France-tastic

The winter surprised me, not so much for the extremity of the cold (not so bad), but the length of the damn thing. It just wouldn't quit! A bit of cold anyone can take, on a skiing holiday, the Australian winter, even a few months in Sweden over winter is managable. But when the coat and (gorgeous soft black leather) glove wearing goes on for six damn months, enough was really enough.

And so it is that I am equally suprised by the summer. Unfortunately I don't think bikini season is quite as drawn out as the scarf season, but my gosh! It's ferocious! The average temperature for June and, thus-far, July must be about thirty, with plenty of days topping 35. Today for example, it is only 31 at the moment (just before midday) but the max predicted is 36. And of course, there is no such thing as air conditioning here. Not at home, certainly, but not at work, not in shops, not on the metro either. And the beach? 200 km away.

Until last week...! When the annual Paris Plage opened! This "Paris Beach" involves shipping in 2000 tonnes of sand and spreading it out along the bank of the Seine, adding deckchairs and parasols, palm trees and polynesian hula dancers. A perfect beach! Oh, except you can't swim in the water. Luckily there is a pool, tiny, but still a pool. Luckily again, most Parisians are more interested in lying around in bikinis and tiny tiny shorts that actually swimming!