Shopping in Paris

     We didn't bring much back from Paris, but we certainly did a lot of shopping with our eyes.  I can't call it window shopping because, in many cases, there weren't any windows to separate us from the goods for sale.  Shops set up displays on the sidewalk, and many business operate in the open air.  Though we stayed near the Bastille Market, we missed going there when it was open on Thursday and Sunday mornings.  We also missed the famous flower market located on the Ile de la Cite.
     Since we were in Paris at Easter time, we enjoyed the candy store windows.  Their Easter candy should be called art rather than confection.  The produce stands offered perfect strawberries, raspberries, and white asparagus.  The bucheries (butcher shops) sold chickens with the feet still attached and deep fried rabbits (head included).  Crabs lay on beds of ice in a state of suspended animation.  They seemed to know just when to move to give the tourists a fright.

Post cards are the cheapest souvenirs.

We "shopped" at a few dealerships on the Champs Elysees.  Mike took one look at this go-kart and decided it had to be a "Henwood."

Models were for sale.  This is a model of a Renault vehicle called the Twizy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Twizy

Mike among the scarves.  You can't get out of France without buying a scarf.

Street venders near the entrance of the Paris Flea Market.

We spent a morning at the flea market outside Paris in Porte de Clignancourt.  The official name of the market is Le Puces de Sainte-Ouen, but it is known to everyone as Les Puces (The Fleas).  It's an area of winding passageways with lots of shops.  Prices are outrageously high.  Though this attraction was billed as a "must see" in the guidebooks, we could have skipped it.  This mural was cool, though.   

The best part of our visit to Les Puces was lunch at Chez Louisette.  Front and center is my plate of ham and potato salad.

Chez Louisette always has live entertainment.  This lovely lady sang like an angel.  She sang an Edith Piaf song for my cousin.  She also sang Donna Summer's "Last Dance" in English.

They say the French don't wear sneakers.  Actually, young people wear them - in as many colors as possible.
At 28 € ($39.20), these bobos are pretty pricey.

I thought my beading friends would enjoy these works of art.  As best I could tell, this jewelry was made combining bead with tatting, a craft for making lace.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatting