Today, again Dean is off to help out a friend on his short. But contrary to yesterday, for me it’s a day of play. I intend to say good-bye to my neighborhood by visiting its many alleyways, villas – as the French call them.
As I leave I take a last recognizance look of the cobblestones and door I will cross only a few times more. The cobblestones take me back to my hometown of Asunción where they are common. I almost expect to see a horse carriage when I open the heavy wood door.
Quartier de la Mouzaia is a working class neighborhood (and I proved that yesterday with all the chores I did.) It was built between the end of the 19th and early 20th century. Running down the hills (one where our apartment is located) are some twenty pedestrian street or villas.
Each has its own feel to it.
I didn’t visit them all but did not tire of walking around. Of course, there had to be one with a scooter as its emblem . 
Red brick is predominant on the houses 
but, as the villas, each has its own unique character. And you see burst of colors which in previous walks I had not noticed. 
And then there is a surprise graffiti that is in Spanish! 
I have yet to visit my local park Parc des Buttes Chaumont and if I don’t do it today I have a feeling I won’t do it at all so I go to the metro Botzaris 
where love is in the air and enter the park from a side street. 
Boxing, or tai bo, in the open air may be fun. 
But a bite to eat at the park’s entrance may be a better idea. 
Maybe some sunbathing after that. 
While enjoying the view. 
Going to ignore vandalism in this oasis. 
As I leave a see a vendor with maté by his side. I automatically assume that he is either Argentinian, Uruguayan or Paraguayan so I ask him in Spanish where he is from and it turns out he is French but lived in South America for a year and adopted maté as his drink of choice. It is a small world!
Getting late and I’m meeting Dean at a station 
at the other side of town so I go back home passing another villa (alleyway / path) where a cat makes sure I understand this is his villa. 
I notice that my front door also provides that burst of color that the Quartier is known for. 
And I photograph the inner courtyard. 
Everything seems to have character here. Even a window with clothes drying. 
I get to Portes de Vanves 
– and I must say I am very proud of myself for getting there on time after two transfers on the metro – (Everyone who knows me knows that I have zero, zilch, no sense of orientation so this was a feat for me!)where we are checking out another possible shoot location. The market of Antique and Old Books. 
Another window I like. 
Back to our neck of the woods to have a great Vietnamese meal at Chez Kim. 
And enjoy our last sunset in this part of town. 
Wait till I take you to where we are moving to tomorrow!!!!
Lidia The Explorer 