Almost...

We ALMOST made it a whole week in Paris without any strikes bringing the city to
a standstill. However sure enough, day 6 saw the European Parliament in session
debating the mandatory retirement age, and all of France virtually stopped what
they were doing to pick up a picket.

Thus the metro was out of the question, so we did a lot of walking, and a lot of
sitting in one place. The strike happened to fall on Luke's birthday, so I had
planned to avoid the metro anyway, and take him down the road to La Maison
Des Trois Thes for a Tea degustation, Paris style. We had heard about this place
before we arrived. The owner is a Chinese lady who happens to be one of
five "Tea Masters" worldwide. (I am still not sure what a tea master is, but it
sounds impressive).

We paid for two different types of tea (which cost more than I am willing to admit
at this present moment) and were treated to the preparation ceremony, the
brewing and the heating of vessels, and of course, drinking good tea! It was a
sensual overload, with sights, smells, and tastes, which was a real treat for Luke
given his coffee fanaticism. The staff were all too willing to speak to us (in
English, as sadly my french to english tea jargon is lacking) about the whole
process of how the tea goes from being a teeny seed to being in your cup!

The french have such an appreciation for good things. Food, wine, cheese, bread,
tea, whatever it may be. In every meal, they take the best possible
ingredients and take the time to savor them. Businesses in the heart of Paris
close and take 1.5 hrs off at lunch time to have a 4 course lunch. This tea
experience, whilst it was reflective of oriental culture, fits the french appreciation
for traditions, an incredible palate, and the time to savor fine products.

Although, I still don't think there is anything wrong with chucking a bag of
peppermint tea in some warm water after a hard day of exploring.