A lookback at my stay in Paris.

and, a stopover in Dublin.

Dublin, Ireland.

August 5th, 2026

Dear Reader,

When I last wrote I was just heading off for Paris. Now I’m writing to you from a hotel lobby in Ballsbridge, Dublin.

It’s a grey, blustery day with patches of sun struggling through the clouds. The Irish are out and about in tee shirts and light jackets.

I’m grateful I packed a cashmere sweater and a scarf.

The purpose of this visit was to pay a call to a dear friend I know from my studies in London. I arrived last night and went to her house for homemade pizzas and sorbet.

This afternoon I go on to the US.

Let’s cut back to Paris. I met my husband there on Saturday afternoon, and the next day my parents joined us.

We went to the flea market in Saint Ouen, and had a drink at Les Deux Magots, a café known for the writers and artists who once hung out there.

Dad at Les Deux Magots.

Strolling along the Seine, I admired the books in a stand. The bookseller had a cloud of whitish grey hair. I asked if I could take a picture and he obliged, posing in a focused stance.

The bookseller.

A biography of Billie Holiday caught my eye.

“How much?”, I asked.

“5 euros.”, he replied.

My husband reached into his pocket and got out a note.

“Here you are.”, said the bookseller, handing me the book wrapped in plastic. “And a bookmark with my compliments.”, he added with a half bow.

On our way back from dinner we crossed the Pont des Arts. This bridge became famous for all the locks attached there by lovers pledging their love. The bridge became so weighed down with the locks that they were eventually taken down for fear the bridge would collapse.

An Asian man wearing a loose painter’s blouse stood before an easel. By his side were some finished works and a sign which read: Available.

The painter.

On another note, I was recently interviewed by Voyage Baltimore Magazine. Check out the story here!

Stay tuned.

Abrazos,

Mariah