Last Afternoon in Paris

Everytime I am in Paris, I always go to this souvenir store tucked inside a commercial building along Champs Elysees. Never naman ako nakabili.
I would spend a couple of minutes, puro tingin lang naman. Baka kasi mabasag lang, maglupasay pa ako sa kaiiyak.

Nice sana

Each plate has no terno. They are just meant as a souvenir, pa-isa-isa lang. Price range is about P3,000 and up for each plate.

Meron na namang party, this time in Marionnaud.

Crowds gathered in front of their store, marami ring paparazzi. Ganun na naman, hindi ko naman kilala yung mga French celebrities.

I was back in the room. It was 5 pm and my kids were in Printemps. I was in a quandary whether to follow them or just start packing. It’s our last day in Paris and I know my kids still want to make the most out of our few hours here. As if naman, we’ve been here so long, actually. Gusto sana namin i-extend ng 3 days but we have work. Baka magalit na si Edmund, hindi na kami papasukin sa bahay. Dyan na lang kayo sa Paris!

I bought a pair of white walking shoes in Milan. I took them out and wore them to replace the leather tsinelas na medyo lumuwag na kaya ang hirap maglakad. I immediately felt the difference. It’s easier and faster to walk.

I went down and walked half a block to get a cab. There’s a protest today kaya walang bus and taxi but the Metro is running, ang problema, hindi ko alam sumakay papuntang Printemps.

I was able to hail a cab. the French driver pointed at the meter that’s not running. I understood right away kasi nga supposedly walang taxi. He told me to just give him an amount. I said ten Euro?
I was expecting he would complain that it’s too low. Typical of Filipino drivers.
To my surprise, he said ten is too much. I said “Eight?” He said Printemps is too near. He suggested five or six.

Ang bait nya ah. Hindi mapagsamantala!

He would even slow down when I took photos. I recruit ko kaya sya to be my driver in the Philippines? I cannot afford him. He now owns this cab. He used to work for a company driving cabs for 10 years. Four years ago, he got his own license and borrowed money from the bank to finance his taxi operation. He owes the bank daw 200,000 euro. Nay ko ang mahal naman.

Medyo may kalayuan din, siguro 3 or 4 kilometers

He brought me right at the doorstep of Printemps. When I was giving him one five Euro bill and two Euro coin, he was returning the two Euro, sobra daw. Ang bait ano? I insisted that he gets the coin too. Sobrang nag-thank you pa.
Kamukha na sya ni Nicolas Cage, mabait pa.

There are beggars on the sidewalk of Printemps and Galeries Lafayette.

This guy stands two meters away from his McDonald’s cup.
I dropped two Euro and when he saw me, he thanked me profusely. The guy was so appreciative and grateful. Muntik na kaming maging Facebook friends kasi sobra syang magpasalamat. Parang close na agad kami. Siguro bihira lang merong magbigay ng 2 Euro kaya love nya ako.