I recently got really crazy about making myself salmon for dinner. A colleague invited me over for dinner last Saturday and she made such a lovely salmon dish I felt I had to attempt to remake it. Which would probably be easier if I had an oven in my apartment, which I dont.

Since I only have a microwave, which is good for a lot of things, I found this recipe online for a pan-fried salmon, that I wanted to share with you. I’ve made it two nights in a row - it’s simple, quick and easy.

(Note bene: I add some pan-fried zucchini slices, even though they’re not mentioned in the recipe)

https://www.recipesmadeeasy.co.uk/panfried-salmon-sweet-potato-chilli-mash/

And now you know. Also you’ve got the reason for why my small 14 sqm studio smells like fried salmon these days. Yesterday I finally found a lighter out in the grocery store and was thus able to light the scented candle I bought my first evening here - so the smell will soon be eradicated. Funnily enough, a lighter - as well as batteries are something I’ve been looking for since I arrived but didn’t find until yesterday, in a grocery store. I don’t know if it’s me that sucks at searching for these things or if it’s just that the French hide these things away…

I also made the smoke detector go off two days ago. Nobody living around me seems to have paid much attention to that but maybe I just shut it down quickly enough by waving it out the window. Yesterday I remembered, ahh, open the window while cooking.

See above: Two photos of some nice tiles I see regularily. I love details like thse.

As promised in the title, I also intended to mention the metro.

When buying fares I was told to start by buying a 20 ticket “bunch” and see how long that lasts me. I’ve already started my second bunch and if I cant manage to make it last a bit longer I’ll have to buy a monthly pass. Which is perfectly fine, if you’re using the metro accordingly. Otherwise, the bunch is cheaper overall.

It wont be until next fall that the French are intending to implement a new card, on which you can add tickets; then you can avoid carrying a bunch of tiny tickets around with you all day long.

Some time ago I bought a cheap Ali Express coin purse that says Paris on it and the tickets fit perfectly in there. That has kept me from ruining the magnet strip on the tickets, by keeping them too close to my phone or credit cards. Note bene: if this happens, it wont work in the gate - so go up to the next kiosk and tell them “il fonctionne pas” - it’s not working and they’ll replace it (just make sure you’re not trying to use an already used ticket.. they wont replace those).

For short trips to Paris I think these carnets (bunch) are probably the best option. You can get 10 or 20 at a time. You might have to have a little system to best work with them:

• Keep the tickets in a specific place - away from mobiles and credit cards

• Use the ticket

• Keep the most recently used ticket while going through the metro, in case the guards ask you to show your ticket (important)

• Get out of the metro - throw the ticket in the trash (not on the street - it takes them around one year to decompose): It’s best to throw them away as soon as possible, in stead of shoving them into a pocket and then getting them confused with unused tickets.

If you’re going on a trip to Paris and you intend to use the metro relentlessly, I suggest buying 1, 2, 3 or 5 day pass but I have no experience with those and can’t therefore suggest. It depends on how much you think you’ll use it, if they’ll be worth it (you can even buy them with the RER B from the airport included)

Anyway, I’m getting fed up of salads and salmon so I’m going to have dinner at the other Golden M in this city.

Bonne soirée,

Miriam in Paris

(the photo attached to this blog is of a lady I saw waiting for the metro the other day. I found the message on her bag so interesting)