Sunday, December 21, 2008

Tea and Trees

The tree in the reception hall of the Cité was put up last week. It's a Charley Brown kind of tree for those of you familiar with the Peanuts character. Kinda lop-sided, decorated in a casual fashion. It's very tall, reaches the ceiling. (click on the image and you'll get a good view of my feet under the tree to the left.) The tree in front of Notre Dame, which we saw last night, is also very tall, 22 meters the sign said, and decorated with blue and white lights, in a very casual fashion. (I'm using casual for lack of a more descriptive term.) Doesn't Notre Dame look beautiful behind the tree. C and I were just staring up at it in wonder, while the faint sound of the concert inside could be heard (we arrived too late to get in) and the sound of a guitarist playing Spanish sounding music sat on the Parvis near us. It was enchanting, really. Earlier in the day, along with the hordes of people out doing their holiday shopping or site seeing, we went to Mariage Frère to pick up some tea. Both the little shop and the bigger one across street were packed with customers, but there were lots of young men in tan linen suits (the employee costume) to help us. We really wanted the special Black Magic tea of this season but it only came in glass flacons (heavy!) so we smelled lots of other teas to help us choose what we wanted. It was quite an aromatic experience.


1 comment:

Beanie Mouse said...

MARIAGE FRERES! That's the name of the tea shop! I remember discovering that place on someone else's recommendation (the one in the Jewish quarter, anyway!) and loving it! One of those places you wouldn't normally know about but go in just for the smell!! (as well as the goodies!)

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