Paris: Day 5

Day 5 also had a lot of sight seeing, but nothing the pictures can't rely better than my words could. I visited the Cemetary of Pere Lachaise. I visited the Centre Pompidou (and the Museum of Modern Art contained inside). I visited the Science and Industry Museum. And then I headed home. Really, the only strange thing that happened that day was my lunch.

I found this tiny vegetarian restaurent not far from the Centre Pompidou. It was closed when I first passed by, but I made another trip around an hour later to find it busy and very much open. The restaurant was so narrow, that in order to sit on the back side of a table, they had to pull the table off to one side, let you slide in, and then push the table back. So there I was stuck behind my table as I ate my meal. The food was wonderful. I started with a delicious tomato soup, moved on to some wonderful vegetable shish-kebabs, and ended with a fruit salad.

I was very pleased with my meal, but then the waiting started. The waitress came by to ask if I wanted coffee. I said no, and that I was ready for the check. She said okay and left. I waited. I saw her at the back of the restaurant chatting with another of the servers. I glanced down at my camera (my only means of telling time) and saw it was 2 pm. I wanted to get on with my day, but there was no chance. I couldn't get up (since I was stuck behind the table) so all I could do was continue to wait. She came and took new customers' orders. She took desert orders from those around me. I waited. She went to the back and chatted some more. I waited, even getting my money out and setting it on the table. Still I waited. Frustrated and feeling very clustrophobic from being caught behind my table, I flagged her down again. Again, she said she would get the check. And again, I waited. She chatted some more before finally bringing me my bill and letting me out from behind my table. As I left the restaurant, I checked my camera again. It was 2:30. I had waited for over a half an hour from the first time I asked for the bill. The food was great, but my experience of the restaurant was ruined as I stormed off to my next destination.

And before you say it, all of Paris was not like this. I ate at many restaurants there, and this was the only one where anything even remotely like this happened. Everyone else was prompt and courtious on my trip. Actually, I found most Parisiens quite friendly, especially when I spoke in French, but even when I spoke in English. Thinking back, that WAS some great food, though.

R