Paris or a comeback

Paris is a wonderful city. Crowded, polluted, smelly and hot - but it is still great, and it welcomes its old and new lovers with the same open arms. A hot chocolate at LaDurée to start the day, followed by museum visits, a run through le Marais to buy some Jewish delicatessen goodies, and day's end at Berthillon's on Ile St Louis made me wish for more. Notre-Dame looked too white, but Musée Branly is still to visit, as well as the newly restored Musée Guimet.

I was happy to get into the L'Âge d'or de l'Inde Classique expo at Grand Palais - the beauty of the Gupta statues is breathtaking to say the least - unforgettable look from this fellow will stay with me for some time. Another country to visit - oh so big and interesting! Also noticed new books to read - Rushdie's new novel, Shalimar the Clown, and Sealy's Troter-nama.

Last but not least museum of the day - the newly restored Orangerie. Monet and his virtual reality, but also Paul Guillaume's collection I have previously not seen with beautiful Picassos, a couple of Provence paysages of Derrain not to be missed and some Soutine and Modigliani paintings to finish this art-fest for me.