Luxembourg Gardens (May 9)

On my way to the gardens I saw this lift - this is how people in buildings like mine, with narrow winding steps, get things in and out.

I am always a sucker for unusual signs.  The 3rd one is a play on the word Presse for newspaper kiosks.

 This cracked me up - you only have to spend the equivalent of $AUD140 to get a free frisbee!!

The Luxenbourg Gardens are lovely.  There's a bee keeping school, so you're warned to stay off the lawn, which looks like a lovely meadow, doesn't it?.

There's a section of espaliered (?) fruit trees.

 and nest boxes.

This refreshment hut sells mulled wine as well as other snacks and drinks.

In the middle of nowhere you can step on a scale and check your weight.

Most people, though, are too busy soaking up the sun near the lake.

 In warmer weather you can imagine how lovely it would be to sit here.

There were areas for children, and of course a bocce court.  The Medici Fountain was originally built in the 1600s, and the gardens also house the Senate.  The horses in this fountain seem to be reacting to the cold water!

I passed the Sorbonne, and saw a medieval garden right next to the Cluny Museum, which is built on old Roman baths.  Aside from the trees, all plants in the garden are those known to have existed in medieval times.

I stopped at Shakespeare & Co, the English bookshop, and bought a book - I know!  Couldn't help it!  There was a free talk relating to the metaphysical poets but it was a bit academic for me so I didn't stay long.  On the way home I bought a mendiant.

This has a large biscuit base covered in chocolate and strewn with nuts and sultanas.  According to Wikipedia, the fruit and nuts, used originally, represented the 4 mendicant/monastic orders - raisins for the Dominicans, hazelnuts for the Augustins, dried fig for Franciscans and almond for Carmelite.  My version was a bit different.  Need I add it was very yummy?