La Place des Vosges and the Marais

11 June 2013

Our first full day in Paris, bookmarked for walking around. Close at hand is the Place des Vosges with its elegant buildings around a formal French square.

From there we explore the Marais, with the Pletzl, the old Jewish area of narrow streets, small shops and the occasional chilling memorial plaque. 165 children from a Jewish school were deported and died at Auschiwtz.  It happened here. The past casts a long shadow in Paris.

Then it’s time for coffee.  We sit outside at a long table.   I notice a young woman drawing – her eyes sliding from her sketch pad to a woman talking on her mobile.  Then Harry becomes her subject – he’s absorbed in the map of Paris on his phone

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Before we go, I ask her if we can see her work.  ”Is it ok to take a photo?”  She smiles and we talk for a while.