A teapot in Paris

With our extended visit to Europe, we are spending the bulk of it in France. Our rented apartment in Paris serving as base.

A leg of the adventure was spent with friends and in Provence.  

The apartment is our home from home, with the essential teapot our link to Towerwater. 

After visiting museums, churches and gardens, it is good to come home and make a refreshing pot of Assam tea. Over tea we discuss the day's adventures. The scale of public architecture and landscapes in France is overwhelming, from the Louvre to Versailles. 

We visited the rosarium at the Bagatelle gardens, where 10 000 rosebushes have been planted representing 1 200 different species. It is like a pilgrimage for rose growers. Where the new roses that are going to be released in forthcoming  years are on display. 

New words become part of our daily vocabulary. Le boulangerie where we get the most amazing breads, le pâtisserie the delectable desserts, le charcuterie for smoked meats and patés, and le  marchand de légumes for fresh fruit and vegetables.

We had often heard how rude the French are if you do not speak French. We landed in Paris having mastered the basic French of oui, non, s'il vous plait, merci, bonjour and au re voir. But every French person we encounter is friendly, polite and helpful. Something I miss in South Africa sometimes. 

Exploring Paris is a pleasure. For somebody that thrives on new experiences, this trip is one heady ride. After a day filled with gardens, art, architecture and markets, it is comforting to come home to a familiar teapot in a strange city. An aromatic cup of Assam tea allows one to drink in all the new experiences of the day. 

SuddenlyTowerwater does not seem so far away, while we pour another cup of tea in Paris.