Tom's 2014 Camino de Santiago: The most difficult is the unknown

At the grave of James Douglas Morrison

Morning visitors to Jim Morrison's gravesite

Cimeterie Pere' LaChaise (Eiffel in distance)

Paris is a complex city. Her streets radiate from hubs - plazas and monuments - all outward and intersecting at angles. There is no grid. I would never want to drive here.

Trocadero

Summit of Eiffel

The Metro has been a blessing and with a 3 day pass ($47 Euro) I have been able to go anywhere I wanted. The system is vast, the trains are safe, clean and efficient.

I am staying at 32 Blvd. du Temple (www.airbnb.com) - a block from Republique. The location is excellent and a 20 minute walk to the Louvre - which I won't see. There are multiple Metro lines at Republique, a major hub.

My hostess, Eliza, is my contemporary. She is very intelligent, helpful and has very good English. She has a piano in her 3rd floor walk-up. She works at the hospital. She loves art and jazz. She is divorced and has 2 sons. Sadly, her eldest (28) was diagnosed at age 15 with schizophrenia and has been institutionalized near Versailles for the last 4 years. This is a heavy weight on her.

She invited me to join her and her ex - Phillipe - to go to a friends art exhibition opening. Should be interesting.
The weather - awesome. All sun with mornings about 45 F and afternoons in mid-60's. Warm in sun.

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Republique

Jane and I have always sought out friendly bars while traveling. Lots of fun and great opportunities to meet people and trade information. Parisian bars are really cafes. "Bar-lite" and not much fun.

I am posting from internet café' and I hope the pictures transfer. They speak for themselves.

Today I went to the Basilica del Sacro Coure and climbed the stairs (6 Euro) to the top of dome. There is a wonderful artists community in adjacent square with street performers, painters and musicians. A very genuine feel of Paris.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montmartre