Second day in Paris

Gotup late which was to be expected. Out the door around 11am. Off to Ile de la Cite to see the Sunday bird market. Birds, bird seed, rabbits, fishes, etc. for sale. Was cold, windy and overcast but not raining. I like it cold so suited me fine, just the pictures would appreciate the sun.

After the bird market walked over the Pont Neuf and looked at the garden/pet stores on the right bank by La Samaritaine. Love the little plant stores and their collection of garden nomes.

After that went to an organic market held every Sunday near metro Sevres-Babylon. Was interesting but not overwhelming.

Then the Sun came out. Quick, got to think, it is going to rain everyday, now that the Sun is out what should I take a picture of that needs blue sky. My choice was to go to Ile de la Cite and Ile Saint Louis and get pictures of Notre Dame and the surrounding buildings and bridges.

After that I went to the Marais to walk around and get pictures of the hotel Mary and I stayed at (when we used to travel together), Place des Vosges and all the old Jewish Deli's. This is such a fascinating area on a Sunday, it is just filled with people walking throught the narrow streets. A must see!!!!!

Back to my room for a bite to eat and then off to the l'Olympia to pick up my concert ticket from Amandine (bought it from her on E-Bay). I bought it less than a week from the concert date and so she arranged to meet me at the theatre before the show. Unfortunately I didn't leave the apartment early enough and I had problems getting the metro and ended up running a great deal of the way. Well I arrived 5 minutes before 6pm and luckily Amandine was still there (with her father) to give me the ticket. I felt so bad that she had to wait and that I didn't have time to sufficiently thank her as I had to get into the theatre.

The Olympia is an amazing theatre!!! It is large but small at the same time, you have a feeling of being so close to the stage and the performer (I was in the second row of the mezzanine).

Opening act was Marie-Mai from Quebec. I believe she was a contestant in Star Academie. I think she was the same year as Wilfred Lebouthiellier and Marie-Elaine Thibert.

She was great, the crowd loved her but were waiting for Garou!!!

Garou was amazing. So much energy and power. Sang his new songs which I'm not that familiar with but also sang the songs I love: Belle, Amsterdam (Jacques Brel), L'amour est violent, Gitan.... And guess who came to do a duet with Garou, Liane Foly!!!! Two nights in a row!!!! Garou's background is singing english songs and he did plenty of them including You can keep your hat on (the most amazing performance and to see the crowd react to the hip movements), Here Comes the Sune, Roll Over Beethoven, and some great Jerry Lee Lewis songs.

It was an amazing concert with very generous long encores. When it was over everyone was commenting to each other how it was one of the best concerts they'd seen. The couple next to me on the way out wanted to know whether I loved it also. I said that it was amazing and that I was from Vancouver, Canada. They initially thought I was there just to see Garou as it appeared there were numerous Quebecoise groupies in the front row (as he is from Sherbrooke, Quebec) . They said he is amazing and that he is the best at the Olympia because it is such a great theatre. I said thank you for talking to me and they wished me well on my visit to Paris and France. Parisians are so nice when you try to speak French with them and partake of their present popular culture and not just their monuments and paintings (historic culture).

The only negative about the concert was that it came to early in my trip, it will be hard to come close to it.

My poor daughter, Katarina, she will be in agony when I get home and put on my Garou DVD's and CD's!!!!!!!