Wake up. Realised you were dreaming in between and were not up with insomnia. I’d blame Elif Shafek for that. Her writing gets under your skin. Makes you question every word you’ve written till now. I read her latest, The Island Of The Missing Tree, before going to sleep. Rationing it so that I don’t finish it before K reaches.
Woke up to aches and pains (soft mattress, tiny bed) and nearing 50 at Vandre Kalyan. Showered without (fully) flooding the (micro mini) bathroom this time. Must get better at this before K reaches tomorrow.
Plans? Breakfast at local bakery. Lunch at Laduree. We ticked all the boxes in Paree in 2018. How do I explain that to people? I am diabetic now. Know how each macaron tastes here. Finish my greens now.
The bakery turned out to be unimpressive looking. Suddenly smelt the coffee and walked into the coffee shop opposite. Realised I’ve found the Candies of this trip. Lovely service. The ‘Sylvia’ here is way younger. Hokkaido bun is not terribly French but add bacon, eggs & cheddar and it’s the best thing I’ve had on the trip so far.
The espresso is like flowing ink in a writer’s pen. And once again we’ve ducked the tyranny of ‘breakfast included’ packages. Being forced to have breakfast before noon on holidays is a war crime for which all hotels need to be sentenced at The Hague. Happy to be part of the Resistance.
Ordered a second espresso. Single shot this time at the Inform Cafe. Plan to read this time. Not write.
