Here’s the first installment of “Postcard from Paris,” a new mini adventure on my blog.
Sara Somers is an American in Paris—looking out her window into the city she now calls home; you could say that I’m a Panameña in New York. We each bring an outsider’s perspective, and we both love having our feet in different worlds.
Sara recently shared my Aqueduct story about vaccines in New York. Below is a glimpse into what is happening around Covid19 in France. Here are notes from Sara’s blog, Out My Window:
Perros Guirec is a village in the Cotes d’Amor department in Brittany. This is the part of Brittany where Bijou and I have landed and spent the last almost four weeks. From my window, I look out on part of the English channel (Perros is directly south of Bournemouth). Today though cold the weather is magnificent. The sea is that turquoise blue with whips of white topped waves in the distance. The sail boats are out in force.
There is hardly any Covid in this area. A boy at school reportedly was diagnosed with the virus last week but no one else has gotten sick. At the marché and along the streets in Centre Ville, everyone wears a mask. Walking along the sea, people have masks on their wrists or under their chins. They put them on if they pass another being. But one can walk for two or three miles and only pass a handful of people.
Two weeks ago, Brittany suffered some of the coldest weather ever known in this area. It can be much like the Bay Area in California–warmer in winter and colder in the summer. But in early February it snowed, stuck to the ground, and one morning I awoke to a huge patinoire (skating rink) that was the roads and driveways. Wednesday morning as it was starting to warm up I walked down to the marché at the port of Perros. There were twice as many stalls out as were out two weeks ago.
Wednesday morning marche at the port of Perros
People look forward to the three marchés in this area: Friday morning, there is one near the Poste in centre-ville, and Sunday morning the market is in La Clarté, high on a hill overlooking the beaches. Many people prefer the outdoor markets although most French have become habituated to American-style supermarkets. They can get eggs that were laid the same morning, vegetables with dirt still on them from being pulled the night before, Bretagne honey and Bretagne beer made in this region, plus the hundreds of cheeses from all over France.
Bijou watching the birds near the sea
This was the area I was to visit over Christmas and due to the new variant from the United Kingdom, I chose not to deal with the train station and other places it would be hard to socially distance. When it seemed a good possibility that France might have a third lockdown, my friend, Roland who lives in Perros, said “Come stay with us.” “How long will you be gone?” some friends asked. “If there is a confinement, I’ll stay to the end. If not, probably two weeks.” Yet, here it is almost four weeks later, no confinement—although all of France still has a 6pm-6am curfew—and I am still here. There is so much air and there is no Covid. For some unknown reason, my friends have not gotten sick of me!
Prime Minister Jean Castex and health minister Oliver Véran have been holding press conferences as the health situation has deteriorated sharply in France over the past week. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210225/what-can-we-expect-from-the-french-prime-ministers-latest-announcement/ According to the French, they are the best at everything. Not true. There is still very little vaccine and what there is is not being given to the 65-74 year old group because “it hasn’t been proved that it is helpful for those over 65 years of age.”
So here I am in this beautiful area of Brittany where there is no Covid, contemplating going back to Paris where there is plenty. It is only because of the kindness of my friends that I even have a choice. Since I have Bijou with me, there is no reason to rush back. Each day, we watch the news wondering if Brittany will have the 6pm curfew lifted.
As of yesterday, it seems they are thinking in terms of regions and not one size fits all. Dunquerque and Nice have been hit very badly. Both cities and areas around them are in a weekend lock-down. Paris was warned that if things didn’t improve, they will also be put in lockdown for as long as three weeks. All this will be decided Saturday, March 6. So I’ve accepted I’ll be here for a while. The hortensias on my terrace in Paris may die from lack of care, but I will probably be safe. And taking more long walks along the beautiful blue sea.
A LITTLE SPANISH AND A LITTLE FRENCH
When Sara sends me an e-mail, she ends with bisous which means besitos in Spanish, kisses (or a peck on each cheek) in English. Since in the Spanish bisous could feel a little bit personal, I respond with un abrazo that feels just right.
Another French word Sara uses is le confinement that in Panama we call la cuarentena—that in English we’re also too familiar with, quarantine. Covid19 has certainly limited some aspects of living, especially travel. I look forward (some day) to the reopening of le monde - el mundo - the world.
A bientôt is an easy translation into Spanish’s hasta pronto and the English see you soon.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Please let me know.