name implies.  We also learned that it is a somewhat warm and stuffy building; after the hike from the apartment, it takes a while for me to cool down at the library.  The climate control there perhaps operates on a humidistat.

The American Library has all the latest technology for cataloging, checking out, returning, and searching for books.  It is not for morning people; the doors don't open until 1PM, and they close at 7PM.  The staff does answer the phone before 1PM, however.  The staff members are kind and helpful.  We thank them!

Yesterday's visit to the library will be our last for this summer.  So the staff returned our 60-euro deposit that enabled us to borrow books.  Next year, when we return, we will re-up our membership for four months. 

Tajerrashti, an impressive oriental rug store on the Avenue de Suffren.
We spent a while looking into this shop's window because of some impressive carpets on display.
There  is an embargo against Persian rugs now, so we didn't tempt ourselves by going inside.
However, there are some great rugs from Afghanistan (like the Beluch
bag face on the wooden horse) and Turkey at this shop, and it is
the kind of place that does restoration work and cleaning of rugs.  The shop also
buys good rugs and carpets.

After the library errand, we had refreshments once again at Le Relais de la Tour on the Avenue de la Bourdonnais.  Where we sat at a high-top in the front corner, the window was open so that the berets and refrigerator magnets on display in front of the souvenir shop next door were inches away from Tom's shoulder.  I especially admired the laminated Mona Lisa placemats just to the right of my knee.

We had the same convivial server as before.  He brought Tom a warm piece of apple pie and a hot espresso, and to me he served a glass of chardonnay. 

As we were finishing our refreshments, I watched a middle-aged American tourist make all the mistakes she should not make in Paris:  she did not say bonjour or hello, she just launched into her order to the server, without even a smile!  And she did so in English, without even attempting one word in French.  She did not say please or s'il vous plait when she ordered.  She did not say thank you or merci when her order arrived.  I just cringed.  I cringed.

Evening sky as seen from our kitchen window.

We sauntered home at the warmest part of the day, when the temperature reached 72 F and the sun blazed.  What a lovely Autumn day!

We dined simply at home, enjoying the view from the balcony, and talking about plans for next summer.