Palm Sunday in Paris

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Today is Palm Sunday in Paris, a point hard to miss in this city. On my way to breakfast I passed the ladies at the door of the church preparing the greenery. In Paris, it is sprigs of boxwood rather than palms, but the point is made just the same.

The ladies prepare greens outside the church for Palm Sunday. photo by me

At every church in the city, it seemed you could get a sprig of green to carry around. And at Notre Dame they had big white tents set up to entertain the children. Church members in white sweatshirts would answer any questions you might have about the day, and their church, and their religion.

Notre Dame, photo by me

Around the corner, a flower market bloomed. I happened on it quite by mistake while making a detour for a scoop of haagen dazs (chocolate praline carmel crunch).

This flower market went on for blocks around the corner from Notre Dame. Photo by me

Perfect for the patio, from peach trees to pussy willows. Photo by me

And as I became intoxicated with the smell of fresh spring blooms, I heard birds chirping away. There were cages full of tiny birds, every variety imaginable, to the great delight of children straining to escape from their parents to see what it was all about.

Tiny birds, chirping away, hoping to find a home for Easter. photo by me

There were all shapes and sizes and colors. Fascinating. I don’t know if this was just for this weekend or if this a regular occurrence, but it was really quite magical.

The varieties were endless. Something for every taste, so to speak. photo by me

There were booths with all types of birdseed…

Bird seed by the bulk. photo by me

…so you can feed your nesters and get your own fresh eggs.

You could also buy live quails, chickens and doves at the market if you wanted your own endless supply of fresh eggs. Photo by me.

And that was just part of my day. The highlight was a visit to Centre Pompidou, the Paris version of New York’s Museum of Modern Art. A unique building, very modern and industrial, it was a delight, and the collection was interesting and varied.

The courtyard from the roof of Centre Pompidou. Photo by me

The last time I was in Paris, much of this museum was closed for renovation, so today was a treat and I spent hours there. My poor Beloved Brit I am afraid would have been bored to tears, which is why I came on my own.