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Eiffel Tower. Arc de Triomphe. Versailles. The Louvre. The Seine.
The Paris checklist: Saw them. Hiked them. Climbed or cruised them.
But what I really want to tell you about is the little French lady with the cast iron frying pan.
I’m guessing she was in her 70s. She was short but that did not slow her down.
My wife and I were in line at a food store in Paris, about three back from checkout. I noticed the lady walking toward us.
In her left hand was a cane and her right hand was gripping a small skillet. My first thought was, “Ahh, she knows the value of a cast iron pan.”
She edged up to us and started chatting ... in French. My wife told her we did not parlez vous her French. The lady switched to English and my wife quickly understood. She had made her case, lifting the heavy pan in one hand and cane in the other.
“Sure,” said my wife, gesturing ahead of us. “You can go ahead.” And she did, where she immediately poked the guy in front of her. He also let her jump ahead.
The lady at the register kind of sneered. We didn’t understand what she said but wondered if the frying pan lady was a regular customer up to her usual tactics.
It was funny. I loved it. I had some real insight into life in Paris where no one could turn away a little lady waving a cast iron pan and a cane.
My wife knew I enjoyed the moment but also offered a warning.
“That better not be the highlight of your trip,” she said. She had spent weeks – more like months – planning our adventure that took us to Paris, London and Edinburgh.
But she would agree that many of the highlights of our trip included the people we met in all the cities. Or enjoyed watching, like the day we explored Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, a huge green space with children’s playgrounds, tree-lined promenades and a palace, of course. And more.
Everywhere there were chairs for sitting and watching. We walked into an area where I had to plop on one of those chairs ... to watch.
A large rectangle area was sectioned off. It was a playground for the men gathered on the crushed stone surface. I watched as they lofted into a high arc a steel ball rotating with major backspin. They were playing bocci and it was serious stuff.
A fellow player approached carrying his own orbs. He greeted one of the players with a floating kiss on each cheek. Again, I savored another glimpse of the people of Paris.
We checked off many must-sees but the people surprises were special.
Like the Uber driver ... who stood out from others. His auto was equipped like a carnival ride or perhaps a man cave. Incense was curling into the car under twinkling, blue lights above our heads. And he was a talker.
Born in South Africa, he has lived and worked in many countries. His goal is to travel the world. He’s been to more than 50 countries and was excited about his next adventure – driving his new car through Ireland. He wasn’t shy about telling us that his sister thinks he should do something more productive with his life. But ... exploring the world is his passion.
And the barkers ... in the Latin Quarter in Paris, a maze of alleyways crammed with vendors and restaurants. They manned the restaurant doorways, shouting to passersby to entice them into their eatery. Everyone had the “best” menus. The free glass of wine worked on us.
We brought home lots of photos and stories. But, of course, everyone hears my opening line:
“Let me tell you about the little French lady with the cast iron frying pan.”
• Lonny Cain, retired managing editor of The Times in Ottawa, also was a reporter for The Herald-News in Joliet in the 1970s. His PaperWork email is lonnyjcain@gmail.com. Or mail The Times, 110 W. Jefferson St., Ottawa, IL 61350.