Sunday Around Noon

Hallelujah, Dick has finally gotten all the papers, stamps and signatures. The birds will be on their way on Monday followed by Dick on Tuesday.

First, I had breakfast next to a couple right out of Breathless.Then out into the day.
I went shopping at my weekly market on Monge Place, that's right, its mine. I have taken possession of the market as it is part of my neighborhood!
Today there was busking clown with ankle cymbals. He's in the corner of the photo below.

I found the most glorious array of fresh fruit and vegetables. Things get better every week. There is a vendor who sells all sorts of meats and sausages atop a huge mound of steaming sauerkraut, its a mouth watering display. This photo shows the middle eastern vendor who makes fresh pita and hands out samples as people watch him work. One of my favorites is the honey vendor, who has jams as well as honeys and the most wonderful giant chocolate honey spice cake.

There is everything at the market on Sunday morning, there were clothes, freshly cooked goodies of many different sorts, sets of china to put them on and the fresh fish is stunning. I have never seen gambas (shrimp verging on lobsters) that long.

After buying a gorgeous purple/ fuschia geranium and some mint, rosemary and thyme plants, I stolled down the street to a place where I had noticed a spiderwort plant with purple, green and white stripes. I thought it was lovely and would cheer up the apartment on the less sunny days. There are always two women there, smoking and chatting and they were smoking and chatting when I showed up. I picked the plant with my free hand and offered her the tenner I had in my hand, she says its "Deez". I look at her thinking, "Gee that's convenient. It just happens to cost the same amout as the bill I have in my hand". I'm sure she cheated me, but I'll just never shop there again. Every other shop is a flowerseller, baker, butcher or pharmacy, so one is spoiled for choice.
Then I went up to the Contrascarpe, where there was a rolling pianoman. He had a small piano on wheels and he played and bowed after every tune. It was as perfect as the cheese filled with hazelnuts I am having for dinner.