A Final Dinner in Paris
From our traveling Swamis:
To be filed under true, but unbelievable….
Swami and I had as last dinner in Europe last night, so walked the cobblestone passages (too narrow to call them roads), continuing to be amazed (and exhausted) by the street energy of Paris, like the most intense human gathering you have ever been in, except it does not end either with trying to walk through it (it goes for miles in every direction) or with time (it's the same at midnight as at 4pm).
We saw this one small restaurant that seemed so typical and kind of clean and French, but walked past looking for something maybe larger, which we did not find. So back we went to La Escrin, a bistro that reeked of France.
Service: exquisite. Food, inexpensive and yet elegant. So authentic, we agree. Only the French can cook like this. Ah, France, we thought. How great to say good-bye to you in this traditionally gastronomic way.
But then we noted the staff were not all French. There was an Indian woman serving tables (her 3-year-old daughter tugging at her skirt) and what seemed like her husband at the counter. Hmmm!
He asked across the room where his saffron-clad customers were from and soon we discovered he is the owner. Been in Paris for 26 years. His right foot is disabled, but he he bright and curious.
Do you know Mauritius? I asked. No, but I do know Sri Lanka. Really? we resounded, which part? Jaffna, near Alaveddy. Soon we are talking about Nallur Temple, Erlalai Aadheenam, Mavidapuram, Columbuthurai, Keeramalai and more. He grew up a block from Kumbalavalai Ganesha Temple, near the ashram. He would go there every day as a boy. He shows us a Ganesha on a shelf above him. He is amazed, but no more than we.
His chef peeks out from the kitchen, "I'm from Manaitivu," all smiles to hear us rattle off a few of the villages in the North and a bit about Yogaswami. We finish and the owner, Mutthukumar, covers our check and wishes us Bon Voyage.
What a clear final message from Europe that we have done our work, perhaps well, and can fly home to Kauai soon.
12 Responses to “A Final Dinner in Paris”
From Our Gurus' Teachings
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July 13th, 2013 at 7:10 pm
Padmaja Patel liked this on Facebook.
July 13th, 2013 at 7:26 pm
How wonderful! One never knows where one will be guided.
July 13th, 2013 at 8:10 pm
Jacquelyn Sidor liked this on Facebook.
July 13th, 2013 at 8:10 pm
Victoria Hamilton liked this on Facebook.
July 14th, 2013 at 3:41 am
Rukmani Sivayogapathy liked this on Facebook.
July 14th, 2013 at 5:05 am
I enjoyed reading the travel journal very much……
Amazed with what Europe has on Hinduism.
Thanks for sharing swamis.
July 14th, 2013 at 6:07 am
We loved your European Adventures! Paris dinner amazing and perfect!
Bon Vivant!
Ben and Valli La Mar
July 14th, 2013 at 11:56 am
Niraj Aum Namah Shivaya liked this on Facebook.
July 14th, 2013 at 11:56 am
Rudiren Carpanen Pillay liked this on Facebook.
July 14th, 2013 at 8:46 pm
Awesome.
July 16th, 2013 at 12:10 am
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July 16th, 2013 at 12:10 am
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