Houseboat on the Seine

I am either the luckiest dog in the world or the biggest sap. Probably both. Somehow in my net-sleuthing I uncovered a link for a houseboat (une peniche) for rent in the heart of Paris and contacted Georges (if that's his real name) to check availability. Miraculously, La Chalik is free for several of my nights in Paris. If this isn't a total scam it is a total miracle - an incredible old Dutch barge parked on the quai in front of the Gare d'Austerlitz and within stone's throw of Le Jardin des Plantes (botanical gardens).

Teak chairs on the deck will allow us to eat our meals en pleine aire and watch river boats pass by filled with envious tourists. There is a small aft cabin with double bed (for me, of course!) and a recessed sleeping nook in the Salon for my buddy, who is a tremendous midnight fusser and must be isolated. Naturellement, we will be drinking wine at all times and chatting with our neighboring boaters in French. This George fellow says, "On an other boat live a women alone since she left her husban." I'm with you sister.

I do wonder how up-and-up this is, since George's emails dropped off considerably after I sent a deposit via Paypal (I finally figured how to send Euros to France, so simple it had me flummoxed - merely click the "send money" tab and Paypal tabulates the euro amount and sends it to the email address you proscribe). I'll wait a day and assault him again.

(I'm a little anxious with the emails and have already alienated one concierege in Paris with repeated requests for a reservation confirmation, causing him to write: Nous prenons bonne note de la réservation de Chambre ... which roughly translates, through steely clenched teeth: "we have noted well your room reservation." Ugh. Note to self: Prepare for terminal politeness from French.)

I am also compiling a list of Must-Do's in Paris that are most excellently quirky:



Take tea and pastries in the mosque.

Go to a street market:

Visit the Catacombs:


Or ...



Take in the Magic Boat on the Seine, a cheesy magic show/dinner theater with: d'éblouissantes beautés Asiatiques, qui apportent subtilité, raffinement et glamour aux époustouflants numéros de Magie de Jan Madd.

Translation: Dazzling Asian beauties who carry themsleves with subtlety, refinement and glamor during the heartstopping magical numbers of Jan Madd. There is not one thing I don't like about the sound of that. (Watch this highly amusing video.)