Paris Dupes

Yesterday wound up being my first real day in Paris since we arrived almost a week ago.

We managed to walk along the Seine and across the bridge to the Tuilleries and The Louvre. Walking across the bridge, I'm sorry to say that we almost fell for one of the most ridiculous cons in the world:

As we were walking over the bridge toward the gardens, a woman in her 50's bent down and picked up a thick gold men's wedding band from the ground and showed it to us, asked us if it was ours. We said no, and she looked at the inside of it and saw the markings which she claimed showed it was real gold. She also said how sad it was that someone had lost it, etc. We of course agreed.

She tried it on her own fingers and it didn't fit. We should take it, she said. She was an evangelist and therefore couldn't wear jewelry. She put it in my hand and walked away, smiling and sweet. Now all this time, all I was thinking how delighted I was to understand everything she was saying to me in French.

As we went on our way she suddenly came up behind us again, smiling and sweet, apologetic, asking if she could have some money. No, we said, and tried to give her the ring back. No, no, she didn't want it, it was for us, but just a little money. Again, so smiley, so sweet.

No, we said again, you can't have any money. Take the ring back and sell it. This went on for another exchange or two, where she would follow us and ask us for money and we would say no and shove the ring back at her. Finally she got the point that we weren't giving her any money and suddenly the nice sweet lady disappeared and was replaced by that crazy neighbor everyone on the block was afraid of growing up.

She stopped following us, but she hurled a few choice words our way, I can tell you.

As for Steve's and my stupidity, I can only say that, as former New Yorkers, we are deeply ashamed. We NEVER would have fallen for that when we were living in the city.

I can only blame it on jet-lag, and the fact that by that point, I had gone almost four days without really eating anything. At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

This photo has nothing to do with the story I just told you, but Paris seems to have the most stunning and fragrant flower shops I have ever seen. It seems to be peony and hydrangea season, and those are two of my favorites. Who that dude is, I have no idea.