Place des Vosges - A Peaceful Spot to Rest by tpal
It was a typical first day in Europe for us...flew all night, slept practically not at all, it's 8:00 am here but our bodies insist it's 3:00 am and...way too early. Of course, our room won't be ready until the afternoon so the best we can do is drop off our luggage, find some coffee and see what is nearby. Happily we were staying in le Marais and very close to Place des Vosges.We had walked around the square and its immediate alleys and adjoining streets for as long as we could physically endure. Finally, we just needed to sit and rest. We (most particularly me) trudged to the center of the square, walked through the sand walkways and turned our shoes into dust. We found our way to an available and, as it turns out, ubiquitous Paris bench. While probably the most uncomfortable bench I had ever encountered, it felt perfect.Intro Photo: The young woman in the photo seemed equally satisfied to have the cast iron support in the middle of her bare back and her duffel bag in the dust.
Photo 2: At this moment, a more idyllic stop would have been difficult to imagine. With it's shady lanes lined with precisely spaced and pruned trees, many local Parisians take a break while teenagers hurry back to school.
Photo 3: At another corner of the square carefree children playing under the close supervision of their nannies. It seemed an entirely safe and comfortable place.
