August 27, 1976
Dear Mom and Dad,
Very glad to get the news that Margaret was better. We phoned home recently as Jim has received a fellowship and it was necessary to straighten out some details. Jim might have to take an early flight home as they would like him to assist with registration. However, he has written explaining the situation and hopefully they won’t insist on his coming home. It would mean a loss of an extra $500.00 which we can’t really afford.
We’ve really enjoyed our month in Paris and discovered new aspects of this very charming city. We went on a bus tour last night to see Paris and its sights illuminated. It was very enjoyable as we do most of our sightseeing in the day and it was interesting and very beautiful to see things from this point of view.
We went on a visit to the French Stock Exchange. The guided tour was much more elaborate than the one in London. It took about 1 1/2 hours and included a film, slide presentation, and short lecture and discussion period. It was in French of course and we picked up lots of good vocabulary. Also went on a tour of the sewers! It seems Paris has a system that is unique in the world.
We’re seeing lots of films, theatre, etc. and we’re at a point now where we can enjoy them without having to really concentrate on the French. Tomorrow we’re going to Reims for the day which is about a two hour train ride. This is the famous “Champagne” country and we’ll be visiting the caves and tasting the wine, of course! As well, there is a very famous cathedral there.
We’ll be sorry to leave France although we’re really looking forward to Poland and Amsterdam and getting back home. I’ll miss the wine and the baked goods. Everytime I bite into some of this fantastically fresh bread with a beautiful crust, I think of you, Dad!
We’ll have lots of things to do these last few days...see the last few sights, pack, move out of the apartment, etc. Glad to hear Grannie’s good and Craig is doing well. The next letter will be from “behind the iron curtain”! According to our friend, mail service isn’t that great so it might take a while to arrive.
All our love,
Jim and Janice
* Thinking back to our very small studio apartments in Cannes and Paris I wonder how we managed to be so content. Were we ever actually that young! The Cannes apartment had two equally uncomfortable sofabeds...one concave and one convex. We kept alternating trying to figure out if it was better to cling to the side all night or roll into the middle. In Paris there was a nice big (well, seemed big at the time) bed but that pretty much filled the room. They had squeezed in a small kitchen table and two wooden chairs and that was about it.
More photos from April/05
Les "artistes" in Monmartre. This area was always rather touristy and tacky but REALLY is now. Worth it to see Sacré-Coeur and the view of Paris from here although even that isn't the same with all the pollution now.
Sacré-Coeur
I managed to sneak this photo of the inside of Sacré-Coeur...a no-no
And probably the best ice cream in Europe....Berthillon on Ile St. Louis
I thought these toasters were so whimsical...and the French don't really even eat toast much! Of course, why would you when you have that fantastic bread.
The bouquinistes along the Seine are always fun to browse
This is the bottle of a very special Champagne we bought in Rheims at the Mumms Cave. There initially wasn't any available but when the tour guide found out we were Canadians he "found" a bottle for us. At the time Seagrams of Canada owned Mumms. Something we didn't know and is no longer the case. I forget how much it cost (selling for around $300 on the Internet now) but we definitely couldn't afford it. We figured we'd save it for our first born or something...ended up drinking it as soon as we got back to Paris that day. As our friends and family know, we are very much live for the moment types!
