If I didn't post a blog this morning, you might think we were caught up in the Eifel Tower incident today. No not us. We did suspect that something had happened as the security around the senate building in the Luxemburg Gardens was extreme.

Yesterday (Saturday) started as a horror. Left CC at 6.40 am, drove from Chipping Campden to Heathrow without incident. Even located a service station close to our Avis depot so we could fill the tank without stress. Bus from Avis to terminals uneventful, check in uneventful, customs etc. to breakfast uneventful, to departures the boarding gate uneventful, flight uneventful, arrivals in Paris ………………… you have to be kidding. Close to ¾ of an hour to clear immigration …. Then our luggage still not delivered and another 30 min wait and finally headed for the RER station at 2.00 UK time That's over 7 hours from CC to Paris airport. The equivalent of driving from Newcastle to Sydney and then flying to Melbourne … or close to how long it takes to fly from Sydney to Singapore.

Bloody hell. We arrived at the RER station and found people jam packed on the upper deck and no access down the escalators to the station. Ches asked security. Only statement was, "there has been an incident". No indication of when the access to trains might resume. Back track to terminal and took a cab, arriving at our apartment 4.30 Paris time. Door to door, 9 hours.

You will be absolutely amazed at what followed.

We dumped our gear in the apartment and went for a walk to explore the streets below Boulevard Saint Germain, specifically Ru de Buci and Rue Jacob and the streets linking them back to the Boulevard. You could possibly care less where we were. Where we were, was just in the moment. No camera, no touristing. For the first time ever, and particularly for Paris which we have now visited 5 times, we just strolled the streets taking in the masses of people sunning themselves at road side cafes and just felt at home.

Back to the apartment which is amazing. We are so grateful to Sharon for putting us in touch with the owner of this gem of an apartment. Two bedrooms (one will be used by Alison when she joins us on Monday from Edinburgh), a lounge room big enough to swing a Panther or Tiger, a kitchen big enough to swing a mouse and a bathroom big enough … well, big enough.

A change of clothes and off to 35 Rue Jacob for dinner. I'd read about it online and we decided we needed to be spoiled after the long journey.

It was a mixed experience. The food was delicious but overly expensive for what it was. The hostess and atmosphere charming however our window table meant we were 50cm from a guy smoking the worst of French cigarettes. Closed the window and that kinda detracted from the experience. Paid $AUD8.50 for their "special" beer and then discovered it today in an expensive Traiteur for $AUD3.70. Now that's mark up.

Late to bed and late to rise on this Sunday morning.

We discovered a Patisserie/Boulangerie 10 minute walk away that won the award for "Best Baguette Paris 2016". They should also win awards for their other breads and pastries. We've been back again this evening. Their "pain de seigle feuillete" is a muffin shaped laminated bread/pastry. More dense and laminated than a croissant, which was also pretty good.

A late start with a stroll through the Luxemburg Gardens where there were morning exercise runners. The beginning of what would grow into a large crowd. We planned on a day in the Latin Quarter. Managed a significant amount of time in the Pantheon. Visited the tombs of Voltaire, Dumas, Rousseau, Hugo, Zola, Madam Curie and Louis Braille.

Voltair was turning in his grave. I read John Ralson Saul's "Voltairs b******s" may years ago and lend it to anyone who will make the time to read it.

"Voltaire and his contemporaries believed that reason was the best defence against the arbitrary power of monarchs and the superstitions of religious dogma. It was the key not only to challenging the powers of kings and aristocracies but also to creating a more just and humane civilization. While the emphasis on reason has become one of the hallmarks of modern thought, today's rational society bears little resemblance to the visions of the great 17th and 18th century humanist thinkers, according to Saul. Our ruling elites justify themselves in the name of reason, but all too often their power and their methodology is based on specialized knowledge and the manipulation of rational "structures" rather than reason. Today the link between reason and justice has been severed and our decision-makers, bereft of a viable ethical framework, have turned rational calculation into something short-sighed and self-serving. The result, Saul observes, is that we live in a society fixated on rational solutions, management, expertise, and professionalism in almost all areas, from politics and economics to education and cultural affairs."

I apologised to him.

We returned home for a very late lunch … baguette.

Later again sans camera (kinda) a long walk to "Le Grand Episerie de Paris". It's a traiteur on steroids. Overpriced and caters to people with more money than sense. They only got a little of ours. It's Sunday and all other traiteurs closed and we needed something for dinner … half a chicken which cost $AUD7.00 for the chicken and $AUD5.00 for the theatre when it has to be personally selected and cut in the "Rotisserie" dept. A green vert salad which Drew could have made.

A long walk back to LaParisienne for tonight's desert and a Pear and chocolate tart and a Pecan and chocolate cookie to eat in the gardens on the way home. The gardens were so tranquil with people sitting in garden chairs scattered around the paths. No walking or lying on the grass … and it's so green and inviting. We people watched for an hour and then home for a 9.00pm dinner … panic set in. What to do tomorrow? Giverny too difficult to find which metro line to the RER for out of town lines. We settled on Chateau de Chantilly instead. It's the last day of warm dryish weather so should be special.