Chez Ludo

As expected, I got lost. I always get lost here, which I why I give myself at least an hour to get wherever I’m supposed to go.

Ludo’s house is in a quaint little suburb not far from Paris. You need to take the RER to get here, but once here, there are buses and taxis to find your way around. Despite my swollen feet, I chose to walk. It was lovely, but far from easy.

The Seine cuts through Chatou and was once a destination for the impressionist artists looking to escape the busy streets of Paris. I followed the river as it meanders through town, admiring the quaint houses, urban walls, and general atmosphere of a French “suburb.” (It’s actually quite like Melrose or Arlington... but French.)

His house is lovely; a white building with blue shudders on a tiny street just outside the center of town. He has a blue gate lining his grass- and tree-filled yard, and a scooter parked out front. Inside it is very French; those awful mattresses, a myriad of decorations, and an unexplainable feeling you only find in les maisons of this country.

Most of all, Ludo and his family are wonderful. (Ludo has a special place in my heart... that's for sure.) Patricia (his wife), Ludo and I sat on the front steps for a few hours, drinking wine and talking – of philosophy, of books (Jared Diamond no less!), of the future of mankind, and of the differences between America and France. Then inside we went for dinner, and I gave the family their gifts.

I wish I had recorded them trying to figure out what Salt Water Taffy was. Hilarious! One member would take a bite, chew, and look to the sky for answers; the rest of the family stared holding their breath in anxious anticipation. Flavors would be called out (“Is it raspberry? Strawberry? What is it?!”) and the answer would always be, “No, it’s not any of those things… but I’m not sure what it is!” – and then another member would try a different colored piece. They liked it, but – as with those of us who live in Boston and have it often – couldn’t understand it. They really loved the maple sugar candies… but what’s not to love about pure sugar?

Regardless, dinner was wonderful… seeing the family is wonderful… life is wonderful à Paris! But it’s now almost 10:00 in the morning and I feel I must make my presence known, jet-lagged or not.

À bientôt!