Mais oui je parle français...qu'est-ce que tu penses alors?

I'm not exactly sure what they put in these macaroons, but they're sinfully delicious.  I'm ashamed to admit that this is the third time I've been to Paris but the first time I've had a macaroon. Ma bonne amie Héloïse introduced me to these delicious little cookies when we went out for brunch on Saturday.  Today, as I was too sick to drag myself out to Versailles, I decided to drag my sick self out to a little boulangerie / cafe near Héloïse's flat.  I ordered a croissant, café allongé and a vanille macaroon (there was no chocolate left, malheureusement) and brought a book to keep me company while I enjoyed my afternoon coffee.  How do I describe macaroons?  They look like a sandwich cookie but to call them such would be an insult to macaroons.  The middle of the macaroon is fudgy, gooey goodness and the outside layers are not made of cake or cookie but, more sugar?  Oh dear.  You can buy gros and petit macaroons.  I had a gros with my coffee today and bought a box of 8 petit macaroons for dessert for Hélo and I tonight.

Paris is charming, as usual.  I love hearing French everywhere, and I'm speaking French almost all of the time.  I'm delighted to report that after a 2 year sejour from la belle langue I can still speak French très bien. It really does come back quickly!  I was a little nervous to speak in the beginning, but after talking to Héloïse on they way to her flat and during dinner with her parents, I really felt like my French was coming back.  Héloïse's parents thought I was truly bilingual!  Which, I am...or at least I have a probably expired certificate from the Province of New Brunswick, saying so.

Yesterday I went on a 3.5 hour long walking tour of Paris which was really interesting, as I learned about all of Paris' gross and gruesome history.  They really were into brutal executions here.

I'm back to London tomorrow, spending one night, then catching a flight from London to Istanbul.  Duty free airport shopping, here I come!