A pool!

One of the advantages of being in Paris is that you will not see me in a speedo. Unfortunately, everyone else will...

We found some public pools online and we're gonna try them out as soon as I can get some info. First, are there any nearby that allow bermuda shorts? (otherwise known as normal swim shorts, this is the most important question) And does Ben need a speedo over his swim diaper?

I didn't write yesterday because we literally did nothing. We played trains. We went to the grocery store. And I'm falling asleep trying to figure out what else we did (it's only 8:30).

Today wasn't a whole lot better, but luckily the miscreants of Paris provide me with ample fuel to feed my writing fire.

I don't know why, but people are attracted to me. I've had over 12 people now ask me something in either French, Italian or Russian. I've also been marked for a scam now for the 4th time.

I almost paid the guy this time cause it was kind of like watching a magic show...

We had just finished with the trampolines and I was looking for the nearest metro back when I spotted a dude with tight jeans and a leather jacket (like the guy who pulled the ring trick on me the other day) off to my left. I thought, that's a scammer.

Sure enough, he nonchalantly headed towards me, and I kept an eye on him...I wanted to see how smooth he was with the ring. He was smooth. I saw his left was empty, and his right was not quite closed and angled away from me. He pulled a bit of street magic and made it look like the ring appeared out of thin air as he bent down in front of the stroller.

I held my urge to applaud, veered around him, and kept walking. He asked if it was my ring, but this time I was ready with my Spanish right off that bat.

As I learned long ago (high school) in Jamaica, the only weapon a salesperson has is communication. Take that away, and they got nothing.

So after, hablo espanol, he was out of words. He said, English?!, as though he were an angry tourist asking directions from a uncooperative local, and when I said, lo siento, hablo espanol, tu hablas? he swore in French (I'm just guessing based on tone and facial expression), and then walked past me and started rapidly swearing in French (again, just a guess....).

I'm thinking my luck will run out though and I'll meet a vagrant that speaks Spanish. Time to brush up on my 4th grade sign language I guess... (I still refuse to learn French sign language though!!)