Ending Week 7

Today is Sunday and I write this looking out at the park across the canal that we cannot enter. The trellises are loaded with roses where I would simply love to go and cut a bouquet. But , although I see  a guy across there has just done so and actually filled a bucket with them I will forgo. The park has been contentious with the marina office and rightly so. All parks are closed across Paris and if there is one thing Parisians love it is their lovely parks. Usually a sunny day this time of year finds scores of families under gorgeous flowering, towering chestnut trees chatting, picnicking, and just enjoying the spaces. To have that all denied on top of our severe lockdown is pretty trying. However, people are respectful and  abiding by the rules along with more and more masks appearing as purchase of these are now possible at pharmacies and grocery stores across the city. But back to the park, or our park as we like to claim. It is part of the Port de Plaisance which is an enclosed & gated location right now. One side of the canal is green trees, paths, rose arches, flower beds a children’s playground and park benches. We have lilacs, wisteria, flowering crab trees and all sorts of greenery. We must stay out as the street above can look down over the wall and it is not deemed fair to other Parisians that we should have access to a park when they do not. So we are outlawed. Not to say that some have not attempted quick forays onto the paths as the foliage comes out fully and the blossoms beckon. As they apparently did today with my neighbour across the way, who from here on in will be known as the Rose Thief.

May 11, 2020 some restrictions will be lifted. New cases are diminishing each day as are hospitalizations, so the hope is that we can strictly manage social distancing, careful hygiene and masking to avoid a resurgence. Travel will be possible within departments within France for trips of 100 km or less, people who are working at home will continue to do so, crèches  and elementary schools will open but with restricted numbers via alternate days to keep classes small, shops may open but masks will be necessary and only a certain number of customers will be permitted to enter at a time. Many other aspects surround the opening up relative to work place safety and Metro travel where riders will also follow social distancing, and compulsory masking. How that will actually work is yet to be seen.  It is a day we look forward to yet fear. No one in this marina is under any delusion that the world, regardless of “opening up”, is changed. We cannot indulge in mystical thing about the novel coronavirus. It is with us until there is a vaccine and worldwide inoculations have been completed. In reality that may take a minimum of 2 -3 years.  There is a French expression fitting après 11 Mai: avoir peur donc être en sécurité.

The Most Beautiful Blue

Our Closed Park

Sunny Days and Greening Trees

The Reader

Oscar Ennui

Checking Out New Pot Holders Made by Jeanne

On My Way to Greengrocer- Nice Window Decal

Best Mushrooms 

Ready for Pain Perdu

Kitchen Observateur

River Pipit Geraniums

Boat Gardens 

More Geraniums

Blues on Mojito

Week 5

How strange it was to experience Easter weekend in Paris this year. The silence was loud; only broken by sirens of ambulances  and emergency vehicles.  The sun shone, the wind blew and filtered golden  pollen dust into every crack on the boat. We stayed inside the Port as sunny , warm days bring people outside for their hour of exercise in larger numbers than usual. . Running and jogging have been banned between 10AM and 19:00 hours but walkers and dog walkers and essential shopping trips seem to multiply on such days . Masks are strongly encouraged but have not been made compulsory as they ought in our opinion.  We decided to stay put until Wednesday . Numbers have risen  alarmingly here over the last week although yesterday brought a drop in new cases. Will it hold is the question? Now everyone is doing their Monday morning quarterbacking  and yes, steps could have been taken earlier here and in every country as far as we can see. Companies could have been ramped up to fortify stocks of PPE and masks and hand sanitizer and ventilators in January if everyone had been wise enough to acknowledge the science,  the speed of contagion and the swiftness of death. There was time for the rest of the world to get moving and prepare and get testing organized…but it did not happen unless the country was in east Asia and understood what happens when a highly contagious virus hits dense populations.  

Our week has passed  and Macron has spoken to the nation on Monday night extending the lockdown until May 11. It is proposed that there will be some lifting at that time for workers and child care and schools. Exactly how that will all transpire is in planning stages. One thing seems clear is that older people will be expected to continue the lockdown.  

So we have completed our weekly shopping trip. John goes to a Franprix close by and I head to the greengrocer. The produce is still amazing, people are mostly very careful to keep distance and wear a mask although we do notice some younger people who must feel they are immune, pushing boundaries. But overall we say the population of this dense city is respectful and careful and abiding by the rules. Yes, we must fill out trackable phone attestations but to me it seems to be an excellent way to keep folks minding the reasons, distance and time restrictions, for outings. Frankly it gives us peace of mind that there is an orderly society in this pandemic. Without order and compliance we are all at very grave risk.

 We worry about families in small apartments, people who have nothing in the bank to fall back upon, people waiting for their assistance, not knowing where rent will come from. France has relief packages and plans and we can only hope there are very few who fall between cracks. The expectancy here in this city is that 40% of cafes, bars and restaurants will never reopen.  We are fortunate that France has done so much to  try and flatten the curve and we are grateful to the government for the job they are doing.  After all when one knows that the Marais sector of Paris alone has over 55,000 nights of Airbnb it is a miracle that cases are where they are. That does not count any other arrondissement or include hotel or hostel rooms. It is a heavily visited city with people from all over the world. Right now there are 150,000 cases and over 18,000 deaths with the east of France and the Paris area most affected.

With all the talk of reopening in the USA  and the UK we fear that without orderly testing and tracking there will be second, third and fourth waves of contagion. After all a reopening date is just a date. Without clear plans and testing it is just asking for more cases to develop. None of us are safe from COVID-19 until there is a vaccine;  end of story.

No One but Me 

My Disguise

Trusty Cart

A New Recipe

Escalope of Chicken filled with Garlic, Goat Cheese & Spinach in White Wine Sauce

La Poste Pick Up Line-A Story for Another Time!

Jeanne Rowing Jerome ( her Dad) to Bahamas

Full Moon Over the Port

Muffin Day

Easter Quiche

Avec Salade Verte

Furniture Rearranging

Parasol on Loan

Sheltering in Place

Where We Were Last Spring on this Day

A Quarantine Day

What does one do on another quarantine day aboard the boat in Paris?

Arise early;

Feed Oscar

and before anyone else is out, go for an exercise walk/trot for the allowed 1 hour carrying your attestation, identity papers and a spray bottle of isopropanol alcohol . 

Use up almost the hour then dash to the boulangerie. Wait outside if someone is inside and enter after they exit and buy 2 loaves of pain de campagne.  

Carry the bags homes, get into the gate with the code after spraying the key pad

Spray the paper bread bags, the door handle and yourself before entering the boat

Turn on the oven and put the bread loaves in for an extra hot 10 minute bake

Wash your hands before and after that activity.

Shower and put on fresh clothes

Throw your outdoor gear in the laundry
Tell John he may want to get up

Make some fresh fruit & yoghurt for breakfast. Take a vitamin

Read the latest statistics on you know what

Have a coffee

Play with Oscar

Hang out the wash

Tidy the boat and do a bit of vacuuming

Spray disinfectant on  door handles, taps, fridge ,oven doors, countertops, phones and anything frequently handled.

Have a play with Oscar

Do emails

Make contact with the outside world in some way

Sit on deck if the weather is good and sun warm

Do some squats or lunges

Read the latest on WhatsApp & send a few

Check your list of what you want to accomplish today

Tidy up a couple of drawers

Make a tea
Play some Gin Rummy. . .yes we have agreed to start that up again

Talk to Jerome and Reginette and Jeanne on the boat next door. At a very safe distance of about 6 metres.

Wave at Charlette who is 87, across the canal (made a dinner dish for her, must pick up my plate so we can do another)

Plan dinner for tonight

Assess the grocery supply…yes we have TP but what about the wine?

Talk live to family & loved ones using Zoom or WhatsApp
Talk over together, yet again, our current situation 

Take in the wash

Meditate

Read an inspiring /interesting story

Feed Oscar

Make dinner & enjoy our meal

Applaud the Health workers at 20:00 hours along with all our neighbours

Stretch

Plan tomorrow. Make a list of things to do/accomplish/think about

Assess the list you made for today; completed??

Watch some episode of something

Have an orange

Go to bed

Read

Sleep

Start again. . .you get the picture

(John's day is slightly different and he might share that with you at some point )

Immune Booster Soup

Resting

Paris Fashion Dress for Shopping

Exercise Route

Opera That Will not Happen

Early Morning: the Best time to Go Out

Cat Yoga & Meditation: Follow the Guru

COVID-19

Here in Paris things are probably not much different than where you are. The world is shaken , worried and gripped with fear as we are fighting a war in which we cannot physically see the enemy and have no idea who it might attack next. 

How rapidly our lives changed. Going from day to day we expect the planes will fly, the trains will run, groceries will be on shelves, our children will go to school, we will work or do what has usually filled our days. Now all that has evaporated . What we do now is watch media, check our internet or phone for the latest statistics and speak to friends and family about their situations, their precautions , the environment in which they are living. Borderless Europe has become border bound, communities have been shut off and shut down and each one of us is now surrounded by our own self distancing boundary.

Today a good friend from down our pontoon sent me this:

The  woman who wrote it is a stranger to me. However by simply reading it to each other we have calmed our minds and focused on what each day brings.

The streets of Paris are empty except for emergency vehicles and those where essential  work requires a vehicle. In order to leave the Port, which is locked so no one may enter to use the park area, we must prepare an Attestation form signed and dated and ready for presentation to the police. For those without the attestation or for those not abiding by the reason for being out (narrowly defined) a steep fine is rendered. Stay home is the strict message. And we are doing just that as we try to plan our next step.

Of course John’s big birthday surprise that I have planned since August 2018 is cancelled at least for us. I had intended to surprise him on April 5 with tickets to the Monaco Grand Prix but COVID-19 intervened. So we are requesting cancellations there and in Nice where we intended to stay.  We are exploring options for the boat but must see to her before we book a flight. Canals are closed until at least April 20 to all but commercial traffic. Maybe we can stay where we are…for a price…maybe we can reach Port Ilion or make it to Migennes. None of that is clear just yet.  

I am adding just a few pictures this week as I had planned to tell you all about the wonderful Paris Agricultural Exposition. Instead, for those of us confined to the Port a couple of pictures depict small  activities to keep us socially distanced but mentally balanced!

And a post script: The most amazing thing just happened. At vingt heure In all the apartments overlooking the Port people came out on their balconies and opened their windows. Boat dwellers came out on decks and we all  called and waved , blew boat horns, rang bells and shouted in appreciation for all the Healthcare Professionals who are struggling against this pandemic and also, I believe, for our own fortitude and courage, in a spontaneous act of solidarity. It was moving and uplifting.

A Beautiful Spring is Opening Up

Ready

Oscar on COVID-19 Alert

Our Good Friend Mary Escaping Paris Before Shut Down

Trying to Keep Children Busy Who Live Aboard Boats.  

Jeanne Feeding Her Favourite Swan

 

Serenading us on her Violin

Empty Streets

John was the only person at the Greengrocer and Bakery

In the meantime please stay safe, keep well .

For Orchid Lovers Only

This week the photos are of different orchid varieties, that I have not labelled as the names were not my primary focus. The Exposition was extensive (called 1001 Orchidées) and set up inside the huge greenhouses at Jardin des Plantes, right across the river from us. In total there are around 800 genera of orchids. This link from Wikipedia lists the most notable genera of the family: Orchidaceae Genera . Within the  800 genera exist 28,000 currently accepted species. No, I did not see all 800  nor take photos of all I saw. However, you may explore any of the genera by simply clicking on the name to have a look at the characteristics of the plant.

The photos below, taken at the Expo are simply an attempt to display the colours and marvelous shapes that are the  attributes of this beautiful flower family.  And moreover, since the introduction of tropical species into cultivation in the 19th century, horticulturists have produced more than 100,000 hybrids and cultivars. When you see and speak with the orchid clubs and horticultural groups and aficionados at a show like this it is plain to see how the number of cultivars grew.

I am also including this link  Canadian Orchid Congress so you can enjoy some photos of our wild varietals possibly growing in your own back yard.