Day 20: All roads lead to BREAD!

Black coffee and the remainder of my prunes from yesterday, I was ready to start one of the hottest days of the week. Doing a little bit of work in the morning, I ended up leaving the apartment a little closer to noon than I normally do.

---

Taking the metro to the 10ème arrondissement, i.e. my new favorite arrondissement, Anna and I ran across a church before purposefully heading towards the first sight. This church was raised a little off the ground, meaning I was sweating by the time I reached the top, but it was worth it. A large street rushed out before us. My world was quiet behind the large roman columns of this grandiose church while the rest of the world moved before me.

---

Heading to La Colonie, we found it a little strange of a location for one of our discoveries, but on Sundays and Mondays here are art-oriented events that may be popping. 12pm on a Thursday just wasn't doing it. An espresso was necessary nonetheless. Walking with a very loose goal embodies the rest of our exploration.Feeling the heat beating down on our backs, we traversed the Boulevard des Martyrs, taking some time to explore the Gare du Nord and the Gare de l'Est. Both are quite different from Gare Saint-Lazare which we went to for the trip to Giverny. Much larger in scale, they were elegant inside, like their own little worlds, with food and stores, and the opportunity for travel. But they hold this diversity of life. From one side to the other, it felt like two different worlds. A disparity was visible, right in the center of Paris. The train stations are the entryway into Paris, carrying a variety of cultures and histories: a true melting pot. Deciding haphazardly to enter into this Marché Saint-Quentin, so many different authentic foods were at my fingertips: Italian, Greek, Lebanese, French, African, and surrounded by vegetable, fish, and meat markets.

---

Needing some coolness from the power of the sun, we moved towards the Canal Saint Martin to invite the small amount of water to try and moderate the heat. Walking along the side of the canal, people were sitting outside along its borders with little streets branching out like veins, giving the area life. During this discovery, I fell in love. We walked into this little bookstore, Artazart, which focuses solely on design; I allowed myself to get lost for a good part of the day. Anna saw a bakery listed in one of the books in the store that was right around the corner. So obviously, we had to go. The smell was floating under our noses from a block away. They say all roads lead to Rome. I say all roads lead to bread. And I am right. At Du Pain et Des Idées, I bought an "escargot aux pralines" (see photo below for reference). The sweet buttery-ness filled my mouth and my stomach with utter joy.

---

The walk towards the Chateau d'Eau metro stop was full of cafés, co-working, adorable flower markets, Indian restaurants, African linen stores, nail salons, and more. A straight metro ride back to Reid Hall, we had some time to enjoy our pastries before class started. Then host family dinner, work, and SLEEP!