Some gray views

 Entry area of the main building at the Cité. The smokers will come out in the evening and sit on right to have their smokes.

 This is the little playground at the corner. It has a few things for the children to climb on and three little rocking horses. There are two table tennis tables and we see people using them. They bring their own paddles. There are also benches all around for parents and others to sit, and they do, even in the chilly weather.

 This is the reception area of the Cité, newly renovated. There are lots of mirrors so it seems larger, airier, and brighter. The white shape in the foto is one of the benches. To the left is the glass railing leading down to the lower level where there is an exhibition space, a concert hall and  meeting rooms. That's where the French class meets. I went yesterday for the first time in 2.5 years and it was good. All levels of learners and the teacher wears herself out demonstrating vocabulary. Participants are from all over the world but the common language is English.

 This is the street we walk down returning from the Franprix or Monoprix (shops) on rue St. Antoine. Ahead is the Seine, to the right at the end of the sidewalk we turn to go to the Cité. That's the corner with the playground. To the left is a construction barricade. There is always work being done. To the left, across the street is the Hôtel de Sens, which, sadly, we've never been in. I think we'll check it out this trip. It has a lovely formal garden on the side that we see all the time, though right now, it's a winter garden.

Here's yesterday's mail art. I used images cut from a catalog someone left here. It was from a shop that sells patterns for making needlework items.  Not that there is doubt, but I thought that the label "This side up" finished the composition. For the substrate, I used the carboard that covered a box of 6 eggs. I only had to cut off two side wings. I liked the half-circle cutout on the side.

Last night, after the concert here in the building, we invited some people to come back to our studio for wine. It was a lively party and lucky for us, the common language was English, as my German is minimal and my only Swedish and Norwegian word is "Tack/Takk."  Today, we'll go to see the exhibits at Centre Pompidou. Finally, a museum, after one week here.